dc.

I enjoyed that very much.

The comparison is interesting... but the Ravens have had far more success on offense than the Titans, which is a big part of it as well. Granted, they played the Steelers... but there were opportunities there they missed. The Ravens are a pretty complete team. That's not something we've said often.

Ravens have to be KILLING Vegas with over/unders so far this season... in Week 1, the over/under was 34. The Ravens alone scored 38. Maybe that didn't hurt Vegas too bad because no one saw it coming. But in Week 2 the over/under was all the way up to 41 (thanks largely to the Chargers, I bet) and the teams clobbered that too, scoring 57 points combined. That some folks had to see coming. This week the o/u is a measly 38.5. Now, I don't know if Vegas knows something we don't... or if people just think the Ravens scoring is a fluke... but something tells me the Ravens are going to score 30 again (at least). Now, if we shut out the Browns... all bets are off. But if the Browns can manage at least 6 points (and I bet they'll get that)... I gotta go over. I can't believe the money is even on either side of that o/u...

Thanks, OTR. Try as I might, I actually struggle more with brevity. Well, not so much brevity, as not giving a 'full' story. Hate the teasers stories. I just thought you were comparing his rising/falling to mine... certainly borrowed, but every writer has their version.

OTR ... Not James Walker. Better. And, I didn't even pick the same up and downs... except Reed and Odom. They were just obvious.

2/4 with another HR puts him at 290... all in all, great season for a rook.

New one it is. Some good deals out there all the time... and if you don't mind refurbs, good deals on Dell Refurbs Dell Outlet

Craig is out there... but I love it. It's all unscripted, ad-lib... I think all of his puppets are hilarious... The pig, which was winning the puppet vote off, dropped out of the race in Mark Sanford (governor of Georgia style)... He's just a goofball. My kind of humor, my kind of funny guy. And I also like that he does "serious" very well. He often makes very thought-out speeches about the state of our country or world, etc, and it's never blaming anyone in particular... it's just like, here we are, dammit.

I know it's midweek... but this is just too quiet. Fabian Washington still out with concussion. Jared Gaither not even at practice today (no word on why yet). Jarrett Johnson limited as well. Discuss.

http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=6690589 Seriously. Disgusting. Throws. Unbelievable.

Funny enough... I actually saw this performance on Dave before watching Craig Ferguson... The weird dancing girl was mesmerizing ... I don't know what else to say ... And yeah, it made me laugh like crazy... I just don't get it... but I can't stop watching... Also... I express this frequently... but I really don't like Dave. I especially hate just how clearly fake his "you were great" moments are. "Wow. Outstanding. Wow. Great. Just Great. Wow. Remarkable. Mmm... Edward Sharpe..." Every damn night.

Found my answer... but the rule seems silly... So, if you slide past the base and are tagged out going back... you get a single. BUT if you run past the base and are tagged out going back... you get a double.

Didn't realize til now... one of Roberts earlier hits was a single that scored a run... Roberts tried for second, Vernon Wells threw to second from CF... Roberts made it in safely, but over-slid the bag and was tagged out. If I'm the scorer, isn't that a double and then the out??? If you see the video on MLB.com (posted below, I hope), he is clearly safe until he overslides... http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?topic_id=bal&c_id=bal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoaTl7IcFs8 Michael Franti and Spearhead... Say Hey

55... seven games left (still in the middle of this one, extra innings actually)

Max, I'm starting to think it maybe YOU who needs the help. ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_02xJnMXDnc

Some of those talents hardly seem super... lol. I feel like I know people with that ability. I guess they are just semi-savants?

Hard to think of too many teams to rank ahead of us though... Giants, Saints (maybe), Jets (doubtful) I mean, we beat one bad team and one good team (very good team, even, on the road). Most others have either lost a game or are in the same position. And our offense has looked as consistent and balanced as any... while many are probably wondering when (not if) our defense will get it together. Have to remember that even our record setting defense had some awful days (namely, against the Jags in Baltimore - 34 points was it?)

Well, regarding the 50 points allowed... minus 7 for a blocked punt (that's definitely not on the D) and kinda minus 7 on the big INT. Obviously, that's not how the stats really work... but if you want to get a handle on our defense... look at the red zone stops. Minus those 14 points... or let's say 10 (give a FG on the int)... 40 points in 2 games is 20 points a game... middle of the pack? Maybe. But easy to bring it down over the course of a season.

Hit 54 in yesterday's loss to the Sox (which, by the way, I was at and got on the field pre-game for a youth sports parade, haha! Kids from my team got to throw out the first pitch, too. Sweet). Anyway... 54 doubles... and 9 games left. C'monnnnn 60!

Crav... I don't know if you're off your meds, or were never on them, or need to change what you're on... but seriously? First game EVER that had you worried? What about the ones where the Ravens actually LOST in the final minutes, like several Pitt meetings last year - among others.

I think you may be able to credit that to Rivers... who was clearly throwing away from Reed all game long. Whichever way Reed went, Rivers was happy to turn and take the single match-up on the other side. I will also agree with the sentiment that the problem is probably a conglomeration of things. Rex Ryan's pass defenses were not superb either, remember. Look at the way we let Pitt drive downfield in the final moments in many games last year. And Rex was also in charge of the sub-par 2007 effort. So it's not all Mattison, but I'm sure we can see he has some work cut out for him. I worry about our pass rush a bit, and Fox and Fabian. Fox and Fabian were supposed to be fast enough to keep the coverage tight for a few seconds - just long enough to get the pass rush in there. Rivers was able to beat our rush - how many times was Suggs swatting just as Rivers released? And the coverage (for the most part) was fairly tight. But Fox and Fabian need to remember that running close to your man is only part one, part two is making the play. Rivers showed that some well placed passes can slice any solid coverage - especially if the corners aren't going to look for the ball. And again, as I mentioned in the game balls - I think two of the biggest plays in the first half were mis-reads by Landry, who was clearly a bigger force in the second half and found his feet. But we've got to get everyone on the same page.

The Steelers defense might be better than the Ravens... but it's not the defense it once was. And the Steelers offense is their real issue. 300 yards total, 100 yards rushing... and they come away with just 14 points. They had this issue last year. You can only get away with it so long. They aren't good in the red zone. They aren't good in short yardage. They aren't particularly good rushing. The Ravens defense won't have to be perfect to stop the Steelers offense right now. Better than we were in San Diego? Yes. But perfect? Far from it. Meanwhile, our offensive improvement gives us some new hope... we're more balanced than they are offensively. We're more balanced than many teams are. There is much hope here.

Actually... we're 7 for 8. We started 7 for 7... but our final possession following the interception was a red zone possession and we came away with the Hauschka field goal. We started at the 14... backed to the 25 or so... got back to the 15... and took the FG.