Remaining Schedule

[GrimCoconut]

I've been suggesting we'll win that game against New Orleans before the season began. We're coming off a bye against the Titans. I really like how that game sets up for us. The only games that truly concern me are Colts, Buccaneers, Steelers, Titans, Dolphins, Texans and Jaguars. At this point, I predicted we'd lose to the Colts but I think we'll win that one but lose to the Buccaneers. Just a feeling no real basis. It's hard to go on back to road games and win. That Buccaneers game just sets up as a hard one for us imo. I think we'll beat the Bengals because I know we realize we must, and I'd like to project a win against the Steelers but they may be pissed off enough to beat us.

As for the Titans, Dolphins, Jaguars and Texans, I believe will lose to two of those four. I really think it'll be against the Dolphins and Jaguars, as surprising as I am sure it is. I think will beat the Chargers.

Just my guess.

[Tank 92]

Games where I have the most concern;  Indy, Cinci, pitt, NO and the brownies.

[Rav'n Maniac]

Just my opinion, but I feel the next 5 games are the hardest part of our schedule and will define who we are as a team. I'm not really concerned with losing the NFC games. If it happens, it happens. I feel we need to:

 

(1) Win the remainder of our division games.

 

(2) At a minimum, split between Indy & the Bolts and win the remaining AFC games.

 

We do that and we should be in the running for the division.

 

Cincy has a tough schedule from here on out. They have to play 13 in a row starting with Tom (i use to be terrific), Indy mixed in and a difficult final 4 with 3 division games (two against Pitt) along with Denver in between.

[Tank 92]

Just my opinion, but I feel the next 5 games are the hardest part of our schedule and will define who we are as a team. I'm not really concerned with losing the NFC games. If it happens, it happens. I feel we need to:

 

(1) Win the remainder of our division games.

 

(2) At a minimum, split between Indy & the Bolts and win the remaining AFC games.

 

We do that and we should be in the running for the division.

 

Cincy has a tough schedule from here on out. They have to play 13 in a row starting with Tom (i use to be terrific), Indy mixed in and a difficult final 4 with 3 division games (two against Pitt) along with Denver in between.

 

 

Extremely hard to utter the words(gulp!), but we will be rooting for the squealers during the two games against cinci.

 

AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

[rmcjacket23]

Extremely hard to utter the words(gulp!), but we will be rooting for the squealers during the two games against cinci.

 

AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

Too early to tell. By that point, we will have a better understanding of where we fit in the landscape of things.

 

Its possible, though I'd be a bit surprised, that the Steelers are hanging in the wildcard hunt, which means they might be a closer competitor to us than Cincinnati.

 

Still a long way to go, and we need to worry about taking care of our business first.

[Tank 92]

Too early to tell. By that point, we will have a better understanding of where we fit in the landscape of things.

 

Its possible, though I'd be a bit surprised, that the Steelers are hanging in the wildcard hunt, which means they might be a closer competitor to us than Cincinnati.

 

Still a long way to go, and we need to worry about taking care of our business first.

Right, I'm with ya. But at this point cinci looks to be the more dangerous of the two and our main division competitor. This is all assuming we continue our upward swing, but you're right, anything could happen.

[Inqui]

People are writing off the Saints WAY too early imo. They've had some average games, but it's Week 4 an there's still like two months until we play them - on the road and on primetime to boot. No reason they can't get themselves together by then, and I still rate Sean Payton as the best HC in the league.

 

And besides, what happened to playing one game, celebrating/commiserating for 24 hours and focusing on the next? Kids these days.

[beasy2487]

I'll take it a step further...

 

I will place a friendly wager (not for money, but perhaps a posting or some other friendly wager) that the Ravens will absolutely lose at least one of the three games you listed (NO, Pittsburgh, Houston). I think that is a mortal lock at this point.

 

There is no wagering on the board, but I have an honest question for you that I think applies to all posters I would label "negative" on this forum. Why would the gambit in this quote be fun for you? Do you really enjoy one-upping someone else and saying I told you so at the expense of the team you root for? Being right and puffing your chest is more fun than watching the Ravens win...so much so that you would bet on it? I cannot comprehend that.

