NFL Power Rankings

[tsizzle95]

so this week nfl.com ranked the ravens 6th! after beating the 49ers you would think that they would get some credit. and the worst part about it is that both the 49ers and steelers are ahead of them. i know it doesnt really matter, but i hate that the steelers are everyones "safe pick"

[Crabcakes&Football]

NFL.com has had the Ravens low all season, lower than most of the other sites. The guy who does them though still has the Jets going to the Superbowl, hahaha.

[T-ray]

Wow.. thats a joke! If we had lost, we would be lucky to be in the top 12 on that site, but the 49ers lose by 10 (should have been 14 had there been a better play called at goal line) and they still are at number 2?? Wow... just wow..

[johnmike72]

Also Heath Evans 4 some reason just cant come to terms that the Ravens r a good team, in his top 5 teams once again the ravens r not on it, he has the steelers on it, even though the ravens beet them twice. But his opinion really doesnt matter.

[Natty Boh]

You are right that power rankings don't mean a thing but most of the ones I have seen have the Ravens at #2 or #3 after they beat the 49ers. The only power ranking that means anything is the one after the Super Bowl.

[tsizzle95]

and the steelers who could barely beat a cheifs team that basically gave them turnovers were number 3 you have got to be kidding me Elliot...

[OUravensfan]

It's just NFL.com not giving us the respect. I've seen that in the majority of power rankings we are sitting at the #2 spot. And the NFL.com comment on us said we would go to the super bowl if our pass rush plays like that for the rest of the season, not too bad really.

[BmoreRav]

NFL.com doesn't have us ranked 6th. One 'expert' named Elliot Harrison has. (Can anyone clue me in on who this 'expert' is?)!

The consensus isn't up yet but I guarantee we will be higher than 6th.

[Gordo52]

The other one has us at # 3. Where all the writers vote.
Who cares what Harrison says. He obviously doesnt know football. Still blame everything on Joe when its not all his fault. We just have to deal with simple minded analyst like we deal with simple minded fans. I know, I dont understand how he has a job either, must be doing something we dont know about lol

[BALTIMOREFLACCO]

Again, who cares about power rankings! In a couple I've seen we're as high as 2nd? "Just win baby"

[The King]

I don't think I've seen any set of rankings so far where the Ravens aren't either second or third. The Packers definitely deserve to be number one right now considering their probable undefeated season and the play of Aaron Rodgers. Though the Ravens have beaten a lot of good teams, the losses to sub-par ones and the strength of the Saints are hurting them a little bit. Those two are right now fighting for the second spot in every set of rankings.

[bauer77]

Another day, another thread about not getting respect. Why are some of you guys so surprised by this? You guys think because we beat some good teams we should be #1 or #2? While i agree we should be above the steelers and 49ers, the analysts would look at you and say Seahawks, Jags, Titans. Thats their argument, and will be for the rest of the season, until we hopefully win the Super Bowl.

I wasn't saying this to put our team down, I'm just used to seeing this with Nfl.com, NFL network, ESPN, and everything else. Its annoying i agree, but i try to stay away from them now.

[Romo Ravens]

ESPN has us at two. I'm watching the Maryland - Illinois game and I saw it at the bottom of the screen. We're behind the Packers.

[PuRock]

ESPN has us ranked #2. Now where can I find a #2 ESPN power ranking ring?

[Bottom_Line5220]

Let them hate no one thought we could do it when we won the SB. I like it gives the team some extra motivation

[BmoreRav]

[quote name='PuRock' timestamp='1322617206' post='890576']
ESPN has us ranked #2. Now where can I find a #2 ESPN power ranking ring?
[/quote]

I believe Schefter sells them on the sneak if you DM him on Twitter using the codeword 'meaningless'.

[BMORE HIGH]

How are 9ers still 2nd? So they want to see the Ravens beat the Browns so when we do no way San Fran or sqeelers should be ahead.

on ESPN the Ravens are 2nd

At the end of the day these ranking don't mean ANYTHING!

[OUravensfan]

Imagine if their were no playoffs and NFL had a BCS system. lol. Style points and strengths of victories and all other sorts of chaotic means of measurement. God i hate college football

[Purple Nurple]

Good god, another "no respect" thread???

