[News] Who's Playing, Who's Not vs. Cincinnati Bengals

[BR News]

Cornerback Jimmy Smith is doubtful because of a back injury. Outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil could make his return after missing the last five games.

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[bozo]

if the ravens lose this u can kiss the playoffs goodbye

[Ravenous_Ravens]

if the ravens lose this u can kiss the playoffs goodbye

Not a certainty. It would definitely make things tougher to make the playoffs though.

[KidNme]

If Smith isn't 100%, I think they should rest him another week. With AJ out, this would be the week to do it because we'll need him down the road. (Hopefully!)
If Doom comes back and plays at a high level, that should offset Smith being out a little. I think we should play smash mouth football this weekend and run the ball.
We're nearing cold weather games and we need to become more confident in that aspect of our game if we want to do any damage with it. Stick with it. Joe will have his chances to throw it down field and I believe those chances will be more apt to produce more when we do throw it if we do a 60-40 run/pass this weekend.

[safetyblitz]

IMO: Knowing the Steelers may well go 4-1 or 3-2 in their last stretch of the season (counting on a Ravens road win in week 16 and/or an upset by either the Giants at Heinz field or Bills on the road) I think their strength of schedule is way more manageable than ours ... (Ravens go against top 2 AFC East + 3 division games + the Eagles in the middle). Ravens would then need to win tomorrow and go 4-1 or 3-2 at least. Sounds like a tough cookie last tier to me. But hey, I say :

GO RAVENS

Faith, Relentlessness, Execution

 

[JamesA119]

The big question is the offense. I hope they are practicing hard and leaving no stone unturned. The offense has been horrible. They seem to have gotten comfortable with " we just didn't execute... blah blah blah"

[January J]

Jimmy must have had a small setback. That's really unfortunate. Oh well- Hopefully our pass rush can offset his loss. What can you do?

[bigcatfrank1]

The Ravens need to focus on winning at all remaining 6 games. However could afford a loss to the patsies, but obviously they need to beat the Steelers handing them the loss and keeping them a game behind. The Giants will need to stay on a winning track so they will pose a difficult threat to the Squeelers next week. I look for a good showing from Eli and the big Blue.

[metalraven]

Has Jimmy ever had one full season of health?

[mearzunkies]

Has Jimmy ever had one full season of health?

I do not think so.

[M4RR$]

1 hour ago, mearzunkies said:

I do not think so.

16 games played, 16 games started in both 2013 and 2015 actually.

[M4RR$]

2 hours ago, metalraven said:

Has Jimmy ever had one full season of health?

Yes, in 2013 and 2015, in which he played 16 full games and started all of them. Webby's track record, on the other hand, is a different story.

[BKeyser]

If the NFL wants to save this sport from moving to Mexico and England -exclusively- the next NFLPA agreement needs to base salaries on actual games suited up. The league has become so much about "safety" that there's little incentive for a lot of these players to get on the field.

We once saw Goose go off on a stretcher in a neck brace, only to see him return during the second half. Nowadays, players can post Instagram photos of them clubbin' it during the week, only to be wearing a sweatshirt on the sideline during the game.

Definite lack of heart among some of these guys.

[Rat]

If the NFL wants to save this sport from moving to Mexico and England -exclusively- the next NFLPA agreement needs to base salaries on actual games suited up. The league has become so much about "safety" that there's little incentive for a lot of these players to get on the field.

We once saw Goose go off on a stretcher in a neck brace, only to see him return during the second half. Nowadays, players can post Instagram photos of them clubbin' it during the week, only to be wearing a sweatshirt on the sideline during the game.

Definite lack of heart among some of these guys.

I just had this same conversation....I go back to the colt days.....players played or pay was adjusted.....and those boys played for...quoting Art Donovan....$100 a game....

They lived the gamed and played so there teams could win.....fractures, high sprains, etc....."tape her up and put me in coach"....
Oh for a tougher breed

[markbuilds]

Why in the world would they release Boyle. They need a healthy blocking tight end in the worst sort of way.

