Around the NFL 2013 Offseason (Episode 99)

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by NC_Skins

Like I said, so did Sanchez. What are we going to be saying when his regular season stats aren't good enough to carry the team into the playoffs? I suspect that'll be happening this year.


Granted, I realize he's a much better QB than Sanchez in the regular season, just will people be saying the same once they stop missing the playoffs?

Do you think this year will mark a run of endless playoff-less seasons for Flacco and the Ravens?

[NC_Skins]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Do you think this year will mark a run of endless playoff-less seasons for Flacco and the Ravens?

I think they miss the playoffs this year. I thought last year was the last year of their window to consistently contend for a championship. They almost blew it getting into the playoffs. A run of missed playoffs? I think that depends on how well they draft the next year or so. Their defense is nothing like it used to be, and Flacco is really too inconsistent to carry the team. One minute, the guy looks like he's a elite QB in the league, the next minute he's blowing it against a shitty team like the Jaguars. Way too inconsistent for my liking, and losing talent isn't going to help them any. The one thing that helps them is that Pittsburgh is on its way down as well, and the Browns are.....the Browns.

[CultBrennan59]

Originally Posted by NC_Skins

I think they miss the playoffs this year. A run of missed playoffs? I think that depends on how well they draft the next year or so. Their defense is nothing like it used to be, and Flacco is really too inconsistent to carry the team. One minute, the guy looks like he's a elite QB in the league, the next minute he's blowing it against a shitty team like the Jaguars. Way too inconsistent for my liking, and losing talent isn't going to help them any. The one thing that helps them is that Pittsburgh is on its way down as well, and the Browns are.....the Browns.

You're doubting one of the best run franchises in the NFL. And IMO, they got better on Defense. Ed Reed isn't the same disruptive force he used to be. Matt Elam is a rookie but I thought he was hands down the best safety in the draft. I think he'll be as good, if not better, than Ed Reed was last year. MLB, yeah they lost Ray Lewis, but he had strictly become the voice of the team as opposed to the great player (and voice) he used to be (aka he slowed down and showed his age and became a liability in coverage, also got injured more). So they replaced him with young Fast and great coverage man Arthur Brown. On the field, they upgraded that position. Off the field, they didn't upgrade, but honestly no one would be an upgrade over Ray. And they got Ladarius Webb (who is a top 3 CB in the NFL when healthy) back from injury. They replaced Bernard Pollard with Michael Huff who is much better in coverage than Pollard was (injuring patriots though, he is not as good as him in that category).

And I haven't even mentioned that they got Dumervil to rush the passer, who right now, is a better pass rusher than Suggs, Upshaw, and the prior starter Paul Kruger.

I can see why you doubt Flacco for losing to a team like the Jaguars (whom they lost to 2 years ago not last year; you're probably thinking of the Chiefs game which they won 9-6), but even the elite QBs will get tested by very bad, losing teams. Hell Tom Brady got beat by Arizona ( and tested by Jacksonville last year; ditto Aaron Rodgers who got out played by Blaine Gabbert), and Drew Brees got beat by the Chiefs. I'd consider all those QBs elite.

They'll always have tough games against the Steelers, because that is their Redskins-Cowboys rivalry (no matter how good or bad the teams are, they always play each other close), and the Bengals are a very good team on the rise, but the Ravens are still the best team in the division with all their recent addtions and subtractions they've had. Sure they've lost Boldin--its a big loss-- but they draft well. One of their guys will step up. Sure they've lost Pitta for the year, but people don't realize that he and Ed Dickson would go back and forth in terms of starting; and Dickson is more atheltic than Pitta. They're OL will be better and they have a 1-2 punch in the ground game with Pierce and Rice.