Teams Baltimore Ravens - Rise and Conquer

[Pies_10]

Best Flacco had played since the playoffs from our winning season.
Also C. J Mosley is a beast.

 

[Toadvine]

NFL Top offseason value signings

Justin Forsett, RB; Steve Smith, WR;Jeremy Zuttah, C -- Baltimore Ravens

How acquired: Forsett signed a one-year, $730,000 unrestricted free-agent contract; Smith signed a three-year, $10.5 million unrestricted free-agent contract; the Ravens sent the Buccaneers a 2015 fifth-round pick for Zuttah, who signed a five-year, $18 million deal

Choosing just one of these three would be unjust, as each has been terrific. Forsett leads the NFL in yards per carry at 6.4, as he paces the Ravens with 408 rushing yards this season. He's added 23 catches and is primed to set career highs in several categories this season. Smith has shown he has plenty of gas left in the tank, as after not catching a pass longer than 44 yards in 2013, he already has touchdown scores of 80, 61 and 56 yards in 2014 and his current production pace would put him at more than 1,500 receiving yards for the season.

Zuttah, meanwhile, has helped stabilize the middle of an offensive line that was simply underwhelming in 2013. The Ravens have been much better at protecting Joe Flacco this year, surrendering just seven sacks this season, the fewest for any team that has not yet had its bye. This troika of additions has contributed to Baltimore scoring 27.3 points per game this season, tied for fifth-best in the NFL and more than a full touchdown better than what the team averaged in 2013.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/stor...d=InsiderTwitter_Yates_OffseasonValueSignings (Insider)

I didn't realise we'd given up the fewest sacks in the NFL of all the non Bye teams. That is huge when thinking back to last season. The turn around has been awesome.

 

[PHX]

Power Rankings around the media still have us at the 11-12 spot.

Behind teams like New England (0.344), Indy (0.333) and Green Bay (0.333) who have spluttered through an easy schedule while we're 4-2 with the 2nd highest strength of victory in the AFC.

Still looking for respect.

 

[Pies_10]

Power Rankings around the media still have us at the 11-12 spot.

Behind teams like New England (0.344), Indy (0.333) and Green Bay (0.333) who have spluttered through an easy schedule while we're 4-2 with the 2nd highest strength of victory in the AFC.

Still looking for respect.

Even when we won the Superbowl, the media still gave us little respect, it was how San Francisco lost it.

 

[Pies_10]

Threw away a game we had won

 

[Toadvine]

This one is on Flacco. Trying to take shots deep down field on 3 and 2 with 5 mins remaining and only needing a field goal to take the lead.
That's what Taliaferro is for.

I hope Jimmy isn't out for long because our secondary is woeful already.

 

[quin_stick]

Gotta love bad Flacco. Didn't realise Fabio Grosso played safety for Cincy though!

Jimmy injury is huge, after Flacco he's probably the guy we could least afford to lose. We more than likely win today if he plays. Antonio Brown to go for 200+ next week I reckon.

 

[Pies_10]

The Cincinnati player did dive, but really Smith hardly touched him.
I've followed American football for 10 years and I've never seen offensive pass interference called like that.

 

[Pies_10]

Jimmy out for 4-5 weeks is huge, gonna miss him big time.

 

[Toadvine]

Fack that is huge. Will hill will have to start at safety Elam and Brooks will have to be our 3rd corners with Webb and Franks starting. :-o

 

[Toadvine]

Jimmy Smith out for the year! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. We're done

 

[Pies_10]

If there is such a thing as a poor won, that was it.

 

[dlanod]

If there is such a thing as a poor won, that was it.

Eh, I'll take it but mainly because of Pittsburgh's loss to the Jets. That's made my day.

Four teams in the AFC North 0.600 or better is insane though.

 

[Pies_10]

Eh, I'll take it but mainly because of Pittsburgh's loss to the Jets. That's made my day.

Four teams in the AFC North 0.600 or better is insane though.

