thundercleetz

Thanks Outside!! Yeah, my brother and dad are out there sitting in the rain. Man, Ray Rice is a joy to watch!!!

Ah, New Orleans was flooded last night so I just got home and was not able to go to the game, but I am loving what I am seeing on TV!!!! I told you guys, we don't play down to our competition.

No way this is a trap game, the team knows we need to win out to get in the playoffs. If we lose it will not be because we underprepared or took the Lions easy, it will be because we poorly executed the gameplan. Especially after a poor performance last week the team is going to want to get back on track.

I like our chances of winning out a lot more. I'll say it, Detriot, Chicago, and Oakland are *** I'm stupid for thinking this game is easy ***s. It all comes down to the Pittsburgh game.

I would love to see Arrieta break into the majors as a long relief pitcher. Looking at last year, our long relief guys were basically starters. It would be a good way to ease Arrieta into the majors as he has had problems getting guys out past five innings in the minors. Hernandez is another guy who could be a solid BP arm. We are also looking at a couple of Japanese arms, and I think the Sun said Fernando Rodney is our top closer target. I like Rodney a lot. Oh yeah, I want us to sign Erik Bedard. I know he won't be ready until around midseason, but I would like to see Bedard return.

Wow, good stuff BMW. It is still a little too confusing to me. I am just ready to take care of business against Detroit and Chicago setting up an epic game in Pittsburgh. You know their Super Bowl at that point will be trying to knock us out of the playoffs. It will be like 2003 all over again where we were 9-6 going into Pittsburgh needing a win to get into the playoffs.

Exactly. I'll take my chances in a first round matchup against, Cincy, San Diego, Denver, or whoever wins the AFC East.

I'm with Crav all the way, I'm thinking playoffs!!!

Harbaugh has never lost to a sub-.500 team, I don't expect to start this week. As bad as this season has been we have not played down to the level of our competition, we have just had trouble playing up. We will dominate the Lions, we better because I'll be there possibly sitting in snow. Crav, why count down to the combine when we will be playing in the playoofs in five weeks?

Lets just take care of business against the Lions this week, but I am liking our chances of winning out. At this point I don't care if we make the playoffs, I just want to see wins. If Pittsburgh loses next week to the Packers, who knows, maybe Polamalu decides it is not worth it to risk his knee injury and we play a demoralized Steelers team.

Lets put a nail in that coffin when we go to Pittsburgh! I am not scared of them!

I don't see how I am delusional. One loss, big whoop. Bottom line is that my point stands, the guys are giving 100% effort out there and have been in every game this season till the end. So yes, I did get the performance I expected. Like I said, I'll take my chances down 10 against a great team with the ball on the 1-yard line anyday of the week. Good job pulling a quote from two weeks ago, my point still stands. I enjoyed the game, and when we lost I didn't think about it twice. You seem to be in denial with this team. Not only do you go into games thinking we will lose, you are obviously still mad days after we lose even though you expected it. Sucks to be you. You pull my question two weeks later but didn't answer. So, what do you get out of being a Ravens fan? Do you even enjoy it?

I like the deal. Milwood had some good numbers last season in probably the second best hitter's park in baseball. He should be able to get us 200 IP as our #1 or #2 starter. The knock on Milwood is that he shows up to spring training out of shape, hopefully he has been working this offseason. This was definitely the best move considering the lack of talent on the market and the high cost to get that talent. Now we could just get that middle of the order first baseman...

Here is what Harbaugh said on the two pooch kicks. Apparently Cundiff wasn't doing so well: As for the redzone efficiency, they showed a stat about that on the MNF telecast. Apparantly we started the season 12 for 19 on TD conversions in the Redzone. Since then it has been a disaster, I forget the extact number.

For those interested, Aaron Wilson tweeted that Cmac was an injury-waiver.

You're right, that is the pass that Demetrius himself said he should have caught. Nonetheless, I like the deep speed I saw from Demetrius. He is a guy we need to play the next four weeks to see what he is about.

I think it is worth mentioning that when Harbaugh was hired we were expected to take a couple of years to become an elite team. The success of last year spoiled a lot of us fans into thinking that jump would be instant. Nevertheless, I am sure Harbaugh would be the first to tell you that there is still a timeline on these kind of things. The jump to elite does not happen overnight, heck not even over a couple of seasons. This is why these last four games are so critical going into next year. If we can come out 9-7, 10-6, that is still pretty solid for a second year head coach who would have a career record of 21-11/20-12. Despite all the ups and downs this team has been through this season, this is NOT 2005 where we had a divided lockerroom and players thought they ran the team. This is still Harbaugh's team without a doubt, and that is something we able to build on going into next season. With Billick there was not a winning culture around here, I think Harbaugh little by little is embedding a mindset where we can compete with any team and win any game. Our games have been tough this season, but this schedule is only going to make us tougher going into the future as we have been in every game this season right down to the end. With Billick we would get blown out by the elite teams. I think you have to throw last year out the window. The fact of the matter remains we have a second year QB, a very young offensive line, a 22-year old runningback, and we are a defense in transition. When Harbaugh took this job we knew we were eventually going to have to build a new foundation based on the Eagles model (built around both sides of the line). We are starting to see the core emerge with Gaither, Oher, Flacco, Yanda, Rice, Le'Ron McClain, and Grubbs (hopefully he is just going through a bad stretch) on offense and on defense we have guys like Edwards, Ngata, Suggs, Webb, Kruger, JJ, and Ellerbe. Ozzie still has some work to do, but we need to remember that this franchise was in pretty bad shape when Harbaugh took over as we were aging FAST. Last year was basically the result of Harbaugh being able to lean on Rex a little bit and savage what was left out of a defense that was going to age or get split up. Now we just need to continue to get the right guys.

You ever been to New Orleans? It's not that crazy, believe me I know. If it was as crazy as everyone makes it out to be Jeremy Shockey would probably be in jail right now.

I agree, Clayton needs to get the Travis Taylor contract year treatment: deactivate him and go our separate ways. Another first round bust at receiver, and so disappointing because his 2006 season was so promising! I guess Clayton's 2006 season is comparable to TT's 2002 season. Our well, keep trying, like QB, we are bound to hit on a draft pick sometime. Hopefully Joe is still playing when that happens. :P

Yes, 2005 is the best way to describe this season. Very similar. The only way we could get even more similar is a loss in Pittsburgh that would eliminate us from the playoff race. With that said, I'm expecting a 13-3 season next year!

I just don't see Joe throwing three interceptions in each of the next four games, or Ray Rice being contained against the Lions, Bears, or Raiders, or Flacco being harassed constantly like he was on Monday night. That's all I'm saying.

I don't know max, that Green Bay team was very good, possibly the best team we played all year. You will see a significant drop in talent next week against the Lions, then the Bears. Rodgers and that receiving core ranks right up there with the best.

Which PI call in the endzone? Both times Demetrius had his arm held, so it would have required a one handed catch.

I still don't think we'll lose to Oakland. I'm thinking wins against the Lions and Bears as well, with us losing in Pittsburgh. All in all, this is a season very similar to the 2005 season where we needed a win in Pittsburgh to get into the playoffs and blew it. 9-7 is what I am thinking. But there are four games left, and it this point it is all about getting better as a team. If Flacco can string together four good games, I'll be happy playoffs or not. Lets see what Demetrius Williams can do. Ladarius Webb has been awesome to watch, as has Ray Rice, Edwards, Ellerbe, and a couple other young guys.

max, how did Demetrius Williams look on the field. I thought I saw speed at receiver that I had not seen all season. We could sure use him as a deep threat.