Who will the Ravens open the 2013 season against?

[ratedr]

It sucks, but the Ravens will open tge season on the road. Who will it be against?

The obvious choice seems to be Denver. Playoff rematch, the network would love it. But would the Ravens want to open there, given that they appear to have some say in what they do that week? I don't know.

Pittsburgh would be the next choice. Hot rivalry, though it doesn't feel quite as hot as it used to be.

The only other real option is the Bears imo. Not a playoff team last year, but a big market. And the NFL could very well decide they want to stick it to the MLB's TV share in Chicago that night.

So, what do you all think?

[T3hRaven]

I hope it's the Steelers, winning in their stadium would almost make losing our victory game in Baltimore. It'll probably be the Broncos though.

[ravensdfan]

It will be Denver. I don't know why you think the Ravens have any say in the matter but if they do, I doubt they want to open on the road versus a division rival and the rest of our away games are scrubs. The NFL will want a ratings draw.

[ratedr]

[quote name='ravensdfan' timestamp='1364009709' post='1411672']
It will be Denver. I don't know why you think the Ravens have any say in the matter but if they do, I doubt they want to open on the road versus a division rival and the rest of our away games are scrubs. The NFL will want a ratings draw.
[/quote]Because from what I've read they had the choice to open on Sun/Mon, but chose against it. So that leads me to believe they have SOME say.

[Ravenslifer]

I'd love the Bears - I like the idea of eating into MLBs ratings a bit, even if the NFL is also culpable.

[Purple Nurple]

I'd guess Denver.

[RAVEN63]

[u]They will screw us with crappy pittsburgh.[/u]
[u]They screw us with a away game and screw us with crapburgh[/u]

[ravensfan160]

If we sign Dumervil I think it is a lock we play the Broncos.

[elliot]

I hope it's Buffalo..... God, I'm bitter!

[JO_75]

I can't help but think there could be a long shot of us going to Miami. With their signings and the attention they are getting, I wouldn't be surprised to see us go to Miami and play the Dolphins.

[RavensAllTheWay]

Cincy is an outside chance. It would be an early battle for AFC North supremacy.

My guess is Denver though.

[ratedr]

[quote name='RavensAllTheWay' timestamp='1364018105' post='1411782']
Cincy is an outside chance. It would be an early battle for AFC North supremacy.

My guess is Denver though.
[/quote]Cincy is off the table, they have he same issue we do.

[ratedr]

This is probably wishful thinking but I am seriously in favor of opening @Chicago.

[Inqui]

I want the Broncos. If we're to step up 1) for the first game of the season, 2) after being messed over by the NFL, I want us to step up against an AFC rival. None of this rubbish about the Bills, Dolphins or Steelers.

[Tank 92]

Best case scenario, Denver. We would get the extra rest after our longest flight of the season and we get the extra time to game plan for a tough opponent.

[GrimCoconut]

I will pray it is Denver!!! I want them so bad! To beat them early would be a major win for us. It would have automatic playoff implications. I would love this so much. Too much!

[A Fish Called Yanda]

While I would love nothing more to see us go into Mile High and beat the snot out of Peyton Manning, it is a huge risk. That team is going to be great this year, and to lose to them in the first game of the season would be very frustrating.

I could definitely see it being against the Steelers, since pretty much everyone agrees that our rivalry is currently the best in the NFL. But I didn't even think about the Bears. That would be incredibly amusing just to screw up the MLB ratings.

[MrPlankton]

I'd love nothing more than for the Ravens to wipe the floor with the Broncos. Still can't get over that smugness before the divisional round.

[MTRavensFan]

[quote name='MrPlankton' timestamp='1364058001' post='1412113']
I'd love nothing more than for the Ravens to wipe the floor with the Broncos. Still can't get over that smugness before the divisional round.
[/quote]

Still can't get over their smugness NOW....You'd think Welker and DRC were the second coming of Jesus Christ over there.

Besides we'd have the whole underdog scenario - team decimated in the off-seaon going up against offensive juggernaut - and the adversity of not opening at home - working for us.

This scenario is actually starting to grow on me - a lot.

[GrimCoconut]

[quote name='terpsnation' timestamp='1364057757' post='1412106']
While I would love nothing more to see us go into Mile High and beat the snot out of Peyton Manning, it is a huge risk. That team is going to be great this year, and to lose to them in the first game of the season would be very frustrating.

I could definitely see it being against the Steelers, since pretty much everyone agrees that our rivalry is currently the best in the NFL. But I didn't even think about the Bears. That would be incredibly amusing just to screw up the MLB ratings.
[/quote]
Ugh. I absolutely hate it when people talk like this. It really makes me mad. I'm not exactly directing my anger at you but I really dislike this mentality a lot.

Any team can beat any team in the NFL. Yeah, you can say some teams flat-out suck, but that's the truth. We could lose to the Browns on the opener. To say we could lose to the Broncos is simply stupid. I am sorry. Any loss would be a bummer. Losing to Denver, Chicago, Miami, Cincy, etc. would be a real bummer to open the season. The Cardinals started off hot last year to open the season. Who saw that coming? To say you wouldn't want to play Denver early is very frustrating to me.

