Is 2011 The Last Year Before Our Super Bowl Window Closes?

[baltravens]

Is 2011 the year to reach the Super Bowl before our superstar core of Lewis and Reed fade because of things like age and injuries? Is this the year to reach the Super Bowl with the veteran leadership we have before the proverbial window closes?
IMO, this year is the best chance that I say we have of reaching the Super Bowl given Lewis' and Reed's status, and the best chance in the near future.

[Twistidfunk]

Well both players refuse to retire so I am gonna say No, there are more years ahead. We are consistently in the playoffs. While we are all extremely disappointed in potentially losing Home Field advantage, we will likely make the show atleast. A lot of teams can't say that.

[GTRavens]

People ask this question every single year, and it's still open. As long as Ozzie continues to bring in talent, our window is going to stay open for a long time.

[rlh445]

We've been having this same discussion on this same board for at least five years. Yes, sooner or later aging vets are going to be jettisoned from the roster. No, that really doesn't mean much in the scheme of things because every team goes through the exact same thing. We have young, hungry lions on this team that will be with the team and step up when others leave. Such is life in the NFL.

[TreTheRaven]

Talking about the Super Bowl with this team is a bad idea. When you can't beat the teams you're supposed to, this team should not even be mentioned in the Super Bowl.

I've lost all faith in this team this season. Bring on the 2012 - 13 season and hope for something new.

[POE]

[quote name='TreTheRaven' timestamp='1321282496' post='870258']
Talking about the Super Bowl with this team is a bad idea. When you can't beat the teams you're supposed to, this team should not even be mentioned in the Super Bowl.

I've lost all faith in this team this season. Bring on the 2012 - 13 season and hope for something new.
[/quote]
Premature a little? This team has shown what it can do when it's hitting on all cylinders. This team has consistently beaten the power teams in this league this year, so far. This team has shown that it consistently plays down to the lesser teams strengths. So in my honest opinion this team just needs to find a way to stay consistent because everything else is in place.

[baltravens]

[quote name='TreTheRaven' timestamp='1321282496' post='870258']
Talking about the Super Bowl with this team is a bad idea. When you can't beat the teams you're supposed to, this team should not even be mentioned in the Super Bowl.

I've lost all faith in this team this season. Bring on the 2012 - 13 season and hope for something new.
[/quote]
I have not lost faith because our veteran superstars and Flacco can rebound from a loss [b]and[/b] this year reach the playoffs possibly with home field advantage.

[Purple Nurple]

No way. We have a solid foundation and our young guys look good. We just need to put it all together. We have the pieces. We will be in contention for a while I believe.

[lowrider]

When people say that we are old, they don't know what they are talking about. If a team has one player that is old then that doesn't make a team old. Other than Reed and Lewis, we don't have that many old players. Redding is over 30, Suggs is around 29 or 30. JJ is around 30. Birk is older, McKinney is older, Boldin is over 30. But it isn't like our entire team is old like the Pittsburgh Steelers. Torrey Smith, Laquan, the two tight ends, Oher, Yanda, Grubbs, Rice, Cary Williams, Jimmy Smith, Ngata, Cody, Jameel McClain. And most of all, Joe Flacco.

Every team is in some sort of rebuilding mode after every season. The ravens have some young talent that will help us transition when our old guys leave, but there isn't going to be a huge dropoff whenever we have to replace our older talent. And as long as we have Flacco, our team is going to be a contender. Regardless if Flacco is going to be a top elite qb or not, he is still a very good qb. And with our defense still having talent, and our overall team being solid; then there isn't going to be a dropoff

[gabefergy]

What we will miss the most is the leadership of and experience of Ray Lewis, but our team has a ton of young talent. We will be contenders for years to come as long as we can keep the key pieces we have in place.

