Anyone else tired of hearing "The Ravens have lost too many pieces"?

[Guest nflfan123]

I should have categorized this together with pollard. My mistake. I think collectively, our safety position will be better. Elam wont be "quite" the hitter pollard was, but he will be close, and his coverage skills are better. Huff I believe will flourish in this system, around this talent, and dont see him missing the tackles Reed did. 

I can see that.

Huff and Elam could be better then Reed and Pollard.

BTW Huff was a below average tackler and bad in run support with the Raiders. Now that he is surrounded by talent he may be better.

[organizedchaos007]

I can see that.

Huff and Elam could be better then Reed and Pollard.

BTW Huff was a below average tackler and bad in run support with the Raiders. Now that he is surrounded by talent he may be better.

Hopefully so, Ive always looked at the Raider's defense as a mess lol. I can see your point tho, and your right, he was bad in run support, but yet, I still support my statement about him missing less tackles lol. Partly because our front 7 will be better against the run. I suspect hes gonna have a great year. We will see tho. 

[gabefergy]

I think losing Birk could actually be a problem. I'm glad we have someone waiting in the wings in Gino and Shipley was impressive in limited time. Still, I think we might have a few hiccups. Everything else I agree wholeheartedly with.

[organizedchaos007]

I think losing Birk could actually be a problem. I'm glad we have someone waiting in the wings in Gino and Shipley was impressive in limited time. Still, I think we might have a few hiccups. Everything else I agree wholeheartedly with.

Oh I without a doubt expect some hiccups there, especially early on. I updated my post, and put this position more of undecided. I think your right, but, my faith from this goes beyond just that position itself. I think the fact that K.O, and Yanda are beside him, will make it a smoother transition, I hope. 

[blitzking33]

They said we were too old last season.. now they are just looking for more crap to say about us.

[Ravenslifer]

Please - last year it was "the Ravens are too old to compete", and now that we've traded in many of those older pieces for younger ones, apparently we've now "lost too many".  Ray Lewis and Ed Reed were "too old" last year, and now that they're gone we suddenly "can't win without their veteran leadership".  Everyone and his mother was saying Anquan Boldin was being overpaid, suddenly we trade him and we have no receivers.  And I'd bet a lot of money that half of these analysts had never even heard of Paul Kruger before this season.  Actually, I'm glad we're in this position - better than a team like the Bengals, IMO - every year they've come up short against the better teams, and every year people keep saying "this is their time".  It wouldn't surprise me at all if they crumble under the weight of expectations this year.

[ravensdan]

I think losing Birk could actually be a problem. I'm glad we have someone waiting in the wings in Gino and Shipley was impressive in limited time. Still, I think we might have a few hiccups. Everything else I agree wholeheartedly with.

I agree with this. Birk is the biggest loss by far. Not just in his own physical abilities but his abilities to coordinate and adjust the line.

[Gordo52]

Losing Birks leadership and veteran presence hurts the most. He played amazing last year. I have confidence in Gino though. Playing next to 2 potential pro bowl guards should really help as well.

[ThePurpleWall]

Lewis thinks we lost too much. Why listen to him?

 

 

he was told to say that for drama reasons

[Ravensfan23]

I agree with this. Birk is the biggest loss by far. Not just in his own physical abilities but his abilities to coordinate and adjust the line.

 

 

Losing Birks leadership and veteran presence hurts the most. He played amazing last year. I have confidence in Gino though. Playing next to 2 potential pro bowl guards should really help as well.

 

This is where Juan Castillo might have his biggest impact. I think Flacco will assume a lot more responsibility at the LOS in Caldwell's system, but you still need your Center to be smart and in sync with the QB. The reason I think Castillo will help is because he seems to have a way of simplifying things for his oline.

 

From a leadership standpoint, I think both Yanda and Oher are more then capable of leading that group. Both those guys work extremely hard and do a great job at being pros. Birk will be missed but I don't expect it to be a huge loss. I agree that KO and Yanda will really help whoever is playing at Center. I also think the quick paced offense will help as well because the uptempo offense usually makes it hard for a defense to get too complex.

[bauer77]

Funny that before, we were "getting old" but now that we lost a few of those old pieces in Reed/Lewis/Birk, now we "lost major pieces". Lol. All our moves made will be upgrades, and the only two moves i was surprised by was Ellerbe leaving, and Boldin getting traded. Ellerbe wasn't worth what he got paid from MIA, and Boldin wouldn't take a pay cut, so I'm fine with them moves.

Reed will be done in a year or two, Ellerbe will be injured off and on, and Kruger won't play up to his contract either. There's no telling what Boldin will do.

