I Wonder What the AFC North Rivals Think About the Ravens Now?

[Ravenslifer]

[quote name='da vegas raven' timestamp='1364241816' post='1415088']
Ok I was on steelersaddicts.com (ya I no for what you ask?) looking to see what they had to say about the doom signing and they brought up how Harrison was IN baltimore when we finished the deal with doom so 2 questions

1.did we just say thanx for coming but no thanks and give him a slap upshaw powerd open hand slap to the face (which I would find funny as hell) or are we still considering him

2.second statement that caught my eye was them saying they would HATE to see us convert him to ILB with suggs and doom on the outside because they feel it would be a nasty combo (would be killer on 3rd down if nothing else) do you think the ravens have even thought about it/ would he be better moving inside than Albert?

[url="http://www.steeleraddicts.com/forum/showthread.php/37531-STEELERS-SHOULD-SIGN-DUMERVIL/page13"]http://www.steelerad...DUMERVIL/page13[/url]
[/quote]

[color=#222222][font='Helvetica Neue', Arial, Verdana, sans-serif][size=4][background=rgb(255, 255, 255)]

I think we were considering him before Dumervil, but now that Elvis is in the fold I don't see us moving on Harrison. He'll be 35 and wants to be paid like a starter.[/background][/size][/font][/color]

[rlh445]

[quote name='da vegas raven' timestamp='1364241816' post='1415088']
Ok I was on steelersaddicts.com (ya I no for what you ask?) looking to see what they had to say about the doom signing and they brought up how Harrison was IN baltimore when we finished the deal with doom so 2 questions

1.did we just say thanx for coming but no thanks and give him a slap upshaw powerd open hand slap to the face (which I would find funny as hell) or are we still considering him

2.second statement that caught my eye was them saying they would HATE to see us convert him to ILB with suggs and doom on the outside because they feel it would be a nasty combo (would be killer on 3rd down if nothing else) do you think the ravens have even thought about it/ would he be better moving inside than Albert?

[url="http://www.steeleraddicts.com/forum/showthread.php/37531-STEELERS-SHOULD-SIGN-DUMERVIL/page13"]http://www.steelerad...DUMERVIL/page13[/url]
[/quote]

Why would you get bashed? Anyway, I think on the Harrison point, we're just gonna slap him on the toosh and say, 'Tough luck pal, I hear Miami has some bucks to spend!,' and send him on his way. As far as where Doom is gonna play, I'm sure Pees was dreaming about that last night. I've been reading a little on the Broncos forum and the few posters who weren't proclaiming that he's garbage and horrible anyway were stating that he'd be better in our system anyway standing up and I could see the Ravens rotating him and Courtney and Suggs.

[raybaby]

1. His agent said they were moving on once it was announced that Doom was coming here. So by that you can assume the Ravens aren't interested in him anymore.

2. Yes I'd think the chances of him playing ILB is pretty high.

[da vegas raven]

Only reason I said dont neg or bash me is because I seen the reactions to the can upshaw play ILB or jimmy to safety threads lol

[Greatness]

[quote name='Mr. Irrelevant' timestamp='1363875614' post='1408649']
Cinci will screw up
Pit is going to suck
The browns are the browns

Oh, the city of SF is now making it its sole purpose to bash you guys. The think we go 5-11 after this offseason. Saying "we overpaid a backup QB" "Boldin, Pollard, Reed, Ellerbe, and Birk is too much"


While they sign Glenn Dorsey and declare all pro
Get a WR that only has a year or two left
And get a 38 year old kicker.....

"While you rot in the NFL cellar, we will drink like kings. Just give us the Lombardi already"



But back on topic, who cares?
[/quote]

If I was San Fran I'd be salty about getting the pipe laid to me from beginning to end at the Superbowl, too. On national TV while being crowned the champs before the game started. But yeah...

[MTRavensFan]

Hey, I love steeleraddicts. Lots of emotion with no language filter.

They trash-talk their own team more than we do. Highly entertaining stuff.

[Jitamon]

We just won the SUPER BOWL!!!! That's what all the other teams think. Now as to the FANS?? I notice how all the haters from other teams fans, and a couple of our own here have come out of the woodwork and want to talk crap ,lol...and the only ammo they have is how many players we lost... DUM, DUM, DUMB!!!!..Way to show people your ignorance..
No one wants to rationally talk about the players we retained, the players we gained and in no way wants to give the players we have their due.respect. Just a bunch of weak minded,poorly informed haters if you ask me.
Means the Ravens are doing something right SUPER BOWL CHAMPS 2013

[Militant X 1]

[quote name='redrum52' timestamp='1364192847' post='1414471']
I'd like a follow up on this thread after the Dumervil signing.
[/quote]

both he and Huff are signed and the title question of this thread remains the same.

