Away Playoff Game Scares Me!

[jimmypowder]

With our terrible record and horrid play in away games this year, playing away playoff
games could be the kiss of death.

If there was ever a year we need home playoff games it is this year.

[Rinbee]

[quote name='jimmypowder' timestamp='1321282412' post='870253']
With our terrible record and horrid play in away games this year, playing away playoff
games could be the kiss of death.

If there was ever a year we need home playoff games it is this year.
[/quote]

If we even make it to th POs. Two against Cincy and one against SF (who is playing much better than expected) on a short week could easily sink us to third in the division. Not to mention another west coast trip against SD. Right now this is not a PO caliber team - home or away.

[jimmypowder]

[quote name='Rinbee' timestamp='1321282743' post='870272']

If we even make it to th POs. Two against Cincy and one against SF (who is playing much better than expected) on a short week could easily sink us to third in the division. Not to mention another west coast trip against SD. Right now this is not a PO caliber team - home or away.
[/quote]
Sadly ,I have to agree with you.Alot will be decided in the next two games against Cincy and the 49ers.The fact that the 49ers game
is a nationally televised event is usually the kiss of death for us.

[H8R]

[quote name='Rinbee' timestamp='1321282743' post='870272']

If we even make it to th POs. Two against Cincy and one against SF (who is playing much better than expected) on a short week could easily sink us to third in the division. Not to mention another west coast trip against SD. Right now this is not a PO caliber team - home or away.
[/quote]


What kind of teams do you think play in the playoffs? Good ones. How do the Ravens do against good teams? They win. Relax, the Ravens are certainly a playoff caliber team. Just ask the teams in the hunt that lost to the Ravens.

[Rinbee]

[quote name='H8R' timestamp='1321283066' post='870287']


What kind of teams do you think play in the playoffs? Good ones. How do the Ravens do against good teams? They win. Relax, the Ravens are certainly a playoff caliber team. Just ask the teams in the hunt that lost to the Ravens.
[/quote]

PO caliber teams play with consistency and win the games they are supposed to win. We have done neither.

[Gtown Purple]

Every team loses games. Who thought the saints would lose to the Rams? Like H8R said, we will play up in the playoffs.

[neoi78]

I agree, but we're surely going to get up for a divisonal rival - the bengals. And SURE to be ready to play against Harb's brother. This will be even more of a physical battle than any Pitt game. Both teams are going to FIGHT for their coach. You heard if here first! (well.. maybe not first )

[OUravensfan]

[quote name='neoi78' timestamp='1321288236' post='870484']
I agree, but we're surely going to get up for a divisonal rival - the bengals. And SURE to be ready to play against Harb's brother. This will be even more of a physical battle than any Pitt game. Both teams are going to FIGHT for their coach. You heard if here first! (well.. maybe not first )
[/quote]

Right, thank god these two games are at home where we have actually showed up for every game. I am hoping that Dalton being a rookie and making his first visit to Baltimore will be put in his place. Unfortunately this has been a somewhat uncharacteristic year for us winning games we should win. If this team plays to its fullest capabilities for the next 7 games we win out plain and simple.

[gabefergy]

We are a different team at Home and Away this season. Fortunately we still control our own destiny in the division and I believe we control our own destiny for the #1 seed, although I may be mistaken--Houston could be in a better position. We are definitely still a top contender in the AFC, but we have to win our remaining divisional games and possibly win out. We gave Pittsburgh a huge respite, but we are still in a good position thanks to our season sweep over them. We have to play flawless from here on out.

[PurpleChaos]

I'll keep this short and sweet
Just looked at the Steelers remaining schedule and they only have one possible tough game or loss looming vs San Francisco. Otherwise they win out with that soft schedule.
Real simple folks the math don't lie under those circumstances regardless what we do. Barring a tie (unlikely) we are wild card bound again.

Prediction
We stomp someone in the first game as is the norm
Second week we are sent packing. Some things never change.

