Pats Game

[varaven45]

With both teams PO'd (after tough losses), both should have a huge sense of urgency. Its a pivotal game: neither team can afford to go 1-2.

Its a revenge game for us and an opportunity to make a statement in the AFC. Brady and Pats can ill afford to lay an egg and Coach Bellicheck is a master at preparing his troops. Harbaugh is likewise effective in gathering his troops after a loss.

 

This game is a real toss up. With our current D, especially if Pollard is out, Brady will have a huge game. We can expect Brady to put up at least 300 yards and 30 points. Book it !. On that note, this game will boil down to our offense. Joe took a step backward and Rice was taken out of the game plan last Sunday. That cant happen on Sunday night. Both Flacco and Rice MUST have huge, fantasy type games in order for us to win.

Joe may very well have to win it on another final drive !

 

Got to get her done !

[Robjr83]

Yeah I expect a shootout. With Joe regressing last week I'm not too enthusiastic. At least its at home and the place will be loud.

[vmax]

Something's got to give. Neither team does back to back losses.

 

These teams are familiar with each other so it should be close. The 12th man will make it miserable for Tom, while Joe and the O will have no trouble communicating like they did in Philly.

 

I like the Ravens chances.

[cravnravn]

Cant pick this game, dont know if its O's fever or what..Nothing got resolved with the officials, its Tom Brady,we know all to well how that goes with the real officials in there. Just not feeling overly confident with this game, and with my annual 14-2 prediction I did have us losing to NE.

[vmax]

It's Sunday night for the Jones brothers...

 

That ultra-competitiveness in the Jones household has bred two NFL players and one of the most dominant champions in Mixed Martial Arts history. This trio will take center stage this weekend when rookie Chandler and the New England Patriots (1-1) play against his older brother Arthur and the Baltimore Ravens (1-1) for the first time Sunday night. Jon will defend his title Saturday at UFC 152 against contender Vitor Belfort.

http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/48099/jones-brothers-take-center-stage

 

I don't know why....I expect the Ravens to win. Feeling good about this. They are not happy with their recent performance and they don't lose at home.

[vmax]

Com'm crav...you got to be liking the Ravens odds....

 

It doesn’t matter what uniform he’s in. Bernard Pollard has spelled trouble for the New England Patriots over the years.

 

While playing for Kansas City in 2008, Pollard hit quarterback Tom Brady’s knee and ended his season in Week 1 with torn ACL and MCL ligaments.

 

While playing for the Houston Texans in 2009, Pollard was closing in on Wes Welker when the wide receiver cut on the artificial turf and tore up his knee, knocking him out of the playoffs.

 

In last year’s AFC championship, Pollard made a hard tackle on Rob Gronkowski that sent the tight end temporarily out of the game with an ankle injury and left him limited in the Super Bowl.

http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/Bernard-Pollard-Refutes-Patriot-Killer-Tag/9adb0ab1-3b9c-4ce7-98ba-742048f237e4

[varaven45]

Max, for us to win, Joe must have another eye-popping game like opening night against Cincy. Brady and Gronk are going to put up fantasy type numbers;

Joe will have to match him. Rice needs a big game,too, and Cam must call an excellent game. The 12th man will be huge !

[vmax]

I'm going with what this guy says....

 

Sunday night

New England at Baltimore: After rewatching Week 2’s Cardinals-Patriots game on NFL Rewind, I’m convinced I jumped the gun crowning the Patriots the class of the AFC after their victory over Tennessee last week. This Patriots offense — especially without Aaron Hernandez in the lineup — has issues. Something is up with Wes Welker and the offensive line isn’t protecting Brady like it once did. He was sacked five times in Week 2. The Ravens defense will be foaming at the mouth in front of that fired-up home crowd on Sunday night — especially after the way they lost last week in Philadelphia — and the offense will get the job done. Lee Evans isn’t dropping any passes on Sunday and Billy Cundiff isn’t missing any game-tying field goals for the Ravens. Baltimore gets the win.

The Pick: Ravens 34, Patriots 24

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/Dallas-Cowboys-New-York-Giants-Carolina-Panthers-Tampa-Bay-Buccaneers-Week-3-Cheat-Sheet-091812

[vmax]

and these guys....

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/picks

 

and these guys....

[cravnravn]

I dont see it, that piece of shit Vick threw for 350+ yards on us, Brady is going to put Eli Manning type 500+ yards on our D.

[Robjr83]

I agree with Crav. Our DB's will basically be speed bumps offering token resistance. Gronk 150+ yards ...

[cravnravn]

Rob, I hope to hell Im wrong, this is one bet Id love to pay off on..

[Robjr83]

If Pollard can slap them around and set the tone maybe they'll stand a chance. I just got a bad feeling about this game.