[sizzlingdoom]

if the ravens lose this u can kiss the playoffs goodbye

not true but thanks for the great insight

[sizzlingdoom]

If Smith isn't 100%, I think they should rest him another week. With AJ out, this would be the week to do it because we'll need him down the road. (Hopefully!)
If Doom comes back and plays at a high level, that should offset Smith being out a little. I think we should play smash mouth football this weekend and run the ball.
We're nearing cold weather games and we need to become more confident in that aspect of our game if we want to do any damage with it. Stick with it. Joe will have his chances to throw it down field and I believe those chances will be more apt to produce more when we do throw it if we do a 60-40 run/pass this weekend.

good post

[sizzlingdoom]

IMO: Knowing the Steelers may well go 4-1 or 3-2 in their last stretch of the season (counting on a Ravens road win in week 16 and/or an upset by either the Giants at Heinz field or Bills on the road) I think their strength of schedule is way more manageable than ours ... (Ravens go against top 2 AFC East + 3 division games + the Eagles in the middle). Ravens would then need to win tomorrow and go 4-1 or 3-2 at least. Sounds like a tough cookie last tier to me. But hey, I say :

GO RAVENS

Faith, Relentlessness, Execution

 

We're in if we take care of business. Meaning beating our division. We should beat Cincy at home this week, otherwise we probably don't deserve to make the playoffs. So that means beating Pitt and Cincy on the road. 2 tough tasks but I have a lot of faith in our team, esp if Doom and Jimmy are back to close to full health at that point. Not that I want to at all, but we can still lose to NE ( in the regular season) and it won't matter if we take care of the rest of our business. Then we go in division champs with at least one home game.
BTW, does anyone know if that rule changed or not. Say we played a wild card team with a better record-would they get home field?? I thought I remember them discussing that a couple years back.
I expect Raven football on Sunday. I also really expect the D to get their confidence sky high again. It just makes me cringe and yell in frustration when I see Wright on the field. I would rather see Elam play cb and he might be my least favorite Raven ever. I seriously cannot believe Wright is still on this team. Embarassing. The only way I see us losing in Pitt is if Joe doesn't show up, which has happened enough this season

[concretejimmy]

Jimmy didn't play against the Cowboys. I think that's a different game if he plays. Ravens should be fine without him against the Greenless Bengals. There's players I want healthy in Dec.-Jan. and Jimmy is one of them. Let him get rested this week. Ravens could finish 6-0 in the division and still miss the playoffs? Unlikely but possible. Cowboys are 4-0 against the AFCN. Glad the Dolphins and Eagles are at home. Winnable games.

[concretejimmy]

Good news. Nick Boyle and Gillmore are playing. What's with Pitta? I get the feeling he won't be on the roster next season.

[concretejimmy]

Good news. Nick Boyle and Gillmore are playing. What's with Pitta? I get the feeling he won't be on the roster next season.

Maybe not Gillmore.

[January J]

2 hours ago, concretejimmy said:

Good news. Nick Boyle and Gillmore are playing. What's with Pitta? I get the feeling he won't be on the roster next season.

Where did you see he was activated? I knew it had to be done by 4 pm today but I haven't seen anything yet.

[January J]

On nfl network dumervil was listed as questionable but on the ravens site he's listed as doubtful? He was a full participant wed- fri so you would think he'd be good to go. Really need him to help offset  the loss of jimmy- who is also doubtful but hasn't practiced all week. 

I don't think anybody has been listed as doubtful this year and actually played, guess we'll see.

[eze17]

  13 hours ago, BKeyser said:

If the NFL wants to save this sport from moving to Mexico and England -exclusively- the next NFLPA agreement needs to base salaries on actual games suited up. The league has become so much about "safety" that there's little incentive for a lot of these players to get on the field.

We once saw Goose go off on a stretcher in a neck brace, only to see him return during the second half. Nowadays, players can post Instagram photos of them clubbin' it during the week, only to be wearing a sweatshirt on the sideline during the game.

Definite lack of heart among some of these guys.

I just had this same conversation....I go back to the colt days.....players played or pay was adjusted.....and those boys played for...quoting Art Donovan....$100 a game....

They lived the gamed and played so there teams could win.....fractures, high sprains, etc....."tape her up and put me in coach"....
Oh for a tougher breed

Yeah, those "good old days" when the owners virtually owned the players, paid them squat while they raked in the dough, and when a player was done, so long and don't let the door hit you in the butt...

Fast forward a few years when these guys started feeling the aches, pain and dementia that was a result of "tape her up and put me in coach" attitude. Any health benefits? Nah. Any insurance? Nah. Any relief at all from the NFL? As little as they could give, which had to be dragged out of the owners by lawsuits, which were appealed and dragged out indefinately.

