Can Baltimore now stop.....

[Galen Sevinne]

In light of yesterday's historic win, could the pessimists hold off on the following comments that have now been proven to be rediculous - and that's being nice.


1. Cam needs to open up the playbook and "let" Flacco throw the ball again,

52 runs, 10 passes lead to complete domination of Brady, Belichick and the New England "One and Done" Patriots.

2. Harbaugh is way over his head and needs to be fired at the end of the season,

2 seasons, 2 playoffs births, 3-1 record so far in the playoffs. Shovel or no shovel, I have enjoyed immensely two postseasons in a row...yes, in a row.

3. The Ravens don't deserve to be in the playoffs.

Really? After knocking off...no, completely humiliating...one of the most storied franchises in their stadium.

No one wants to play this team. The Ravens could very well lose next week but I am not sure if I would be so upset after that event yesterday. That was worth the emotional investment for the whole season and that was poetry.

:thumbup: for all those who stayed positively behind the team all season...yesterday you cashed in your IOU from the team.

[baltimore_hokie]

The question is: can Indy's run defense (24th in the NFL) stop the Ravens rushing attack?

[mjones73]

Let's hope the answer is no. :)

My only comment about the playbook was yes, Cam needed to open it up but to balance out the attack, we threw too much and didn't run enough the last time we played NE... It was obvious in this game early they couldn't stop the run, why wouldn't you keep pounding it down their throats?

[Big Bird]

Well, Flacco is hurt. No doubt about it! Thank that O-line that blocked so well for the run, for not letting the Pats defense to pop Flacco. I hope he can recover a little this week.

If our Ravens can play that kind of ball next week against Indy, then we have to say they are great! Not Good, Just GREAT!!!

Lets hear it for the O-Line. Not to mention the four man rush most of the time and inserting the blitz where it did the most harm.

Gotta love it Guys and Gals..

[Fanman]

I agree that if a team can't stop your run, you just pound it all day long, but that won't be the case vs the Colts.

I am not saying Cam and Flacco can't step up vs Indy, but there is no chance we can win if our passing attack amounts to 34 yards, 0 TDs and 1 INT again. It just won't happen.

FM

[mjones73]

Yeah we are going to probably have to air the ball out more and hopefully with another week of healing and playing in a dome Flacco will be in better shape but still...

Rushing Rk Team G Pts/G TotPts Att Att/G Yds Avg Yds/G TD Lng 1st 1st% 20+ 40+ FUM
13 New England Patriots 16 17.8 285 398 24.9 1,768 4.4 110.5 6 50 80 20.1 10 2 9

24 Indianapolis Colts 16 19.2 307 467 29.2 2,024 4.3 126.5 10 64T 106 22.7 9 1 5

Indy's run defense is about 11 spots down from NE's in the end of season rankings, I'd expect a heavy dose of running on them too, we need to control the clock and limit Manning's chances.

[Tspot-D-Ravenator]

3. The Ravens don't deserve to be in the playoffs.

Really? After knocking off...no, completely humiliating...one of the most storied franchises in their stadium.



"What's wrong with the Patriots?".... is what I've been hearing all day today!:grbac:

The Patriots have been diagnosed and it has been found that yesterday, they came down with what is now known as "Raven Fever"...And the only cure for it is to take 8 months off of work, but resume light duty in approx. 3-4 months:nerd::laugh:

[trailhiker85]

Hard to believe how many folks have been calling for Harbaugh's head. OK, if I were a player I might not care much for his rah-rah style. But since I'm NOT a player, I can tune that out.

As a fan, what matters is your team having success in the win-loss department. Hard to argue with your coach when his first two seasons result not only in making the playoffs, but in strong showings once they got there.

[Fanman]

And just a little point of ref for Harbaugh.

After the Superbowl run in 2000, Billick only won 1 playoff game.
He lost his last 3 games and 2 of those were at home vs Tenn and Indy.

Harbs is now 3-1 in the playoffs and all 3 wins have been on the road...def. a good sign if you ask me.