~Mili

[Mahatma_Sloth]

hopefully they think they are gonna roll all over us.... I love it when they do that

[Purple Nurple]

[quote name='Mahatma_Sloth' timestamp='1364482782' post='1418408']
hopefully they think they are gonna roll all over us.... I love it when they do that
[/quote]

A steeler fan I know claimed yesterday that we are reloading with "scrubs". I laughed and told him just wait......

[ravens533]

My guess is that they are believing all those talking heads that think we will do nothing next year after loosing all our team leaders. They will be hoping that this is their year. Why burst their bubble until Sept. rolls around and they find the truth hard to swallow.

[mdrsharon]

As everyone has said, you don't win games in March.

As the Super Bowl Champions, our Ravens will have their work cut out, as everyone will want to take down the best.

I am still upset about Q, and Reed, we loved them and they loved us, but the dollars were better, so why not.
On any given Sunday, any team can beat anybody, even the most hapless can come up with good players and win games.
Do we really care so much what other boards say - nah .
They are jealous, because we

WON THE SUPER BOWL!!!

Go Ravens....a repeat is doable.

[Mahatma_Sloth]

[quote name='mdrsharon' timestamp='1364494074' post='1418598']
As everyone has said, you don't win games in March.

As the Super Bowl Champions, our Ravens will have their work cut out, as everyone will want to take down the best.

I am still upset about Q, and Reed, we loved them and they loved us, but the dollars were better, so why not.
On any given Sunday, any team can beat anybody, even the most hapless can come up with good players and win games.
Do we really care so much what other boards say - nah .
They are jealous, because we

WON THE SUPER BOWL!!!

Go Ravens....a repeat is doable.
[/quote] We aren't winning games but it sure feels like we're winning something with these moves

[RavenFan28105]

[quote name='Purple Nurple' timestamp='1364483341' post='1418413']
A steeler fan I know claimed yesterday that we are reloading with "scrubs". I laughed and told him just wait......
[/quote]
You should also ask them who have they picked up from their big losses They can't sign anyone because of all the restructuring they've done in the past haha

[rlh445]

[quote name='BmoreBlitz' timestamp='1363873960' post='1408590']
Most fans of other AFCN teams are laughing and think the Ravens are going to suck for years after this exodus. Just look here at the Bengals board:

[url="http://boards.bengals.com/showthread.php?t=110444"]http://boards.bengal...ad.php?t=110444[/url]

[url="http://boards.bengals.com/showthread.php?t=110199&page=2"]http://boards.bengal...t=110199&page=2[/url]
[/quote]

Holy heck that first link is HILARIOUS. I love how some of those posters keep putting up pics of Natty Boh...for some reason their insistence that we're going to be horrible this season makes me laugh fit to split.

[SecretAgentMan]

[quote name='rlh445' timestamp='1364573430' post='1419355']


Holy heck that first link is HILARIOUS. I love how some of those posters keep putting up pics of Natty Boh...for some reason their insistence that we're going to be horrible this season makes me laugh fit to split.
[/quote]
Go to a sports bar in SF. (Bmore fans are public enemy #1 here) You hear that all the time.

Reality. We've signed two great players, and two really good players

SF has signed
Phil Dawson
Glenn Dorsey
Craig Dahl.
Some ST player

Back on topic.
What have the bengals done in the playoffs/ in FA recently?

[Ravensfan23]

The funniest thing i've heard all week is that Ryan Clark thinks the Steelers are the team to beat in the North because they aren't scared. That's hilarious to me. He's so happy that the Ravens have lost so many pieces and think it's gonna be so tough for the Ravens to overcome, yet he thinks the Steelers will prove everyone wrong and overcome their losses. If only for one day, Ryan Clark took Jamie Dukes spot as biggest clown on NFL Network.

Call me a homer, optimistic or whatever, but I can't see how the Ravens aren't still the top team in the North both from a defending Champs standpoint but also a talent standpoint.