[Ravenslifer]

Do I think we'll take a big hit when Ray Lewis and Ed Reed hang it up? Yes. Does that mean we will suddenly have to rebuild and our Superbowl window will close for the near future? No. We've got superstars on defense in Suggs and Ngata. We'll never find another Ray Lewis or Ed Reed, but we can find very capable players to replace them. How many hall of fame caliber players are on Superbowl teams every year? Looking at the Steelers, you could make a case for Ben and Troy eventually getting in, maybe Hines Ward, but I wouldn't say anyone else on that entire team. Looking at a team like the Packers, Charles Woodson maybe, and projecting way into the future Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews and maybe Greg Jennings, depending on how long he hangs around with Rodgers. That's 3-4 HOF caliber guys per team. Looking at the Colts, besides Peyton Manning I can't think of a single guy that would make the HOF. Nobody knows the magical formula to creating a Superbowl contender. Remember, the Saints went 7-9 in 2008, then went 13-0 and ended their season on a 3 game losing streak, but then got hot in the playoffs and won the whole thing. Maybe two guys on that team, Brees and Darren Sharper, will one day enter the hall of fame. The Packers last year looked all over the place, got a wildcard, then Rodgers heated up in the playoffs and they won. Nobody knows what will happen week-to-week, month-to-month in the NFL.

[PuRock]

Nope.

Young guys making plays who are the future core of our team: Flacco, Rice, Torrey Smith, Cody, Ngata, Cary Williams, Kruger, Grubbs, Yanda, Webb and Suggs

Young guys yet to shine: Jimmy Smith & Kindle

While so many people were clamoring for big name free agents. This team continues to draft for the future and will always give us a winning chance.

[tctony]

This is the year for this group, IMO.

We are young on offense, and that group should stay in tact for a while. But when Lewis and Reed leave we are going to have serious holes on D. We will need to rebuild our D based around Ngata and Cody, and get what we can out of Suggs. We are also young at CB, which is good.

[TreTheRaven]

[quote name='baltravens' timestamp='1321289708' post='870539']
I have not lost faith because our veteran superstars and Flacco can rebound from a loss [b]and[/b] this year reach the playoffs possibly with home field advantage.
[/quote]

I would love to blame myself as the only one seeing this team not doing anything this year and just looking on to next season. But that's not quite possible. It turns out in one of BR's articles that many experts as well don't have faith in this team.

This team is way too inconsistent this season to have any faith in.

http://blogs.baltimoreravens.com/2011/11/14/late-for-work-1114-rice-delivers-nicest-brushoff-ever/

[chesapeakeaviator]

[quote name='TreTheRaven' timestamp='1321295047' post='870741']

I would love to blame myself as the only one seeing this team not doing anything this year and just looking on to next season. But that's not quite possible. It turns out in one of BR's articles that many experts as well don't have faith in this team.

This team is way too inconsistent this season to have any faith in.

[url="http://blogs.baltimoreravens.com/2011/11/14/late-for-work-1114-rice-delivers-nicest-brushoff-ever/"]http://blogs.baltimo...-brushoff-ever/[/url]
[/quote]


This team is indeed wildly inconsistent right now. But I remind you that Aaron Rodgers got outdueled by Donovan McNabb last year. How did he rebound? Went back to Lambeau and got outplayed by Chad Henne and lost to the Dolphins! It's not how you start, it's not the "body of work" over the entire season, none of that college football B*S that makes it inherently inferior to the professional ranks. The ONLY thing that matters in pro football is that you keep yourself in the hunt the first 10-12 games and then start blazing at the end. How often does the team that you think is going to win it over the first 12 weeks actually win it?

[TDubbs]

I want this team to win the SuperBowl so badly just for Lewis and especially Reeds sake, they deserve it so much. However I think we will always be a contender for playoffs spots and superbowls. I firmly believe in our offensive and defensive schemes, and as long as we keep on bringing in talent that fits those schemes then we will be a competitive team.

[reediddy]

I think if Ray and Ed leave there will be a sizable leadership loss on this team and at this point I don't see who can jump right in there and take over that role. Q and Suggs are good candidates

[Ravensstrike4424]

[quote name='GTRavens' timestamp='1321281907' post='870228']
People ask this question every single year, and it's still open. As long as Ozzie continues to bring in talent, our window is going to stay open for a long time.
[/quote]

[ball hawkin 20]

dont even start with these threads...