A team like Denver I prefer to play early, because Manning does not always do well early in the season. That's when he is at his weakest IMO. Also, if you win you get major momentum. We are also very good when playing with time to prepare.

I want Denver more than anyone else. It will be the Super Bowl champs VERSUS the "Supposed to be" Super Bowl champs. Perfect. I want it bad. Really bad.

[A Fish Called Yanda]

[quote name='GrimCoconut' timestamp='1364063460' post='1412191']
Ugh. I absolutely hate it when people talk like this. It really makes me mad. I'm not exactly directing my anger at you but I really dislike this mentality a lot.

Any team can beat any team in the NFL. Yeah, you can say some teams flat-out suck, but that's the truth. We could lose to the Browns on the opener. To say we could lose to the Broncos is simply stupid. I am sorry. Any loss would be a bummer. Losing to Denver, Chicago, Miami, Cincy, etc. would be a real bummer to open the season. The Cardinals started off hot last year to open the season. Who saw that coming? To say you wouldn't want to play Denver early is very frustrating to me.

A team like Denver I prefer to play early, because Manning does not always do well early in the season. That's when he is at his weakest IMO. Also, if you win you get major momentum. We are also very good when playing with time to prepare.

I want Denver more than anyone else. It will be the Super Bowl champs VERSUS the "Supposed to be" Super Bowl champs. Perfect. I want it bad. Really bad.
[/quote]

Haha, to each their own, I suppose.

The reason I said that is because it would be devastating to not only [b]not[/b] have our home opener at home, but also to lose that "home" opener as well. I understand that we could beat Denver, but they are looking like they're going to be a solid team next year. Naturally, if we went in them and beat them, then the victory would be even sweeter - just like the playoff game against them this year.

I guess it's just the thought of being disrespected by the NFL, and then beaten in front of a national audience. I don't want that.

[Bazooka Joe]

If we sign Elvis, then it's a lock for Denver

[GrimCoconut]

[quote name='terpsnation' timestamp='1364064983' post='1412211']


Haha, to each their own, I suppose.

The reason I said that is because it would be devastating to not only [b]not[/b] have our home opener at home, but also to lose that "home" opener as well. I understand that we could beat Denver, but they are looking like they're going to be a solid team next year. Naturally, if we went in them and beat them, then the victory would be even sweeter - just like the playoff game against them this year.

I guess it's just the thought of being disrespected by the NFL, and then beaten in front of a national audience. I don't want that.
[/quote]
But that can happen against any opponent. That's the problem.

[A Fish Called Yanda]

[quote name='GrimCoconut' timestamp='1364065283' post='1412221']
But that can happen against any opponent. That's the problem.
[/quote]

Yep, I completely agree. But I think it's more probable to happen against a good opponent than a bad opponent. While there's never 100% certainty that you will win an NFL game (even against the worst team in the league), it's still more likely that you'd beat them than the best team.

[Bazooka Joe]

[quote name='terpsnation' timestamp='1364064983' post='1412211']


Haha, to each their own, I suppose.

The reason I said that is because it would be devastating to not only [b]not[/b] have our home opener at home, but also to lose that "home" opener as well. I understand that we could beat Denver, but they are looking like they're going to be a solid team next year. Naturally, if we went in them and beat them, then the victory would be even sweeter - just like the playoff game against them this year.

I guess it's just the thought of being disrespected by the NFL, and then beaten in front of a national audience. I don't want that.
[/quote]


Remember that ON PAPER the Broncos look like a championship team. ON PAPER is not where the game is played. Injuries, etc must be accounted for. I'm glad we are retooling. Standing pat can be the worst thiing sometimes

[Tank 92]

[quote name='terpsnation' timestamp='1364064983' post='1412211']
Haha, to each their own, I suppose.

The reason I said that is because it would be devastating to not only [b]not[/b] have our home opener at home, but also to lose that "home" opener as well. I understand that we could beat Denver, but they are looking like they're going to be a solid team next year. Naturally, if we went in them and beat them, then the victory would be even sweeter - just like the playoff game against them this year.

I guess it's just the thought of being disrespected by the NFL, and then beaten in front of a national audience. I don't want that.
[/quote]


Eh. We are the SB Champs, not chumps. Open up with a match up that is challenging and exciting. I love the idea of going to Denver. Given the travel time, better to go early on and the extra rest will be a bonus. And in the off chance we should lose, who cares. it's one game.

[GrimCoconut]

I just realized...if we open against Denver, we won't have another game that far away from home in the regular season. That game is the furthest game away from home.

Now I want it even more!!!

[Ragin'Raven]

We're playing against a team that will be 0-1 after the end of the game.

[1/28/01]

Cardinals. Two beastly tea.. Wait, nevermind

[TonyTone1192]

B/c we're not opening up the season at home anymore it will most likely be a scheduled "easy win" for us also a game where we don't have to travel a great distance.

From opening up at home to traveling 2,500 miles to Denver is almost absurd and Idt that the NFL would schedule our first game in Denver.

I think it would either be the Bills or the Browns.

The past two seasons we've opened up the season against division foes (pitt-2011 & cincy-2012)