baltimore_hokie
11-24-2009, 02:07 PM
...for how the Ravens can make it to the playoffs (and Super Bowl) still. I'm seeing a good bit of similarities between our situation and the Steelers in 2005-2006, when they went on to win the Super Bowl. This is obviously the best possible case, with the worst being a miserable 5-win season. The window is closing, but I can still feel a cool breeze of hope. Here is my breakdown:
After Week 13 in the 2005 season, the Steelers were 7-5. Coming off tough losses to the Ravens, Colts, and Bengals, the Stoolers were looking at missing the playoffs completely. After the loss to the Bengals, they won the final four games of the season to finish at 11-5 and get into the playoffs. If the Ravens can win against a banged up Steelers team and an even more banged up Packers team, we are in a very similar situation. Obviously, this is not a given but it surely is possible.
In the 2005 season, the Steelers had the 9th ranked scoring offense and 3rd ranked scoring defense. They were 5th in point differential, winning by 8.2 points per game. The Ravens have the 12th ranked scoring offense and the 4th ranked scoring defense. We rank 5th in point differential, winning by 6.6 points per game. Both teams have solid units on both sides of the ball, pretty similar in total. The similarities I see don't end there...
Roethlisberger played solid, but unspectacular, as a young QB for the Steelers in 2005. He threw for under 2400 yards, but was mostly efficient for the season. Joe Flacco is on pace for a better season, although some struggles can be expected. The Steelers did not have a 1000-yard receiver that season, but did have a solid veteran in Ward and mediocre second receiver in Randle El. The 2009 Ravens have a similarly built corps of receivers, with even more production than the Steelers had in their Super Bowl year.
The 2005 Steelers also had a very good young RB in Willie Parker that held the offense together. Parker had 1200 yards that season, something similar to what we can expect from Ray Rice this season. A solid OL helped their young QB and RB on way to a pretty good offensive unit.
The 2005 Steelers defense had Pro Bowlers at DT, OLB, and S. Sound familiar? With some pretty young defensive players at the time (most are relatively well-known names these days), the defense was solidified by veterans like Casey Hampton and James Farrior. The output from this defense is pretty similar to that of the Ravens this year, with our defense capable of being better when operating at full tilt.
The Steelers fought to make the Playoffs in 2005 and got a matchup with the Bengals, who won the AFC North. After making it out of the Divisional Round against AFC North rivals, the Steelers were matched up against the Colts, who were arguably the best team in the NFL that season. The Steelers got the better of that rematch game in the Playoffs, earning them a berth to the AFC Championship game. The Steelers then beat the Broncos and Seahawks to win the Super Bowl after only earning a Wild Card berth into the Playoffs.
I want to make it perfectly clear that I am not predicting that this same storybook ending will happen for the Ravens in 2009. What I am saying; however, is that it can be done. The Ravens have the talent to compare to that Steelers team, but it will require the Ravens to play to their potential consistently for the remainder of the season.
We have no more room for late-game collapses or choke jobs this season if we want to advance to the playoffs. The Ravens have a good bit of work to do still to make it to the playoffs, but the season is most definitely not over yet. If the Ravens can harness their ability and lose the tendency to be somewhat of an enigma this season in all facets of the game, this can be a dangerous team once the Playoffs come around. Such a finish by a similarly- talented team was completed only 4 years ago, so I wouldn't close the book on the 2009 Ravens quite yet...
After Week 13 in the 2005 season, the Steelers were 7-5. Coming off tough losses to the Ravens, Colts, and Bengals, the Stoolers were looking at missing the playoffs completely. After the loss to the Bengals, they won the final four games of the season to finish at 11-5 and get into the playoffs. If the Ravens can win against a banged up Steelers team and an even more banged up Packers team, we are in a very similar situation. Obviously, this is not a given but it surely is possible.
In the 2005 season, the Steelers had the 9th ranked scoring offense and 3rd ranked scoring defense. They were 5th in point differential, winning by 8.2 points per game. The Ravens have the 12th ranked scoring offense and the 4th ranked scoring defense. We rank 5th in point differential, winning by 6.6 points per game. Both teams have solid units on both sides of the ball, pretty similar in total. The similarities I see don't end there...
Roethlisberger played solid, but unspectacular, as a young QB for the Steelers in 2005. He threw for under 2400 yards, but was mostly efficient for the season. Joe Flacco is on pace for a better season, although some struggles can be expected. The Steelers did not have a 1000-yard receiver that season, but did have a solid veteran in Ward and mediocre second receiver in Randle El. The 2009 Ravens have a similarly built corps of receivers, with even more production than the Steelers had in their Super Bowl year.
The 2005 Steelers also had a very good young RB in Willie Parker that held the offense together. Parker had 1200 yards that season, something similar to what we can expect from Ray Rice this season. A solid OL helped their young QB and RB on way to a pretty good offensive unit.
The 2005 Steelers defense had Pro Bowlers at DT, OLB, and S. Sound familiar? With some pretty young defensive players at the time (most are relatively well-known names these days), the defense was solidified by veterans like Casey Hampton and James Farrior. The output from this defense is pretty similar to that of the Ravens this year, with our defense capable of being better when operating at full tilt.
The Steelers fought to make the Playoffs in 2005 and got a matchup with the Bengals, who won the AFC North. After making it out of the Divisional Round against AFC North rivals, the Steelers were matched up against the Colts, who were arguably the best team in the NFL that season. The Steelers got the better of that rematch game in the Playoffs, earning them a berth to the AFC Championship game. The Steelers then beat the Broncos and Seahawks to win the Super Bowl after only earning a Wild Card berth into the Playoffs.
I want to make it perfectly clear that I am not predicting that this same storybook ending will happen for the Ravens in 2009. What I am saying; however, is that it can be done. The Ravens have the talent to compare to that Steelers team, but it will require the Ravens to play to their potential consistently for the remainder of the season.
We have no more room for late-game collapses or choke jobs this season if we want to advance to the playoffs. The Ravens have a good bit of work to do still to make it to the playoffs, but the season is most definitely not over yet. If the Ravens can harness their ability and lose the tendency to be somewhat of an enigma this season in all facets of the game, this can be a dangerous team once the Playoffs come around. Such a finish by a similarly- talented team was completed only 4 years ago, so I wouldn't close the book on the 2009 Ravens quite yet...