'Soft schedule' is Bulls&*t

[UKRaven]

Just read the Balto Sun section telling us that the Ravens have the 'easiest' scheule going. This is not true - it is the 'journo's' setting us up for a fall. :nerd:

The reason is simple, we play the Stealers twice. Do you think for one moment that Cowherd has not gone to the locker room and said " Okay boys we ain't going to the playoff unless we win all our games....but if we don't LET'S MAKE SURE WE BEAT THE RAVENS!"

Just like they tried before, just like we did to them last season.:069:

You think the Bengals are thinking " Well that's it .. let's roll over and wish the Ratbirds all the best":bag:

At the start of the seaon we had one of the 'toughest' schedules for a non-division winner and non-playoff team. All of a sudden its got 'weak' - total BULL !!!!!!!!!!!

[kiwiraven]

:iagree:

I don't really believe in a 'soft schedule' either. Week in and week out teams will play each other to their merits. While there may be teams on a streak or a slump, each team plays it tough and do not give anything away.

[Merlin]

That being said, I'm happy that the Steelers and the Bungles aren't doing well which leads to the talk of the soft schedule

I'd prefer this situation to the opposite:thumbup:

[TL24x7]

UK,

We ran a piece on the same thing last week. Here it is: http://www.profootball24x7.com/column_view.php?cid=36&id=722&view=archive

To borrow from Brian Billick, "it is what it is."

Too much credit is given to the difficulty of a schedule prior to the season for the reasons pointed out on this thread. But the numbers don't lie. The scheduling outlook is favorable. Can it change? Sure. Will it change? Probably but as of today the Ravens have the least difficult strength of remaining schedule.

You should take solace in the way the Ravens are preparing themselves week to week. I believe they are not looking ahead and therefore the fall if it comes will not be as a result of looking into the future but rather the inability to execute on the field.

Brian Billick said on Monday that the team is focused on improving to 7-2 because once you get to 7-2 you can focus on 8-2 and so on. Sounds simple but that's the team's approach these days and if they hold true to that this seemingly easy schedule can be managed efficiently and the "P" word should make a comeback.

Here's to 7-2.

[UKRaven]

Thanks TL - I was away in Spain for two weeks, so I miss these things.

I do hate it when the journo's start setting us up for a fall - so they can slam us with more column inches if things go wrong. They are always black or white - i.e. We are either the worst team in the League (with the toughest schedule) which we were in pre-season, or, as now, they'll make us out to be as good as 2000 (with a soft run-in).

[WxKevin]

When we make the playoffs all of the Ravens haters in the sports world will use that as ammo to predict our losses. That just means the sweeter it will be when we win.

I have never really believed in the argument that a team isn't as good as their record because they haven't played a tough schedule. Good teams beat the teams they are suppose to a majority of the time. No team should be penalized by beating teams they are suppose to. If they beat a weak team, they did their job. What else do you want from a team besides a win?

[Sports Steve]

No schedule is easy in the NFL




:jester: :jester:

[sailorsam]

this is addressed some in the Power Rankings thread; we have remaining games against the Stealers (twice), at Cincinatti, and against the Browns, none easy. The Falcons can beat anyone on any given week...and can lose to same. the Chiefs worry me, but I don't think their offense is quite as good as it has been.
tell you the truth, after these last two weeks, I think the Ravens can play with anybody.

[kiwiraven]

You should take solace in the way the Ravens are preparing themselves week to week. I believe they are not looking ahead and therefore the fall if it comes will not be as a result of looking into the future but rather the inability to execute on the field.

I think it is this not 'looking ahead' is what has seperated the '06 Ravens from the '05 Ravens.

The talent is almost the same, but the mentality I believe has changed.


I do hate it when the journo's start setting us up for a fall - so they can slam us with more column inches if things go wrong. They are always black or white - i.e. We are either the worst team in the League (with the toughest schedule) which we were in pre-season, or, as now, they'll make us out to be as good as 2000 (with a soft run-in).

Again, I agree with you. It really is quite blatant when they do it as well, I remember the pre-game show against the Broncos, they were praising the Ravens, then after that (and Carolina) praise was almost non-existent.

I prefer the whole 'under the radar' approach. :thumbup:

[BlackOutD]

The NFL is not an easy league nor is our schedule soft...we have division games left as well as road trips to KC, Pit, and Cin...

[Fanman]

I think you are taking the term "soft schedule" to extremes. We all agree no game is an auto-win or easy in the NFL. But the SOS does give a measurement of how difficult the remaining competition is. Would you rather the Ravens have SOS of .625 like Tennessee or .391 like they have heading into their next game? I'll take the .391 any day.

FM

[RAVENOUS52]

I prefer it when they praise us when we win and criticize us when we lose.

It's the American way.

[Ravenshon]

i just don't buy the term "soft schedule". Every NFL game is not easy to win, especially on the road. So far, we have done that with a 4-1 road record. Hopefully, this trend will continue. We have remaining road games vs CIN, KC and Pisspuke. I think we will end up at least 2-1 or 3-0.

[skimmy]

i just don't buy the term "soft schedule".

I by no means buy the term either. An NFL team could probably afford to drop a few games on the road to lesser teams and still make the playoffs with 10 or 11 wins, but to win a division and get a favorable first round match-up or even a first round bye they need to beat all of those beatable teams on the road to get 12 or more wins. Right now the Ravens have a legit shot at the #2 seed if they can win the games they should and finish ahead of Denver.



So far, we have done that with a 4-1 road record.
They're 3-1 on the road so far this season with 4 road games left... lets not put the Titans game in the books just yet.