And please save the "Billick Basher" responses, this is just comparing prior coach to current coach...nothing more.

FM

[Mr OC]

"What's wrong with the Patriots?".... is what I've been hearing all day today!:grbac:

The Patriots have been diagnosed and it has been found that yesterday, they came down with what is now known as "Raven Fever"...And the only cure for it is to take 8 months off of work, but resume light duty in approx. 3-4 months:nerd::laugh:

No kidding! Just watched Around the Horn and to summerize: Cards won, Cowboys won, Jets won, Patriots lost.

And next week after we beat the Dolts, it'll be how they shouldn't have rested and they were rusty.

Oh well, such is life...

[Marcel#52]

No kidding! Just watched Around the Horn and to summerize: Cards won, Cowboys won, Jets won, Patriots lost.

And next week after we beat the Dolts, it'll be how they shouldn't have rested and they were rusty.

Oh well, such is life...

No wait.. they did give the Ravens a quick 30 second convo. to remind people who beat the Pats.. but they made sure to talk about the Pats for another 1 hour..

[UKRavenGordon]

:thumbup: for all those who stayed positively behind the team all season...yesterday you cashed in your IOU from the team.

The reason I've been been optimistic all season is because I was sure he had a performance like that in us.

[StingerNLG]

These condescending "now just shut up" threads have no place on the forum. It is unnecessary.

:ref:

[Galen Sevinne]

These condescending "now just shut up" threads have no place on the forum. It is unnecessary.

:ref:

The irony of that comment is too funny.

[Flipping Birdie]

The irony of that comment is too funny.

:laugh:

[StingerNLG]

The irony of that comment is too funny.

Please Mr "I'm better than everyone on the forum", enlighten us on said irony.

Or are all you good at is pretending you are elite and call people out at will?


That's a rhetorical question BTW. No need to answer it.

[Galen Sevinne]

Please Mr "I'm better than everyone on the forum", enlighten us on said irony.

Or are all you good at is pretending you are elite and call people out at will?


That's a rhetorical question BTW. No need to answer it.


Seriously with a name like Stinger you need to be less defensive....just a suggestion. God forbid if anyone should tell you how to act now.


Here is another request of the city of Baltimore.

4. 3 penalties for 15 yards. Can we also stop with the tiring conspiracy theories that the NFL is out to get Baltimore and protect the likes of Brady and the Patriots?


While some might construe this post or G7 as overly optimistic or blissfully naive or even arrogantly condescending and think that Baltimore fans really should complain about the refs, and the coaches, and the NFL, and the defense and Frank Walker and Ozzie and Bischotti and everything else, they might be mssing the reality that this is a good team....a really good team.

Is it a great team?...not yet but in the last two years, the Ravens have been to the playoffs twice, and so far have won 3 playoff games. How many teams can say the same thing? Not N.E., not Indy, not Pitt. Nope. Arizona can. Maybe one or another team if anyone cares to research it. I don't as I am already sold on the 2009 Ravens.

This year we ended with the 3rd ranked defense, the 9th ranked offense and the 4th ranking in special teams. Find a better season ranking since 1996.

Its not about telling people what to post or how to act...and it certainly isn't something as arcane as elitism but nice try to squeeze my favorite intellectual vestige in there...that I do appreciate.

It fundamentally comes down to appreciating something that won't be here every season and maybe just once in every 4-5 years....if we are fortunate.

Secondly it is just about gauging this thing accurately and not being a total train wreck everytime the team loses and making Baltimore and the fanbase I am a part of look like a a bunch of crybaby whiners. I just spent a weekend hearing all about it from friends of mine in Boston and they were spot on. As a lifelong Baltimore football fan, I have earned the right and am entitled to make that point regardless of its validity.

The 2009 Ravens are peaking at exactly the right time. If they go on to win one more game this weekend, the Ravens will be the talk of the NFL. One win away from that and those who have been supporting, not just the team this year, but the quality of this year's edition will have gauged it accurately.

