Mason says it best

[cravnravn]

Derrick Mason says he's sympathetic to the frustration fans feel when they see the Ravens struggle to put teams away week after week. But only to a point.

 

"We could be worse," Mason said. "We could be Buffalo or Cincinnati. We could be completely out of the playoffs right now. But we're 9-4. You can't satisfy everybody. Obviously we'd like to be going into this week undefeated just like everybody else in the NFL wants to be. But the reality is, it don't happen that way. Some weeks you play well, and some weeks to skate by like we did this last week. I can understand the fans frustration, but they've got to look at the big picture. Where are we? We're 9-4 and if the playoffs happened right now, we'd be the fifth seed. Stop being a pessimist. Be an optimist. Be happy with where we are. Because honestly, it could be a lot worse."

 

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/blog/2010/12/mason_asks_fans_to_keep_things_in_perspective.html

 

 

[yagersports]

That would be far easier if the team wasn't waaaaaaaaaaay below expectations. The record is only about 2 games below expectations in my honest opinion. The big reason I think fans are having so much trouble getting "on board" with this team is the way we have been escaping games. With this talent we should put wounded teams out.

 

Honestly, we needed a last second TD to beat a Steeler team led by Charlie Batch. Cmon.

 

We needed OT to beat the woeful Bills.

 

We got waxed by the horrible Bengals.

 

As it turns out our statement win against the Jets wasn't so much of a statement.

 

We gave the Steelers the game, in our house, with the Division and a first round bye on the line.

 

I want to remain opitmistic and remember that the Giants didn't hit the playoffs on a roll and they beat maybe the best team ever to hit the field. It's just so tough because that Giants team played waaaaaay above expectations, while this Ravens team is waaaaaaay below expectations.

 

That's the tough part to swallow and remain optimistic.

[cravnravn]

One good thing about the playoff tourney, is there, isnt one dominating team in there..Ravens, Pats, Steelers we all have flaws.

 

Its who gets on a roll, that will represent the AFC...

[papasmurfbell]

This is what I posted to Ken Weinman on this topic.

 

Sure mase. Lets just be happy to be good. Then you can be bounced in the first round. So we can go from the afc champ to 1 win in the playoffs then to a first round loss. Next yr we can get to just missing the playoffs. Hell in 5 yrs or so we can be a 2 win team or so. I like where they are working to.

[cravnravn]

Come on Papa, first round we are going to KC(No QB) or Jacksonville, we are guarantee a spot into the Divisional Championship..

[Spen]

"Stop being a pessimist. Be an optimist. Be happy with where we are."

 

Coming from the guy who questioned why he even came back this season a few weeks ago.

[cravnravn]

Oh lord, Spens awake.

[papasmurfbell]

Come on Papa, first round we are going to KC(No QB) or Jacksonville, we are guarantee a spot into the Divisional Championship..

 

 

So you guarantee. What would you give up? When people talk with such authority that this or that WILL happen. I just wonder how confident they are.

[cravnravn]

Im very confident we'll be in Pittsburgh or NE the 2nd game..

[papasmurfbell]

I see KC kicking the hell out of the Ravens. I just think they are a more complete team. They are young but they have fewer holes.

[cravnravn]

They have no QB, good luck with that.

[papasmurfbell]

So you think that in 4 weeks Cassel will not return from his appendectomy? Why. It's not like a structural problem like a knee or shoulder.

[yagersports]

How can we guarantee any victory? We just escaped beating Houston, a 5-8 team. What makes anyone so confident that we will stroll in and smack either Jville or KC around. I'm really just trying to be real here, Jville punked this Houston team, beat em good. I'm not saying that we can't beat em, but there's nothing that makes me confident that it's guaranteed we move on to the second round.

 

The great thing about Crav however......he's never needed any kind of logic to believe in a guarantee. I do like that, maybe I should take some of that medicine.

[thundercleetz]

So you guarantee. What would you give up? When people talk with such authority that this or that WILL happen. I just wonder how confident they are.

 

I'll guarantee a win against KC or Jax. 100% confident we'd kick either of these teams' butts.

[dc.]

Appendectomy is a tough surgery. Ask anyone that's had it. Weeks of pain when well rested and with minimal motion - even if laproscopic. The torque throwing puts on the torso, plus the hits... hard to say. Not that it matters right now anyway, we're way ahead.

