[News] Late For Work 11/14: Ravens In Sole Possession Of AFC North Lead After Steelers' Loss

[eze17]

Time for Elliot to meet the big boys Williams and Pierce!! our #1 ranked rush defense will keep us in this game. If we can Keep Elliot contained i can see us leaving Dallas with a Win. Everyone here is soooo negative even after winning two divisional games - just sad.

This is true...Cowgirls haven't run into a front seven like the Ravens yet, so I'm opptimistic that we can limit Zeke, even if we can't totally contain him. Really stud player, but I don't see our D-line giving up monster runs like the Squeelers did. And this could be a coming out into the spotlight game for Williams, to prove he's worth big dollars when he hits free agency next year.

And I like reminding people, the Cowgirls have NEVER beaten the Ravens, not even when we were two touchdown dogs in the final game at Texas stadium, and went down there and blew them out of the water. I know we only play them every four years, but wouldn't it be great to continue that unbeaten streak? Call it a premonition, but I have a feeling that we're going to be the team that throws the Romo/Prescott controversy to a new level after we win in Dallas...

[metalraven]

I'm pretty sure Pittsburgh let Dallas score the second to last touchdown. Dallas had a first down at the two minute warning only needing a FG to win. Letting Elliot score at that point was the only way that they would have a chance.

I don't think so. Bailey would have had to kick a game winning FG. I'm pretty sure Pitt would rather they forced them to win by a FG then score a TD leaving them, what, 9 seconds?

[VermontRaven]

5 minutes ago, metalraven said:

I don't think so. Bailey would have had to kick a game winning FG. I'm pretty sure Pitt would rather they forced them to win by a FG then score a TD leaving them, what, 9 seconds?

We're talking about Dallas' second to last touchdown, not their final one.  Obviously, there is no way Pitt let Dallas score their last touchdown.

[metalraven]

  8 minutes ago, metalraven said:

I don't think so. Bailey would have had to kick a game winning FG. I'm pretty sure Pitt would rather they forced them to win by a FG then score a TD leaving them, what, 9 seconds?

We're talking about Dallas' second to last touchdown, not their final one.  Obviously, there is no way Pitt let Dallas score their last touchdown.

lol. gotcah. my bad

[RaRaRavens]

4 hours ago, gtalk12 said:

 

way to think positive lmao 

Wow, it always baffles me how our fanbase is absolutely uncapabale of any critical thinking. I was being realistic. I did not say we were gonna lose. I pointed out we need strong outing from our RBs to win, because all but 1 half this season Flacco has not carried this team. And that it'll be tough cause our O-line is injured. What part of that was pessimistic?! These are facts.

[RaRaRavens]

1 hour ago, Tdot.to.Bmore said:

Time for Elliot to meet the big boys Williams and Pierce!! our #1 ranked rush defense will keep us in this game. If we can Keep Elliot contained i can see us leaving Dallas with a Win. Everyone here is soooo negative even after winning two divisional games - just sad.

Yeah, D can keep us close, but who's gonna score for us to win? Flacco? Don't think so, he hasn't been able to do it consistently for the entire season (except against 1 half against Browns' worst D). So we're gonna need a run game. If that manifests, our chances of winning are okay. This is however where O-line injuries really hurt us. But hey! At least there's a chance, let's give the cowgirls hell!

[Fastynart]

Good news for Ravens fans. The NFL is the most mediocre that we have seen it in a long time. Take away Dallas, the Patriots, and maybe Seattle and Oakland, and the rest are middle of the road, where "on any given Sunday" who knows who will win. In a division of complete incompetence, the Ravens have so far managed to stay on top. Imagine, if you would, had they not tanked to the Jets, Giants, and Redskins, where they would be.

[BrooklynRavens]

What has me worried is the fact that even though our dline is dominant and aside from B Will & Pierce we are kinda small inside.  Well with exception to Lawrence guy (So underrated).  This is compared to the Cowboys oline i dont mean in general.

 

The cowboys have been puling their guard a lot to lead the run so i wonder how the ravens attack that.  But im very excited to see how our run d stacks up.  I have high hopes for our offense against the surprising dallas defense, i hated their safeties but they seem to be doing a good job this yr., actually their secondary in general has been good. 