[JohnJohnson]

The Steelers aren't losing to bad teams, they're doing what they're supposed to do. We're showing our potential and then throwing it all away with these ridiculous mistake filled games. We had a one game buffer on the Steelers, and we blew it on our first game. Now all we have is the tiebreaker, and the knowledge that we are perfectly capable of losing to terrible teams while the Steelers take care of business.

[ravensdfan]

[quote name='PurpleChaos' timestamp='1321314721' post='871436']
I'll keep this short and sweet
Just looked at the Steelers remaining schedule and they only have one possible tough game or loss looming vs San Francisco. Otherwise they win out with that soft schedule.
Real simple folks the math don't lie under those circumstances regardless what we do. Barring a tie (unlikely) we are wild card bound again.

Prediction
We stomp someone in the first game as is the norm
Second week we are sent packing. Some things never change.
[/quote]

Um...no the math don't lie and the math is if we win out we win the division and most likely the #1 seed in the AFC. I guess that leaves me a little confused here. Have you given up on the team? The Seattle loss was brutal. Still it was a non-conference loss and still, beating the Bengals @home next game puts us right back in the drivers' seat.

[scrock]

[quote name='PurpleChaos' timestamp='1321314721' post='871436']
I'll keep this short and sweet
Just looked at the Steelers remaining schedule and they only have one possible tough game or loss looming vs San Francisco. Otherwise they win out with that soft schedule.
Real simple folks the math don't lie under those circumstances regardless what we do. Barring a tie (unlikely) we are wild card bound again.

Prediction
We stomp someone in the first game as is the norm
Second week we are sent packing. Some things never change.
[/quote]

I feel the same way, only way we win the division now is if we win out, which I dont think we can do....so we are a wild card team again

[quote name='ravensdfan' timestamp='1321317551' post='871540']

Um...no the math don't lie and the math is if we win out we win the division and most likely the #1 seed in the AFC. I guess that leaves me a little confused here. Have you given up on the team? The Seattle loss was brutal. Still it was a non-conference loss and still, beating the Bengals @home next game puts us right back in the drivers' seat.
[/quote]

i doubt we win out, our schedule is tougher than the Steelers imo

San Diego, 49'ers, and Bengals, Browns twice...I can see us losing 2 more games at least

unless the real Ravens team shows up and decides it wants to be consistent...im not sure they can do that

[Rinbee]

[quote name='Gtown Purple' timestamp='1321288219' post='870480']
Every team loses games. Who thought the saints would lose to the Rams? Like H8R said, we will play up in the playoffs.
[/quote]

We have to get there first. This is not doomsday thinking, but looking at the schedule (Balt/Pitt/Cinn) and considering our history with Cinn it is possible we could easily sink to third in the division. If so, we are looking at a 6 seed which is still up for grabs. Yes, good teams lose games, but we are losing games we should not while Pitt and Cinn are winning them. BTW, we have not exactly played up in the POs in past seasons, so why should we expect more this season when we have been more eratic than ever?

[Gtown Purple]

If this team can't become more consistent then we don't deserve to go deep in the playoffs. They should know that as players. The thing is to peak at the right time. This team is still finding itself and so is the coaching staff. the lack off an off season regiment it taking a toll on many teams. I still have confidence that we can get it together. There are countless examples to point too.


[quote name='Rinbee' timestamp='1321451299' post='873217'] We have to get there first. This is not doomsday thinking, but looking at the schedule (Balt/Pitt/Cinn) and considering our history with Cinn it is possible we could easily sink to third in the division. If so, we are looking at a 6 seed which is still up for grabs. Yes, good teams lose games, but we are losing games we should not while Pitt and Cinn are winning them. BTW, we have not exactly played up in the POs in past seasons, so why should we expect more this season when we have been more eratic than ever?[/quote]

[frezeal33]

[quote name='jimmypowder' timestamp='1321282412' post='870253']
With our terrible record and horrid play in away games this year, playing away playoff
games could be the kiss of death.

If there was ever a year we need home playoff games it is this year.
[/quote]
We're 6-3.. not that bad. Personally, I don't think it's being away that hurts us, it's playing bad teams.

