ForceEight Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 And then make sure to talk enough trash to cover it up. :lol: "I knew all year long we were the two best teams in the AFC, just my opinion (from) watching all the other teams," inside linebacker Larry Foote said. "When you've got a good defense like (the Steelers and Ravens have), you can be in any game. Teams want to simulate Pittsburgh and Baltimore, just the way we play. But you can't coach what we've got. You've got to do a good job and bring the right players in to do it." Said Starks: "I think it is very appropriate, looking at both of these teams. We're very similar in style, and it's going to be a great matchup. Both teams have always had top-five defenses every single year since I've been in the league (2004). I think it's going to be good representation for the AFC." http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/story?id=0900...mp;confirm=true Quote
vmax Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 "There's a big, black, ugly bird standing between us and Tampa," said offensive tackle Max Starks. "It's the only obstacle in our way before we can go." Quote
yagersports Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 It's very difficult in the NFL to beat a playoff team three times in a row. I like our chances. Quote
Spen Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 I dont like how hard hitting and tough our game was and the Steeler game wasnt. Quote
Guest BallTMore Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 I dont like how hard hitting and tough our game was and the Steeler game wasnt. Same, and Steelers fans were hoping for exactly that to happen. Nothing we can do about it, though. We only need one win to make it back to Tampa. Ray will have everybody playing like they're 100%. The good thing, in my opinion, is the Steelers are all patting themselves on the back for beating an 8-8 team. Don't get me wrong, the Chargers are a good team, but they're not elite. Willie will not run on us like he did SD, it will all be on the QBs and offense again. The team that scores two TDs wins. Quote
thundercleetz Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 I dont like how hard hitting and tough our game was and the Steeler game wasnt. I was thinking the exact same thing. We have had a long season, will it catch up to us this week? The guys will be ready, no doubt. That bye week before we play in the Super Bowl will help out greatly! Quote
cmacarolle21 Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 The injury's are pretty critical.. I mean Byron Leftwich got to see the field in the game. They didn't even play a full game which is surely an advantage after having a bye week. Quote
83eh01 Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 I dont like how hard hitting and tough our game was and the Steeler game wasnt. An injured animal is at its fiercest. Cam just needs to let Flacco loose. Quote
SpearSrai Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 The Titans, Giants, and Panthers were all well-rested. I'll take the team that just got out of a dog-fight over the team that walked in to the AFC Championship. An injury here or there isn't going to break this game open. Our guys will drag themselves onto the field if they have to. Leron McClain and Chris Johnson both hurt their ankles during the game. McClain had his retaped and got back in. CJ stayed on the sideline because he didn't have to look Ray Lewis in the eyes the next day. Quote
ForceEight Posted January 13, 2009 Author Posted January 13, 2009 I agree, Yager. We're winning games because we're not turning the ball over. We're not turning the ball over because we're not letting Flacco make risky throws, and because we're asserting the run even when it's not successful. Why on Earth would we change that formula for the most important game of the season (or more)? Flacco managed to complete under 40% of his passes just more than a week ago, both because he made poor throws and because he was likely told to make positive that no turnovers occur. He is still a rookie, and proverbially throwing him to the wolves in the AFCC game, when we've won all year by doing just the opposite, is absolutely absurd. It goes without mentioning that teams that change their styles in the playoffs almost universally falter. Quote
yagersports Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 I'd be careful of "letting Flacco loose". The teams that don't turn the ball over in the playoffs do very well. Pennington was let loose, he didn't do too well. Delhomme was let loose, he did worse. I know it doesn't always work out like that, Warner is playin great, but considering Joe is a rookie, I say continue with the game plan, if Joe ends up having to throw alot, so be it, but don't force it, play Ravens football. Next year that all changes, next year Joe will be slinggin it everywhere. Quote
