Next Year's Opponents

[BringingtheBlitz]

I expect Shawn Merriman's return from injury to shore up SD's defense significantly. It is definetely a game we can win, but it will not be a pushover.

I think 11-5 is a pretty good estimate for right now. This can change a lot depending on how we do in FA and the draft, who we get for DC and how they interact with our players, and pre-training camp & OTAs. Hopefully we can start a season with our full complement of regular starters plus a couple new additions of starter quality, as opposed to losing a couple key starters to pre-preseason injuries.

You figure right now that we lose against the Colts (Peyton's got our damn number), lose against the Pats (this is questionable considering came closer than anyone else during the 2007 of beating their team with a TON of injuries to key defensive players), split with the Steelers (please God don't let us get swept again, I can't handle it two years in a row), and drop 2 of 3 games to Denver/SD/GB (all have great QBs and good recieving corps, which doesn't play to our defense's greatest strengths). Or if only lose 1 of those 3 games, perhaps we drop a game to Carson Palmer & co. at Cincy (it IS a divisional game and surely their organization can't be in COMPLETE disarray like they were this season).

And let us have a bye week this coming season! Woo!

[hitman124]

Does anyone think the Falcons will be a great side next year?
What about the saints?

[xen-uno]

[quote name='SuggsNotDrugs' post='144159' date='Jan 22 2009, 10:36 PM']anyone know the steeler's schedule? lets see what the chances are of us winning the division, otherwise we have to aim for a wild card again, and i don't want to aim for that.[/quote]

[b]Common Ops:[/b] ([i]reverse home/away for Balt[/i])
Bengals (2)
Browns (2)
Raiders
Chargers
Packers
Vikings
@ Broncos
@ Chiefs
@ Bears
@ Lions

[b]Steeler Ops:[/b]
Ravens (2)
Titans
@ Dolphins

[b]Raven Ops:[/b]
Steelers (2)
Colts
@ Patriots

[jfc13]

[quote name='SuggsNotDrugs' post='144160' date='Jan 22 2009, 11:38 PM']actually it's the same as ours except they face the titans and dolphins instead of colts/patriots.....so they have an easier schedule [/quote]
Yeah, the Colts and Patriots not winning their division was fun when it happened, but now it's biting us in our ***.

[PuRock]

[quote name='xen-uno' post='144194' date='Jan 23 2009, 04:19 AM'][b]Common Ops:[/b] ([i]reverse home/away for Balt[/i])
Bengals (2)
Browns (2)
Raiders
Chargers
Packers
Vikings
@ Broncos
@ Chiefs
@ Bears
@ Lions

[b]Steeler Ops:[/b]
Ravens (2)
Titans
@ Dolphins

[b]Raven Ops:[/b]
Steelers (2)
Colts
@ Patriots[/quote]

Ofcourse we get the Patriots with Tom Brady (last year and next). This is the only year we didn't play them, with a Cassell lead team. The Steelers ofcourse played them. The Steelers always seem to have luck on their side. I mean c'mon San Diego in the first round? An 8-8 team.

[ravensgirlx88]

[quote name='SuggsNotDrugs' post='144160' date='Jan 22 2009, 11:38 PM']actually it's the [b]same as ours except they face the titans and dolphins instead of colts/patriots[/b].....so they have an easier schedule [/quote]

Ain't that SOME ****. They play in the Superbowl and STILL manage an easier scheduele then us. The NFL hates the Ravens

[jfc13]

[quote name='ravensgirlx88' post='144240' date='Jan 23 2009, 09:56 AM']Ain't that SOME ****. They play in the Superbowl and STILL manage an easier scheduele then us. The NFL hates the Ravens [/quote]
No, unfortunately, we can't blame this on bias.

Since we're in the same division, we play the same teams except for two games and they are determined by where you finished the season. Every team in our division plays every team in a certain division in the other conference and every team in a certain division in our own conference. The final two games are determined by previous season placement. The first place team in your division [Steelers] plays the first place teams in the two divisions within your conference that you don't play the entire division of [Dolphins/Titans]. The second place team in your division [Ravens] plays the teams that took second in the other divisions [Patriots/Colts], and so on.