[FWalkerHOF]

[quote name='Rinbee' timestamp='1321451299' post='873217']

We have to get there first. This is not doomsday thinking, but looking at the schedule (Balt/Pitt/Cinn) and considering our history with Cinn it is possible we could easily sink to third in the division. If so, we are looking at a 6 seed which is still up for grabs. Yes, good teams lose games, but we are losing games we should not while Pitt and Cinn are winning them. BTW, we have not exactly played up in the POs in past seasons, so why should we expect more this season when we have been more eratic than ever?
[/quote]

Unfortunately I have to agree. The only truly difficult game the Steelers have left is the 49ers. Meanwhile we have 4 (Cin2x, SD, 49ers). The optimist in me says the Ravens, playing at their best, are the 2nd best team in the league to only the Packers, and we can certainly win every game from here on out.

The realist in me realizes that the Flacco-Harbaugh Ravens haven't shown us any signs that they can play consistently good for a full game let alone 7, and that our battle is harder than our rival's. To add to this, we have been in similar positions in '09 and '10, where the division was there for the taking, or we had the lead more than halfway through the season, but gave it up to a divisional foe. The loss to the Steelers at home in 2010 was just crushing. The stakes were so high in that game, and the Ravens knew it, and I really thought there was no way the Ravens would let the Steelers escape with a win and the division lead. But we all know how that went down. These Ravens just haven't been the ones to rise up when it counts the most, so realistically I can't put any faith in them to do it this time.

However the optimist and fan in me can't but notice that they are capable and talented enough to pull it off. Maybe this kind of backs against the wall scenario to capture the division title will finally spur this team to play at its peak and go on a hot streak that carries over into the playoffs like the 05 Steelers, 07 Giants or 2010 Packers. The Ravens will make it interesting, thats for sure.

[hawkprey]

[quote name='Rinbee' timestamp='1321282743' post='870272']

If we even make it to th POs. Two against Cincy and one against SF (who is playing much better than expected) on a short week could easily sink us to third in the division. Not to mention another west coast trip against SD. Right now this is not a PO caliber team - home or away.
[/quote]
If you're worried about us against those teams, what about Pittsburgh against those teams? Can't they lose too? And if we beat the Bengals, that's one less team to worry about for 1st place in the division AND a bye week. So we're in the driver's seat for the #1 seed and you're worried about Andy Dalton and Alex Smith?

[JO_75]

We'll be fine and I think we will end up at most the 2 Seed, if the Patriots play the way they did against the Jets, they could get the # 1 Seed. I think we caught a huge break with the Texans losing Matt Schaub, and right now if we take care of the Bengals on Sunday, heading into ANOTHER home game against the San Francisco 49ers so if we take care of business we'll be 8-3 atop the North and 3-0 in the Division at the end of the 2 game stretch of the Bengals and 49ers.

[CalvinSmoke]

If we and the Steelers sweep the Bengals that's 3 more losses on their schedule, which would make them at worst 10-6? I think as Ravens we could pass that.

[darklight1216]

Teams with losing records scare me.

[Free Agent]

[quote name='darklight1216' timestamp='1321691707' post='876086']
Teams with losing records scare me.
[/quote]
Same here... Hopefully there wont be any teams with losing records making the playoffs...

[darklight1216]

[quote name='Free Agent' timestamp='1321692080' post='876088']
Same here... Hopefully there wont be any teams with losing records making the playoffs...
[/quote]
They've gone 1-4 against losing teams thus far, right? They still have two games against Cleveland, and one each against SD and Indy. If the Ravens don't wake up, there won't be a playoff appearance to worry about.

[jaege]

[quote name='PurpleChaos' timestamp='1321314721' post='871436']
I'll keep this short and sweet
Just looked at the Steelers remaining schedule and they only have one possible tough game or loss looming vs San Francisco. Otherwise they win out with that soft schedule.
Real simple folks the math don't lie under those circumstances regardless what we do. Barring a tie (unlikely) we are wild card bound again.

