Why I Like The Ravens This Year

[CalvinSmoke]

These boards tend to get negative and gloomy with uncertainty around this time of year. But i think this year we have a lot of reasons to be optimistic, more so than most other years. I say this because in the NE game our rookies were the reason why the momentum shifted our way in the second half.

Moment #1 - Torrey Smith took a short pass and took it to the house when we were down 10-16. He gave us the first lead of the game. If it wasn't for that effort, we were probably kicking a field goal on that drive.

Moment #2 - Laquan Williams two plays later forces a fumble on kickoff and the Ravens recovered. Ravens get a field goal on that drive

Moment #3 - Jimmy Smith scoops the ball out of the air after an amazing tip from Bernard Pollard, and the rookie returned the INT for great yardage when the Patriots had an opportunity to put the game away.

Our youngs guys are playmakers, I'm excited to see what they bring to the table next year.

[truthistold2u]

Should have some guys improving, but it is always uncertain who will be on the team. Ravens have some big issues on the O-line and you want to make upgrades not hope to get as good as last year.

Everyone just wants the team to be as good as possible

[beasy2487]

Love this thread. How can you not like the Ravens this year? The field is definitely getting tougher (i.e. Houston & Denver) but we're so young it's incredible. It gets funnier every day when people say the Ravens are "old". Other than the O-line (which MUST improve), we're only "old" where we have the GOAT. And think about it, if our secondary plays even 80% as well as it can, the only way to beat the kings of smash mouth ball will be with Running Backs and Tight Ends. This team literally has nothing but upside, can't wait for the season to kick off.

[The Raven]

I think you're right. Our young guys have made plays all season that really made this team elite. I'd also like to point out McPhee's game winning sack against Cincy, and he also made a few plays against the run. Kruger got our only sack against the Patriots. Danny Gorrer eliminated Holmes (if memory serves correct), and also did well against the Steelers. McClellan played well during Ray's absence, especially in run stopping.

A lot of people get negative after all the player losses, but they forget how well these guys played and how much they could progress. We have some play making young kids, and I think that soon, they may be able to not only make game changing plays, but also manage to take over a game. Torrey has already shown that ability, and I think McPhee has shown the most potential to do that out of the guys we have. Not only dd he get sacks, but he made a few plays in the backfield too, and I believe he recovered a fumble. I like McPhee a lot.

[CalvinSmoke]

Yea i like Mcphee a lot. I want to see Arthur Jones do well as well, because of been a fan of his brother Johnny since 2009 lol. But i think this is the most athletic the Ravens have been, and it's only looking better.

I like that Cam has less on his table to deal with as well, he can worry about only being an OC (which is stressful enough as is) and can delegate the QB duties to Caldwell.

Let's go Ravens

[cursona pirate]

I like the Ravens every year. I never hate them. Yeah we have been negative so everyone stop!
Drink some purple Kool Aid.

[Gordo52]

Every year people freak out about us dropping off. I dont see it happening for atleast 46 more years

[CapoRocky]

[quote name='CalvinSmoke' timestamp='1333929051' post='1045690']
Yea i like Mcphee a lot. I want to see Arthur Jones do well as well, because of been a fan of his brother Johnny since 2009 lol. But i think this is the most athletic the Ravens have been, and it's only looking better.

I like that Cam has less on his table to deal with as well, he can worry about only being an OC (which is stressful enough as is) and can delegate the QB duties to Caldwell.

Let's go Ravens
[/quote]

I like McPhee and Jones, too. It will be an interesting training camp seeing them compete with the new guys from the draft.