[rmcjacket23]

There is no wagering on the board, but I have an honest question for you that I think applies to all posters I would label "negative" on this forum. Why would the gambit in this quote be fun for you? Do you really enjoy one-upping someone else and saying I told you so at the expense of the team you root for? Being right and puffing your chest is more fun than watching the Ravens win...so much so that you would bet on it? I cannot comprehend that.

1. I enjoy betting on sports. Its a hobby of mine.

2. As a person that bets on sports, its almost always a great idea to bet AGAINST the team that you root for. Why? Because I can't lose.

3. Its not so much about betting against my team in this case... its basically making a bet on realism. The easiest thing any fan can do is root for their team and think that their team should win every game all of the time. That's the MINIMUM requirement to be a fan in my opinion.

 

What takes more "fandom", in my opinion, is to be able to look at your team, compare them to other teams, acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses, and make REALISTIC judgments based on that.

 

Plus, his entire argument is based on the fact that every team that is better than another team will beat that team 100% of the time. Any reasonable person knows that's not how the NFL works. Every single week of every single season, a team that is not as good as their opponent will beat the opponent. In most cases, it happens to every single team at least once a season in every single season.

[stampedehero]

You guys are making predictions.for the remaining games   Don't do that . One at a time brothers.  Looking far ahead is the wrong pattern. Injuries and location dictate each game. Do we play better in a dome or not? Who is the QB and Head Coach? What sort of defensive team or offensive team are we dealing with? Who are the Refs???? Too many variables.

 

 Predicting a SB team should wait until playoffs start.  Remember our streak in 2012  when we were on the quest and had luck in the Denver and New England games. I want it as much as you do but don't let the first quarter of the season reflect the end of it.  

[1/28/01]

15-1

[757RavensFan]

Extremely hard to utter the words(gulp!), but we will be rooting for the squealers during the two games against cinci.

 

AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

 

 

Hold on playa - If we lose to the Steelers we don't want them beating Cinci twice. 

[Tank 92]

Hold on playa - If we lose to the Steelers we don't want them beating Cinci twice. 

 

 

We ain't losin' to no squealers.         

[Static]

We ain't losin' to no squealers.         

 

They don't have the defense now that they did in week 2.

[FoxRox75]

Yeah it's very possible for us to sweep the Steelers this year, which would be absolutely awesome. Then again, our games together aren't truly predictable. Most of the games on our schedule look like they could go either way honestly.

[hn68wb4]

1. I enjoy betting on sports. Its a hobby of mine.

2. As a person that bets on sports, its almost always a great idea to bet AGAINST the team that you root for. Why? Because I can't lose.

3. Its not so much about betting against my team in this case... its basically making a bet on realism. The easiest thing any fan can do is root for their team and think that their team should win every game all of the time. That's the MINIMUM requirement to be a fan in my opinion.

 

What takes more "fandom", in my opinion, is to be able to look at your team, compare them to other teams, acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses, and make REALISTIC judgments based on that.

 

Plus, his entire argument is based on the fact that every team that is better than another team will beat that team 100% of the time. Any reasonable person knows that's not how the NFL works. Every single week of every single season, a team that is not as good as their opponent will beat the opponent. In most cases, it happens to every single team at least once a season in every single season.

i never said "every team that is better than another team will beat that team 100% of the time," i acknowledged that that happens, we are talking about those 3 games in particular and in those three games i can't see us losing because those other teams are that bad and they are badly matched for what we bring to the table, thats realism - looking at what each team brings to the table and analyzing based on that. Saying we are 100% going to lose one of those games isn't realism thats plain opinion just like mine, the only difference is that mine is based off honest analysis of the teams in question your is based off of "oh every team has an upset so therefore itll be one of those particular teams" thats not realism. I have us having an "upset" but not against any of those three terrible teams.

[GrimCoconut]

The Steelers could go 2-14 one year, and if they had a choice, their only two wins would come against us. I don't care how bad they look, you just expect them to be the team they have always been because they have proven to be a deadly team against us even when they aren't so hot. 

