varaven45

yep, on paper it shouldn't be close. In reality, its a toss -up. We could witness the second coming of Russel Wilson or the meltdown of Lamar - neither would shock. In today's Mediocre Football League (MFL), nothing surprises anymore..

Looks like another pick-em; grinder special. Plus, we seem to bring out the best in teams w/losing records.

I dont know how but it seems signing Smith and Lamar would be a huge stretch and perhaps unfeasible. Maybe it's best to part ways w Lamar - perhaps to an NFC team - in exchange for good draft capital (picks). A change of scenery might do him well and we can turn to a new or different QB and leader on offense. Plus, I'm hearing thar G RO might be Stanford bound. If it were me, I'd rather clean up the offense, fortify the OL, and draft/acquire some offensive weapons if/when we transition. As an aside its been interesting to watch both the 49ers and Commanders this year. Both started the year with very uncertain QB situations (esp 49ers and Garrapolo), both quietly addressed their needs - OL, RBs and WRs - and both teams/QB are playing exciting, winning football. I'm not seeing this at all here in Bmore. I'm convinced that life w/o Lamar isn't as dreadful as some think. We have a lot of young, good talent on both sides of the ball and can be competitive and playoff contenders every year. We just need the right offense mind and leadership. Just my two cents, again...

I’m afraid we are witnessing the real Lamar. This is not in keeping with the conduct and standards of a professional football player and a Raven. This is symptomatic of the bigger problem - lack of leadership - something we have been lacking since our last SB. As the owner and FO consider this teams status and future, they have got to identify or refocus on the leadership aspect. We have some guys - a lot of guys - who can or may be perceived as leaders. I’m just not sure who they are. Previous leaders - now long gone - would pull this team together. in the meantime, I hope the Biscuit and FO are taking a big long look at this

For whatever reason, we don’t play well against Jax- cant get that monkey off our backs. The D laid an egg in the 4th Q but it shouldn’t have come down to that. We should have been up 14-0 instead of 6-0 then let a weaker opponent stick around and come back. I think it’s safe to say we’ve seen Lamar’s ceiling. This team has a dysfunctional offense and has for the past four years. There’s no way we offer him a long term deal. This team in its current form has no chance to advance in the playoffs, even IF it makes it that far. And that stinks. We need to build the rest of the offense around the QB and prepare for a legit franchise QB, maybe in 23; much more likely in 24. Until we get that, we’re going to see exactly what we saw today against the bad teams and big time struggle against the winning teams. My two cents…

In the famous words of Queen - "I want it all and I want it now"! Look, i want to see a surging, improving D smack down and shut down Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne. I want to see the O and a dominant running game with guys not named Lamar pounding the rock plus have him spread and complete the targets to guys other than M Andrews - Robinson, Likely, DJax, Duvernay & Proche. Now is the team for these guys to play complimentary ball, dominant D and efficient offense. Yes, I want it all and I want it now (make that Sunday)

I wonder if we are now witnessing Lamar’s ceiling. We keep awaiting the return of weapons - Gus, JK, Bateman, Jackson and healthy Stanley - in the hopes of seeing a scary Lamar and offense. I believe we saw it in 2019 when Lamar lit it up ! Maybe we have to accept the 25-30 rushes/game and Lamar passing 10-15 maybe 20 times/game. If the run game is dominant, Lamar should succeed. If not, Lamar will struggle, especially vs the better defenses. IDK where this takes us but I have felt (for some time) we have seen Lamar’s best. Maybe now his body is starting to break down - just a little. I’m glad we haven’t signed him yet to a long term deal and would rather wait to see how he and the team fare down the stretch. Looking ahead, we are developing a helluva strong, young D and the offensive line and backfield are stout and trending upward. In my opinion, QB is the one position we could afford to move on from IF we don’t make or go deep in the playoffs. The knock on Lamar and /or Roman is they cant win in the playoffs. Let’s see where this goes the next 7+ games. We’ll know then.

