Next up: Miami

[Dfence4champs2052]

please dont make the playoffs. we will do nothing with these corners. nothing. making the playoffs will only hurt us. there is no legitimate chance for a superbowl. we are a team with all the right pieces but with no man cover corners. absolutely 0. all we can do is play zone and have good qbs dink and dunk us down the field. I want good draft position so we can get more young talent on both sides of the ball. This team is at best 10-6 material but a very weak 10-6. I said it after the steelers game and im gonna say it again, i dont mind tanking if we are going to lose to average teams. 

Agree with most of this but even not making the playoffs last year our draft position was mediocre. We are too far in the season to start tanking. We should have done that much earlier to have impact drafting position!

[Inqui]

Can we trade our entire secondary for Watt? Someone get the Texans on the phone.

The tragic thing is that our secondary would probably be an upgrade over what they have in Houston. Take out Watt and, as hard as it is to believe, I'd say they're worse than us in every facet.

[Raving_Heathen]

The tragic thing is that our secondary would probably be an upgrade over what they have in Houston. Take out Watt and, as hard as it is to believe, I'd say they're worse than us in every facet.

 

I really find that hard to believe after today's performance

[ratedr]

The tragic thing is that our secondary would probably be an upgrade over what they have in Houston. Take out Watt and, as hard as it is to believe, I'd say they're worse than us in every facet.

There is nobody on our roster half as good as Johnathan Joseph.

[ravensnick]

There is nobody on our roster half as good as Johnathan Joseph.

Joseph has been struggling recently. Swearinger is about equal to elam. 

[Alaska Alaska!]

There is nobody on our roster half as good as Johnathan Joseph.

While you're correct, the fans on the Texans forum have been heavily disapointed in him

[ratedr]

While you're correct, the fans on the Texans forum have been heavily disapointed in him

And they should be, he's declined.

But they'd appreciate him really quickly if they had current Webb out there.

[Dfence4champs2052]

Looking at their schedule Miami is a real problem. If we lose to them we are done. The other teams ahead of us (KC, SD and BUF) are going to likely lose at least 2 more games. I think BUF will lose 3 of their last 4. But Miami only has to contend with NE outside of BAL to get in. Unless anyone sees the Jets taking one of the final two games they play against each other. 

[ratedr]

Looking at their schedule Miami is a real problem. If we lose to them we are done. The other teams ahead of us (KC, SD and BUF) are going to likely lose at least 2 more games. I think BUF will lose 3 of their last 4. But Miami only has to contend with NE outside of BAL to get in. Unless anyone sees the Jets taking one of the final two games they play against each other.

Miami hasn't swept the Jets in like 7 years. Probably won't do it this year either.

[Dfence4champs2052]

Miami hasn't swept the Jets in like 7 years. Probably won't do it this year either.

I can't call it, but the Jets are also a special kind of mess. I wouldn't put any stock in them.

[ratedr]

I can't call it, but the Jets are also a special kind of mess. I wouldn't put any stock in them.

Remember when we needed the Jets to walk into Miami last year and beat them for us to have a shot at the postseason?

Well, they did. We just couldn't take advantage.

[Alaska Alaska!]

I can't call it, but the Jets are also a special kind of mess. I wouldn't put any stock in them.

And despite all of that mess, they still managed to beat the steelers LOL!

[PoeDinkum]

Looking at their schedule Miami is a real problem. If we lose to them we are done. The other teams ahead of us (KC, SD and BUF) are going to likely lose at least 2 more games. I think BUF will lose 3 of their last 4. But Miami only has to contend with NE outside of BAL to get in. Unless anyone sees the Jets taking one of the final two games they play against each other. 

Yep. THIS was my problem about getting too excited over our victory last week v. NO as turning around to dump this game (which was the MOST winable) OR losing next week against a very balanced and tough Miami team is what REALLY dooms our playoff chances. WORSE, with the secondary's perfomance today any of the top 5 AFC teams would torch us anyway, and we'd likely be one and done anyway. Ugh.

[Dfence4champs2052]

Yep. THIS was my problem about getting too excited over our victory last week v. NO as turning around to dump this game (which was the MOST winable) OR losing next week against a very balanced and tough Miami team is what REALLY dooms our playoff chances. WORSE, with the secondary's perfomance today any of the top 5 AFC teams would torch us anyway, and we'd likely be one and done anyway. Ugh.

A very sad reality.

[Dfence4champs2052]

Remember when we needed the Jets to walk into Miami last year and beat them for us to have a shot at the postseason?

Well, they did. We just couldn't take advantage.

Like I said-- emphasis on "I" wouldn't put any stock in them. You're welcome too!

