oldno82

Ravens 20 Texans 17 in a nail biter.

I'm a born worrier. I look for a tight game with the outcome hinging on a big play or big drive at the end. I hope I'm wrong and we blow them out but it looks like a tough game to me.

I don't mind them running SOME more but the best teams are beating their foes with passing and it gets that way more with each passing (pun intended) year. Flacco and the offense just HAVE to start being consistent if they want a Super Bowl shot.

High ankle sprains always seem to take longer that predicted. I'll be glad when we get him back but he'll miss at least 2 more games.

Good take on the game and I find myself agreeing with you.

I think good things will happen for the Ravens but I'll drink the purple Kool-Aid after I see what happens with Matt Schaub and the Texans. Hasselback still haunts me. I want to see more from Joe and the passing game too.

I am old Colts fan too. I remember the 1958 Championship Game and season. I'm old. I still feel a hurt that the Colts left but I don't hold it against Jim Irsay like I did his father. I remember once in 1976 the Colts team was in an uproar because Irsay/Thomas had fired Ted Marchibroda who had led them out of the wilderness just the year before and I remember Jimmy apologizing to the Colts and fans about it which his father never did. Bob Irsay was just a very bad thing that happened here. I worry it could happen again with the Orioles in a couple years (or sooner) or even the Ravens down the road. I never thought the Colts would leave Baltimore...but, with the exception of this #19 thing, Jim Irsay and the team have been a class act since Manning got there.

What a travesty...They should retire all the old Colts' numbers who are in the HOF.

Actually Joe stood out in the first quarter with 142 yards passing. It was only after that (maybe the Jets adjusted) that the passing game stunk.

Well I'm not saying they should go from one extreme to the other---just mix it up more.

Agree with that!

I like to believe in Joe but I was disconcerted both by the INT he threw (because it was a bad decision) and the fact that he looked like a beaten man in the second half. I know he's got talent, and I know he's got to get comfortable with his receivers and when he's 'on' he looks great. Va makes a very valid point about playing against the defenses we have, especially the Jets. But, if he's going to become a very good or 'elite' QB, he's going to have to find a way to make plays even if its just a few against the really super defenses. No I don't want McCoy, Sanchez, or Freeman or many others. I think Joe is on the cusp of being an excellent quarterback but I'm not as sure as I used to be. Cam's playcalling didn't help in the Jets game either.

Quick slants and hitches are so badly needed. I can't imagine why Cam doesn't include them especially with the receivers we have and their potential YAC. Another thing I'd like to see is a more balanced offense. No pound the rock and no pass happy every damned play. You can almost always move the ball if you mix up what you're doing. Isn't that basic offensive football 101?

Defense was great. I still think the secondary is shaky but there was so much pressure and threat of pressure on Sanchez he was ineffective. Actually, the same thing happened to Joe after the first quarter but our defense was more relentless than the Jets'.

Disconcerting to hear Max say there were other targets open for Joe that he didn't throw to. It looked to me that Joe got harassed by the Jets pass rush and that knocked him off his game. I've seen even the great Tom Brady stink when he didn't have time to throw. Joe is not an elite quarterback and will probably never be, but he's good enough to win with this team.

If both teams bring their 'A' game, I agree with Max that it will be close and tough. If the Ravens lapse we're in trouble. If the Jets don't win I agree their playoff hopes are slim unless Buffalo folds. Thats the best I can say about this game.

I've got some bad vibes about this game---don't really know what team on either side is going to show up this week. Is it the Ravens from weeks 1&3 or week 2? Is it the Jets from weeks 1 and 2 or week 3? Any opinions?

This is stupid. Just keep Suggs where he's at. We've got a fullback.

Max, you may be spot on about his learning ability. Hopefully, he gets there before the end of the season.

I think the Ravens are going to have their hands full. Flacco will be rushed heavily and our defensive secondary will have problems against Sanchez, Holmes, and Burress. Not ready to make a prediction yet as to the score but I've got my doubts.

I don't have a clue why Kindle isn't being given a shot and isn't our cornerbacking really thin now??

If Torrey Smith has even half the production he had against the Rams, I'd count it as a successful outing. The Jets are much tougher.

Like I said, the Ravens need to think of this next game against the Jets as the time to make another statement.

The one thing that has frustrated me about the Ravens these past 2 seasons is that I think they have a ton of potential on offense that only gets really achieved on an inconsistent basis. That (plus injuries on D), to me, drives me crazy. I think Joe, at worst, is a very good quarterback and I still think he has the potential to be a great one but he needs consistency from week to week. He was super in the Steelers game and the Rams game and pretty much stunk in the Titans game (as did many other facets of the team). The same with our WRs---no separation against the Titans but they were stupendous yesterday (way to go Torrey!!!) and played well against Pittsburgh. The Ravens ought to look at the upcoming game against the Jets as a 'statement' game. If they can beat the Jets and play well doing it, it would be a huge confidence booster for this team and would send them into the bye week thinking of Super Bowls. Beating the Jets would be huge. I hope the Ravens can show consistency from this week to next Sunday's game. Thats what I'm looking for---an end to the roller coaster ride.

The lack of quick WR slants has been a mystery to me. We do need to throw them more. We used to use them when we had Mark Clayton early on but for some reason we've gotten completely away from it.