Agreed. We don't want a shootout; would much rather see us pound the ball, score early and often, and let the D take over. Of all the games left on the calendar, this one concerns me more than most. For whatever reason, we tend to lay an egg in Jax. Maybe we buck the trend this time!

Max et al, Its a different team (from the 2000-01 SB champs) but relative to the D and STs, there are a couple of inteteresting similarities. This D is coming together nicely and if Hamilton and Williams return for the stretch run, I think we can dominate and or hang with all teams. My real concern is the Offense, GROs gameplans and which Lamar (good/bad) shows up. If our cadre of RBs stay healthy and produce, our offense could truly compliment the D and make a run. Big IF but that's what I am looking for in the stretch run - complimentary football!

Tsy, thanks for the dialogue and your insight. I enjoy your candid posts!

Now that we are on to Jax, how does the team perform in this game? The D is trending upward, playing quite stout. it will be interesting to see if they bring the same tenacity and intensity (from last week) to this game. Ironically, the offense is now lagging and a concern. Who would have thunk (at the beginning of the year) ? Bad game against Carolina - flat, slow, dropsies. Maybe this is a get right game for Lamar (statistically, Jax is in the bottom 10 defensively). Now is the time for Lamar and the O to get it right. - warm weather (70s/80s) and lower ranked D. Would like to see a return to a strong running performance and open up the passing attack. Hoping for a strong performance and marked improvement in all three phases !

I hope Harbs is privately drilling into the team, "guys, we were gifted a mulligan today against a sorry team that we should have waxed". Save us the "guys got to get better" stuff. Max et al, I get that its today's NFL - bad, windy weather, sick Lamar, any given Sunday, etc. - but if Harbaugh wants this team to get game and peak at the right time - they need to get it together now. No more mulligans, laying eggs, etc. starting with Jax on Sunday. If this team wants to make a helluva run to the big dance, it starts now. Every game is a playoff game, and the team., especially the O, needs to get it right.

Great points Max. In spite of Lamar's limitations but because of his wheels, the O is moving the chains and scoring. I really like the OL and DL which are coming together and IF (big IF) they can stay healthy, could become more dominant down the stretch. Its slowly, quietly becoming an intriguing team. And yes, with the addition of Roquan, the D is dang fun to watch!

Loved Roquan coming out of GA and wished we drafted him 4-5 years ago. He is a foundational player who clearly fortifies and elevates our LB corps. With a couple of defenders/ pash rushers returning soon, I'm really excited about our D. I hope Roquan meshes well and we sign him long term. Great move FO !

Not feeling it for the good guys tonight - Calais out, probably Andrews too. Lamar starting to play like Bad Lamar. Bucs, losers of 2 in a row, are desperate and in a must-win situation. Brady won't let him team lose 3 in a row. As beat up as they are, Brady and the Bucs will be pumped up, play with urgency, and right the ship. They have to win this game more than do we. Conclusion: Brady schools our D, Lamar reverts to bad Lamar, rumors to OC Greg Roman and DC McDonald's ouster abound tomorrow morning, and Harbaugh later quips '"we got to play better" when lamenting about tonight's game and discussing our next opponent (New Orleans next Monday night). Hope I'm wrong but am not feeling it!

Tampa is beat up, hurting and demoralized. They are a wounded duck that most folks have given up on. However, we've watched this movie before - last night no one gave Chicago & Justin Fields a chance against NE. This is different game but my point - we need to play pissed off and act like we have a chip on our shoulder after a mediocre performance against the Browns. Regardless of OC, I think we need to pound the hell out of the rock. Give Tampa a steady diet of Gus, Drake and Hill (if he gets out of doghouse), and Lamar. Dominate the LOS, take advantage of Tampa's weakened troops, consume the clock, and keep Brady off the field. Don't get me wrong, I fully expect Tampa (desperate as they are) to come out pissed and playing for their lives. We need to dominate, punch Tampa in the mouths, and keep pounding em all night. That's a path for us to sneaking a W in Tampa.

