Chances we still make the playoffs

[allblackraven]

You must be doing backflip in excitement over Amendola and Gronkowski's return, huh?

On the other hand, I'm doing a depression dive when I see this:

 

Receiving     REC     YDS     TD     LG

R. Gronkowski     9     143     1     34
D. Clark     1     14     0     14
E. Dickson     1     3     0     3

[Guest RBates]

This team is talented but pathetic. 

[easternshore97]

You don't play to lose unless you're on JAC's level of incompetence.  Losing is a big psychological burden for a team to have to carry into the offseason.

Didn't say anything about play to lose. I'm simply referencing that there is a  Silver Lining as they call it to not making the playoffs. They are not a good football team. They need help.

[flaccopoe]

honestly i see us at 5-11..so we should get a top 10 pick

 

BAL is NOT a bottom 5 team!  Let us evaluate the worst of the worst:

 

JAC

TB

MIN

NYG

ATL

PIT

HOU

STL

OAK

BUF

 

Those are 10 of the worst teams in the league.  BAL is hovering above that.

[Pats]

Well let's be real last year the ravens were 10-6 on the back of a ray lewis retirement fueled run to the superbowl, this year they have lost a lot of talent. Reed (you dont really miss him much though), pollard, boldin (huge loss), kruger, lewis (leader for over a decade) and there's probably more i'm missing.

So it was always gonna be harder this year than last year to reach the same status of record let alone playoff run. Get flacco some more receivers and tighten up the D by adding a few more options and you'll be ok. It could be worse it could be steelers bad.

[easternshore97]

No such thing.  Ask Ryan Leaf.  A couple of spots in the draft doesn't matter that much, anyway.  If BAL makes the playoffs, then they'll have no better than the 20th pick.  If BAL finishes 7-9, then they'll likely end up with the 14th-16th pick.  By which time, Watkins, Lee and Evans will have already been picked.

Great time to use the Ryan Leaf example. Seriously, that's really played out right now. 14h - 16th is a great position to consider trading up for the guy you want. This team has enough depth to at least consider it. Plus it's not like the Ravens are 7 or 8 players away from going on another run. Whatever you think that number is - it's actually (x - 1) because Pitta will be coming back

[flaccopoe]

Well let's be real last year the ravens were 10-6 on the back of a ray lewis retirement fueled run to the superbowl, this year they have lost a lot of talent. Reed (you dont really miss him much though), pollard, boldin (huge loss), kruger, lewis (leader for over a decade) and there's probably more i'm missing.

So it was always gonna be harder this year than last year to reach the same status of record let alone playoff run. Get flacco some more receivers and tighten up the D by adding a few more options and you'll be ok. It could be worse it could be steelers bad.

 

Exactly!  Flacco just needs some decent options to throw to and an O-line that will protect him.

[flaccopoe]

Great time to use the Ryan Leaf example. Seriously, that's really played out right now. 14h - 16th is a great position to consider trading up for the guy you want. This team has enough depth to at least consider it. Plus it's not like the Ravens are 7 or 8 players away from going on another run. Whatever you think that number is - it's actually (x - 1) because Pitta will be coming back

 

Not to mention Osemele.

[Pats]

Exactly!  Flacco just needs some decent options to throw to and an O-line that will protect him.

yep and as always there is always the draft and free agency, with the amount of talented college kids coming up the ranks every season you always have a good chance to rebuild fast. Well except if you are the cleveland browns and buffalo bills who constantly waste their picks.

[flaccopoe]

yep and as always there is always the draft and free agency, with the amount of talented college kids coming up the ranks every season you always have a good chance to rebuild fast. Well except if you are the cleveland browns and buffalo bills who constantly waste their picks.

 

We must never forget that Brandon Weeden was drafted 22nd overall.

[Pats]

We must never forget that Brandon Weeden was drafted 22nd overall.

I knew that spelled nothing but trouble as soon it was announced, hey guys we haven't had a good QB in forever lets draft a mediocre college QB who happens to also be 27 years old as NFL rookie. My god they would have been better off trading the pick for more picks and drafting russell wilson.

[T3hRaven]

Don't bring Pitta off IR because our playoff hopes did indeed die in Cleveland.  This isn't last year's late season skid, this is a failure.  Pittsburgh SUCKS this season and Cleveland isn't much better.  You lose to two division teams like that, games that should have been easy wins and games that we couldn't afford to drop, it doesn't look good.  And we've yet to play the better teams on our schedule.

