[News] Eisenberg: 5 Takeaways From Ravens Schedule Release

[BR News]

A return to normalcy, a major break at the start for returning injured players and the biggest shocker.

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[TheSim]

This schedule is fantastic. Opening at home, a weak first half, playing the Steelers after our bye, one Thursday night game against our weakest division opponent... plus, we get the chance to ruin Christmas in Pittsburgh!

[RavensDieHard21]

Realistically though, I expect the Raiders to be a very good team this year so let's not sleep on them, but if we can win 5 of our first 7 games then we will be looking good rolling into the second half of the season. I think the if Baltimore and Pitt look like contenders around Christmas time, then it very well could get flexed into prime time!

[bioLarzen]

Well... There are a lot of interesting and intriguing takes about the schedule. There are, however, also axioms about schedules:

- there's no perfect schedule
- it's impossible to say now when it's better to play a certain opponent
- the schedule is what it is - no way of modifying that, so it's useless to start pointing out what may seem as negative. An easy start may be a great thing, but also a bad one. A strong finish may, surprise, also be a good thing and a bad one...
- what seems to be definitely good is that timing of the bye. Right in the middle.

And, before anyone goes on arguing the the NFL is out against the Ravens once again... The steelers will have a 7 game stretch in November-December with 5 road games, the first at the Bank, the last in Cincinatti... They will only have 2 more prime time games, they won't have a home MNF game either. As for the Bengals, they take on the steelers, the Broncos, the Pats and a relatively fresh Cowboys (in Dallas, probably still with Romo) in the first 6 weeks... After that, the rest of their schedule seems pretty evenly spread, no easier or tougher stretches.

All three tams will have their byes in weeks 8-9, so that's pretty even, too.

As for, which team would have been good to play against when... it's so unpredictable now... Normally, I would have preferred the Pats, for example, as early as we could - the Pats seem to have a tendence to start slow at times... (I had them in my dream schedule for Week#02, for a MNF game - at least I got that part right :D) We'll go to Foxboro when the Pats are usually the strongest - but one injury to Brady, Edelman or Gronkowski, and it could become the perfect time to play them, in a minute...
Same thing with the Pittsburgh game: week#16 is not the ideal timing if all things are normal... but what if Roethlisberger goes down the week before? Or we have a key player returning from injury before the Pats or Steelers game?

We'll see. After week#17 we'll know if it was a good schedule or a bad one.

Oh,and as for only 2 night games: we have some good marchups in the stretch when scheduling becomes flexible. If we are in the playoff hunt, both our last two games may easily flexed into the prime time slot...

[Ravens8383]

Shows what the NFL thinks of the Ravens Steelers rivalry. They want to see teams play games where 80 points are scored on primetime.

[Zeus]

Why do we have to end every season against Cini?

[Maryland]

Playing a 4pm game is like a mini-primetime game, so they're not completely disregarding the value of Ravens/Steelers games.

I like having only 2 real prime-time games anyway. They could just fly under the radar all year and get ignored as a real threat all season for all I care.

[mearzunkies]

What if's are weak!

[sticks999]

I think this schedule is a good one. The point about the easy beginning works right into our team needs. This is a gift . see you in the playoffs!!

[rmcjacket23]

11 hours ago, Ravens8383 said:

Shows what the NFL thinks of the Ravens Steelers rivalry. They want to see teams play games where 80 points are scored on primetime.

1. Well, they think enough of it to make it a "primetime" game on Christmas day. There's only two games total that day, and we are the only one in that time slot.

2. Rivalries are their strongest when both teams are good and competitive. We were 5-11 last season, and the Steelers were a playoff team. That's a pretty big difference in competitiveness overall.