Those who pissed and moaned all the way through the season might want to take a personal inventory about what they exactly intend to get from a season of fandom because if you pissed and moaned through this season then you might not find a lot of enjoyment being a fan.

Finally, this post wasn't necessarily directed at posters on this board alone but more to the community of Baltimore fans that include radio talk shows as well because 80% of those call-ins make even the most negative people on this board look as cheery as G7 himself.

Enjoy your football team folks, its the only one you got.

[StingerNLG]

Well Galen, since you are in a giving suggestive mood, here is a suggestion for you. Asking the question "Can Baltimore now stop....." to a fanbase after a single albeit impressive game doesn't garner much respectfullness from said fanbase.

Guess what, the fanbase had legitimate criticisms of the team based upon an entire season of frustration. 7 losses against good teams littered with poor WR + QB play, suspect Coaching, and littered with being the league leader in yellow laundry on the field doesn't inspire confidence that we would stroll into New England and lay 33 points on one of the best teams in the last decade; not to mention the fact a team we've never beat, never loses at home in the playoffs, and generally never loses at home anyway. Having to make the playoffs at 9-7 because we whipped the Lions, Browns, and Bears doesn't inspire confidence.

But guess what else? I don't know anyone, and I mean ANYONE, who was even amongst the bigger critics of the team this year that still doesn't appreciate the fact that we have a team, and aren't stuck with the Redskins or a UFL franchise.

Some of us who have been critical of the team have still been at the staduim as much as they could this year, which has been really tough for me with a new kid.

Some of us who have been critical of the team still not only sent in their season ticket checks this past June, but are ready and waiting to do it again next year.

So you may want to think about next time.

I'll leave the thread with this thought for you Galen. Something to consider. Because while you may have been addressing the 80% of the fanbase and not just this forum, you need to keep in mind some of us are in that 80%. And the thought is this:

After a great Ravens victory in which things went 180% from what we thought would happen up there, one of us opened a thread being humble and taking a little crow, and the other opened a thread to attack the fanbase who has been critical of the team this year.

Who's thread comes off elitist?

[Rex Thunder]

I agree that if a team can't stop your run, you just pound it all day long, but that won't be the case vs the Colts.

I am not saying Cam and Flacco can't step up vs Indy, but there is no chance we can win if our passing attack amounts to 34 yards, 0 TDs and 1 INT again. It just won't happen.

FM

The key is gonna be Demetrius Williams. He dropped a deep pass with one on one coverage where the ball hit him in the hands. That play was set up because of the success of our ground attack.

Those opportunities will be there against Indy- and we HAVE to cash them in. Flacco's total should have been 5 for 10 for just under 100 yards. Obviously not much better- but not as pitiful looking considering the circumstances. The receivers will definitely need to step up- and probably early. Start the game passing- and confuse the hell out of the Colts defense- then pound away.

Risky- because Cam will never hear the end of it if it doesn't work- but at home in a dome- there are going to stack the line early for sure! Instead of an 83 yard run to start this time- how about an 80 yard bomb to D-Will!

[Rex Thunder]

Well Galen, since you are in a giving suggestive mood, here is a suggestion for you. Asking the question "Can Baltimore now stop....." to a fanbase after a single albeit impressive game doesn't garner much respectfullness from said fanbase.

Guess what, the fanbase had legitimate criticisms of the team based upon an entire season of frustration. 7 losses against good teams littered with poor WR + QB play, suspect Coaching, and littered with being the league leader in yellow laundry on the field doesn't inspire confidence that we would stroll into New England and lay 33 points on one of the best teams in the last decade; not to mention the fact a team we've never beat, never loses at home in the playoffs, and generally never loses at home anyway. Having to make the playoffs at 9-7 because we whipped the Lions, Browns, and Bears doesn't inspire confidence.

But guess what else? I don't know anyone, and I mean ANYONE, who was even amongst the bigger critics of the team this year that still doesn't appreciate the fact that we have a team, and aren't stuck with the Redskins or a UFL franchise.