Hate to say it but with that defense, I actually think Cleveland can win the division.

 

[Pies_10]

The AFC has turned out around this season.
You've got New England, Miami, Buffalo, All the AFC North, Denver, San Diego, Kansas city and Indianapolis all with winning records and could miss the playoffs.

 

[Woodson]

The AFC has turned out around this season.
You've got New England, Miami, Buffalo, All the AFC North, Denver, San Diego, Kansas city and Indianapolis all with winning records and could miss the playoffs.

Until they get to NINE wins.. nothing is assured of such aforementioned teams having a winning season just yet. See it year in year out.. teams will stumble.. sure.. quality play-off calibre games in the lead up are just an elimination process but I'm not a fan of granting additional wildcards as GOTOHELL has been talking up in recent months/ past year. It's a fine line in winning in the NFL so having those teams with a above .500 record slug it out via tie breakers is why they need Divisions.

 

[Pies_10]

Until they get to NINE wins.. nothing is assured of such aforementioned teams having a winning season just yet. See it year in year out.. teams will stumble.. sure.. quality play-off calibre games in the lead up are just an elimination process but I'm not a fan of granting additional wildcards as GOTOHELL has been talking up in recent months/ past year. It's a fine line in winning in the NFL so having those teams with a above .500 record slug it out via tie breakers is why they need Divisions.

Yeah I like only 6 from each conference makes it.
Like we see in the AFL which IMO should be only a final 6, too many mediocre teams will make the playoffs.

 

[quin_stick]

What a horrible loss, that Q4 defense made me cry. Few things s**t me more than watching a team cut you up with short passing, and you still see the CBs give 10 yards of cushion. I'd love to blame Pees, but he gets a mulligan due to lack of CB talent. We came into the year with zero CB depth and it's predictably come back to bite us.

We do have a fairly nice run home (@Fins, Jags, @Texans, Browns), so playoffs are still a definite possibility, but if we do get there I just can't see this D holding up against an elite QB on the road.

 

[Toadvine]

What a horrible loss, that Q4 defense made me cry. Few things s**t me more than watching a team cut you up with short passing, and you still see the CBs give 10 yards of cushion. I'd love to blame Pees, but he gets a mulligan due to lack of CB talent. We came into the year with zero CB depth and it's predictably come back to bite us.

We do have a fairly nice run home (@Fins, Jags, @Texans, Browns), so playoffs are still a definite possibility, but if we do get there I just can't see this D holding up against an elite QB on the road.

Agree. It's frustrating because I feel that there is no solution at the moment. We just have no talent in the secondary so any team with a better than average QB is going to take full advantage.

I can see us using our first two picks on DBs at this stage. I wish we could have found a way to keep Graham or Williams.

 

[quin_stick]

If there was ever a year to stray from best available, it's this year. We're supposed to be winning now, can't keep spending high picks at redundant positions. CB was an obvious need last draft and we ignored it completely in favor of guys in rounds 2-4 who have had no significant impact.

 

[SnakeMan86]

Penalties hurt us as well. We gae up what 75yards? The P.I call was garbage. Also why no Torrey Smith on our last drive??

 

[Pies_10]

Pathetic last quarter, especially at home.
Thought the offense were mostly good, however the defense capitulated in the last to lose us the game, oh and the refs

 

[dlanod]

I can see us using our first two picks on DBs at this stage. I wish we could have found a way to keep Graham or Williams.

With a very cursory look at this year's draft crop it looks like the top DBs are clustering around the late 20s in rankings, so we might end up in the right position to pick one for a change instead of the usual approach of drafting whoever's slid.

 

[Pies_10]

Jimmy Smith, healthy of course is top class
Webb is a run below as is Hill, the rest are below average at best.

 

[quin_stick]

Jimmy Smith, healthy of course is top class
Webb is a run below as is Hill, the rest are below average at best.

Very generous IMO. Post-ACL he's been really average.