SpearSrai Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 We're winning games because we're not turning the ball over. We're not turning the ball over because we're not letting Flacco make risky throws, and because we're asserting the run even when it's not successful. Why on Earth would we change that formula for the most important game of the season (or more)? He is still a rookie, and proverbially throwing him to the wolves in the AFCC game, when we've won all year by doing just the opposite, is absolutely absurd. Because we've lost to the Steelers twice in a row by playing "our style of offense"? The games we've won all season have not been all ball-control, but the games we've lost have been. Just because we snuck out of Tennessee with a win, don't assume that we outplayed them or "should" have won. We could have put up 21 pounds on that Tennessee defense and guaranteed a win instead of just trying to sneak one by. We had success moving the ball against them through the air whenever we wanted to. We're not talking about changing our style of play... we're not adding in plays that we've never ran... we're talking about running the same plays that have been successful in games this season on downs where we should pass the ball. That's part of our offense. But we wait until the other team scores on us to start using it. Why not come out swinging, and dictate the tempo ourselves, rather than wait and hope and pray that the other team doesn't score? Here's a spoiler: They will. Quote
yagersports Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 It's not like we got blown out by the Steelers, we played em tough and came up just short. You start havin Flacco "take it to" the Steelers defense or the Titans defense and I guarantee both teams end up blowin us out. I'm a big Flacco supporter, but one has to be intelligent here. Part of being a great coach/coordinator is understanding the limitations of your own players. Cam understands that and he understands his competition. We are running the proper type of game here. No need to open anything up until another team proves they can go up by more than 14 on us, how many times has that happened??? No turnovers = best chance of winning playoff games. Quote
SpearSrai Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 The fact that we're not turning the ball over has nothing to do with our style of offense... you can throw 50 times a game and not turn the ball over... you can run 40 times a game and turn the ball over. As I've said, Tennessee didn't turn the ball over because they passed a lot. They turned the ball over because their guys couldn't hold onto the ball! Don't throw off your back foot (Pennington, Collins) and don't fumble the ball! Other than that, those two QB's carved us up! You're assuming that "passing more" means Flacco will suddenly start throwing the ball right to the defender. Why do you think this? When he is asked to pass more, does he do this? Quote
yagersports Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 If you follow the NFL, you know that unless you have a highly effective seasoned QB, throwing more greatly increases the chances of turning the ball over. Especially when the decision maker is a rookie. Quote
cokedupwerewolf Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 The injury's are pretty critical.. I mean Byron Leftwich got to see the field in the game. They didn't even play a full game which is surely an advantage after having a bye week. Yeah but weren't our players sitting in hot tubs, getting massages and sitting around watching film while Pitts starters were still sitting on the sideline? Quote
SpearSrai Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 If you follow the NFL, you know that unless you have a highly effective seasoned QB, throwing more greatly increases the chances of turning the ball over. Especially when the decision maker is a rookie. Obviously we've gotten past the point of precedent... Flacco is the first rookie QB to ever win 2 playoff games. I have faith in him as a passer with the routes that I've seen him throw. No one is saying we should install a new offense... just call more of the passing plays that we have had success with over the course of the season. It's not like our running game is that successful anyways. We CAN have success through the air. Mark my words: We will not beat the Steelers playing ultra-conservative. Go big or go home. Luckily for us Flacco has a big arm. Quote
yagersports Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 Everything happens eventually........eventually a Rookie was gonna win playoff games. It only took how many years? And now that it's happened once, this team should just stop what's gotten them where they are and begin slinging the ball? No, I don't think so. Stick to what's been successful and what's been winning games. If we begin to falter, obviously we'll have to adjust. So far this team has not faltered, they've won. They just beat a Tennesee team that waxed Pitt using a formula that you disagree with. Quote
SpearSrai Posted January 14, 2009 Posted January 14, 2009 Everything happens eventually........eventually a Rookie was gonna win playoff games. It only took how many years? And now that it's happened once, this team should just stop what's gotten them where they are and begin slinging the ball? No, I don't think so. Stick to what's been successful and what's been winning games. If we begin to falter, obviously we'll have to adjust. So far this team has not faltered, they've won. They just beat a Tennesee team that waxed Pitt using a formula that you disagree with. Don't confuse "beat" with "won against". Beat is what the Cardinals did to Carolina. Beat is what the Eagles did to the Giants. We escaped with a win because - get this - we flung the football around. If we hadn't opened it up through the air, we would have scored 0 points against Tennessee. It's not our offensive philosophy that is winning us these games... we are winning in spite of our offense. We don't even try to open it up until we're backed into a corner. We're risking losing games when we don't have to. Quote
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