[fusuymada]

Starting with the Bills is interesting with the old Rex Ryan link. Not really surprised by this schedule at all. This is a schedule that suits a 5-11 team, which helps the Ravens. The NFL team hierarchy is changing and the Jaguars and Raiders may finally be up and comers and the Broncos may be in for a rude awakening. I like that the Ravens playing the Steelers at home at 1PM after the bye and we aren't afraid of the Patriots in their house, we have beaten them there before. However, with the NFL landscape changing so much with new players coming in and old favorites are checking out, until the draft and the rosters are set, you really don't know who is going to be a problem for us and who is not. As I mentioned before, Raiders, Eagles, Broncos, Washington, Dolphins, and even the Browns, we aren't really sure what we are getting with those teams. Ii think after the draft we will have a much clearer picture. If Ozzie can draft Ramsey or Hargreaves at 6 and move back up and get Spence in the first, we will be set. I am already hearing the radio analysts saying this is a 11-5 schedule, but until I see what the Ravens have and what other teams pick up, I wouldn't be so confident.

[MTRavensFan]

32 minutes ago, rmcjacket23 said:

1. Well, they think enough of it to make it a "primetime" game on Christmas day. There's only two games total that day, and we are the only one in that time slot.

2. Rivalries are their strongest when both teams are good and competitive. We were 5-11 last season, and the Steelers were a playoff team. That's a pretty big difference in competitiveness overall.

We were competitive enough to beat them - twice.

5-11 doesn't tell the whole story, and is misleading at best. We were competitive to the very end in every single game we lost, despite losing over half our starters to IR, playing round-robin at QB, and pulling scrubs in off the street.

Personally, I love not playing in prime-time this year. Stay under the radar and let's just start winning games.

[rmcjacket23]

Just now, MTRavensFan said:

We were competitive enough to beat them - twice.

5-11 doesn't tell the whole story, and is misleading at best. We were competitive to the very end in every single game we lost, despite losing over half our starters to IR, playing round-robin at QB, and pulling scrubs in off the street.

Personally, I love not playing in prime-time this year. Stay under the radar and let's just start winning games.

I mean, that's great for us to tell ourselves that, but I seriously doubt the NFL cares one bit about whether we were competitive in games. You beat PIttsburgh twice, you lose to Cleveland once and were very close to losing to them twice . That's how you end up 5-11.

If I were the league, I'd ask:

Are the Ravens a team that fans nationally would want to turn in to watch play? Are they exciting to watch? Do they have personalities who sell on TV?

To me, that's a tough sell. We may like the team, but its not about what we as Ravens fans like, because national primetime games aren't for Ravens fans.

If I were the NFL, I'd have a tough time putting us in many primetime games, because I just don't see what the upside is. 

I agree we are better off anyway. I never understand the fans fascination with primetime games. I never enjoyed staying up until Midnight when I have to get up at 5am to go to work the next day, and it really doesn't do the team any good. Just never understood what the goal was.

[eze17]

Ravens/Steelers will be only game on in that time slot that day, so yes, it is a national game...and yes, I did do a double take when I saw back-to-back weeks in north Jersey. Kinda cool, i'm actually picking us to win at least one of those games.Better than two in a row, twice,out on the west coast!

I'm still saying we go 9-7 or maybe 10-6. Don't know if that's good enough to snag a play-off spot...

[MTRavensFan]

6 minutes ago, rmcjacket23 said:

I seriously doubt the NFL cares one bit about whether we were competitive in games.

But you just said the rivalry's lost it's interest because the Ravens weren't competitive last year. Semantics, I guess...

I'm not trying to argue with you, because I think we're generally in agreement here. The Ravens will never be able to draw national ratings the way franchises like the Cowboys, Patriots, Broncos, Packers - and let's face it, the Steelers - do. We're a newer, small-market team, and unless we're in the playoff hunt, nobody outside of here really cares, and it's not a primetime rivalry unless there are playoff implications for both teams.

What I meant to say was, even at 5-11, we'll go toe-to-toe with anybody. We're usually the underdog, and we're not afraid to go into Foxboro or Ketchup Field and ruin their day, pull the upset, and the NFL loves that crap. We always keep it interesting.

