K.O.D.

[vmax]

Kiss of Death.......

 

 

 

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The Baltimore Ravens have never won at historic Lambeau Field, but they are favored to do so for the first time in franchise history.

The Ravens opened as 2.5-point favorites over the Green Bay Packers in Week 11, according to the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook....http://www.espn.com/blog/baltimore-ravens/post/_/id/40532/ravens-open-as-favorite-for-first-time-ever-at-lambeau-field

 

Fool that I am, I actually think they can win.

 

Then there's this....

 

 

One team out of a group led by the Ravens, Bills and Raiders is going to make the postseason and quite possibly end up facing Blake Bortles in the first round of the playoffs. Get your think pieces ready...http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/page/Barnwellx171113/sorting-wild-nfc-playoff-field-week-10-2017-nfl-season-nine-contenders-six-spots

 

and finally this....

 

 

To reach 10 wins, the Ravens are going to have to go 6-1 the rest of the way. Even the most optimistic Ravens fan would be hard pressed to project that for a team that hasn’t won back-to-back games since early September. However, a 5-2 finish and a final 9-7 regular-season record, which may or may not be good enough to quality for the playoffs, is more attainable.

The schedule is certainly in the Ravens’ favor. Starting next Sunday, when the Ravens travel to Lambeau Field to get their unofficial second half underway against the Green Bay Packers, the team will play only one team, a road game against the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2), that takes a winning record into Sunday’s action.

While other potential AFC wild card teams like the Buffalo Bills (5-3), Miami Dolphins (4-4) and Oakland Raiders (4-5) have remaining schedules that rank in the top-10 in terms of difficulty, the combined record of the Ravens’ final seven opponents is 23-34. The Ravens will also play four of their final seven games, and their last two, at M&T Bank Stadium.....http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/ravens-insider/bs-sp-ravens-primer-post-bye-20171110-story.html

 

Parity....the Ravens are still in the hunt because of parity....and.....you can't do squat without a franchise QB, especially in the post season, and most teams do not have one.

 

I'll try to channel in what their second half record will be.

[varaven45]

Parity ? More like mediocrity which is where we are now.

This article - about how we have to go 6-1 or 5-2 the rest of the way - comes out every year since we have been around or below .500 (the past 5 years). It's like deja vu all over again.

 

For what's it worth, I'm in the camp that says the Packers and their rookie QB - and his 212 yards, 1 TD vs the Bears in Chicago - lights up our defense and Joe does Joe again, this time in Lambeau. I'm not feeling a W this Sunday.

[vmax]

It came through this morning.

4-3.

Disappointment. Just like the previous 9 games.

[varaven45]

Max, that puts us at 8-8. The kings of mediocrity !

8-8 is the kiss of death and keeps us in purgatory.

 

We need to draft in the top 10 and snag a WR Calvin Ridley

or RB Saquon Barkley type of talent; a game changer.

 

Its nice to dream

[papasmurfbell]

Parity ? More like mediocrity which is where we are now.

This article - about how we have to go 6-1 or 5-2 the rest of the way - comes out every year since we have been around or below .500 (the past 5 years). It's like deja vu all over again.

 

For what's it worth, I'm in the camp that says the Packers and their rookie QB - and his 212 yards, 1 TD vs the Bears in Chicago - lights up our defense and Joe does Joe again, this time in Lambeau. I'm not feeling a W this Sunday.

The rule changes have made the teams mediocre.

 

 

Max, that puts us at 8-8. The kings of mediocrity !

8-8 is the kiss of death and keeps us in purgatory.

 

We need to draft in the top 10 and snag a WR Calvin Ridley

or RB Saquon Barkley type of talent; a game changer.

 

Its nice to dream

They desperately need a QB. RBs dime a dozen. They get a Ridley and don't have anyone to get him the ball.

[vmax]

Dream?

Hell yea! What else is there to do?

The Dreamer sees 6 wins including a spanking of the Stealers.

[vmax]

It's funny or sad depending on how you look at it but this inconsistent team does have as legit a shot at making it as the other teams....

 

 

 

"Race" for the final AFC wild card:
5-4: Bills
4-5: Dolphins, Ravens, Raiders
4-6: Jets
3-6: Texans, Bengals, Chargers, Broncos
3-7: Colts

 

 

 

Ravens (4-5): 50.5 percent chance of making the playoffs
Remaining opponents: @Packers, Texans, Lions, @Steelers, @Browns, Colts, Bengals
“The Ravens have far better playoff odds than the AFC's other four-win teams because they've played far better than the AFC's other four-win teams,” wrote Aaron Schatz. “The offense is lousy, 24th in the league, but the Ravens are No. 2 in defense and No. 3 in special teams. They also play four of their final seven games at home.”...http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/Late-for-Work-1114-Breaking-Down-Ravens-Five-Biggest-Threats/36920436-fd5c-4a22-a2fb-b12b4642e277

 

And here's the skinny on the rest....