The Steelers my indeed be able to overcome some losses, but how can they overcome their team being old and slow. They can't stay healthy. Imo their RB position is a mess, they loss their top weapon at WR and their most consistent player in Heath Miller is coming off injury. They finally found a decent CB but lost him in Kennan Lewis, Troy P has lost a step or two and is even more of a liability in the pass game then before. The second funniest thing I heard came when the clown got his title back. He said that Ben still has great upside. Uh the guy is 31 and can't stay healthy, at this point in his career he is who he is. The guy was having a great season last year, but I wouldn't say he has great upside. I'm not as aware of their young talent, but i'm sure they'll still be competitive. But they're #3 in the North as of right now imo.

With the Bengals, how many years can you be up and coming? They're up and coming young first team players struggled with the Ravens backups last year. That team still hasn't found a way to cover Torrey Smith or Pitta, AJ Green as special as he is, has a total of 7 catches for 122yds in 3 career games against the Ravens. Ray Rice alwats seems to have huge days on them, now you add Peirce to the mix. Andy Dalton is far too inconsistent in big games and honestly they just don't seem to know how to win big games. You could say having another year of experience helps, but if you have no proven winners on your team, who do you draw from in key moments? They are #2 and will not get over the hump until they learn to win big games. It takes more then talent.

As for the Ravens people talk about what we lost, but what about who was kept. What other team can say they have the best interior defensive lineman on their roster? The Ravens can with Ngata and with Canty and Spears coming in, Ngata can get back to doing what he does best. Dominating OGs and OCs. What other team can say they can pair their stud interior Dlineman with 2 top 10 pass rushers, one of which was DPOY just 2 short seasons ago. What other team in the North can say they have a top 5 CB returning from injury to add to the studs up front? This alone keeps the Ravens as one of the most talented defenses in the NFL. That's all before adding the names and talents of Upshaw, Huff, McPhee, Jones, Smith, Brown and Graham. I honestly don't think anything needs to be said about the offense being the best in the North. I honestly see this team being better "on paper" then the last two AFC Championship teams. Will it show? I think it will but that's why the games are played.

[Bltravens]

Getting Dumervil was huge for this offseason I think. Dumervil, assuming he produces as he has since day 1, allows Baltimore to stay in the hunt with a balanced team.

I love Flacco, his demeanour and ability, I'm just not sure I can see our offense run the table enough through 16 games and make it to the playoffs on the offense alone.

Our defense was pretty sub par last year but even still they kept us in games and won us games. I don't know what that says about anything but to me that's alarming. The KC game was won by the defense, both of the Browns games were waaaay closer than they needed to be because the offense went dormant and in the one instance Cary Williams had to seal it with a pick 6 when Weeden was driving. The SD game, how do you manage all of 3 points in an entire game before the 4th quarter against THAT defense? BOTH Steelers games were without Roethlisberger and our offense still only managed 13 points the one game. Pittsburgh, despite being old in key positions like we were last year has the young guys coming through on the Dline and were #1 in defense last year. I don't see how we can dismiss that so easily.

Without getting Dumervil I wasn't so sure we'd find a way to be in the mix for the division past week 12. Dumveril is the trump card.

[Tiz]

Ravensfan23

Idk about you but I like steelers players saying they aren't scared and all that jazz
In 2011 Ryan Clark said it wasn't a rivalry until we start winning.
We swept them
That was the same year woodley said flacco wouldn't win a Super Bowl
Just this past season woodley said ray rice and he terrible towel incident would prove to be a curse.
Apparently he meant he would curse us winning the sb.

I for one hope hey keep talking and we keep doing
Gotta stay ontop of the division and conference like ray rice said.
They probably won't respect us til we win a few superbowls.
So lets to and get that damn respect

[gabefergy]

I really think our team is better this year than last, mainly because of the improvements made on defense and getting key players back [i]healthy[/i]. Right now we have questions at LT, ILB, and WR. Other than that I think we are in really good shape and are most positions improved over last season. Getting Suggs at 100% is huge and having Webb come back may be even bigger. I am sure we will miss Boldin at times, but I think our offense will look a lot different with Caldwell calling the shots and much more speed on the field. LT needs to be addressed IMO, and I would like to see us draft an ILB and WR but I am really excited to see this team in OTAs.

[SecretAgentMan]

Whats going on inside the head of each qb in the division.

Dalton: I have to keep up with THAT?
Ben: *staring at college girls in bar* Doom, Sizzle and Ngata? Three players that have a history of throwing my [profanity deleted] to the turf? *starts crying*
Weeden: I'm glad I'm going to be replaced.

