varaven45

I think that shoe is about to drop.

Excellent FO move. Keeps him a Raven for four years - not too shabby for a 4th rounder /186 overall pick. https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/28670724/ravens-sign-starting-safety-chuck-clark-3-year-extension Keep making these kind of moves !

Yep, the future looks bright !

Stop it ! You guys are making it dang hard today knowing we should be hosting the Chiefs today. Convinced the better team isn’t playing today with a shot at the SB. Arghh

This is the ultimate boobie prize. I’d of taken the AFCC game instead. Agreed that Tomlin did more with less; Vrabel and McDermott not too shabby either.

And just think if you were an NFL player making millions in today’s society.

Agreed on much of the above. Would love to acquire Jones, Barrett and or Ngakoue; we need some disruptive forces on D and wreak havoc on the QB and complement our secondary. On offense, I'm not sure we are pursuing Cooper or Green but we could sure use either. As previously mentioned, we need a stealth, possession guy (e.g. Q Boldin) and am not sure those are the guys. But we desperately need a WR to complement our TE trio and Hollywood Brown. Get that and we got something special for Lamar and the O. After the dust settles on the free agency, we need to draft some good, young talent for OL , DL, C and secondary. By secondary, I'm referring to safety position. Earl Thomas is a great guy in the secondary but he doesn't like to tackle (see Chubb and Henry) and shoots off his mouth. We need a YOUNG thumper, bumper and ballhawk who can learn from Earl and Clarke and others. Maybe Deshon Elliot returns healthy but unsure if he's the guy. Those safeties from LSU look very good and NFL ready. Assuming we address the above, especially on the D, 2020 & beyond look extremely promising.

Agree on the sentiment of Lamar being a leader and winner - there’s no doubt. At the same time, he’s also just turned 23 and has tendencies and temptations just like any other young man. Didn’t he share a video of himself speeding (105 mph) last March. Hey, he’s a young guy and prone to doing young guys stuff. We all do or have done goofy stuff in our 20s. I’m just wondering if Lamar, given his advanced leadership skills, wouldn’t benefit from a former player taking him under his wing and keeping him on the straight and narrow. I’d like to think his decisionmaking- on and off the field - is sound. But having someone mentor him might help avert another video of crazy driving, improve his off season conditioning, and refine his leadership skills. Who knows, he might have been able to light a fire under his OL or inspire his receiving corps at critical points Saturday nights game. I don’t know he’s that far enough along but there’ll be a next time for sure. Lamar strikes me as a great, humble and gifted (maybe generational) football player who has a huge upside in this sport. I’d like to see the organization optimize its investment by giving him solid, timely and healthy guidance which, in todays world, can make the difference between a great athlete and a successful champion. Only time will tell. I rest my case.

Now that the shock and sting of "what could have been" is slowly, slowly receding, a thought crossed my mind. As everyone recalls, this team endured a bitter loss in 2011 (to the Pats 23-20)- another defeat that will live in Raven infamy. Many the threw the team under the bus, thought it would collapse and go into the collective fetal position the next year. Instead, Ray and the team pulled themselves up from their bootstraps, righted the ship and hoisted the Lombardy in 2012. Now, Ray is long gone, its a different team and led by a dynamic, albeit young but rapidly learning QB in Lamar. If I'm Harbaugh and Co, I'm reaching out and connecting Ray and others (e.g. Ed Reed) with Lamar soon and with the goal of mentoring this young man and helping reshape his future as a player and leader. Both Ray and Lamar both grew up south Florida, were essentially raised by their mother and lived in rather depressed areas. If he hasn't already, perhaps Ray could mentor Lamar and show, through his example on the playing field, how to overcome adversity and play like a champion. I have no doubt in Lamar's physical ability and his ability to learn from the past. At the same time, I think he needs someone like Ray who could teach him about leadership, overcoming adversity and succeeding in today's NFL. The team and organization needs to get behind Lamar but he needs a mentor, someone who can help learn the lessons from the past and lead him into greatness. Here's hoping there is such a plan in place or already in the works ! Varaven45

And the beat goes on .............

Combined with our O's uncanny inability to finish.... that night.

