vmax

Gay's in Gayland! Peterson is an animal.

2 minutes...I like the Vikes chances!

ok...3:21 remaining...2 time outs and the Vikes have 4 downs to get a first.

Great pretend tackle by the hung over kicker. 3 point game again...it ain't over till it's over!

I see the Refs are still on the Stealer payroll.

ok...the drive continues...

Thank you very much Mendenhall!

yea cleetz...the Ravens O wasn't much in the first half but that 4th quarter was just great. OK...4th quarter...win it Bret.

Come on Vikings...13-10 game...make the plays.

Looks like the Vikings learned from the Ravens...some nice 'Drive Extending Personal Fouls' there.

The Viking O line is doing a good job...might not be 'how bad the Ravens front 7 pass rush is' as to 'how good the Viking O line protects'. GO VIKINGS!!!!!!!

Allow the league to expand by 2 more teams...just 2...and it will be like watching Division 2 ball.

I'm not going to turn that channel on. Don't want to see the NFL expand over seas because new franchises means the talent level, which is already diluted, will be diluted to a point where we don't recognize the game. I don't want a Super Bowl in England when 32 teams are in the USA. I'm not buying the leagues cool aid. First Tokiyo...then Canada...Mexico...Europe...and not one place sporting a college football system and talent pool to support expansion. Then teams have to fly back from these far away places and play the next Sunday? For what!? Not us the fans. Not for the players. Money and TV ratings talk so a boycott is all we have to stop this nonsense.

Offense is way up in the NFL this year and here's one part of the reason...

I hope home field advantage counts for something in this game. Denver's only giving up 11 points a game. In points scored vs points against they are a plus 67 while the Ravens are +39. Denver is winning a balanced team...meaning offense, defense and special teams are working in tandum. The Ravens have...?...offense. This game is just as important as any in December...must win IMO.

"At this stage, just grab for anything!"

Hey! You've got me confused with crav.

Right now I don't think the Ravens will make the playoffs. IMO they would need to go on an 8-2 run to finish out the season. Just like last year. I don't see it with this defense...and an average Special Team unit. Look at the QB's the Ravens face: ....................Rating Peyton Manning, IND 114.1 Ben Roethlisberger, PIT 104.5 (twice) Aaron Rodgers, GNB 104.1 Kyle Orton, QB......100.1 Not to mention Palmer and Cutler. Scoring, passing yards and QB performance in the NFL is at a near record pace and the Achilles heel is the Ravens pass defense. Now...I read this the other day from Peter Schmuck.... I hope he's on to something. A lot can happen over 10 games and don't forget we have Joe Flacco and the #4 scoring offense to counter these potent QB's and offenses on the schedule. It might be Shootout City but can you go 8-2 with all those shootouts? The Ravens lost 3 close games. Now they have to find ways to win the close games because there could be quite a few.

I'm sure he's happy as shit...

Ngata's had some back problems that have been kept hush hush. That probably is slowing him down some and limits his physicality. Gregg...it takes 2 years to come back 100% from his injury and it's year 1. Mattison started Edwards over Pryce to inject more physicality to the line....Bannon needs to see more PT. Suggs is getting doubled on his side....and he's...not his old self.... Nevertheless Matty has plenty of guys he can use to bring the heat. He just has to set it up and call it against the right matchup and at the right time. Ray, Johnson, Ellerbe, Barnes, Gooden, McLain (he can get there),...the Ravens have the athelets in their front 7 to get the job done. I'm scared stiff to send a safety or corner... Run blitz some...that keeps pressure in the backfield regardless of the play. It's gut check time for all these guys but along with that comes the mental discipline to know your assignment and to stick to it. Just everybody being where they are supposed to be will eliminate some of these big plays. And at the home games...We the Fans....have to yell our faces out to make life hell for opposing offenses.

LOL! He has a new nickname...Broadway Schmo.

The Ravens are the 20th ranked defense and we've been talking about the horrendous play of the secondary, the lack of a pass rush and now runners are getting 100 yard games...that's one hell of a fall from grace in one year. Also in one year, Mike Nolan has taken a 29th ranked Denver D and turned them into a #7 unit....most importantly they are #1 in points surrendered with 66. The Ravens are 21st with 130. They are giving up an absurd number of big plays. What's the tie in here? Nolan has been in the league for years and studied every NFL offense to the bone. He was great at dialing up the right defense, the right coverage, the right blitz at the right time. He knows their tendencies. He knows the tendencies of the opposing OC. Greg Mattison on the other hand has only one NFL year under his belt...as a LB coach. Sure he knows the fundamentals inside and out and can teach them well. Certainly he knows defense. He does not have the years of studying NFL offenses, learning their tendencies and knowing their personel and what they can do. He can't call the right defense, the right coverage, the right blitz at the right time like Nolan...or Rex could do...because he lacks their experience and familiarity with the competition. During the game he's in a chess match with some NFL OC...and he's a step behind. Not because he's dumb...it's just experience against his opponent that he lacks. So why aren't the Ravens getting the QB pressure that they need to generate? Why are the blitzs not working? It's a combination of a few things...almost a perfect storm. 1. The secondary talent...in particular Washington, Foxworth, Walker, Carr and Landry are not executing their positions. Right now I don't think they can and it could take a year or two to get guys who can cover. I hope they get it together. Assignment, alignment and technique...not happening. Communication...not there. Ed Reed may be part of the problem too. Either he's trying to do too much to cover all the weaknesses or he's out of postion free lancing. 2. The front 7 is not generating enough pressure on the QB to hurry throws. They are predictable as hell. 3. Mattison is not one step ahead of his opponent on calling the proper defense, blitz and cover scheme. In fact, his opponent is reading his hand. 4. Mental errors abound...the Obligatory Defensive Game Losing Penalties HAVE TO STOP! RIGHT NOW! OK...I'm calming down... I'll throw in a 5th...Time of Possesion. The Ravens have been murdered here the last 3 weeks. The defense can't make the 3rd down stops and the offense is not on the field. Since when is scoring fast a problem? Since now. The Ravens offense has to run the ball more, use up more clock, and sustain drives to give the D a rest. Jumping out to a lead to start the game would help the D too. I don't think this can be fixed in one bye week. BTW...in no way am I saying all of this is Mattisons fault. I like the guy. I back him. I'm just saying his unfamiliarity with the NFL offenses, personel and OC's hampers his ability to out scheme his opponent during the game. It's an experience thing. He'll catch on...but how soon?

Thanks RavenMad...I've been thinking about Nolan too...you gave me an idea and I'm going to put up a thread on Nolan/Mattison.

That's all I could say colin.......Mighty Mouse was a joke guys... but he is one of Harbs Mighty Men...