Other QBs that are pissed
Brady: I need that picture with him crying
Peyton: One step closer to the end.

[CapoRocky]

Addressing our weaknesses, I think that Upshaw will flourish as an ILB. He hits hard and can cover when needed. It will help to draft depth at ILB, too. I don't see anyone on the roster ready to excel at 2nd WR. We really need to get someone in the first 2 rounds to address this need. Center can wait until the later rounds. OT is a much bigger need than center.

[mdrsharon]

It is quite amazing that the media, in general gives our team so little respect.
Although we have gotten lots of coverage, it is all negative - what are they doing, etc?

yes, I am not happy about Ed Reed and Q, but they chose to not accept the Ravens offer.
On game Sunday, all the talking heads still don't give us any chance..

How many times do we need to say it, we WON the Super Bowl!!
So there, who cares really what they say.
We did it, and can do it again!

Go Ravens!!

[Ravensfan23]

[quote name='Tiz' timestamp='1364581553' post='1419481']
Ravensfan23

Idk about you but I like steelers players saying they aren't scared and all that jazz
In 2011 Ryan Clark said it wasn't a rivalry until we start winning.
We swept them
That was the same year woodley said flacco wouldn't win a Super Bowl
Just this past season woodley said ray rice and he terrible towel incident would prove to be a curse.
Apparently he meant he would curse us winning the sb.

I for one hope hey keep talking and we keep doing
Gotta stay ontop of the division and conference like ray rice said.
They probably won't respect us til we win a few superbowls.
So lets to and get that damn respect
[/quote]

Oh I love it, I just find it funny that of all reasons he could given why the Steelers would be the team to beat, the one he gave was that they weren't scared. Sounds like to me they've actually saw waht we've known since Flacco and Harbs arrived. The Ravens are the better team. That not being scared talk sounds more like something the upstart Bengals would say, not a team who won 2 SBs in the last 5 years.


As far as staying on top, that's exactly what Ozzie is doing. That respect that this fanbase wants I hope it never comes. As Mr B said at the victory parade, I don't know how many Championships it'll take for this city to lose that chip on our shoulders but I hope we never lose it. The Ravens will win the Super Bowl again despite all the talk about how too much was loss. Then everyone will love us. But I hope we never become the over loved Steelers, Patriots, Cowboys or any team Peyton is on. We'll earn their respect and then shove it right back down their throats.

[Ravensfan23]

[quote name='CapoRocky' timestamp='1364582585' post='1419500']
Addressing our weaknesses, I think that Upshaw will flourish as an ILB. He hits hard and can cover when needed. It will help to draft depth at ILB, too. I don't see anyone on the roster ready to excel at 2nd WR. We really need to get someone in the first 2 rounds to address this need. Center can wait until the later rounds. OT is a much bigger need than center.
[/quote]

I'm sorry but I just don't buy into the notion that Boldin can't be replaced by in house talent. Boldin didn't leave because we couldn't afford him, he left because Ozzie didn't see him worth 6M. Why? Because he's slow and couldn't create separation as well anymore. Now his ability to go up and come down with the ball is special, but you can't continue to rely on that. The Ravens already had plans on phasing Boldin out of the Offense and allow younger guys to play more. Boldin didn't want to take the cut so he was traded.

Now don't get me wrong Q was the man, but I don't think people are accounting for what Caldwell brings to this offense. His schemes to get guys open is where these younger WRs willl shine. Smith and Jones will allow the offense to have plenty of space underneath and guys like Doss and Reed will excell in the catch and run aspect of the offense. Pitta is a younger version of the Boldin we've seen the last couple years. He'll continue to be a redzone monster. Also with Boldin, Dickson will start to be featured more again. For a guy who can't catch, he had 50+ catches in 2011 the year he and Pitta combined for 100 catches. If you can get 100+ catches from the TE position and a 1,000yds WR on the outside, your offense will succeed imo.

I think you and other will be pleasantly suprised at how Reed, Doss and Dickson will step up in this offense.

[Yatagarasu]

It also depends on the draft picks:

If Cleveland gets Geno Smith, then they might narrow the gap as doormats with the rest. Smith will be thrown into the fire, but his offensive line and some good enough talent at WRs should help him out.

Cleveland Targets:
Josh Gordon
Cameron Jordan
Greg Little
Travis Benjamin

They're probably going to need to draft a WR to help Geno get comfortable.