Looking at the cowboys offense, i think thats what john harbaugh wants with the ravens, only thing is our oline is beat up and havent had any consistency since kubiak left.  They wanted tresman to stay in the zone blocking run game but was probably over his head on how to use it.  At least morniweg has been using the bootleg, flacco seems at his best when he can utilize that.

[eze17]

  4 hours ago, gtalk12 said:

 

way to think positive lmao 

Wow, it always baffles me how our fanbase is absolutely uncapabale of any critical thinking. I was being realistic. I did not say we were gonna lose. I pointed out we need strong outing from our RBs to win, because all but 1 half this season Flacco has not carried this team. And that it'll be tough cause our O-line is injured. What part of that was pessimistic?! These are facts.

No beef about legitimate complaints, nor random grousing, but there are a lot of trolls on this site who run their mouths, offer no constructive solutions, and generally spew toxic venom. Personally, I didn't find anything really negative about your comment, just speaking honestly. However, you have to admit there are some really vindictive posters on this site (one guy, who I actually know out in the real world, is a big yellow and black fan who comes on here to stir up trouble), so excuse people if they are angered by negative comments. I've seen you on here many times, and have no problem with your constructive criticism.

GO RAVENS!!!

[Dedicated Raven]

I believe we can win. Practice well, do the homework and we shall prevail. Go Ravens

[eze17]

Good news for Ravens fans. The NFL is the most mediocre that we have seen it in a long time. Take away Dallas, the Patriots, and maybe Seattle and Oakland, and the rest are middle of the road, where "on any given Sunday" who knows who will win. In a division of complete incompetence, the Ravens have so far managed to stay on top. Imagine, if you would, had they not tanked to the Jets, Giants, and Redskins, where they would be.

Welcome to "parity"...something the league has been pushing for a long tyme. So I don't agree with "incompetence" to describe the division, just watered down and spread thin talent that all teams in the NFL are dealing with. Even the examples you use as upper tier teams are beatable on any given Sunday...The days of truely dominant teams are almost gone, for better or worse depending on how you look at it.

[Bat-mite]

2 hours ago, Crusader said:

Can the Ravens score 30+ points? Because that's what it going to take to beat Dallas but the Ravens have not scored 30 this year. This will be game if the Ravens can be taken seriously and the players to get noticed and shut everyone up.

True, Dallas has an average 29 points per game this season (wow), but the Ravens' #1 defense is only allowing 18 points per game (both figures rounded).  If we can hold them to 18, I think we have a good chance of winning.  However, I seriously doubt we are going to score 30, since we're averaging 20 per game.

[Purple Dawg 96]

Need 30-35 pts a game now and when our Defense force 3 and outs "DOMINATE" on Offense and light it up! We have the weapons to go on 2min drives no huddle etc at will and move that ball down the field! WE THE BEST!

[Militant X 1]

We really need to beat those Cowbums and silence their very annoying fan base in the process.  I have friends who are huge Cowbums fans. One of them immediately sent me a text right after they beat the Steelers last night saying that the Cowbums "own" the AFC North teams and will run through all of them for the "sweep" this season.  The Ravens are our last hope of not letting that happen.

 

 

[Halshayeji]

3 hours ago, The Greek said:

surprised we did not make a trade for a lineman before the deadline. they have been battered all season. jake long got hurt once again yesterday

Likewise. We saw how tough it was when we lose a few linemen but gambled on it not happening. If we miss the playoffs, that's why!

[Crusader]

  2 hours ago, Crusader said:

  2 hours ago, Tdot.to.Bmore said:

Time for Elliot to meet the big boys Williams and Pierce!! our #1 ranked rush defense will keep us in this game. If we can Keep Elliot contained i can see us leaving Dallas with a Win. Everyone here is soooo negative even after winning two divisional games - just sad.

That will last for a while but those 3 and out will destroy that. I'm REALLY sick of this so called OFFENSE. They can't or will not block , Joe can't throw to save his kids, and they can't stay healthy. How many defense players are hurt anyway compared to offensive.