Some of us who have been critical of the team have still been at the staduim as much as they could this year, which has been really tough for me with a new kid.

Some of us who have been critical of the team still not only sent in their season ticket checks this past June, but are ready and waiting to do it again next year.

So you may want to think about next time.

I'll leave the thread with this thought for you Galen. Something to consider. Because while you may have been addressing the 80% of the fanbase and not just this forum, you need to keep in mind some of us are in that 80%. And the thought is this:

After a great Ravens victory in which things went 180% from what we thought would happen up there, one of us opened a thread being humble and taking a little crow, and the other opened a thread to attack the fanbase who has been critical of the team this year.

Who's thread comes off elitist?

Defensive are we?

I agree with him 100%

I get so sick of hearing people complain and critic stuff that they are too ignorant about to understand and comprehend fully.

When things go wrong in a game- people point to a and b and say "Oh Cam needs to do this- his playcalling is horrible." or "Harbaugh can't handle this team- he has no control." I could go on and on- but the point is- the average fan really has no idea what is really going on behind the scenes. What levers and triggers actually CAUSE A AND B.

People always want to blame someone or something- when the reality is that- sometimes things aren't going to go your way, and there may not be ANYTHING you can do about it.

Point blank- every game we lost this year could have one if one or 2 key plays were executed better.

New England- Clayton drop
Minnesota- Missed kick
Cinci 1st game- Flacco overthrew Clayton wide open late in 4th for a would be td to put game away
Indy- Flacco int (no td from the 1- and I wont put that on Cam- the line has to impose their will to get ONE YARD!)
Pittsburgh- need I mention it all??

If the players execute any of those given plays- the individual game- and subsequently- the entire season most likely, is different. It ALL COMES DOWN TO EXECUTION.

There is no perfect science when it comes to coaching. YOu try to put the players in the best situation to make plays and win the game. Players will make mistakes that cost you games- so will coaches- but with all that said- execution at critical moments killed this team and any chance at momentum during the season.

The secondary took so much criticism- but you know what- we were in EVERY GAME. Teams all over the league got shelled by the same quarterbacks we did- and either got blown out- or still found a way to win. How? By executing! If we had one any of those games that garnered so much criticism to our head coach, wide receivers, defense.... would the criticism still be just? Is our team supposed to be perfect??

IMO- I saw a team that was on the verge of greatness ALL YEAR. WE put too much pressure on a 2nd year qb early on and ironically- he handled it fine- but some other guys lets him down. Pressure mounted with losses- and it's come full circle. Like the players say- they've been thru so much this year and come out of it better prepared to handle whatever adversity comes there way.

As long winded as this has been- that's just it. As upset as I would get over some of the losses- because I realized it was growing pains and mental mistakes at times causing us to lose games- I never lashed out and attacked any players or coaches. I knew they were a good enough team that just hadn't caught any breaks yet. Let's not forget- we played the toughest schedule in the nfl this year. 9-7 was better than some teams 10-6 (Who did the Patriots beat??? other than us???)

So before you act all righteous about someone else being "elitist"- take a second to realize that there are some here who cheered and fought thru the trials and tribulations of this season- without feeling the need to splash blame at the easiest target.

Lastly- it's a message board- so I know that's what people do- but you need to appreciate people on the other side of the fence- who get sick and tired of the seemingly fair weather fans who act as though they are smarter than the heads running the team when the chips are down.

I guarantee- Hauschka makes that kick at Minnesota in week 5- this season is completely different- completely! And that kick was on the foot of one person. Clayton makes the catch... Flacco overthrow... one guys.. one play.. different mentality... different season..

and for those that realized that- yeah- this time right now is very satisfying.

[HoustonRaven]

after a great ravens victory in which things went 180% from what we thought would happen up there, one of us opened a thread being humble and taking a little crow, and the other opened a thread to attack the fanbase who has been critical of the team this year.

Who's thread comes off elitist?