[Ravenslifer]

I like the Ravens this year because I felt that last year the odds were severely stacked against us. We had a rookie and 2 second year tight ends take over critical starting roles with a limited offseason to prepare. We had a reshuffled line with several new players at critical positions i.e. McKinnie at left tackle who again, had a limited offseason to prepare. We went through a stretch of 6 games without our pro-bowl left guard. We finished the last two games of the season without our number 1 receiver. For the first time in 4 years, Ray Lewis missed games. Our "starting CB" once again injured himself and so we had two guys who'd never started a full season in their lives thrust into starting roles, and the way Webb finished up last year I remember how a lot of people wanted him gone. We're coming into this year, IMO, with a lot of known quantities - we know how Jameel McClain will play, we know how most of the pieces on the o-line will play, we know that we have 2 starting caliber WRs and also are okay at the tight end position. I feel like for years we've been a team looking for something - QB, WRs, CBs, a left tackle, an ILB to take over for Ray, a pass rusher to put opposite Suggs, etc. and I think a lot of those questions have been answered to varying degrees.

[CapoRocky]

[quote name='cursona pirate' timestamp='1333932637' post='1045731']
I like the Ravens every year. I never hate them. Yeah we have been negative so everyone stop!
Drink some purple Kool Aid.
[/quote]

I hate it when people start whining about the line. It's not going to be so bad. We will be back stronger than ever and mad about the way our playoffs ended the past few years.

[beasy2487]

[quote name='CapoRocky' timestamp='1333939051' post='1045774']
I hate it when people start whining about the line. It's not going to be so bad. We will be back stronger than ever and mad about the way our playoffs ended the past few years.
[/quote]

Another underrated factor that will affect line play this year will be the progression of Joe Flacco under Caldwell's tutelage. One thing I've always loved about guys like Manning and Brady is that they always seem to have great lines due to the fact that they command the field and communicate extremely well with the big guys. I'm too excited to see how the fundamentals work translates to the field of play.

[SecretAgentMan]

[quote name='CalvinSmoke' timestamp='1333929051' post='1045690']
Yea i like Mcphee a lot. I want to see Arthur Jones do well as well, because of been a fan of his brother Johnny since 2009 lol. But i think this is the most athletic the Ravens have been, and it's only looking better.

[b]I like that Cam has less on his table to deal with as well, he can worry about only being an OC (which is stressful enough as is) and can delegate the QB duties to Caldwell.[/b]

Let's go Ravens
[/quote]
Don't forget the most important thing which could decide our season (besides the draft).
Flacco has to back up his talk with good play. Flacco improves every year. If he does back up his talk (miracuously, at best he is top 5), we will be favorites to win it all. Caldwell has a good history of making QB's better. Cam, I believe will finally understand our needs.
Mcphee, is supposed to be a beast next season. Thats what Iv'e heard a lot of "experts" say. If true, we will have a pro bowl caliber DT, DE, on the line. Cody, if he works hard can get there too. Look, at the end of the day, we are one of the 3 most talented teams in the NFL, and the most talented in the AFC. We would've only had one loss last season, if we didn't blow it those three games. This year, might be the year. Just look at the SB curse next year.
Pats will be effected
Giants will be most effected (Eli madden cover)
Pitsburgh has to enter rebuilding mode. (Defensive)
That leaves the Texans, Bengals, Broncos as the only threats in the AFC.

[Ravensfan23]

I laugh when I hear people say the window is closing. The window is closing for Ray and Ed, Big Mac, Birk and Boldin, that's it. You hope we can win one before those guys go, but we'll be Super Bowl contenders for years.

As for this year. I agree with everyone that raves about the young talent. I went into the first game last season thinking we would dominate the Steelers and the offense would be the reason. I really love our offense. I've said before I think people don't understand just how much the lockout effected teams.

People talked about how Flacco was inconsistent last year and he was, however what other young QB had to lead a offense with 3 rookie WRs, 2nd year WR, two 2nd year TEs, a new WR who was injured a lot, a oline who dealt with new players and injury, and all of these coming off a lockout where people said that teams who had been together the longest would have a better chance of winning.


This year this offense will be much better and much more consistent. Even without any additions I really like the potential of our WRs, but if a guy like Alshon Jeffery, who can dominate the redzone and make plays all over is added, we'll be that much better.

The oline is the only concern and another year in the zone blocking scheme should help. Also continuity should help.

There is so much more that could be said about the promise of this team, I just can't wait until they hit the field this year.