 

 

I don't think Mason is saying we should be happy being "just good." But I do think he has a valid point - fans are jumping a ship that isn't sinking.

[papasmurfbell]

Regardless of how fans feel the team will do what they do. The team just needs to perform. They have yet earn the expectations they set for themselves.

[thundercleetz]

Regardless of how fans feel the team will do what they do. The team just needs to perform. They have yet earn the expectations they set for themselves.

 

And the Chiefs and Jags have? I don't think they have proven to be any better than us... the Jags are a couple of fluke plays away from being out of the playoffs entirely.

[papasmurfbell]

Those 2 aren't long for the playoffs either. Pitt will fall because they will have nobody left at some point in the playoffs. I see the Ravens with the other also rans. That is not what they should have been this yr according to them. They are about a game better than I would have thought before the season.

[vmax]

Those 2 aren't long for the playoffs either. Pitt will fall because they will have nobody left at some point in the playoffs.

 

 

So...get by the Pats and it's Super Bowl Baby!!!!!!!

[Spen]

Appendectomy is a tough surgery. Ask anyone that's had it. Weeks of pain when well rested and with minimal motion - even if laproscopic. The torque throwing puts on the torso, plus the hits... hard to say. Not that it matters right now anyway, we're way ahead.

 

 

You're right. Its not a fun recovery and they didn't want me doing any exercise at all for a month. Getting into game shape may not be the easiest thing for a player to do.

[millz58]

The record is only about 2 games below expectations in my honest opinion. The big reason I think fans are having so much trouble getting "on board" with this team is the way we have been escaping games.

I think saying we should be 11-2 now is a bit much; also I'm much more concerned with them blowing 4 different 4th quarter leads in those losses than escaping with some other wins. they don't know how to score in the second halves of games, which is a big problem this time of year.

[millz58]

Im very confident we'll be in Pittsburgh or NE the 2nd game..

I'm not sure how I feel right now about either of those scenarios... not confident, I'd say for starters. But hey, anything except the Colts right now, and it sure looks like they're not in it. I sure hope the Jets come through this week...

 

p.s. I do appreciate Mason's comment, and I agree with it mostly, except that the offense really has underperformed IMO. I'm really worried about the lack of consistent run-game, especially the way Flacco's protection has been so inconsistent and our O line is still jumbling around.

[yagersports]

I think saying we should be 11-2 now is a bit much; also I'm much more concerned with them blowing 4 different 4th quarter leads in those losses than escaping with some other wins. they don't know how to score in the second halves of games, which is a big problem this time of year.

 

Clearly we should have been able to put the Steelers, Pats, and Falcons to bed. We had late fourth qtr leads in all of those games. We just plain laid an egg in Cinci. So yes we should absolutley be 11-2. We are the most talented team in the league on paper. We just haven't turned that into performance on the field.

[yagersports]

And the Chiefs and Jags have? I don't think they have proven to be any better than us... the Jags are a couple of fluke plays away from being out of the playoffs entirely.

 

I don't think that anyone is arguing that the Cheifs and Jags are so much better. We're addressing that guaranteeing wins in the playoffs by the Ravens is a silly notion. We've beaten what three teams with winning records? One of em we needed a last second TD when they fielded their third string QB! We've needed the entire game to put the Browns, Panthers, and Bills away. I believe this team can beat anyone, but it's very foolish to guarantee wins with the way this team is playing.

[millz58]

Clearly we should have been able to put the Steelers, Pats, and Falcons to bed. We had late fourth qtr leads in all of those games. We just plain laid an egg in Cinci. So yes we should absolutley be 11-2. We are the most talented team in the league on paper. We just haven't turned that into performance on the field.

I wasn't trying to sound contradictory, but I would have preferred winning one of those 4 losses and maybe losing to the Texans. Either way we also blew another 4th quarter lead, so either way we deserve our record and are really only that good, regardless of the names on the jerseys. Besides, there seem to be too many names right now, right? and that's even without Heap, who was commanding considerable attention when he was playing. Part of our offensive issue is lack of identity in trying to work with so many talented players. we didn't even try to rely on RR recently as we had earlier, so now we're TOO pass happy. We're the most talented Offensively On Paper, but not so much any other way.