:192214:

[NC Raven]

I don't see how any of those 3 points made in the original post could offend anyone. All of us are guilty of some negativity here and there, to some degree or other. As they say, if the shoe fits, wear it.

While I feel I've been primarily in the "we're better than our record indicates"/glass half full camp, I have gotten frustrated at times with the offense, and earlier in the season, with the defense.

We have to bear in mind that a lot of what happens out there is for reasons we're not going to know, because the Ravens don't want us - actually they don't want their opponents -- to know about it.

OTOH, we can't always assume there's a good, or even rational explanation for everything that happens. Contrary to popular belief, being in football your whole life does not automatically make you (A) a tactical genius, or (B) a personnel-evaluating genius. Exhibit A: Matt Cavanaugh. Exhibit B: Matt Millen. Exhibit C: whoever spent first round picks on Akili Smith, David Klingler, etc............ Some coaches call better plays than other coaches do, and some GMs draft better players than other GMs do. We, as fans, all at some point in our lives have had our moments where we are right about something and the coach/GM is wrong.

Hence, this process we call "talking on message boards."

Right or wrong, we say what we say.

There's no reason to take any of this personally, is what I'm trying to say. It's supposed to be (mostly) all in fun.

[BmoreBrawla]

4. 3 penalties for 15 yards. Can we also stop with the tiring conspiracy theories that the NFL is out to get Baltimore and protect the likes of Brady and the Patriots?


I certainly don't think that the NFL is out to get the Ravens, but protect Brady....cmon, man!

[Galen Sevinne]

:192214:

O.K. lets take moment to address this "elitist" thing since it is such an easy strawman for many.

The individual you accuse of being an "Elitist" doesn't take offense to that label. The term was never intended for that particular person. The term is intended to rally the masses who are uneducated against those who are educated to gather votes. That is the purpose of the "reframing" of the concept of education for electoral purposes. There was a reason Plato wrote about the dangers of giving everyone a voice in democracy. The reframing of a well-educated person as an elitist and hence, a negative attribute, is a perfect example of what Plato believed over 2000 years ago.

It is not a knock against G7 when you accuse him of "elitism". In fact, it is more a compliment because it makes notice of an attribute of himself that he values highly. Anyone remember when valuing education was part of the true "American Dream"? You know, bettering oneself. Don't buy into simple "reframes". Or fuck it...do it if it somehow makes you feel better but at least take time to understand how your intended audience receives it....or doesn't in this case.

To minimize the purpose of this thread...that being to;

express an opinion that there is a disproportionate amount of complaining this year about the Ravens in comparison to their actual achievement

by somehow tying it to being an Elitist is such plain silly folks. I ain't buying it and apparently many others aren't either.

[HoustonRaven]

It is not a knock against G7 when you accuse him of "elitism"

"Elsa Ronningstam, associate clinical professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School and author of Identifying and Understanding the Narcissistic Personality: Referring to yourself in the third person creates distance between "I" and "he." So if you have an exaggerated view of how great you are, you could be using this distance to make yourself even bigger"

You sauntered right into that one ....

[Galen Sevinne]

"Elsa Ronningstam, associate clinical professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School and author of Identifying and Understanding the Narcissistic Personality: Referring to yourself in the third person creates distance between "I" and "he." So if you have an exaggerated view of how great you are, you could be using this distance to make yourself even bigger"

You sauntered right into that one ....

G7 ain't afraid to saunter.

[StingerNLG]

Ain't that the truth.

But look, bottom line is that you, and Rex still don't get it. And that's fine. You want to make these fanbase calling out threads, telling people they can shut up now, that's cool. That's your right.

I'll keep complaining when I see things that aren't good. That's MY right. And I will continue to not allow those of you who think you're smarter than the rest of us because you kept the purple glasses on and think there's nothing wrong with the team to condescend to us.

I wonder what would happen if the Colts blow us out and it looks like another game with penalties and poor play what would happen if I then made a thread like this asking "those fans" to please stop telling us how great this team is.

Bet that would go over very well, eh?