Prediction
We stomp someone in the first game as is the norm
Second week we are sent packing. Some things never change.
[/quote]


I don't know that the Steelers can sweep their next 6 games. That is hard for any team (besides the Packers) to do. Even against a soft schedule. The odds are that they lose at least one.

[marylandmike12]

[quote name='hawkprey' timestamp='1321683013' post='876071']
If you're worried about us against those teams, what about Pittsburgh against those teams? Can't they lose too? And if we beat the Bengals, that's one less team to worry about for 1st place in the division AND a bye week. So we're in the driver's seat for the #1 seed and you're worried about Andy Dalton and Alex Smith?
[/quote]
yes i am lets not underestimate the bengals they have beet us 3 out of 4 times the past 4 times we are the ones who lost to the jags titans and sehawks

[CapoRocky]

Let's just win tomorrow then discuss this topic afterwards.

[jimmypowder]

[quote name='hawkprey' timestamp='1321683013' post='876071']
If you're worried about us against those teams, what about Pittsburgh against those teams? Can't they lose too? And if we beat the Bengals, that's one less team to worry about for 1st place in the division AND a bye week. So we're in the driver's seat for the #1 seed and you're worried about Andy Dalton and Alex Smith?
[/quote]
Well I wasnt worried about Seattle's and Jacksonville's no name qb's either and look what happened!

[darklight1216]

[quote name='jaege' timestamp='1321716919' post='876165']


I don't know that the Steelers can sweep their next 6 games. That is hard for any team (besides the Packers) to do. Even against a soft schedule. The odds are that they lose at least one.
[/quote]
Given that Pitt has thus far taken care of business against the lesser teams in the league, I'm not really confident that they won't win. The Ravens, on the other hand, have proven that they are unreliable.

It's such a shame too. The Pittsburgh monkey is off their backs, the Colts have been nuetered, the Patriots look like they might even beatable for Baltimore, and it even seems like the media has ceased to worship Matt Ryan this season. Despite all of these great opportunities it looks like the Ravens are fielding yet another team that will look up to Pitt in the divisional race and end up in a dogfight for a wildcard spot.

[Rinbee]

[quote name='hawkprey' timestamp='1321683013' post='876071']
If you're worried about us against those teams, what about Pittsburgh against those teams? Can't they lose too? And if we beat the Bengals, that's one less team to worry about for 1st place in the division AND a bye week. So we're in the driver's seat for the #1 seed and you're worried about Andy Dalton and Alex Smith?
[/quote]

If we had beaten the teams we should have, we would not be in this position. The Steelers have not beaten themselves as the Ravens have. Just going on history here.

[Rinbee]

[quote name='FWalkerHOF' timestamp='1321682803' post='876070']

Unfortunately I have to agree. The only truly difficult game the Steelers have left is the 49ers. Meanwhile we have 4 (Cin2x, SD, 49ers). The optimist in me says the Ravens, playing at their best, are the 2nd best team in the league to only the Packers, and we can certainly win every game from here on out.

The realist in me realizes that the Flacco-Harbaugh Ravens haven't shown us any signs that they can play consistently good for a full game let alone 7, and that our battle is harder than our rival's. To add to this, we have been in similar positions in '09 and '10, where the division was there for the taking, or we had the lead more than halfway through the season, but gave it up to a divisional foe. The loss to the Steelers at home in 2010 was just crushing. The stakes were so high in that game, and the Ravens knew it, and I really thought there was no way the Ravens would let the Steelers escape with a win and the division lead. But we all know how that went down. These Ravens just haven't been the ones to rise up when it counts the most, so realistically I can't put any faith in them to do it this time.

However the optimist and fan in me can't but notice that they are capable and talented enough to pull it off. Maybe this kind of backs against the wall scenario to capture the division title will finally spur this team to play at its peak and go on a hot streak that carries over into the playoffs like the 05 Steelers, 07 Giants or 2010 Packers. The Ravens will make it interesting, thats for sure.
[/quote]

I'm rooting for your optimistic side.