The simple truth is we don't deserve to be on primetime after last year's showing. We need to start winning games, handle Cincinnati, start winning the division on a consistent basis, before we complain about not playing enough primetime games. We still have a lot of kinks to work out, and that's a lot easier to do under the radar on Sundays at 1pm.

[eze17]

Personally, I don't care for prime time games anyways...I really don't like to stay up past midnight and then have to get up early next morning. Not to mention i'm usually jacked about the game and can't sleep til 1 or 2 in the morning! Prime time games are just a matter of pride, which no matter what, i'm proud of my Ravens. I don't care what someone in the mid-west thinks about the Ravens, so long as we are a good, competitive football team that year in and year out tries its best to compete for championships.

[rmcjacket23]

27 minutes ago, MTRavensFan said:

But you just said the rivalry's lost it's interest because the Ravens weren't competitive last year. Semantics, I guess...

I'm not trying to argue with you, because I think we're generally in agreement here. The Ravens will never be able to draw national ratings the way franchises like the Cowboys, Patriots, Broncos, Packers - and let's face it, the Steelers - do. We're a newer, small-market team, and unless we're in the playoff hunt, nobody outside of here really cares, and it's not a primetime rivalry unless there are playoff implications for both teams.

What I meant to say was, even at 5-11, we'll go toe-to-toe with anybody. We're usually the underdog, and we're not afraid to go into Foxboro or Ketchup Field and ruin their day, pull the upset, and the NFL loves that crap. We always keep it interesting.

The simple truth is we don't deserve to be on primetime after last year's showing. We need to start winning games, handle Cincinnati, start winning the division on a consistent basis, before we complain about not playing enough primetime games. We still have a lot of kinks to work out, and that's a lot easier to do under the radar on Sundays at 1pm.

When I say "competitive", its not meaning how close we are to winning games.

Competitive from a national perspective is whether or not the two teams playing are both good at the same time. The peak of Ravens/Steelers rivalries or any rivalry is when both teams are really good. There's more at stake and the games are played at a higher level because the players are playing at a higher level. 2008-2010 time frame was probably the peak of the Ravens/Steelers rivalry. Why? Both teams were very good at the same time. That was heightened again, briefly, in 2014.

As much as we as fans of those teams try to convince ourselves that the rivalry is as strong as ever, from a national perspective, it simply isn't. There wasn't nearly as much substance to the Seahawks/49ers games last season. Why is that? Because one team was good and one team was garbage. Those fans might tell you that the rivalry is strong, but nationally, its not.

I've argued this with Redskins/Cowboys fans for years. Both teams consider themselves to have one of, if not, the strongest rivalry in pro football. Yet, there simply hasn't been many instances in recent times where both teams were good at the same time, and as such, nationally, it looses steam.

Nationally, in the present, I think most people would say Bengals/Steelers is a more relevant and popular rivalry than Ravens/Steelers right now. And frankly, they've both earned that, because they've both largely been better than us over the last three years.

 

 

[EvilWayz]

I don't even know where to start, but I will say this:

I don't really care about primetime games. Sure it's fun to see your favorite team on T.V. more than twice a year, especially since I live on the West Coast, but as long as we are winning it doesn't bother me one bit.

I also think that saying we were not competitive enough to warrant more Primetime games is totally wrong. There some, let me rephrase that. There are a lot of teams that's on primetime T.V. that really have the same season year after year no matter who they pick up in free agency or the draft. That Dallas Cowboys stink and have been for a long time now, so that competitive analogy is off.

I believe the league is giving all teams a chance to get there chance in the spotlight and I don't see anything wrong with that. Like I said I don't care about primetime games as long as we are winning. We win enough games you don't have to worry about Primetime because will be on Primetime T.V. when it really counts. Playoffs and hopefully the Super Bowl.