[hn68wb4]

You guys are making predictions.for the remaining games   Don't do that . One at a time brothers.  Looking far ahead is the wrong pattern. Injuries and location dictate each game. Do we play better in a dome or not? Who is the QB and Head Coach? What sort of defensive team or offensive team are we dealing with? Who are the Refs???? Too many variables.

 

 Predicting a SB team should wait until playoffs start.  Remember our streak in 2012  when we were on the quest and had luck in the Denver and New England games. I want it as much as you do but don't let the first quarter of the season reflect the end of it.  

I don't know about "luck" being the reason we won, if thats how you want to look at it it was luck that they were even in that game in Denver, if it werent for 2 return TDs then we would have beat them handily, we outplayed them plain and simple, and i don't see how you consider the New England game luck, the first time we met sure, but not in the playoffs, we beat them handily. I agree with your points that we should take it game to game, injuries and things of that sort change things completely. I'd back off my position that we will win against Houston, Pitt, and NO if there were a major injury (knock on wood), but those are different circumstances entirely.

[hn68wb4]

The Steelers could go 2-14 one year, and if they had a choice, their only two wins would come against us. I don't care how bad they look, you just expect them to be the team they have always been because they have proven to be a deadly team against us even when they aren't so hot. 

Well to be honest i try not to look at too much history when it comes to the NFL (more than a year or two) because when you do that you are talking about completely different teams and circumstances. This year in particular i just can't see them beating us at all, their team still isn't ready to get back to where they were a couple years ago. We have shown that we can move the ball consistently for the first time in years and say what you want about our defense but they are really playing some solid ball here, i don't care about how much yards they give up as long as they stop the TD and preferrably the FG but thats not the end of the world, if it weren't for one blown coverage by Stewart last game we would have had a great defensive game all around. Not even at full strength they are getting the job done, admittedly our secondary isn't pretty but they doing what they have to when it matters. It being our biggest rival there is definitely a possiblity of it being close but i don't see it this year, the gap here is just too big between the two of us, barring an upset i don't see it, our D is good and can stop them and our O can easily move the ball against their D, Flacco (just like the first time we played) will adapt to what he is given defensively and like the first game we ran the ball a lot and Flacco played simple game manager, no mistakes, thats all it really takes to down the steelers - no mistakes.

[GrimCoconut]

Well to be honest i try not to look at too much history when it comes to the NFL (more than a year or two) because when you do that you are talking about completely different teams and circumstances. This year in particular i just can't see them beating us at all, their team still isn't ready to get back to where they were a couple years ago. We have shown that we can move the ball consistently for the first time in years and say what you want about our defense but they are really playing some solid ball here, i don't care about how much yards they give up as long as they stop the TD and preferrably the FG but thats not the end of the world, if it weren't for one blown coverage by Stewart last game we would have had a great defensive game all around. Not even at full strength they are getting the job done, admittedly our secondary isn't pretty but they doing what they have to when it matters. It being our biggest rival there is definitely a possiblity of it being close but i don't see it this year, the gap here is just too big between the two of us, barring an upset i don't see it, our D is good and can stop them and our O can easily move the ball against their D, Flacco (just like the first time we played) will adapt to what he is given defensively and like the first game we ran the ball a lot and Flacco played simple game manager, no mistakes, thats all it really takes to down the steelers - no mistakes.

Oh, I know, but what I am saying is that the NFL is so good and there is so much parity, sometimes bad teams beat good teams and I don't think it matters how bad the Steelers are/can be/whatever--they will always play us tough and close. 

[hn68wb4]

Oh, I know, but what I am saying is that the NFL is so good and there is so much parity, sometimes bad teams beat good teams and I don't think it matters how bad the Steelers are/can be/whatever--they will always play us tough and close. 

yeah an upset can happen anywhere anytime, and the Steelers are definitely a team that could do it simply because of the rivalry but as i said, unlike years past they are making mistakes and injuries are taking their toll on their thin team overall. It just seems to me that they are going downhill fast, as shown in their loss yesterday (although had i known Glennon was going to start i would have picked them to win over on ESPN, i like him much more than McCown, regardless it was still an upset that not many predicted). Looking at their schedule leading up to us there are 3 out of 4 teams that could easily take them down, the other is the Jags which is next week, including the Browns for a second time, you have to take into account what their morale could be coming into our game if they do start up a losing streak, the same could be said for us taking on the Bengals the week before.