That's why I said it was fun to see the Patriots and Colts not win their divisions for once, but that ended up screwing us in the end, because we took second, too.

[PuRock]

Is there ever a year that we don't play the Colts? It almost seems like they are in our division.

[ravensgirlx88]

[quote name='PuRock' post='144250' date='Jan 23 2009, 10:29 AM']Is there ever a year that we don't play the Colts? It almost seems like they are in our division.[/quote]


I know right? I hope the Colts game is at M&T this year, but then agian that's like asking for a miracle.

[ravensgirlx88]

Psh, Im just happy I can look at next year's scheduele and see 11-5 I'd even be happy with 10-6! Looking at it last year I maybe had us winning 6 games TOPS all season.

[MadBacker57]

11-5 or 10-6 im not sure what to expect next year looking at the scheudle becuase the NFL changes every year and has gotten teams very evenly matched so you never know i belive our team will be pretty diffrent depending on who we sign and re sign so it will be intresting hopefully we can finally get over the hump and beat the colts

[CP`C-Pain`CP]

Looks like another successful year.

[BMOREman21RavensO's]

i don't understand how we play the colts and raiders two years in a row, is this just a coincidence? but i like our chances of another successful year next year...

[BMOREman21RavensO's]

i don't understand how we play the colts and raiders two years in a row when they're not in our division, is this just a coincidence? but it looks like another successful season...

[jfc13]

[quote name='BMOREman21RavensO's' post='144531' date='Jan 23 2009, 04:54 PM']i don't understand how we play the colts and raiders two years in a row when they're not in our division, is this just a coincidence? but it looks like another successful season...[/quote]
We played the Colts this year because our entire division played their entire division - We play one entire division within our conference and one entire division within the other conference. We play them next year because the second place teams in the remaining divisions within your conference play each other.

In other words, this past season:
AFC NORTH [all teams] played:
...each other twice
...all the teams in the AFC SOUTH
...all the teams in the NFC EAST
...the final two games are against the teams within your conference, but not in the division you are scheduled to play, that had the same ranking you did. This past year, that was the Dolphins and the Raiders. [next year, it will be the Colts and Patriots because we all came in second place and we'll play all the teams in the AFC WEST].

[xen-uno]

[quote name='PuRock' post='144217' date='Jan 23 2009, 07:45 AM']Ofcourse we get the Patriots with Tom Brady (last year and next). This is the only year we didn't play them, with a Cassell lead team. The Steelers ofcourse played them. The Steelers always seem to have luck on their side. I mean c'mon San Diego in the first round? An 8-8 team.[/quote]

Yeah, but you guys play the Lions at home ... we have to go to [i]their[/i] house!

[macbrak]

Yer screwed.

[ravens27]

I think we should have a great year.

[ROH522155]

a lot of people said cleveland would be good this year but i knew they were gonna suck

[Jamal]

Well, chalk up Detroit. lol

[darklight1216]

I'm a bit of a new fan, but I'm starting to see a pattern this year we finished the regular season 11-5, in 2007 we were 5-11, 2006 we were 13-3, 2005 6-10. It seems like 2009 might not be so great... but hey hope springs eternal.

[Shawn`]

Here's how I think it'll pan out:

AFC North:
Sweep the Bengals
Sweep the Browns
Tie the Steelers

NFC North:
Win over Bears
Win over Detroit
Win over Vikings
Loss at Green Bay

AFC West:
Win over Broncos
Win over Raiders
Win over Chiefs
Loss to Chargers

Loss to Patriots
Loss to Colts

12-4, 2nd Seed.

[funky141]

[quote]Here's how I think it'll pan out:

AFC North:
Sweep the Bengals
Sweep the Browns
Tie the Steelers

NFC North:
Win over Bears
Win over Detroit
Win over Vikings
Loss at Green Bay

AFC West:
Win over Broncos
Win over Raiders
Win over Chiefs
Loss to Chargers

Loss to Patriots
Loss to Colts

12-4, 2nd Seed.[/quote]
I can see that but I think the Colts have a nice schedule too and barring any injuries they should go at least 12-4 too and have the tie breaker against the Ravens so the Colts would be the #2 seed. Unless of course the Colts are the #1 seed and then the Ravens will be #2.
That wil work..