And as a Colts fan, does the name John Mackey mean anything to you? For you younger fans, look it up and see what a horror story life after "the good old days" could be...and there were literally hundreds just like him.

And lets not forget the blatant racism that was rampant back then, when a minority had better know his place or suffer the consequences. Yeah, those sure were the glory days...

How would you like to go to work for literal change that was based solely on how you performed, have zero imput on job decisions, face being fired for any offense no matter how minor, if you complain about being injured you face immediate termination and in the end your kicked to the curb with no health insurance and a totally sub-standard retirement pension. As an added bonus, due to all the injuries you've wracked up, you can't work anywhere else and are in constant pain.

Yeah, sure long for those days when "men were real men"...

[BKeyser]

23 minutes ago, eze17 said:

Yeah, those "good old days" when the owners virtually owned the players, paid them squat while they raked in the dough, and when a player was done, so long and don't let the door hit you in the butt...

Fast forward a few years when these guys started feeling the aches, pain and dementia that was a result of "tape her up and put me in coach" attitude. Any health benefits? Nah. Any insurance? Nah. Any relief at all from the NFL? As little as they could give, which had to be dragged out of the owners by lawsuits, which were appealed and dragged out indefinately.

And as a Colts fan, does the name John Mackey mean anything to you? For you younger fans, look it up and see what a horror story life after "the good old days" could be...and there were literally hundreds just like him.

And lets not forget the blatant racism that was rampant back then, when a minority had better know his place or suffer the consequences. Yeah, those sure were the glory days...

How would you like to go to work for literal change that was based solely on how you performed, have zero imput on job decisions, face being fired for any offense no matter how minor, if you complain about being injured you face immediate termination and in the end your kicked to the curb with no health insurance and a totally sub-standard retirement pension. As an added bonus, due to all the injuries you've wracked up, you can't work anywhere else and are in constant pain.

Yeah, sure long for those days when "men were real men"...

You're right. Put 'em in bubble wrap. That'll be fun to watch.

The notion that the league is investing in safety is a false one. They're protecting quarterbacks (some, but not all, and not all equally as Tom Brady has been untouchable for years while Cam Newton is treated like a running back) and receivers (though again, almost directly in correlation to salary vs. jersey number). Running backs and linebackers take the brunt of the big hits, and lineman on both sides are the most physical yet it's QB's and WR's who get all the protection.

Further, it's not an either/or condition. 'Either we tolerate players sitting out for muscle pulls, or we shoot them up with tranquilizers before each half and bury them at 40', are not the only two choices. Dumervil has been dealing with a sore foot all season. Can't play. Suggs tears a bicep; plays. Does one have a higher pain threshold than the other? Maybe. Does one rely on pushing off a foot to do his job more than the other his bicep? Maybe that's part of the equation too. But Dumervil has been drawing a paycheck and eating up a roster spot all year while dealing with an "undisclosed" sore "foot area" injury from last year. Suck it up and play, or go on IR. Some of this is coaching too, I'm sure. Holding guys out in an era when lawsuits are driving the NFL to play tort defense. And double the number of pages in the rule book.

It's a tough man's game. You can be a part of it as it's meant to be played, or at the periphery as a marginal has been, unable to "stay healthy." When you reach that point, maybe retirement is the answer instead of cheating the fans and the integrity of the game.

 

Regarding the straw man union argument - it doesn't play with me. Unions are the bane of corporate success. Unions promote lethargy and under-performance. The game was better before the NFLPA and will continue to decline as it seeks enrichment over entertainment.

[eze17]

  1 hour ago, eze17 said:

Yeah, those "good old days" when the owners virtually owned the players, paid them squat while they raked in the dough, and when a player was done, so long and don't let the door hit you in the butt...

Fast forward a few years when these guys started feeling the aches, pain and dementia that was a result of "tape her up and put me in coach" attitude. Any health benefits? Nah. Any insurance? Nah. Any relief at all from the NFL? As little as they could give, which had to be dragged out of the owners by lawsuits, which were appealed and dragged out indefinately.

And as a Colts fan, does the name John Mackey mean anything to you? For you younger fans, look it up and see what a horror story life after "the good old days" could be...and there were literally hundreds just like him.