Good posts here! Still cannot figure this team or its identity. Lamar plays error free, running game garners a buck 60 yards, but passing nets ca. 100 yards. Dysfunctional offense, decent D and amazing, game saving ST's play. We could just have easily been sitting here this morning at 3-4. But, we didn't and we're sitting here tied for 1st in AFCN. Looking ahead, I'm clueless about who or what to expect. Lamar seems to be in a funk - either afraid to make a mistake or even take off. He just needs to cut loose, ball out but play smart. Thursday night's tilt in Tampa will be interesting. Lamar vs Brady and two teams trying to find their identities. I could see a highly competitive, close game just as easy as a blowout of either team. With all the gloom and doom about Tampa, a bad loss in Carolina, and a PO'd Brady, I could see a wakeup performance by the Bucs. I could also see this Brownies W as a possible turning point in our season. Pick em ? !

Max et al, After watching this team for the past 25 + years, including the good (2 SB wins), the bad, and the mediocre, I see this team stuck in the mire of mediocrity. There is no real identity, character or chemistry - at least nothing near what we observed in the 2001 and 2012/13 SB runs. If Lamar is the face of the franchise (assume that he is), I have little faith in this team going forward as a playoff or contending team. I obviously have even less confidence in being or becoming an elite or championship team. Take this Sunday. I can just as easily see a Jacoby Brisette (sp) led Brown team coming into M & T and sneaking out with a W as I can seeing us pick up the W. Here's the thing. Lamar has to play almost error free ball, especially in the crunch. I dont see him doing that on Sunday or consistently for the rest of the season. I can actually envision a scenario where Cleveland's offense (Chubb and Jacoby) slices up our D, and Lamar makes another BAD gaffe - early or late - and the wheels come off the cart. I hate to sound like the grim reaper (its almost Halloween, right?), but this team right now, today has no real identity and other than the 14-2 season in 2019 (?), hasn't shown any championship potential and is steeped in mediocrity. In my humble opinion, the sooner we look for another long solution at QB the better. I'm afraid whatever we've seen from Lamar in 4-5 years, we've seen it. The FO needs to posture - by trades, picks, etc. - for a high (top 10) QB draft pick in 2023. Keep Huntley and 3rd stringer (Anthony ?), and draft a physical, smart, mobile guy and retool the WR corps, strengthen the RBs, and keep fortifying the OL. Simultaneously, we fix the D with a bonafide LB corps and edge rusher (s). Its a tall order (and we might squander a year, maybe two) but in today's Mediocre Football League (MFL), there's a fine line between winning and losing. Look at last year's unimpressive SB winner, the LA Rams. We took them on w/Huntley and should have beaten them last December at home. Fine line between being a SB winner and non-playoff team. Meanwhile, looking for a winner on Sunday's game, you can flip a coin

Tight game here. G-Men coming off a big win, Barkley is running hard, and Jones is playing well at QB. Turnover battle will be huge and could decide outcome. I see a close game - with 3 pt margin of victory- could go either way.

Desperation maximus, eh?

Max, keeping the faith for a positive, successful performance by the good guys - although Lamar and the rain/muck don't like each other Should be a slogger-knocker.

I revise my prediction - from a slobberknocker to SLOSHERKNOCKER - courtesy of Ian .

Max, I too wondered about the Bateman "fumble". I don't think he possessed ball long enough to be called a fumble; should have been ruled an incomplete pass.

It'll be a slobberknocker- another Miami game. Team with the ball last, wins!

Max, took a little sabbatical but glad be back.I hope you are well Max. Man, hard to figure this team. Until we get a healthy Dobbins and Gus, the O looks one dimensional. Lamar can’t do it all. And the defense ! Clueless about tomorrow. If the D steps up and makes a big play or two, we can take it: if not and we make Matt Jones look like Brady, well ……. It looks like another coin toss outcome and maybe a Justin Tucker game. Go Ravens