 

And despite all of that mess, they still managed to beat the steelers LOL!

Awful, but they aren't getting my vote of confidence despite my gratitude to them for doing that.

[beanfigger]

Missing the playoffs for the draft is ridiculous. We can find good draft picks anywhere we pick. It's not like our biggest need is LT or QB. How can you be a fan and not want to watch your team in the playoffs? We win in the playoffs. It's fun. Dumping the last month just to hope and pray that the one savior we need will be there at 15 instead of 25 is absolutely insane. Beat the Dolphins!

[ravensdfan]

Missing the playoffs for the draft is ridiculous. We can find good draft picks anywhere we pick. It's not like our biggest need is LT or QB. How can you be a fan and not want to watch your team in the playoffs? We win in the playoffs. It's fun. Dumping the last month just to hope and pray that the one savior we need will be there at 15 instead of 25 is absolutely insane. Beat the Dolphins!

No one wants to watch them get embarassed.

 

No one really wants them to tank, you should know that around here. We just don't hold out much hope we have a snowball's chance against the likes of Peyton and Brady.

[Bruce_Almty]

After todays debacle it's hard to get excited about our trip to Miami. Win or lose next week, it's not looking like the Ravens have the team to finish the season successfully. All season I've said they are a 10-6 team, but they keep losing at the worst possible times. Even now finishing at 10-6 will probably not get them a wild card spot.

Play the game, let's find out.

[Inqui]

Miami hasn't swept the Jets in like 7 years. Probably won't do it this year either.

The Jets are to the Dolphins what the Dolphins are to the Patriots and the Bengals used to be to us. No matter what kind of state the Jets are in, they tend to lift for the Dolphins - and if the players like Rex as much as reported they'll have an added incentive again.

[K-Dog]

THIS

 

 

Of course it's worth it.... Once you're in the playoffs anything could happen, obviously. I'm sure you're aware of that, and I understand why you'd have doubt going against some other teams right now.

Not aimed at you, but I cannot stand reading the comments hoping we lose out just because things look uncertain...... Hoping we get a higher draft pick, gtho.....

We're still in this playoff hunt just as any other team. I wanna watch our Ravens play as long as possible. I say as this moment, screw the draft! Worry about that in the offseason. "You play to win the game."

Fans might be giving up but I'm certain our coaches and players aren't, thankfully.

 

 

THAT.

 

Man, seriously.  Could you look ANY player in the eye and tell them to loose for a good draft pick ?
SMH.
These fans......
Send them down to Washington ...

[Ravenslifer]

Missing the playoffs for the draft is ridiculous. We can find good draft picks anywhere we pick. It's not like our biggest need is LT or QB. How can you be a fan and not want to watch your team in the playoffs? We win in the playoffs. It's fun. Dumping the last month just to hope and pray that the one savior we need will be there at 15 instead of 25 is absolutely insane. Beat the Dolphins!

 

It's not that people want to miss the playoffs, it's that a lot of people think we would lose first round anyway.  And it's not necessarily the draft spot but perhaps a wake-up call.  We've been spending ALL of our recent high draft picks on defense, and it hasn't paid off.  We're still giving up major plays at the end of games and have nobody that seems capable of replacing Pitta and Boldin for their clutch factor late in games (SSS is, unfortunately, very hit or miss in this regard).  And we've had opportunities to draft those guys, but every year we ignore the offense for defensive players that really haven't made this unit better when it counts.  Me personally, I'm hoping a couple more mistakes like this will open up the FOs eyes and have them get over the fear of drafting the next Mark Clayton, and maybe draft us a Davante Parker or Jalen Strong - both guys have shown a serious ability to make those clutch catches we've been lacking late in games.  But I'm afraid if we make the playoffs, there will be a sense that everything went okay anyway, and once again we'll ignore important things in the offseason.  If we had Dennis, I'd like our chances in January because I think he'd be a difference maker, but I don't think we have that guy on this team right now.

[DomMcRaven]

Missing the playoffs for the draft is ridiculous. We can find good draft picks anywhere we pick. It's not like our biggest need is LT or QB. How can you be a fan and not want to watch your team in the playoffs? We win in the playoffs. It's fun. Dumping the last month just to hope and pray that the one savior we need will be there at 15 instead of 25 is absolutely insane. Beat the Dolphins!

Agreed! I might get negged for this, but since we missed the playoffs last year, a playoff appearance this season will be a "success." Should we make the playoffs, we would be playing with house money in my opinion.

[ravensnick]

I think Miami is in for a thrashing. We seem to both travel well and win at Miami.

[beanfigger]

No one wants to watch them get embarassed.