 

 

 

Buffalo Bills (5-4): 22.5 percent
Remaining opponents: @Chargers, @Chiefs, Patriots, Colts, Dolphins, @Patriots, @Dolphins
“The Bills are going in the wrong direction as they enter the most geographically difficult portion of their season,” wrote ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. “Their defense has allowed 81 points in its past two games, both losses. They'll travel cross country in Week 11 to play at the Chargers, and then halfway across to take on the Chiefs. Let's just say that the sixth spot in the AFC is far from settled.”

San Diego Chargers (3-6): 13.4 percent
Remaining opponents: Bills, @Cowboys, Cleveland, Redskins, @Chiefs, @Jets, Raiders
“Don't know if you've heard this before, but the Chargers are atrocious at finishing games,” wrote Eric Williams. “Since the start of last season, the Chargers have lost an NFL-high eight games after holding a lead at any point in the fourth quarter.”

Oakland Raiders: 12.9 percent
Remaining opponents: Patriots, Broncos, Giants, @Chiefs, Cowboys, @Eagles, @Chargers
“There has been plenty of worry about the inconsistency of the Oakland offense, but the Raiders rank fifth in offensive DVOA,” wrote Schatz. “The real problem is the defense, which dropped to last place this week. Somehow, nine games into the season, the Raiders still haven't managed to intercept a pass. The Raiders also have the ninth-hardest remaining schedule in the league, with three of their last four games on the road.”

Miami Dolphins (4-5): 10.5 percent chance BEFORE their loss to the Carolina Panthers last night
Remaining opponents: Bucs, @Patriots, Broncos, Patriots, @Bills, @Chiefs, Bills
“The Miami Dolphins made one thing very clear Monday night: They are not ready for prime time,” wrote James Walker. “The Dolphins continue to shrink this season when the NFL's spotlight is at its brightest. They fell to 0-3 in primetime games with a 45-21 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Monday Night Football. … Miami has been very streaky this season. The team has lost three in a row after winning the prior three games. Now the Dolphins' playoff hopes aren't looking strong in a weakened AFC. Miami must play five of its last seven games against teams with winning records. That includes a road game against the Kansas City Chiefs (6-3) and four combined games against the Buffalo Bills (5-4) and the reigning Super Bowl champion New England Patriots (7-2).”.........http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/Late-for-Work-1114-Breaking-Down-Ravens-Five-Biggest-Threats/36920436-fd5c-4a22-a2fb-b12b4642e277

 

Shit...they could go 4-4 and maybe make it.

[oldno82]

Looks like 8-8. Might be good enough for playoffs (that's pathetic) and bad enough to keep us out of the top 10 for the draft.

 

They have to nuke this team in the off-season with just a few exceptions.

 

We actually need about 2-3 losing seasons before we become a legitimate contender (for a Super Bowl) again.

 

They have to draft with brains too.

 

If I'm not mistaken, we do our own scouting for the draft. Several other teams are in a scouting combine. Has anybody seen if that's returning a better dividend than we're getting?

[papasmurfbell]

:thumbup: :thumbup:

[vmax]

Looks like 8-8. Might be good enough for playoffs (that's pathetic) and bad enough to keep us out of the top 10 for the draft.

 

They have to nuke this team in the off-season with just a few exceptions.

 

We actually need about 2-3 losing seasons before we become a legitimate contender (for a Super Bowl) again.

 

They have to draft with brains too.

 

If I'm not mistaken, we do our own scouting for the draft. Several other teams are in a scouting combine. Has anybody seen if that's returning a better dividend than we're getting?

 

 

The league does a great job raiding the Ravens....

 

 

Eagles executives Joe Douglas and Andy Weidl, who were formerly in the Ravens’ scouting department, have gotten some credit for Philadelphia’s rapid rise in the NFC. The Ravens still have some good scouts, but their loss of so many quality evaluators is still the most underrated cause of the organization’s downturn. Good scouting is the backbone of successful organizations, and the Ravens have lost a lot of quality evaluators in recent years to promotions elsewhere............http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/ravens-insider/bs-sp-ravens-news-notes-playoffs-20171114-story.html

[oldno82]

Good find Max on the scouts...that could explain a whole lot.

[tsylvester]

Just hire some of the folks around here, they seem to be more right about players than Ozzie & Company...