Toughest Game?

[Ray Lewis Eats People]

Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh on monday night. remember playing the Steelers on monday night, Halloween a couple years ago? it was hard hitting, painful and a tough loss.

[Raven07]

personally, i think that any of the games/opponents we face this season, will be alot harder..no matter what the experts or anyone says about it, everyone is out on that same field competing for that same common goal, To win the game and move that much closer to the play-offs and eventually the Superbowl. Every single team we're going to be facing this season will come out firing and put forth their best efforts in order to try and emerge as the victorious one's, its just a simple fact of football life, either Bring your A Game or dont even bother showing up to the game.

it all just comes down to whom goes out there on each of their possession's and controls the clock and moves the football effectively down the length of the field. Where that begins, comes right down to everyone out there on the football field as well as on that sideline and up in the Box watching from afar, if they are willing to put forth the effort and put forth the work and time and truly dedicate themselves to their job and/or the task(s) at hand. Each component has to be working in unison with everyone/everything else out there, establishing a good solid foundation of chemistry in which only builds up more and more as time goes on.

So to say whom will be "our toughest opponent we'll face this season" thats a hard/bold statement to make because they are all going to come out firing, every one of those teams will come out on that field and really try to win that game, you can say it however you like or what but the fact of the matter is that this is the NFL and the people in this league are professionals and know what they are doing, sure there is a kink thrown into the mix sometimes at different points in time, but thats just life, so everyone out there is trying to do there job(s) to the best of their abilities, no matter the number of valuable Resources one team may have, they take the hand that is dealt to them and play it the best way possible that they can.

But putting all that aside, I feel as though the Colts will/would be our toughest game/opponent that we will face this season, every team on our schedule this season is looking to do the same to us as we intend to do the same to them so everyone will be putting forth their best eforts as i stated above, but just based off of the Colts game last week, the Ravens will have to be looking towards getting a healthy lead and then keep it coming, Keep the pressure on Manning, dont have the pressure on us, keep it on them and rely on our defense to do the same as they've always done the whole season, make plays, contain the Quarterback, shut down the Passing game and force Manning to make plays in other ways, that means that there will have to be a constant flow of pressure (doesnt have to be sack after sack after sack, those that would be very nice and do that much more for us) just enough pressure force Manning to keep him off-beat, keeping him from getting his feet set and keeping him from sitting back there with alot of time and having him analyze the field in its entirity. I think that our Big guys up front and in the trenches on the defensive side of the football, will be the first line of defense (so to speak) and that means they're our first wave of pressure, we need them to use their power and strength to drive the offensive lineman back up and into their own backfield forcing for quick decision making to be done and the timing to be off as a result.

Our Secondary we have in Rolle, McAlister along with the aid of having our Safeties help them out (if need be) will have to do a excellent job (not ok, not good, not even great)...an EXCELLENT job at our coverage schemes and being able to cover guys like Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison like a blanket without drawing the flags that often times occur. Not allowing either of them to break loose and potentially break one for a big gain, they've done a good job so far with them covering Johnson and TJ from the Bengals game, now they have to continue that trend and continue to excel without getting too big of a head that they lose focus and BAM! give up that big play. That's something that cannot happen with our team right now and is something that our secondary (im sure) is working hard on trying to avoid, they also need to make the big plays when they are presented to them out there, when Manning tries to force throws in there, our secondary needs to also not only cover those guys like a blanket, but also be totally aware of whats going on around them and know where the ball is at any and all times and get that little extra push, that extra jump on the football and create a turnover situation and more opportunities for our offense to score points out there on the field. Keeping that added Pressure on Manning (like i said last week) Our defense just needs to keep Manning on the move and keep him from getting comfortable out there, forcing those crucial over and under throws and missed opportunities, this team, this defense doesnt necessarily need to get all those fancy sacks and big time numbers, just apply enough pressure in order to keep him guessing, keep him moving and keep him from getting comfortable out there. thats what effective from a defense does, and thats what we'll need them to do to Manning when the time comes. Manning is a pure pocket passer, so forcing him to move out of the pocket, he's not as good out of the pocket as he is while in the pocket. Manning's mobility is one of his few flaws and is something in which we must take a clear-cut advantage in capitalizing on.