You just don't stop with the negative comments do you. I think you would like to see us lose so you can keep on griping. It really makes your day.

Yea I know Just Drink The Cool-aid everything will be OK.

[Crusader]

We really need to beat those Cowbums and silence their very annoying fan base in the process.  I have friends who are huge Cowbums fans. One of them immediately sent me a text right after they beat the Steelers last night saying that the Cowbums "own" the AFC North teams and will run through all of them for the "sweep" this season.  The Ravens are our last hope of not letting that happen.

 

 

Yep this is a big chance for RESPECT.

[bioLarzen]

Both starting guards will be out for considerable time... maybe for the rest of the season. And the depth behind them is a HUGE step back...

All my hopes about the revival of our offense - slim anywway - are about to fade into oblivion. With two replacement guards i don't see the offense improve :(

[mearzunkies]

Well, I do not believe the Cowboys have ever beaten the Ravens. Correct me if I am wrong. I recall shutting their stadium breaking their record for longest rush in back to back scenarios though:-)

[whobilly]

Steelers have a very soft schedule over the final seven games. Two games with the Browns, at the Colts, home vs Giants, home vs Ravens, at Bengals, at Bills.
I know their D is horrible but I can see them getting to 9 wins. I feel we have a good shot at 9 but the injuries on th O Line are a BIG concern.

[Militant X 1]

I wouldn't really call that a "breakout" for the offense.  Sure, a few touchdown passes were thrown and that was great and all but it came against the Browns defense.  Nothing spectacular there.  Even Joe said similar to that....

The Browns ranked as the second-worst overall defense, rush defense and scoring defense heading into the game, and even Flacco conceded that may have had something to do with the offense’s emergence.

“It's tough to answer that because it still comes down to going out there next Sunday when we line up again and doing it because we're not going to be playing the Cleveland Browns," Flacco said. "We're going to be lining up against somebody else. You don't live on what you did the previous week. I think it does give guys confidence, and it can be a big plus, but it still comes down to how we go out there and respond to it."

So, UNTIL they do that in back to back games and more consistently, it's not really a "breakout" performance to me.  Let's see if they can "breakout" against the Cowboys on Sunday.

[JamesA119]

  12 hours ago, RaRaRavens said:

Our defense is capable of keeping our game with the Cowboys close, but I still don't see us winning, because Joe Flacco and the offense.

It would not be fair to ask our defense to shut out the best O-line in the league and to carry our team to yet another win. Their job is to keep the game close enough and I have no doubt they are able to do it.

But then Flacco will trot on to the field for 3 icky-dicky plays, probably dump the ball off to closest player who'll get 2 yards, and then skip back to the sidelines again with that smug smirk on his face like he just won us the SB.

So unless we can unleash West&co, it's going to be a looong game for us Sunday. And considering both our starting Gs are hurt, it won't be easy to find much running room.

It's the O-line RaRa. It wasn't good to start with (including the complete insanity of starting two rookies on the left side) and when any link breaks now, it all falls apart. It was/is this line that is supposed to protect the quarterback coming back early from a devastating injury that takes a year of playing to fully recover from.

Plus Joe, IMHO, is in a lot of pain, either from the previous injury or a new one from earlier this year. Haven't you ever heard the saying "Smile when you are in pain!"? It helps mask the pain and conceal it from your enemies.

You sound like Flacco's uncle or doctor

[picke]

And the Bengals lost on Monday night, too. We are now a full 2 games in first place over the Steelers due tie-breaker. I reserve judgment on our offense break-out, as well, for the same reasons as many have expressed here. The main reason, though, as bioLarzen explained below, our O-Line is in shambles.

RavensAll against Cowboys!

[Rav'n Maniac]

Can't deny we are in big trouble on the OL. Marty has to scheme his butt off and find ways to generate offense. The players need to step up and perform all while minimizing mistakes.

This game is still winnable and our D will keep it close but, our O will need to dig down deep and find the heart to overcome.

Go Ravens

[whobilly]

I think 9 wins is gonna get it done. We need to win the final three home games and that's not a given anymore, along with finding a win on the road against Dallas, New England, Pittsburgh, Cinnci. The Steelers game on Christmas Day could determine the Division.