Let them "analysts" talk all they want, just remember, they all predicted us to lose against Den, then NE, and then San Fran. Who is laughing now?

[BMORElegacy]

The people that say this are the same ones that ranted and raved that those same exact pieces were aging, losing steps left and right, and were not capable of winning a championship.

So which is it? Are they too old or too valuable? Because you can't have it both ways.

[BMORElegacy]

I agree with you on Birk. He is an underrated loss and brought alot of experience to the offense. It's not easy being a center in the AFCN, that's certain, but I do disagree with you on Brown.
Lewis was a great player, but the more I watch the SB (and I watched it plenty), the more I can't believe how bad Ray Lewis played in that game. It was clearly time for him to retire. Brown will also be aided by how much we improved on our Dline. Ngata moving back inside thanks to the Canty acquisition is just huge for us, imho.

To add to your point... After watching that SB, and seeing how terrible Pollard played, it makes his loss hurt less. I know he had busted up ribs but still.... He played absolutely awful.

[Ravenseconbeast]

It is what it is.

 

But yes it is incredibly redundant hearing it every week.  

[organizedchaos007]

The people that say this are the same ones that ranted and raved that those same exact pieces were aging, losing steps left and right, and were not capable of winning a championship.

So which is it? Are they too old or too valuable? Because you can't have it both ways.

Your totally right +1

[EricH]

I have said this for years...the media does not watch the Ravens during the season, only highlight reels.
I am still laughing in my shoes from all the pundits that thought losing Reed was this huge deal. I still question how many people watched Reed live this season.
There is only so much one can see on tv.
When you see the games live only then can you see how out of position and slow Reed was on the field. smh

[PolishRifle]

I have said this for years...the media does not watch the Ravens during the season, only highlight reels.
I am still laughing in my shoes from all the pundits that thought losing Reed was this huge deal. I still question how many people watched Reed live this season.
There is only so much one can see on tv.
When you see the games live only then can you see how out of position and slow Reed was on the field. smh

 

No one had any trouble calling Reed and Lewis liabilities, when they were still playing (being a Texan doesn't count as playing, imho^^). I guess saying, that parting ways with beloved, yet aging, sports icons was a shrewd and bold move by the Ravens FO would give Baltimore too much credit. It's not like the Ravens are the most consistently great team over the last 5 seasons or so. -_-

Flacco (the new the face of the Ravens franchise) has just matched Joe Montanas (GOAT QB) playoff record, yet he still considered a "middle of the pack"-QB, who "just got hot at the right time". I wonder how the media will try to rationalise away the Ravens success in 2013.

[PurplePassion824]

The people that say this are the same ones that ranted and raved that those same exact pieces were aging, losing steps left and right, and were not capable of winning a championship.

So which is it? Are they too old or too valuable? Because you can't have it both ways.

Yup, I heard people call our defense a "Geriatric defense".  We were too old, too slow last year.  This year there isn't enough veteran leadership they say.  They say we lost too many players.  Remember, no weapon formed against us shall prosper.  The media wants the Ravens to loose.  I don't mind hearing how "bad" we will do.  I can't wait for the 2013 season so this talk will end.  We are going to prove them wrong again and make them search for more excuses.

[Guest Mr. Nobody]

well people always like to talk about what they don't know or understand, but we march on as we always do and all is going to be good in the world... again.

[HoldingCall]

I have said this for years...the media does not watch the Ravens during the season, only highlight reels.
I am still laughing in my shoes from all the pundits that thought losing Reed was this huge deal. I still question how many people watched Reed live this season.
There is only so much one can see on tv.
When you see the games live only then can you see how out of position and slow Reed was on the field. smh

Why didn't the playoff teams pick on Reed? I think it's because they recognize that Ed is much more dangerous in post season games.

[pitchblack_20]

I can't say a guy who had never taken a snap as an upgrade just yet. That's all. I think Brown very well could be an upgrade but I won't say a guy who has never had a snap an upgrade. He could have a Kindle accident.

You never know.

knock on wood

[Gtown Purple]

Isn't this what "they" said last year after we lost what we did? Our defense is going to be much more raven like and our offense will be fine as new faces will emerge. I can't wait to see who we grab toward the end of preseason that makes us look genius.

[Bltravens]

I agree with you on Birk. He is an underrated loss and brought alot of experience to the offense. It's not easy being a center in the AFCN, that's certain, but I do disagree with you on Brown.

Lewis was a great player, but the more I watch the SB (and I watched it plenty), the more I can't believe how bad Ray Lewis played in that game. It was clearly time for him to retire. Brown will also be aided by how much we improved on our Dline. Ngata moving back inside thanks to the Canty acquisition is just huge for us, imho.