Our Offense will have to do a Excellent job (to the best of their ability) in ball control and time of possession, which means that our ground game will become a huge factor in this one, our running backs need to be able to see the open holes being presented, and use their speed and agility/elusivness and break through the hole towards the open field. I think now with the fact that we now know that we have not one, not two, but Three very capable players, we can use to our own advantage and maintain a healthy dosage of Time of possession and ball control, rotation of our three options is something and rotate All 3 guys in and out of the line-up so that none of them gets too too tired and un-effective, by the rotationof running backs/ground threats noone should be tired and worn out, all should be up-beat, fresh and ready to go at any time.

Now what does that mean for our Offensive Line? well it means that they will have to be able to use their strength to push/drive any and all their guys up off the line of scrimmage and away from the devloping play. This also means that our big guys upfront will have their work cut out for them but is something that they [u]can[/u] do it, they need to it, if they are to open up holes and gaps for our rushing attack to burst through for big yardage.

[PuRock]

[quote name='PuRock' post='66552' date='Sep 16 2008, 09:17 AM']Actually we have beat the Packers, the teams we haven't beat
Carolina Panthers
Philadelphia Eagles
New England Patriots

Too bad we don't get our shot against the Patriots this year. We have to play them during their miracle season.[/quote]


On the opposite side of this. The Dallas Cowboys have never beaten us.

Here are the other teams we are undefeated against:
Dallas Cowboys 0-2 vs. Us
Houston Texans 0-2 vs. Us
New York Giants 0-2 vs. Us

[blackbandana]

[quote name='mcgaheewillrunyourassover' post='65992' date='Sep 13 2008, 12:10 PM']with the exception of last year in Pitt when we had 2 backup corners and no heap...we play pitt very well...they were terrible last time facing rolle and c-mac
that wont be the toughest game...the giants probably will be...jacobs/bradshaw is the toughest back tandem we face[/quote]

haha giants???? give me a brake...yah their good but not the best we will face...

[rayvenfan_52]

[quote name='PuRock' post='66552' date='Sep 16 2008, 04:17 AM']Actually we have beat the Packers, the teams we haven't beat
Carolina Panthers
Philadelphia Eagles
New England Patriots

Too bad we don't get our shot against the Patriots this year. We have to play them during their miracle season.[/quote]

There we go.. I knew I got the wrong team up on there but wasnt sure which one. thanks.

[bossman419]

during that green bay game kyle boller made brett favre look like, well... kyle boller

[Lets_Go_Joe]

[quote name='blackbandana' post='65777' date='Sep 12 2008, 02:28 PM']who voted the giants??? lol!

i went with colts either them or the squeelers monday night[/quote]

Um they won the SB and are still playing like it was last year. barring injuries, this could be one of the best D's we play.

I think i picked dallas last week, but i think that the pitt games will be the hardest

[YABOY]

The colts because it seems like they beat us every time we play them

[YABOY]

[quote name='PuRock' post='66552' date='Sep 16 2008, 08:17 AM']Actually we have beat the Packers, the teams we haven't beat
Carolina Panthers
Philadelphia Eagles
New England Patriots

Too bad we don't get our shot against the Patriots this year. We have to play them during their miracle season.[/quote]
The cowboys never beat us i didn't know that i hope they don't beat us this year but they are my second favorite team next to the ravens of course

[blackbandana]

[quote name='Lets_Go_Joe' post='66613' date='Sep 16 2008, 04:41 PM']Um they won the SB and are still playing like it was last year. barring injuries, this could be one of the best D's we play.

I think i picked dallas last week, but i think that the pitt games will be the hardest[/quote]

ok so they won the super bowl last season it dosnt make them the best team..

and with the options of dallas, pitt, and indi id choose them over the giants any day. only time will tell.

(PS i still give Eli alot of respect for that SB win)

[FerrariFan87]

Pittsburgh is ALWAYS a tough game, especially in Pittsburgh. Dallas and Philly with those offenses, and with the Giants putting it all together, I think all of those games are going to be tough. Thankfully, we get Philly at Home.