[jdynamite]

When I read this thread i automatically knew it was probably written as a Once Ray Lewis retires then Ed Reed is sure to follow and we have no chance type of thing...... Well it's a very difficult subject to touch on because none of us want to diminish their value to the team or disrespect their individual greatness along with unmatched leadership skills..... But we are not as old of team as it seems we have build blocks in many areas unfortunately we don't have Franchise LT, no immediate replacements for Ray Lewis or Ed Reed ( but if we had those replacements on this team then no one would ever question the future )....

If Cameron is fired then I believe this offense can take the next progression into being above average......

[baltravens]

[quote name='ball hawkin 20' timestamp='1321304071' post='871090']
dont even start with these threads...
[/quote]
?

[The Raven]

The mark of a true winning team is the ability of the team to keep a window open over a long period of time. For example, the Patriots.

I think we have a very strong young core of players that will grow and make this team better. We have some quality young players. Our window is wide open, in fact, I think it got wider this season.

[ravensdfan]

First - it will be hard but we will still be the Ravens when Lewis and Reed retire. We have some very talented leaders coming up on defense. There will never be another Ray Lewis, but we will be alright. So in that sense, I don't see the window closing.

What is closing (and I'm not sure this would be the last season for it) is the opportunity to get Lewis another SB ring and Reed his first SB ring. It would truly sadden me to see Reed retire without a SB ring. It is one reason I get so upset when we get so close and don't make it.

[scrock]

When you have a QB you always have a chance to win a lot of games

We have a lot of young guys on both sides of the ball, we draft well so that 'window' is never really closed...some years it may be open more than others

we will always play good defense i think, we put a lot of emphasis on it.....like i said we draft so well that we usually have more talent coming up

[robbie29]

[quote name='GTRavens' timestamp='1321281907' post='870228']
People ask this question every single year, and it's still open. As long as Ozzie continues to bring in talent, our window is going to stay open for a long time.
[/quote]
Agreed, but with a caveat. The window is about 80% open with the talent we have and that Ozzie continues to bring in. The main thing (not the only thing, but the maint thing) preventing this team from going the distance is Cam Cameron.

[PeRK82]

I put there are years ahead, but this looks like our best opp. this yr with how we match up against teams, i do believe we could be the Packers if it came down to it in the SB.


This is our yr, dont let anyone tell you different. No more losing , no more excuses.

[BenDufusberger]

Aging veterans bring experience and provide useful guidance to younger players , but there comes a time when their skills have declined to the point that the overall benefit is no longer positive. Knowing when that point has been reached , and being relentless in responding to it , is a sign of good upper management.

The Pitt papers are saying that Hines may be out of a starting job , as they go with Cotchery. The lovers of Hines-parts in Pitt are probably throwing a tantrum , but Tomlin deserves credit for playing to win , rather than to coddle over-the-hill superstars.

We've got a great mix of young and old , rookies and grizzled veterans , that can be the foundation for a playoff-capable team for years to come , as long as we do a good job of replacing the worn-out parts in a timely manner.

One thing's for sure , as long as the Wizard of Ozzie is around , our replacement parts will likely be first-class.

[Purple Punishment]

we aint getting there this year unless we WAKE UP on offense. Ray and Ed are doing all they can with the D to play at a championship level.

[sweetains1]

I know this is super annoying but i am hoping my fellow ravens fans can help me out. I am a grad student and I am finishing my thesis so I can graduate in December and move back home to Baltimore. I have to collect some info from any 16-24 year olds so if there are any on this site please take 5 mins to help a fellow ravens fan out!

[url="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BQY6SPR"]http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BQY6SPR[/url]

thanks in advance!

[hawkprey]

This year was supposed to be a re-tooling year. Remember losing like 11 of our starters? Yeah, I think we'll be fine. The window is just opening. Now when Flacco and Rice retire - THAT's when the window will close, temporarily.