[Inqui]

The Steelers could go 2-14 one year, and if they had a choice, their only two wins would come against us. I don't care how bad they look, you just expect them to be the team they have always been because they have proven to be a deadly team against us even when they aren't so hot. 

The words "Charlie Batch" should be more of a sore point around here than they are, and I think they would be had we not won the Lombardi that year.

[GrimCoconut]

yeah an upset can happen anywhere anytime, and the Steelers are definitely a team that could do it simply because of the rivalry but as i said, unlike years past they are making mistakes and injuries are taking their toll on their thin team overall. It just seems to me that they are going downhill fast, as shown in their loss yesterday (although had i known Glennon was going to start i would have picked them to win over on ESPN, i like him much more than McCown, regardless it was still an upset that not many predicted). Looking at their schedule leading up to us there are 3 out of 4 teams that could easily take them down, the other is the Jags which is next week, including the Browns for a second time, you have to take into account what their morale could be coming into our game if they do start up a losing streak, the same could be said for us taking on the Bengals the week before.

I'm not sure I know what you're saying. I think you're saying not to worry about the Steelers. I just can't get behind that. As I said, I don't care how bad they look, they'll always play us tough. But we'll see next time we play. 

[ellicottraven]

We need to win 8 of the remaining 12 games and make sure we win against our division first...

[RaineV1]

With the lackluster the way Patriots are playing, the Ravens have a legit chance of getting homefield advantage. But luck always plays a role and we'll have to hope for use not to have injuries or screw up during games we should win.

[rmcjacket23]

With the lackluster the way Patriots are playing, the Ravens have a legit chance of getting homefield advantage. But luck always plays a role and we'll have to hope for use not to have injuries or screw up during games we should win.

Vastly too early to be talking about that. We are far from guaranteed a playoff spot at this point. At the very least, if you don't win your own division, you CAN'T win homefield advantage.

 

Baby steps.

[bmore187]

Never understood why fans cant predict Wins and Losses for the remaining schedule. Why the hell would we take it one game at a time? We dont play for the Ravens.  The players are the ones who need to take at one game at a time and not look past any opponent, not the fans..

[rmcjacket23]

Never understood why fans cant predict Wins and Losses for the remaining schedule. Why the hell would we take it one game at a time? We dont play for the Ravens.  The players are the ones who need to take at one game at a time and not look past any opponent, not the fans..

Mostly because fans aren't very good at it.

 

And because, on a weekly basis, the opinion of the team swings in radically different directions amongst the fans.

 

Fans are extremely overreactionary.

[1/28/01]

Mostly because fans aren't very good at it.

And because, on a weekly basis, the opinion of the team swings in radically different directions amongst the fans.

Fans are extremely overreactionary.

But what does that matter when it comes to fans playing around and making predictions about a game, the season, stats etc?

[rmcjacket23]

But what does that matter when it comes to fans playing around and making predictions about a game, the season, stats etc?

Because fans never actually stand behind what they say. That's the hard part.

 

The easiest part is to say "well gee, we are going to be 16-0 every season". At a moments notice, they will change what they previously said dramatically.

 

Fans aren't accountable for anything. Fans have the luxury of bashing Hensley or any other national sportswriter who makes a prediction about something, but when a fan makes a bad prediction, what happens? The answer is nothing. Its just written off as another inaccurate fan opinion and forgotten. Yet, those same fans will ALWAYS keep track of who picks against us, and when we win, they are out in force. But when we lose, they never acknowledge it.

 

2013 is the prime example of this. The overwhelming majority of the national media predicted that this team would be a mediocre football team. Fans on these boards overwhelmingly bashed them, criticized them for not knowing what they are talking about, and questioning every opinion they had for the rest of the season.

 

I don't recall one fan who apologized or even acknowledged that they were wrong when the Ravens, by definition, were a mediocre football team.

 

Why? Because thats the hard part...