2012 Success or Disappointment?

[OutsideRzAcE]

I was listening to Bob Haynie and Glenn Unis on the fan this Morning (wayyy better than Norris and Davis btw) and they were debating what the Ravens need to do, from this point on, in order for 2012 to be considered a success. Do they need to win at least one playoff game? Do they need to go to further than they have before in the Harbs Flacco Era (i.e. SB or failure)? Is 2012 already a sucecss when you consider they have secured their second striaght division title?

[cravnravn]

Super Bowl appearance would be a successful 2012 season, anything less is a failure.

[vmax]

It's a successfull season right now.

 

The Bengals and Steelers started the year with their goal to be AFC North Champs. That flag flies in Baltimore. Back to back years.

 

Consider this good read from Schmuck...

 

Lest anyone forget, there were plenty of experts who questioned whether the Ravens were even a wild-card team after Terrell Suggs suffered that nasty Achilles tendon injury last spring. He was, after all, the 2011 Defensive Player of the Year, and two of the other cornerstones of the Ravens defense weren't getting any younger.

 

Suggs was supposed to be out for most of the season, and the Ravens lost Jarret Johnson and Cory Redding to free agency. The talk around the league was that the Ravens would have to take a big step forward offensively to compensate for the decimated defense, and that was before they lost star cornerback Lardarius Webb and emotional leader Ray Lewis to serious injuries in a Week 6 victory over the Cowboys.

 

If ever the conditions were ripe for the first real hiccup since Harbaugh took over as head coach in 2008, this season was it.

 

Their reward for coming within an eyelash of the Super Bowl was one of the NFL's toughest 2012 regular-season schedules. Along with the usual four challenging games against the Steelers and Bengals, the Ravens had to battle through a phalanx of playoff candidates that included both of last season's Super Bowl teams, this year's runaway AFC Central champion Houston Texans, the Denver Broncos, the Cowboys and the surprising Redskins.

 

Now, go back to the beginning again and try to recall just how many games you thought the Ravens would win this year. The preseason consensus among the oddsmakers was that the Ravens would finish the regular season with 10 victories — again proving that the Vegas types are pretty smart — but that was before the rash of injuries that probably should have submarined their playoff bid.

 

That was also before anybody had any idea how good the Broncos would be or anyone imagined that Robert Griffin III would turn the Redskins into instant contenders. To be fair, it also was before the Steelers lost Ben Roethlisberger for an extended period to lighten the competition inside the division.

 

Still, the Ravens probably had no right to get off to a 9-2 start with that schedule and the setbacks they suffered during the first half of the season, but their performance through the first 11 games was a testament to their resilience and the top-to-bottom strength of the organization.

 

When they finally blinked, no one should have been terribly surprised.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/bs-sp-schmuck-ravens-1230-20121229,0,1101391.column

 

Every season has it's high points and low points. If you can't hang with that, then you are a bandwagon, fair weather fan. With 587 injuries this Ravens team survived the 2012 regular season gauntlet.

 

The Ravens are in their 5th straight playoff appearance. I love it as a Ravens fan. I'm getting an extended season. I'm not thinking about the draft and free agency this morning. I'll be at the stadium next Sunday to watch them take down the Colts....and see Ray one last time.

Then, it's very probable they will go to Houston, play where the weather won't be a factor and play a struggling Houston team. They have a shot to win there.

 

The Broncos and Pats are really damn good....but who knows if they'll survive? The Saints and Packers didn't last year and they were smoking.

It's the playoffs and anything can happen.

[varaven45]

Max,

 

Well said. I think that, given all the injuries and the challenging schedule, a 10 win season and AFCN champs make this a successful season.

 

It will be very interesting to see how we fare in the playoffs . On a positive note, no one is expecting much if anything from our guys in the playoffs. Maybe flying under the radar and getting a healthy Ray, Pollard plus a rejuvenated offense (?), will give us a boost at the right time.

[papasmurfbell]

I go with what Ray Rice said. They have made the playoffs before. They need to do more.

[vmax]

I go with what Ray Rice said. They have made the playoffs before. They need to do more.

 

They want to.

If you're a player then you know you have a short career and a very small window to be on a Super Bowl winning team. The odds are against most NFL players.

They don't take this lightly and the letdown after any playoff loss is huge for them.

After last years AFC Championship loss Ngata and many other Ravens couldn't watch the Super Bowl.

 

It's a big crash for us as fans too. We all know the 2011 Ravens would have taken down the Giants....but you can't prove it so it churns in your gut.

[papasmurfbell]

There is no way you can say that they would have taken the Giants. The G mens D could have stopped the pathetic Ravens O. The Ravens D was not spectacular so why think they could stop Eli?