[redrum52]

im looking at the big picture

id rather tank and finaly get a superstar player in a position of need ( and there are many) then watch ozzie get a 15-20 pick trade back ..get 2 late 2nd rounders and have everone here say what a genius ozzie is

ozzie has sucked in the draft for a while

Elam ( nope im not being premature, he will be out of the league within 2-3 years)
Jimmy
Kindle
Cody
Doss
Dickson
upshaw



The only guy who hasnt been a dissapointment since 2010 is Torrey Smith and pitta.Compared to other teams...we have not had great drafts. Since 2008 id say we have had among the worst drafts.

WE NEED A CANT MISS TALENT

I'm with you in a sense, make up your mind and tank now or make the necessary moves...cough fire Castillo... I honestly don't think this team is as bad as everyone thinks. I think a huge problem is coaching. Look at our losses. Besides Denver, the team has been in each game despite playing like trash.

Also, I think Kindle would've been good if not for the injury and I don't know what your problem is with Upshaw. Jimmys been playing well this season and was good his first year with Pagano at DC. His problem was injuries. He's also drafted KO, Art Jones and McPhee. There are others but I think a lot of this has to be not utilizing guys we have properly.

[Sami84]

I'm with you in a sense, make up your mind and tank now or make the necessary moves...cough fire Castillo... I honestly don't think this team is as bad as everyone thinks. I think a huge problem is coaching. Look at our losses. Besides Denver, the team has been in each game despite playing like trash.

Also, I think Kindle would've been good if not for the injury and I don't know what your problem is with Upshaw. Jimmys been playing well this season and was good his first year with Pagano at DC. His problem was injuries. He's also drafted KO, Art Jones and McPhee. There are others but I think a lot of this has to be not utilizing guys we have properly.

Mcphee is OKAY. KO had half a good season last year and now is having surgery..not ozzies fault but still

 

We have no drafted well and relied on earlier drafts (successful ones) to keep us competitive..sadly age is an issue.

you can also add Oher to the list.

 

fact is..Ozzie has been very overrated post 2008 when it comes to drafting

 

remember the 2004 draft debacle?

 

yes...ill say it..ozzie 1996-2008 >>>>>>>>> 2009-2013

[Hardbaugh]

I voted unlikely because died weeks ago wasn't an option.

[Hardbaugh]

Ozzie has been very overrated post 2008 when it comes to drafting

 

 

 

This is the truth.  In Ozzie's defense I'd take him and this organization over most in football. 

 

I may have an issue with them in the future because I wonder how long it's going to take them to pull the plug on this cast.  I feel The staff made bad free agency choices this offseason and also signing one of their own for a contract that's much too excessive instead of letting the market dictate what should be paid and getting two firsts if he would have went elsewhere.

[grantkyle2003]

blah bublah playoffs? you wanna talk about playoffs? .... I just hope we can win a game...

[Tank 92]

Don't bring Pitta off IR because our playoff hopes did indeed die in Cleveland.  This isn't last year's late season skid, this is a failure.  Pittsburgh SUCKS this season and Cleveland isn't much better.  You lose to two division teams like that, games that should have been easy wins and games that we couldn't afford to drop, it doesn't look good.  And we've yet to play the better teams on our schedule.

 

 

Not sure what you have been watching but Cleveland is no slouch this year. They have had their issues at QB, but field one of the best Ds in the NFL. 

 

IMO yesterday's game was the toughest on our post bye schedule save the last game of the season.

 

At this point we are 50/50 to make the POs. We've played like dog crap, but stranger things have happened.

[bmorefan444]

I'm saying unlikely.  The division is weak.  The conference doesn't have too many stand-out teams.  But the Ravens haven't been getting any better.  

[Poes Crows]

50/50 if I'm being honest with myself. This division is still weak and injuries have hit the Bengals and the Browns could return to the Browns again.

 

We are 2.5 games behind the Bengals.  Granted they've had some injuries, but a Bengals collapse is unlikely without a lot more injuries.

 

There are so many teams ahead of us in the Wildcard Race and we are so far behind a 9-7 finish. (We'd have to go 6-2!!!) that it is way lower than 50/50 that we earn a Wildcard Spot.  That probability must be closer to 5%. 

 

At NO point this season have we resembled a team that can win a game comfortably. To go 6-2 we'd have to have demonstrated that capacity and it just doesn't exist.

 

So to get in, we'd have to hope to win the division at 8-8 (requiring a 5-3 finish) Our best chance would be to win the division at 7-9, (requiring a Bengals finish of 2-6). 