[oldno82]

I have mixed feelings and can't really get a good read on this game. If our defense doesn't get a pass rush on Brady, he could have a field day. And I hope our week 1 offense shows up and not the one we showed in the second half against the Eagles.

 

Looks like a high scoring toss-up.

[vmax]

"Oh Ye of little Faith!"

 

Few opponents flummox Tom Brady like Baltimore. You can look it up. The Ravens have seven interceptions in their past three games vs. Brady, and in six starts against Baltimore the future Hall of Famer has been reduced to a 56.6 completion percentage, six touchdowns, eight interceptions and a passer rating of 69.1.

[papasmurfbell]

Patriots' Wilfork looms as big challenge for Ravens new starter Harewood

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/09/21/3827600/patriots-wilfork-looms-as-big.html#storylink=cpy

 

 

Ramon Harewood has gotten an earful from his teammates about matching up against New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork. But the Ravens' first-year starter at left guard cracked a smile when asked to divulge what he was told.

"They have (been talking to me), but I'm not at liberty to tell you," he said. "But they've been helping me a lot."

Harewood would be wise to listen to his linemates as much as he can, because the last time the Ravens met the Patriots, Wilfork bedeviled many members of the offensive line.

In that 23-20 loss in the AFC championship, the 6-foot-2, 325-pound tackle made six tackles (three for losses) and sacked Joe Flacco once. Wilfork's success in that game wasn't forgotten by right guard Marshal Yanda.

"It's a new game, but he had a good game," Yanda said. "He played well against us. Obviously, we want to contain him more in this game."

Wilfork enjoyed the best season of his nine-year career in 2011. While his tackle total of 52 was only his fourth highest, he established career bests in sacks (31/2), interceptions (two) and pass breakups (five).

Wilfork is a member of the Patriots because of a 2003 draft-day deal between the teams. The Ravens shipped a second-round pick in 2003 and their 2004 first-round choice to New England for the Patriots' No. 19 pick in 2003, which the organization used to select quarterback Kyle Boller.

The following year, the Patriots used the 21st overall pick to take Wilfork.

Initially thought of as a pure run stopper, Wilfork has evolved into a defender who can help collapse the pocket on opposing quarterbacks.

"Vince is playing extremely well, and now they don't have to substitute," Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron said. "They used to run him in and out of the game a lot. Now they just keep him in the game. He can rush the passer. He's probably as good an interior pass rusher as there is in the league. (It is a) different style than what we saw last week, but just as effective. (He is a) perennial Pro Bowl player, great player, a guy that we will need to know where he is on every down."

Wilfork has had moderate success against the Ravens, but nothing like that night in January. He was especially critical on the offense's penultimate drive of the game.

With the Ravens facing third-and-3 from New England's 30-yard line, Ray Rice took a handoff from Flacco and tried to break through the middle of the line. But Wilfork shot through the hole and stopped Rice for a 3-yard loss.

On the next play, Wilfork pressured Flacco enough to force him to throw the ball away.

"The challenge is Vince," Ravens center Matt Birk said. "He does everything. He's a big, physical guy. He's agile, he's quick, he's explosive, he's all those things. He's a three-down defensive lineman, and that's why he's been good for a long time. He really does everything, and he's a great player."

Wilfork is blessed with considerable strength and leverage, but Harewood said his greatest asset might be his vision.

"He's real good at reading what's coming out of the backfield," Harewood said. "So his reactions are a little bit quicker than most people you would find of his size. That's what makes him so good - his ability to do the things that people his size can't do, or you don't necessarily think they should do. That's what makes him such a good player."

In the AFC championship game, Wilfork lined up against every offensive lineman, and that flexibility is prized by Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

"He's smart, he's athletic, he's instinctive and he has the ability to do those things, to play different spots," Belichick said during a conference call with Baltimore media Wednesday. "(Wilfork) has the versatility to vary his alignment or his technique or his responsibility. We feel comfortable with him doing that, and he's done it productively for us on a number of occasions in a number of different spots."

The Patriots declined to make Wilfork available for an interview, but he told reporters in New England on Thursday that the Ravens offense presents a difficult challenge for any defense.

"Everywhere you look on offense, they have somebody that's special," he said. "And you're not just talking about one guy. You're talking about the whole Ravens offense. So we're going to have to do a real good job defensively. We're going to have to do a real good job playing our keys and good, fundamental football and playing smart football."

Both Birk and Yanda confirmed that they have been sharing some of their analysis on Wilfork with Harewood, who has fared well in his first two starts at left guard. Birk said Harewood is smart enough to recognize in game film how effective Wilfork can be without too much input from the veterans.

Harewood said he has no trepidation about tangling with Wilfork, because he thinks the battle in the trenches can only help him improve as a player.

"Clearly, he's a great player," Harewood said. "That's all you really need to know. I have to bring my 'A' game this week."

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/09/21/3827600/patriots-wilfork-looms-as-big.html#storylink=cpy