No one really wants them to tank, you should know that around here. We just don't hold out much hope we have a snowball's chance against the likes of Peyton and Brady.

If you don't want to watch them get embarrassed, then what do you call losing out the last month for a draft pick? I feel like not making the playoffs two years in a row is more embarrassing than losing in the playoffs. And we've only been embarrassed once this year, by a team that we equally embarrassed earlier in the season. I don't think we just get blown out just because a team looks scary.

[beanfigger]

It's not that people want to miss the playoffs, it's that a lot of people think we would lose first round anyway. And it's not necessarily the draft spot but perhaps a wake-up call. We've been spending ALL of our recent high draft picks on defense, and it hasn't paid off. We're still giving up major plays at the end of games and have nobody that seems capable of replacing Pitta and Boldin for their clutch factor late in games (SSS is, unfortunately, very hit or miss in this regard). And we've had opportunities to draft those guys, but every year we ignore the offense for defensive players that really haven't made this unit better when it counts. Me personally, I'm hoping a couple more mistakes like this will open up the FOs eyes and have them get over the fear of drafting the next Mark Clayton, and maybe draft us a Davante Parker or Jalen Strong - both guys have shown a serious ability to make those clutch catches we've been lacking late in games. But I'm afraid if we make the playoffs, there will be a sense that everything went okay anyway, and once again we'll ignore important things in the offseason. If we had Dennis, I'd like our chances in January because I think he'd be a difference maker, but I don't think we have that guy on this team right now.

You seem to contradict yourself when you say no one wants us to miss the playoffs and then go on to say how much better things could be if we did miss the playoffs. There are scores of posts in this thread of people pleading for us not to make the playoffs, and I think the logic is flawed. Teams get a wake up call in the playoffs all the time, so I don't think it benefits us in any way to miss out.

[Ravenslifer]

You seem to contradict yourself when you say no one wants us to miss the playoffs and then go on to say how much better things could be if we did miss the playoffs. There are scores of posts in this thread of people pleading for us not to make the playoffs, and I think the logic is flawed. Teams get a wake up call in the playoffs all the time, so I don't think it benefits us in any way to miss out.

 

Guess what I'm trying to get at is, regardless of how the rest of the regular season goes, I would like to make the playoffs, but if we were to miss them, maybe it's not the worst thing in the world if it prompts major change.  An example would be (and I hate doing this to him) the last few games of Cam Cameron's tenure.  We kept him on an extra season when he should have been gone, got rid of him in season, and Jim Caldwell's playcalling helped us to the title.  Then the next year injuries and personnel issues gave us the worst offense we've seen in a while.  So last offseason, we needed a good OC and new talent, so we hired an offensive guru and picked up two vets in SSS and Daniels, and they've done good things for us.  We, however, failed to A) address an already depleted secondary, and B. draft a receiver early in one of the deepest receiver drafts of all time, and now both are biting us.  If we miss the playoffs, and we fix both in the offseason with good players, I think that's a good thing.  

[beanfigger]

Agreed! I might get negged for this, but since we missed the playoffs last year, a playoff appearance this season will be a "success." Should we make the playoffs, we would be playing with house money in my opinion.

I would be happy to contend for a title in January, having been robbed of that opportunity last season for the first time in half a decade. Even if we lose, it's better to be there. Not every season has to be Super Bowl or bust. I'm just glad we aren't stuck in bust mode like half the league.

[beanfigger]

Guess what I'm trying to get at is, regardless of how the rest of the regular season goes, I would like to make the playoffs, but if we were to miss them, maybe it's not the worst thing in the world.

That's a very good, rational post that makes a lot of sense to me. I would not have ranted like I did if this was the kind of stuff I was reading earlier in the thread.

[ravensdfan]

You seem to contradict yourself when you say no one wants us to miss the playoffs and then go on to say how much better things could be if we did miss the playoffs. There are scores of posts in this thread of people pleading for us not to make the playoffs, and I think the logic is flawed. Teams get a wake up call in the playoffs all the time, so I don't think it benefits us in any way to miss out.

This team does not get wake-up calls if they make the playoffs. It took a serious threat of NOT making the playoffs for them to fire Cam when he should have been gone before the season started. Remember the "we'll go with Cam under fire" statement?

 

It takes failure for the FO of this team to get a message.

[ratedr]

The Jets are to the Dolphins what the Dolphins are to the Patriots and the Bengals used to be to us. No matter what kind of state the Jets are in, they tend to lift for the Dolphins - and if the players like Rex as much as reported they'll have an added incentive again.

Bengals used to be?

Didn't they sweep us? Lol