12 replies to this topic

[cobrajet]

I am not worried about making the playoffs, I even believe we will win the AFC North and have at least one home playoff game. I know it is still a little early and injuries can happen, but damn the Texans seem to be the lead dog in the AFC this season and they kicked our butts. I can't see them losing very many more games and will probably have home field advantage thoughout the playoffs. Does this worry everyone else as it does me? We barely beat them last year at "The Bank."

I hope the Ravens o-line can stay healthy and Reid can really gel with the others, because I think that the only chance we have to beat them is if Joe has time to throw. Our receivers are going to have to step up if we see them again and I have a feeling we will. I just don't see Ray Rice having a good run day against their vicious defense.

[raybaby]

This will fall onto if Cam can finally find ways to game plan and make in game adjustments to counter Wade Phillips and how he has shut down our offense. That's the bottom line. The Texans shut us down in two different scenerios when Joe was accurate and when he wasn't. This happens not just against the Texans with our offense but it's especially true with them because they have the personnel and the knowledge on how to make our offense miserable better than any team in the league.

Edited by raybaby, 15 November 2012 - 07:48 PM.

[descent into the maelstrom]

In week 13 of 2010, the Pats beat the Jets 45-3. The Jets then beat the Pats in the playoffs. Anything can happen. We had big losses in personnel just one week before the game with Houston. Chances are we'll be a lot better adjusted with respect to personnel by the time we play in the post season. IMO, it makes little sense to worry about match ups right now.

[GrimCoconut]

I'm not scared of the Texans. Right now we are #1 & #2 respectively. That means if we both maintain our current position we won't play each other until the AFCCG if we both win out. That's a lot of "ifs". The truth is, playoffs change things and a team can go into Houston and beat them and bounce them out of the playoffs and it's over.

Same could happen to us, honestly; just less likely since we have a pretty good homefield advantage but that hasn't prevented teams from losing before. I hate to sound cliche but it's true. Regardless, I think we can beat the Texans. You learn more from losing than winning, and I think Indy beats them at least once.

[Ravenslifer]

IDK - if Torrey keeps getting shut down by JJ in man coverage and we don't do much to counter it, we could be in big trouble. The playoffs last year doesn't mean anything since last year they couldn't pass on us either, and this year not only is their starting QB healthy, our defense doesn't look anywhere close to what it was and we don't have our star cornerback. If we did what the Packers did, play 4 and 5 receiver sets and spread the Texans out, throw quick passes to neutralize their pass rush, and a lot of personnel changes so they're never sure what we're doing, we'd have a shot. If we do what we did last time against them - run the same 5-6 plays over again continuously, never get guys on the field, they'll shut us down again.

[BloodRaven]

The JJ Watt show is masking the fact Brooks Reed and Connor Barwin are awful OLBs, Upshaw can't pass rush either but at least he has the redeeming quality of being able to make plays against the run.

[Ravens<3]

I'm sorry but im terrified on them.

The only positive thing I can think of is Schaub having no playoff experience. But when you can run the ball and play defense like they do and it probably being at home then that would be really tough for us to beat.

Above average QB, good Oline, great RBs, great WR & TE, great defense all around. Ughhhhh

[GrimCoconut]

I'm sorry but im terrified on them.

The only positive thing I can think of is Schaub having no playoff experience. But when you can run the ball and play defense like they do and it probably being at home then that would be really tough for us to beat.

Above average QB, good Oline, great RBs, great WR & TE, great defense all around. Ughhhhh

I'd rank them a little differently. Great DL, good LBs, okay secondary (masked by a great DL), good QB, above-average OL, great RB, good WRs (outside of Johnson their WRs are good, and I personally see Johnson as overrated), above-average TEs.

[Ravens<3]

I'd rank them a little differently. Great DL, good LBs, okay secondary (masked by a great DL), good QB, above-average OL, great RB, good WRs (outside of Johnson their WRs are good, and I personally see Johnson as overrated), above-average TEs.

Yeah I agree with schaub being a 'good one'

But their defense as a whole is one of the scariest in the league. I don't think we matchup good with them at all

[-Truth-]

The JJ Watt show is masking the fact Brooks Reed and Connor Barwin are awful OLBs, Upshaw can't pass rush either but at least he has the redeeming quality of being able to make plays against the run.

Reed has actually done pretty well against the run, though not to the extent of Upshaw. In addition, he did finish 6th in defensive stops last season, tying Clay Matthews with 36. He's also done well in coverage, but he's definitely struggling to rush the passer. It's a shame, because he finished last season on a good note. Both he and Barwin are struggling mightily in pass rushing.

[-Truth-]

I'd rank them a little differently. Great DL, good LBs, okay secondary (masked by a great DL), good QB, above-average OL, great RB, good WRs (outside of Johnson their WRs are good, and I personally see Johnson as overrated), above-average TEs.

Their secondary definitely gets help from the pass rushing, and their Safeties have been up and down. Daniel Manning hasn't been as good in coverage as he was last season. But their CBs have been pretty solid thus far. Kareem Jackson has been somewhat of a revelation, allowing just 23 receptions on 46 targets, and a QB rating of 55.0. Regarding their OL, I'm still surprised by the release of Eric Winston, who's having a very good season in Kansas City. And for whatever reason, they've rolled with Derek Newton over Ryan Harris at RT, who's allowed just a single pressure all season.

[Chris J. Faria]

To keep this short, I will say this: To beat the Houston Texans, get an early 14 point lead. That way, Arian Foster and their running game is limited. I'm sorry, because as much as Matt Schaub is a solid quarterback (and does his job of leading a team), Houston's offense is carried by the run game.

[Ravens<3]

They're carried by their running game and their D.

I agree though, gotta score points first so they're forced to throw more. That's just extremely hard vs them.