[vmax]

[Spen]

While we may want more, or even expected it, no matter where they go in the playoffs this was a successful season. With the injuries they had winning the division is big.

 

 

[BengalBilly]

Well. well, well...

 

The latest line on the Bengals and Ravens game has Cincy GIVING 2.5 points. Isn't weird how fast things change?

[varaven45]

Well. well, well...

 

The latest line on the Bengals and Ravens game has Cincy GIVING 2.5 points. Isn't weird how fast things change?

 

Wouldn't read much if anything into the odds here. With our number of walking wounded and the insignificance of this game, I'm surprised the Bengals aren't favored by more. This game should play out like the fourth exhibition game - you hope the starters get in a few good series and there are no injuries. Everything after that is gravy .

[cravnravn]

Well. well, well...

 

The latest line on the Bengals and Ravens game has Cincy GIVING 2.5 points. Isn't weird how fast things change?

 

 

You really think thats a change??? LMAO..Thats the spread for your first teamers against our 2nd & 3rd stringers..

 

FYI I bet the Ravens

[papasmurfbell]

They don't know who is playing except like guys who are ruled out.

[BengalBilly]

 

 

You really think thats a change??? LMAO..Thats the spread for your first teamers against our 2nd & 3rd stringers..

 

FYI I bet the Ravens

Oh I see. Your team wants to back into the playoffs.

 

Good luck on taking it in the rear. We're gonna eat Joey boy for lunch, so get you're backup ready.

[cravnravn]

Back in??? what benefit is it? Do you actually think Miami has a shot in New England?

 

 

Tyrod is going to be the starter...Eating Joey for lunch?? like ya did week 1? Joe left week 1 with 8:42 left in the game...

 

Tell Opie to watch out, hes going to get planted by one of our 3rd stringers

Edited December 29, 2012 by cravnravn

[BengalBilly]

Back in??? what benefit is it? Do you actually think Miami has a shot in New England?

 

 

Tyrod is going to be the starter...Eating Joey for lunch?? like ya did week 1? Joe left week 1 with 8:42 left in the game...

 

Tell Opie to watch out, hes going to get planted by one of our 3rd stringers

 

Well Sunday we find out what's what. The Bengals are hitting their stride while the Ravens are in disarray.

 

You guys picked a bad time to come to Cincinnati.

[OutsideRzAcE]

The Bengals NEED to win this game to give their young players confidence that they can beat the ravens in the future. The spread reflects that people think the bengals will try harder than the ravens will in this. It will be nice for their players and their fans but everyone else knows it'll mean absolutely nothing.

[BengalBilly]

The Bengals NEED to win this game to give their young players confidence that they can beat the ravens in the future. The spread reflects that people think the bengals will try harder than the ravens will in this. It will be nice for their players and their fans but everyone else knows it'll mean absolutely nothing.

Point taken.

[dc.]

Even odd-setters are telling people to stay away from the Ravens-Bengals game. Neither team really wants to win it. If the Ravens win, they run the chance of playing Cincy again next week. That's not bad, but many think we'd prefer to play Indy. I don't disagree. I like our O better against Indy and like facing a rookie QB - even if he's good. Cincy wants to lose because that would help them play us, which I take it they would much prefer to playing the Patriots. Neither team is likely to really push their starters too far - seeing as both have their slots in the playoffs locked up.

 

So... in the end this game means little,

 

If you beat us, Billy, you get to play the Pats - guaranteed. Hooray you.

 

Meanwhile, we have no incentive to start our best players for much time... why let you flatten Joe, even if you can?

[oldno82]

 

Well Sunday we find out what's what. The Bengals are hitting their stride while the Ravens are in disarray.

 

You guys picked a bad time to come to Cincinnati.

There is NO way the Ravens are taking this game seriously despite what they may say for public consumption. Too many injured players won't be playing. Hell, some that are just dinged won't play the whole game. The Bengals should win easily. If they don't, they're a patsy team.

[oldno82]

Anytime you win your division its a successful year. While I hoped for a lot more, I gotta be happy with being one of the playoff teams for the 5th year in a row.

[vmax]

The Bengals beat 2 teams with winning records this year....like...wow.

That is better than last year.

Oh...and they lost to the Browns.

[cravnravn]

I bet the Ravens +2 n a hook..

 

Taking candy from a baby

[cravnravn]

The Bengals beat 2 teams with winning records this year....like...wow.

That is better than last year.

Oh...and they lost to the Browns.

 

 

They beat two teams this year withe a winning record??? CONGRATS to the Bungles, hell our backups will beat the piss out of them

[ForceEight]

More importantly, a Bengals by 2.5 line pretty much suggests that the Ravens are still favored. The home team is usually spotted somewhere in the range of three points.