And lets not forget the blatant racism that was rampant back then, when a minority had better know his place or suffer the consequences. Yeah, those sure were the glory days...

How would you like to go to work for literal change that was based solely on how you performed, have zero imput on job decisions, face being fired for any offense no matter how minor, if you complain about being injured you face immediate termination and in the end your kicked to the curb with no health insurance and a totally sub-standard retirement pension. As an added bonus, due to all the injuries you've wracked up, you can't work anywhere else and are in constant pain.

Yeah, sure long for those days when "men were real men"...

You're right. Put 'em in bubble wrap. That'll be fun to watch.

The notion that the league is investing in safety is a false one. They're protecting quarterbacks (some, but not all, and not all equally as Tom Brady has been untouchable for years while Cam Newton is treated like a running back) and receivers (though again, almost directly in correlation to salary vs. jersey number). Running backs and linebackers take the brunt of the big hits, and lineman on both sides are the most physical yet it's QB's and WR's who get all the protection.

Further, it's not an either/or condition. 'Either we tolerate players sitting out for muscle pulls, or we shoot them up with tranquilizers before each half and bury them at 40', are not the only two choices. Dumervil has been dealing with a sore foot all season. Can't play. Suggs tears a bicep; plays. Does one have a higher pain threshold than the other? Maybe. Does one rely on pushing off a foot to do his job more than the other his bicep? Maybe that's part of the equation too. But Dumervil has been drawing a paycheck and eating up a roster spot all year while dealing with an "undisclosed" sore "foot area" injury from last year. Suck it up and play, or go on IR. Some of this is coaching too, I'm sure. Holding guys out in an era when lawsuits are driving the NFL to play tort defense. And double the number of pages in the rule book.

It's a tough man's game. You can be a part of it as it's meant to be played, or at the periphery as a marginal has been, unable to "stay healthy." When you reach that point, maybe retirement is the answer instead of cheating the fans and the integrity of the game.

 

Regarding the straw man union argument - it doesn't play with me. Unions are the bane of corporate success. Unions promote lethargy and under-performance. The game was better before the NFLPA and will continue to decline as it seeks enrichment over entertainment.

Not arguing about player toughness, I'm saying people who yearn for the nostalgic "good old days" are looking through rose colored glasses...although I can see you have no problem with getting back to the feudal system of workers just being useless trash to be gotten rid of whenever they've outlived their usefulness. Or complain about hazardous working conditions. Or are injured and thrown out in the streets with no recompense. Its not the NFLPA's fault the game's are worse - It's the owners greed at rampant expansion that has dilluted the roster of available players coming from college. Too many teams-not enough quality players. But the NFL feels the need to keep expanding and further spreading the talent pool til you get players who are ill equipt to play at this level. And playing a lot more games than in yesteryear. And shorter rest periods between games. I'm not saying unions are a cure-all solution, but better than being treated like garbage. Which the NFL treated players like back in the day wether people like to admit it or not.

[sizzlingdoom]

Jimmy didn't play against the Cowboys. I think that's a different game if he plays. Ravens should be fine without him against the Greenless Bengals. There's players I want healthy in Dec.-Jan. and Jimmy is one of them. Let him get rested this week. Ravens could finish 6-0 in the division and still miss the playoffs? Unlikely but possible. Cowboys are 4-0 against the AFCN. Glad the Dolphins and Eagles are at home. Winnable games.

If we go 6-0 against the division and beat the dolphins and eagles at home we are AFC north Champs

[sizzlingdoom]

Doesn't look like Gilmore is back this week, but Boyle and Gilmore coming back could be MASSIVE for our team ( O line help and big safety valves for Joe)

[whobilly]

  23 hours ago, concretejimmy said:

Jimmy didn't play against the Cowboys. I think that's a different game if he plays. Ravens should be fine without him against the Greenless Bengals. There's players I want healthy in Dec.-Jan. and Jimmy is one of them. Let him get rested this week. Ravens could finish 6-0 in the division and still miss the playoffs? Unlikely but possible. Cowboys are 4-0 against the AFCN. Glad the Dolphins and Eagles are at home. Winnable games.

If we go 6-0 against the division and beat the dolphins and eagles at home we are AFC north Champs

Is this team good enough to win 5 out of the last 6 games?

[Rav'n Maniac]

Whoever plays today needs to put forth a strong effort, especially Joe!