 

The key factor being our play has not been solid in any phase. It's gonna take a miracle. The overall chances have to be very low.

[good_n_purple]

Well let's be real last year the ravens were 10-6 on the back of a ray lewis retirement fueled run to the superbowl, this year they have lost a lot of talent. Reed (you dont really miss him much though), pollard, boldin (huge loss), kruger, lewis (leader for over a decade) and there's probably more i'm missing.

So it was always gonna be harder this year than last year to reach the same status of record let alone playoff run. Get flacco some more receivers and tighten up the D by adding a few more options and you'll be ok. It could be worse it could be steelers bad.

Dude we are worse than "Steelers Bad"...we lost to them.  Its true the D needs to pull out the stops, and get creative.  While they are doing it let Ngata ride the pine as a back up.  Yes competent receivers besides Torrey would help.  

 

But the big issue is the run game, and there is no improving it at this point.  We have a substandard center, Yanda is not at 100%, Osemele is gone, and Shipley...OMG Shipley as his replacement.  Add to that a "Run Game Specialist" who has removed any core competency the line may have had (under expert guidance from his old chum), and after giving lip service to "change" every week...every week they do the same thing. 

 

I think they may be able to eek out a couple of wins but lets not mistake their current status.

[GrimCoconut]

We are 2.5 games behind the Bengals. Granted they've had some injuries, but a Bengals collapse is unlikely without a lot more injuries.

There are so many teams ahead of us in the Wildcard Race and we are so far behind a 9-7 finish. (We'd have to go 6-2!!!) that it is way lower than 50/50 that we earn a Wildcard Spot. That probability must be closer to 5%.

At NO point this season have we resembled a team that can win a game comfortably. To go 6-2 we'd have to have demonstrated that capacity and it just doesn't exist.

So to get in, we'd have to hope to win the division at 8-8 (requiring a 5-3 finish) Our best chance would be to win the division at 7-9, (requiring a Bengals finish of 2-6).

The key factor being our play has not been solid in any phase. It's gonna take a miracle. The overall chances have to be very low.

We've lost close games. Our issue is we're not closing out games. That's where we're struggling. If we fix that then we'll win games. A lot can happen. There's a lot of football. I'm not very optimistic but I do believe it's still 50/50

[Poes Crows]

We've lost close games. Our issue is we're not closing out games. That's where we're struggling. If we fix that then we'll win games. A lot can happen. There's a lot of football. I'm not very optimistic but I do believe it's still 50/50

 

In support of your position. Last year at this Juncture we were 6-2 and the Bengals were 3-5. They closed and won a wild card spot.

[GrimCoconut]

In support of your position. Last year at this Juncture we were 6-2 and the Bengals were 3-5. They closed and won a wild card spot.

I honestly believe this team can make the playoffs but the players need to rally around something. They need a reason to fight. I'm not seeing a reason to fight. They seem complacent. There's no urgency. Perhaps a change in coordinator would do this. We need a player's coach.

[easternshore97]

I honestly believe this team can make the playoffs but the players need to rally around something. They need a reason to fight. I'm not seeing a reason to fight. They seem complacent. There's no urgency. Perhaps a change in coordinator would do this. We need a player's coach.

Ted Monachino?

 

Don't really know who that guy would be on the offensive side

[GrimCoconut]

Ted Monachino?

Don't really know who that guy would be on the offensive side

Ted Monachino, Wink, or Teryl Austin are my picks on defense. Maybe Brooks though I'm not sure there. On offense it's Wilbert Montgomery. I think he's perfect.

[Guest Mr. Nobody]

Ted Monachino, Wink, or Teryl Austin are my picks on defense. Maybe Brooks though I'm not sure there. On offense it's Wilbert Montgomery. I think he's perfect.

I would be on the phone with Lovie Smith to get him here for the remaining of the season tbh and fire all the people with strange coaching titles

[GrimCoconut]

I would be on the phone with Lovie Smith to get him here for the remaining of the season tbh and fire all the people with strange coaching titles

I'd like Lovie a lot but isn't he holding out for a head coaching job?

[bpytnjr58]

Looking at the remaining schedule I see only three more wins....VS Min  At Chi and VS Pitt and I have some doubt about the Pitt game.

[easternshore97]

Looking at the remaining schedule I see only three more wins....VS Min  At Chi and VS Pitt and I have some doubt about the Pitt game.

Chi in Chi is no cake walk even w/o Cutler. Bring Cutler into the picture and that could be a huge headache of a game