[Yatagarasu]

As for Bengals:

They probably will target a safety and John Cyprien or even Kenny Vaccano should shore up their secondary. Also, a talented LB like Arthur Brown to play together with Vontaze Burfict and Rey Mauluga would be a hard to watch for us Ravens fan.

[Yatagarasu]

As for the Steelers, they have a lot of holes, but they could draft a talented player.

Jarvis Jones/ Pass Rushers- Him falling to the Steelers is like a gift since Jones has the football skills to plug and play. There's other pass rushers like Werner or Moore who could help step in for Harrison.

Keenan Allen/ Corderrelle Patterson/ Tavon Austin - Whatever WR in the 1st they get could be an instant impact to replace Mike Wallace. They are lacking some targets for Big Ben with Wallace gone, Heath coming from surgery, and Sanders being targeted by the Patriots. Todd Haley can turn one of these guys into a good scheme WR like Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, and Dwyane Bowe.

Desmond Trufant/ Xavier Rhodes - Ike Taylor is reaching his end and Keenan Lewis went to New Orleans. Getting a tough and talented Cb like Trufant and Rhodes should help out the losses and ineffectiveness of the secondary.

[Latch]

honestly, i could care less what they think.

the bengals are probably giddy (despite the fact that their QB is average at best and wont be hoisting a Lombardi anytime soon) because they really are our greatest competition in this division. They're consistently making the playoffs, but they just can't win. We've shown that we can come within a hair's length of beating them WITH OUR 2nd STRING (i remember week 17 we actually had a slight chance toward the end!) so i don't understand why they would think that way, but they will, so whatever.

the steelers probably don't have enough time to worry about us, but they're probably slightly hopeful. they know that they are tanking, so to see us struggle a little bit probably instills some hope that we may split the series with them.

the browns have kind of forgotten about hoping to win in their division. i think that, with a good QB under center, they could win at least 7 games in a season. they're young and with Richardson in the backfield they've got tons of potential. however, i doubt they win a game against us this year.

[Bltravens]

[quote name='Ravensfan23' timestamp='1364598590' post='1419799']
I'm sorry but I just don't buy into the notion that Boldin can't be replaced by in house talent. Boldin didn't leave because we couldn't afford him, he left because Ozzie didn't see him worth 6M. Why? Because he's slow and couldn't create separation as well anymore. Now his ability to go up and come down with the ball is special, but you can't continue to rely on that. The Ravens already had plans on phasing Boldin out of the Offense and allow younger guys to play more. Boldin didn't want to take the cut so he was traded.

Now don't get me wrong Q was the man, but I don't think people are accounting for what Caldwell brings to this offense. His schemes to get guys open is where these younger WRs willl shine. Smith and Jones will allow the offense to have plenty of space underneath and guys like Doss and Reed will excell in the catch and run aspect of the offense. Pitta is a younger version of the Boldin we've seen the last couple years. He'll continue to be a redzone monster. Also with Boldin, Dickson will start to be featured more again. For a guy who can't catch, he had 50+ catches in 2011 the year he and Pitta combined for 100 catches. If you can get 100+ catches from the TE position and a 1,000yds WR on the outside, your offense will succeed imo.

I think you and other will be pleasantly suprised at how [u][b]Reed[/b][/u], Doss and Dickson will step up in this offense.
[/quote]
I put maybe more stock into intangibles and a "been there before" mindset than maybe alot of people do on this board and because of this there's no one replacing Boldin on the roster. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Boldin about 95% of the time showed up in our most massive games during his 3 year run here. And there's nobody with his mindset on the roster in the WR corps, not even close. Now we may be able to replace Boldin's 900 odd yards receiving and 5-8 TDs or whatever he had, by committee and Flacco throwing more. But there's no chance in hell I'm going to hitch my wagon to [b][i]David Reed[/i][/b], who has already been surpassed on the depth chart the first year Doss, as a 4th round rookie was drafted. Even Doss himself I'm not going to trust much going into Pittsburgh in the dead of winter and leaving it all out there while performing at the same time. Fighting off the press for inches of daylight, or laying vicious blocks. Doss gets rubbed out when he's running routes down the field.

The WRs we have on our team, to put it bluntly are soft, outside of Torrey Smith mentally but even he gets washed out way too easily at the LOS by plug CBs.

I'm not saying we should have kept Boldin at his 7.5mil cap hit because that was out of the question. But not for a single second to I see Doss or Reed making an impact in the receiving game unless Caldwell goes spread offense on us and they catch balls by virtue of the quantity Flacco is throwing.