[sameoldbull]

Couldn't agree more. So many teams are in need of starters. The only "real" need we have is a starter at left guard, the rest is for depth.
And yes I believe that Kruger kan be an everydown linebacker

[usmccharles]

Im worried about our schedule, how do we play san diego IN san diego 3 years in a row? but we do need help on the line or we need our WRs to get way more seperation because it was obvious in a lot of the games joe had no time to throw.

[CalvinSmoke]

[quote name='usmccharles' timestamp='1334002733' post='1046094']
Im worried about our schedule, how do we play san diego IN san diego 3 years in a row? but we do need help on the line or we need our WRs to get way more seperation because it was obvious in a lot of the games joe had no time to throw.
[/quote]
I do agree with you about the schedule, it's rough. Hopefully we stay healthy throughout

[CapoRocky]

I'm all for the youth movement on the Ravens. Cheaper, faster, and more motivated on both sides of the ball.

[reediddy]

[quote name='CalvinSmoke' timestamp='1333925130' post='1045664']
These boards tend to get negative and gloomy with uncertainty around this time of year. But i think this year we have a lot of reasons to be optimistic, more so than most other years. I say this because in the NE game our rookies were the reason why the momentum shifted our way in the second half.

Moment #1 - Torrey Smith took a short pass and took it to the house when we were down 10-16. He gave us the first lead of the game. If it wasn't for that effort, we were probably kicking a field goal on that drive.

Moment #2 - Laquan Williams two plays later forces a fumble on kickoff and the Ravens recovered. Ravens get a field goal on that drive

Moment #3 - Jimmy Smith scoops the ball out of the air after an amazing tip from Bernard Pollard, and the rookie returned the INT for great yardage when the Patriots had an opportunity to put the game away.

Our youngs guys are playmakers, I'm excited to see what they bring to the table next year.
[/quote]

Truth! Plus with Lardarius locked up, Jameel locked up, Kruger starting, and potentially McAdoo getting some burn with Redding leaving, we have a lot of good young talent on defense. Plus you know we will be adding some good depth through the draft as always. Offensively, I couldn't agree more about Torrey. He can end up developing into a true #1. If we can get another guy at the 2 and put Q in the slot, that'll be deadly (I feel I've said that a million times already). Plus we have RR and Flacco (who I think will prove he is the best QB in the league this upcoming year). The great thing is it's not only the immediate future that's exciting, but the fact that we will be good for many many years to come

[truthistold2u]

Schedule doesn't really matter. NFL trend seems to show the main things that matters is peaking at the end of the season

[Ravensfan23]

Yea the schedule thing is over-blown. The Steelers have the same schedule with the exception of NE and Texans. They play the Jets and Titans with will be equally tough games for them.

The Bengals have to prove they are really good, and not just a team that snuck up because people slept on them. So it all boils down to winning the division imo.

This young offense will only get better and better, which spells trouble for that Steelers team. The Bengals are always tough, so the division will go down to the wire, I just hope the steelers and Bengals play in Week 17 this year.

For whatever reasons, the NFC East hasn't seemed to be able to handle our physical style of play, so if that continues, we should be fine there.

The Ravens generally play up to their opponents, so I still expect us to have 11-13 wins this season.

[Shadowalker]

Thank the Football Gods for a positive thread!

[Ravenslifer]

[quote name='usmccharles' timestamp='1334002733' post='1046094']
Im worried about our schedule, how do [b]we play san diego IN san diego 3 years in a row[/b]? but we do need help on the line or we need our WRs to get way more seperation because it was obvious in a lot of the games joe had no time to throw.
[/quote]

Don't care where we play them, it's WHEN we play them I'm concerned about. They've always been one of those teams that has major hot and cold streaks. I just hope we catch them on a cold streak.

[usmccharles]

[quote name='Ravenslifer' timestamp='1334066427' post='1046470'] Don't care where we play them, it's WHEN we play them I'm concerned about. They've always been one of those teams that has major hot and cold streaks. I just hope we catch them on a cold streak. [/quote]

True. and they wont have vjax now, our cbs are better, no more tolbert, and im sure mathews will be inujured....