Definitely wasn't one of Lewis' best.  He seemed hesitant to pull the trigger on what to do that game with the read option and then when he did he missed a few tackles he always made.

[GrimCoconut]

Ray Lewis clearly wasn't the player we were used to seeing last year. Even before his triceps injury he wasn't looking great but the defensive line was also very poor and that should be recognized.

Lewis didn't look good in the Super Bowl but he did just come back from an injury he had no business returning from last year. He looked good against the Colts but that was one game and after that he progressively got worse.

I think we're giving Ray a bit of a bum rap here.

[Bltravens]

I can see that.

Huff and Elam could be better then Reed and Pollard.

BTW Huff was a below average tackler and bad in run support with the Raiders. Now that he is surrounded by talent he may be better.

He won't be asked for much run support in Baltimore.  Thats going to be Elam's job, which will allow him to flourish.  Instead of using him as a deep 1/3 guy.

[uhhhh]

To be honest. I never get tired of hearing all the crap that people say about the Ravens. I don't live in the U.S. so I don't have people coming up to me and saying how much the Ravens are going to "suck" next year because of the "key" pieces we lost.

 

That has to be irritating for you guys, but WE here on the board know how good they really are and that they will be better than the 2012 Ravens.

 

I just can't wait to see and hear all those so called "analysts" trying to correct themselves

[GrimCoconut]

knock on wood

And there it is. I've been waiting for this news.

Brown should be fine but this will help our other guys compete for the job opposite of him. His surgery wasn't very serious.

[mgridda]

Lewis was amazing in that Colts game. Seems like he gave it his all that day. Everything he had.

 

 

I feel really good about the 2013 roster.Someone brought up how we should have brought in Woodson, because if Webb goes down then we won't have someone who can play cornerback. We're really deep at corner, even without Webb. Graham and Smith are viable starters. But even beyond that, someone brought up how Huff could play corner, and that made me think about how much I'd like to see Elam at deep safety and Ihedigbo playing SS. The versatility is really there for that, but I like the combo of Huff and Elam. 

 

Then I started thinking about who could go down in 2013. It'd be pretty bad if anyone goes down with injury, but beyond having an injury to Joe Flacco or Justin Tucker: we're set. I don't mean that we'd lose a lot of games without Justin Tucker, but perhaps an important one would be lost. I like Tucker's clutch kicking ability. He made quite the impression on me in the A&M game back in 11'. 

 

Suggs or Dumervil go down, and Courtney Brown and John Simon are right there. I like our depth at inside linebacker and along the defensive line. Ngata goes down? Okay, let's see what Brandon has got. The defensive ends are already a bit too deep with Canty, Jones, McPhee, Spears. Our wide receivers and tight ends are deep as well, and Pierce could pick up Rice's work-load. However, It would also shuffle the line a bit if McKinnie went down. He'd also be a bad one.

[organizedchaos007]

Lewis was amazing in that Colts game. Seems like he gave it his all that day. Everything he had.

 

 

I feel really good about the 2013 roster.Someone brought up how we should have brought in Woodson, because if Webb goes down then we won't have someone who can play cornerback. We're really deep at corner, even without Webb. Graham and Smith are viable starters. But even beyond that, someone brought up how Huff could play corner, and that made me think about how much I'd like to see Elam at deep safety and Ihedigbo playing SS. The versatility is really there for that, but I like the combo of Huff and Elam. 

 

Then I started thinking about who could go down in 2013. It'd be pretty bad if anyone goes down with injury, but beyond having an injury to Joe Flacco or Justin Tucker: we're set. I don't mean that we'd lose a lot of games without Justin Tucker, but perhaps an important one would be lost. I like Tucker's clutch kicking ability. He made quite the impression on me in the A&M game back in 11'. 

 

Suggs or Dumervil go down, and Courtney Brown and John Simon are right there. I like our depth at inside linebacker and along the defensive line. Ngata goes down? Okay, let's see what Brandon has got. The defensive ends are already a bit too deep with Canty, Jones, McPhee, Spears. Our wide receivers and tight ends are deep as well, and Pierce could pick up Rice's work-load. However, It would also shuffle the line a bit if McKinnie went down. He'd also be a bad one.

thats an interesting thought. Elam and James as starters, Ihedigbo can lay some serious wood, and so can Elam. It would provide a lot of versatility and keep Offenses guessing. Can disguise a lot at the line of scrimmage. And I know you know this, but its Upshaw, all good, I often think faster than my typing lol. We really have great depth, most comfortable I've been with our depth since I've been a Ravens fan. 

[jdynamite]

Well if we didn't lose those pieces then the "media" would say the Ravens are too old to do anything. The Steelers will rule the world and blah blah blah we never say anything positive involving the Ravens.............