[WNC-Raven]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned how beneficial playing 13 games on Sunday at 1 will be. I feel like this team will need time and consistency to gel together. We all enjoy watching in prime time but I would bet the players would rather play the same day and same time as much as possible so they can get into a routine. It also makes it obvious that we will mostly be staying in the eastern time zone which is another huge plus.

[eze17]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned how beneficial playing 13 games on Sunday at 1 will be. I feel like this team will need time and consistency to gel together. We all enjoy watching in prime time but I would bet the players would rather play the same day and same time as much as possible so they can get into a routine. It also makes it obvious that we will mostly be staying in the eastern time zone which is another huge plus.

I agree. This schedule seems a lot easier than last year, maybe not competitive wise, but definately travel wise. The two trips out west last year were just brutal. The so-called "softer" part of our schedule comes early in the season also. While I don't think you can ever say a part of a pro football season is easy, we only have 1 division game in the 1st eight. If we can get into the right groove, we can be in a good position down the strech.

[FloridalovesRavens]

  4 hours ago, MTRavensFan said:

But you just said the rivalry's lost it's interest because the Ravens weren't competitive last year. Semantics, I guess...

I'm not trying to argue with you, because I think we're generally in agreement here. The Ravens will never be able to draw national ratings the way franchises like the Cowboys, Patriots, Broncos, Packers - and let's face it, the Steelers - do. We're a newer, small-market team, and unless we're in the playoff hunt, nobody outside of here really cares, and it's not a primetime rivalry unless there are playoff implications for both teams.

What I meant to say was, even at 5-11, we'll go toe-to-toe with anybody. We're usually the underdog, and we're not afraid to go into Foxboro or Ketchup Field and ruin their day, pull the upset, and the NFL loves that crap. We always keep it interesting.

The simple truth is we don't deserve to be on primetime after last year's showing. We need to start winning games, handle Cincinnati, start winning the division on a consistent basis, before we complain about not playing enough primetime games. We still have a lot of kinks to work out, and that's a lot easier to do under the radar on Sundays at 1pm.

When I say "competitive", its not meaning how close we are to winning games.

Competitive from a national perspective is whether or not the two teams playing are both good at the same time. The peak of Ravens/Steelers rivalries or any rivalry is when both teams are really good. There's more at stake and the games are played at a higher level because the players are playing at a higher level. 2008-2010 time frame was probably the peak of the Ravens/Steelers rivalry. Why? Both teams were very good at the same time. That was heightened again, briefly, in 2014.

As much as we as fans of those teams try to convince ourselves that the rivalry is as strong as ever, from a national perspective, it simply isn't. There wasn't nearly as much substance to the Seahawks/49ers games last season. Why is that? Because one team was good and one team was garbage. Those fans might tell you that the rivalry is strong, but nationally, its not.

I've argued this with Redskins/Cowboys fans for years. Both teams consider themselves to have one of, if not, the strongest rivalry in pro football. Yet, there simply hasn't been many instances in recent times where both teams were good at the same time, and as such, nationally, it looses steam.

Nationally, in the present, I think most people would say Bengals/Steelers is a more relevant and popular rivalry than Ravens/Steelers right now. And frankly, they've both earned that, because they've both largely been better than us over the last three years.

 

 

The only thing the Steelers and Bengals were better at last season was fighting. I guess fans like to see players knocked out of games.

[FloridalovesRavens]

  5 hours ago, MTRavensFan said:

We were competitive enough to beat them - twice.

5-11 doesn't tell the whole story, and is misleading at best. We were competitive to the very end in every single game we lost, despite losing over half our starters to IR, playing round-robin at QB, and pulling scrubs in off the street.

Personally, I love not playing in prime-time this year. Stay under the radar and let's just start winning games.

I mean, that's great for us to tell ourselves that, but I seriously doubt the NFL cares one bit about whether we were competitive in games. You beat PIttsburgh twice, you lose to Cleveland once and were very close to losing to them twice . That's how you end up 5-11.