WHO CARES??? Win out.

[Free Agent]

Elliot Harrison's power rankings have been the some of the worst out there all season. He has the Steelers as the third best team, and he doesnt even mention that they barely lost to the Chiefs... Whatever, Elliot, whatever...

[bdravens]

Fact: if these "experts" knew anything about the game, then they'd be in it. Stop getting offended.

[PWNEDbyDEANO]

Why let this bother you any more? People love to hate (and I don't just mean us) and I personally like it this way because whenever we're the media darlings we lose.

[Tank 92]

I like it. Rank us low, we'll aim high. Seems to be our MO.

[Hardbaugh]

I'm not thrilled with the ranking but the Ravens have lost to some pretty lousy teams this year. On any given sunday this team can beat anyone and they have demonstrated the ability to lose to anyone. Let's hope going forward they have what it takes to correct the issues that have led to some bad outings against lousy teams.

On another note it seems whenever this team gets in the drivers seat over the past few seasons it tends to shoot itself in the foot, which is why this team is always road warriors come playoff time. Lets hope that changes as well....

[Dudeman]

As a rule I don't like, or read much into power rankings. It's just a popularity contest skewed towards big market teams. Todays late for work blog pointed out the anomoly with Harrison's nfl.com power ranking where he seems to dismiss the head to head aspect of a ranking.

But in the end being the hottest team in december and january usually brings home the Lombardi and that's what matters the most.

[RavenousBG]

No worries about this. NFL Power Rankings are a sham. Why? Because it means squat. You get nothing for being number 1 in week 1 or week 17. If you are number 1 week 17 it still doesn't result in a Lombardi Trophy. So why worry. It's good enough to be top 5 and get motivation from the teams placed in front of your team that you don't feel are better. So every time that the Steelers are placed in front of the Ravens, the Ravens know they have more to prove. The Ravens have to get a Super Bowl to get noticed and probably have to do more to stay in the conversation year in and year out. But Power Rankings are a sham.

[Crabcakes&Football]

Elliot Harrison is at it again, and this time he addresses Ravens fans before the rankings. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d824cba82/article/streaking-broncos-crack-top-10-banged-up-bears-in-freefall?module=HP11_hot_topics

[bpytnjr58]

I looked at it for a few seconds SMH..clicked off... complete bias and waste of time.

[Twistidfunk]

funny, I just read that.

I can see where he is coming from but he also doesn't take into account how easy The Pats or 49er schedules are.

Still though, if you sweep a division rival you should be on top just like the standings show.

[Fricknmaniac]

And the perception among sports analysts that quality losses matter more than quality wins continues.

Quality losses are the ones that keep you out of the playoffs.

Quality wins are the ones that get you into the playoffs.

The Steelers have three quality wins, the Patriots, and two against the Bengals. And honestly, the Bengals are looking less and less like a quality win since their record is built on beating teams at .500 or under.

The Ravens have six quality wins, the Steelers twice, Bengals, Texans, Jets, and 49ers.

Because of those quality wins, the Ravens just need to win out to clinch the #1 seed in the AFC and they have the easiest remaining schedule of the 9 win AFC teams. (I noticed Brian Billick on FoxSports incorrectly stated that the Patriots get the #1 seed if they win out, but he's never had the greatest football IQ.)

But they always point out the losses by the Ravens.

So in the abstract, let me post this question, what team would you rather have?

Team A: You play your best every week, but there are some games that you just can't win against better teams.

Team B: You sometimes get tripped up and lose to teams you shouldn't, but no one can beat you when you're at your best.

I guarantee you that virtually everyone would take team B. Why? Because that team is unbeatable when they're at their best. And it's much less likely for a team to come out flat in the playoffs, unless they limp in.

The reality is that sports analysts wants to discount the Ravens and they'll find any excuse that they can. Just look at the progression of the talk about the Ravens vs. the Steelers this year:

Before week 1: Joe Flacco and the Ravens have never beaten Ben Roethlisberger.
Before week 9: Joe Flacco and the Ravens have never beaten Ben Roethlisberger at Pittsburgh.
Now: Joe Flacco and the Ravens are inconsistent while Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers are the most consistent team in the NFL.