Hey Max, Everyone is looking to lynch Harbaugh - similar to the sentiment KC fans and other pundits must have felt when Andy Reid’s Kansas City chiefs we’re losing 24 to 0 yesterday against the Texans. I wonder how many fans and experts said “here we go again w Reid in the playoffs” Today, KC looks like they are in fine shape and should be odds on to hoist the Lombardi trophy. Either way, maybe Harbaugh didn’t have his coaches and players prepared for Saturday. Maybe his in game decisions aren’t always on the money. Maybe his time management is lacking. However, look at what he accomplished this season. Look at what the offense and defense achieved this year. Especially with the D, where we had major retooling to do. This team just knocked out 14 wins, beat the best teams in the league, groomed an MVP QB and won it’s second consecutive AFCN title. Like his mentor Reid and other coaches, Harbaugh will make mistakes, some huge, but will learn from them and grow as a coach. Don’t we all ? We are damn lucky to have the owner, GM, coach and personnel that we do. This franchise has a huge upside and the future looks great. We got over that bitter loss in New England (Lee Evans/Cundiff gaffes) and returned to a SB win the next year. The team, including Harbaugh and Lamar, will learn and grow from this weekend. Winners find a way to be a successful.

Right on on Ravens were never in this game. I think they lost before it started. Team wasn’t ready, sloppy play all over, Lamar seemed uncomfortable right out of the gate. Game starts with a bad play here (pick on Andrews tipped pass), bad bounce there, missed tackles, lucky jump pass, next thing we were down 14-0. Uncharted territory, too much to overcome. Game over.

Dang shame! Tough game; great season 14-3! Still, I wondered whether this team or Harbs would be focused strictly on this game and not looking ahead to KC. This was uncharted territory for this franchise: 14-2 record & No 1 seeded team. I was concerned how Lamar and the team would handle it - poise, execution and focus was huge in this game - and lack thereof was the difference. Great season for the team and Lamar !

Good stuff Crav. I like and understand your confidence. We are 14-2 for a reason and this team exudes much confidence and swagger - all the things you'd expect from a #1 seed. As a No 1 seed and having watched NE get dispatched last weekend, I just wonder about any letdown and rust from 2 weeks off. The team and media seem to already have us playing KC in the AFCC game. We are clearly the more talented, balanced and proven team. I just wonder whether this team or Harbs is focused strictly on this game and not looking ahead to KC. This is uncharted territory for this franchise: 14-2 record & No 1 seeded team. It'll be very telling how Lamar and the team handle it - poise, execution and focus will be huge in this game. I'm ready and pumped !

I don’t think anybody here is under the illusion that it’ll be anything less than a slobber knocker. The Titans come in as an overachieving, grind it out, got nothing to lose wild card team - sounds a little familiar to us homers on here, right ? With a couple dinged up key guys, a little rust on Lamar, we should fully expect this thing to go down to the wire. Ball control and mistake free football will be the keys to the victory. Which team of ours shows up ? Who knows But I sure hope we’re hosting that AFC championship game next weekend.

Nice gamesmanship Vrabel. I thought for a moment he was going to call him the GOAT

I'm riding on the focus, confidence and humility of Lamar. He's determined to avenge last years loss to the Chargers and reach the SB. While its certainly a team sport, I believe our success Saturday night mostly rides on Lamar's poise, performance and execution. Will he perform as he has throughout the season and stay on track ? Time will tell !

Tough one to call. Titans come into this game as an overachieving, hard nosed wild card team with nothing to lose - another one of these “no one gave us a chance to beat anyone” teams. I don’t like us a 9 or 10 point favorite and the fact we’ve been resting for a week (2 weeks by game time). Harbaugh probably doesn’t need to remind the team of the crappy taste in everyone’s mouth after last years bitter loss to the Chargers. Or how these top seeds are getting their butts kicked. I’d like to think our guys are focused enough and prepared to avenge last years disappointing loss. Tennessee is no joke and its RB Henry is a stud. This team needs to pull out all the stops and come ready to run roughshod over these guys right out of the gates. I believe this will be a tough, low scoring game decided by 3 points or less. Another slobber knocker special !

Trending up with EDC, Harbs and Lamar ! Lets hope this translates to a successful playoff run this month. Either way, lots of good stuff and optimism here

The Bills. Felt like we left points up in Buffalo and let them almost win. Feel like Lamar and the team would like that one back. Feel more confident against them at home this time.

Yep, nice young CB tandem for years ! Good move

Yep, Sundays tilt against the rustbuckets is intriguing and could be lots of fun. So log as we stay healthy. btw- who says Ingram will be back for playoff run ? I've heard everything from he may to possibly to likely. Sound more like "we'll see". I'm 100 % convinced we must have him in our 1st PO game. Besides Lamar, he's the single most important key to our offense. If and a BIG IF, if we play KC,, we must have Ingram.

Yep, gotta rest the key guys while maintaining the swagger and still having the fun we've seen all season.