If I were the league, I'd ask:

Are the Ravens a team that fans nationally would want to turn in to watch play? Are they exciting to watch? Do they have personalities who sell on TV?

To me, that's a tough sell. We may like the team, but its not about what we as Ravens fans like, because national primetime games aren't for Ravens fans.

If I were the NFL, I'd have a tough time putting us in many primetime games, because I just don't see what the upside is. 

I agree we are better off anyway. I never understand the fans fascination with primetime games. I never enjoyed staying up until Midnight when I have to get up at 5am to go to work the next day, and it really doesn't do the team any good. Just never understood what the goal was.

Wonder if the players feel that way? I wouldn't think so.

[MTRavensFan]

2 hours ago, FloridalovesRavens said:

The only thing the Steelers and Bengals were better at last season was fighting. I guess fans like to see players knocked out of games.

Nah, I think fans in general really got turned off by the Bengals embarrassing behavior in that playoff game. Bengals/Steelers keeps trying to be a rivalry, but it's still just a wannabe.

[Swift 1]

On 4/15/2016 at 10:08 AM, rmcjacket23 said:

I mean, that's great for us to tell ourselves that, but I seriously doubt the NFL cares one bit about whether we were competitive in games. You beat PIttsburgh twice, you lose to Cleveland once and were very close to losing to them twice . That's how you end up 5-11.

If I were the league, I'd ask:

Are the Ravens a team that fans nationally would want to turn in to watch play? Are they exciting to watch? Do they have personalities who sell on TV?

To me, that's a tough sell. We may like the team, but its not about what we as Ravens fans like, because national primetime games aren't for Ravens fans.

If I were the NFL, I'd have a tough time putting us in many primetime games, because I just don't see what the upside is. 

I agree we are better off anyway. I never understand the fans fascination with primetime games. I never enjoyed staying up until Midnight when I have to get up at 5am to go to work the next day, and it really doesn't do the team any good. Just never understood what the goal was.

I hope somebody will explain to me why, a fan a player or a coach would want thier team to play in a "prime time game"? 

 

[Strangebru]

60% of all Ravens end of the regular season road games have been played in Cincinnati. I know it is the NFL's attempt to make end of the season games more meaningful by making the last games divisional rival games, but why do the Steelers get a free pass playing the Browns at the end of most of these seasons?

Nothing against the Browns, but they haven't been in the hunt for the playoffs for the past 6 seasons. With the exception of last year's fight with the injury bug the Ravens had, every one of these end of the regular season matchups with the Bengals has some sort of playoff implications. Why not have the Steelers fighting for their spot in the playoffs with either the Ravens or Bengals in week 17?

[rmcjacket23]

On 4/15/2016 at 4:06 PM, FloridalovesRavens said:

The only thing the Steelers and Bengals were better at last season was fighting. I guess fans like to see players knocked out of games.

Yeah I hope this is a joke, because no reasonable person that watches football thought we had a better team than the Steelers or Bengals overall last season.

And no, beating the Steelers twice doesn't mean we were a better team overall than them, especially when we pretty much couldn't beat anybody else.

[rmcjacket23]

On 4/15/2016 at 4:08 PM, FloridalovesRavens said:

Wonder if the players feel that way? I wouldn't think so.

What's the upside to playing on Thursday or Monday for a player? 

[rmcjacket23]

On 4/16/2016 at 10:19 AM, Swift 1 said:

I hope somebody will explain to me why, a fan a player or a coach would want thier team to play in a "prime time game"? 

 

Sunday night games make sense, sort of.

Monday and Thursday games really don't benefit players or coaches whatsoever, unless they have a bye after that.

Fans want those games. That's it.

[ALI624]

7 minutes ago, rmcjacket23 said:

What's the upside to playing on Thursday or Monday for a player? 

Watching football on Sundays?

[rmcjacket23]

4 minutes ago, ALI624 said:

Watching football on Sundays?

I rest my case.