73 replies to this topic

[mweb08]

I would argue that nearly winning a SB in your second full season is far more impressive than anything Lamar has done.

It's a team sport with substantial coaching impact and a lot of variance/ luck in terms of who wins championships.

[makoman]

Drew Brees won a ring in his 9th NFL season.  He had one playoff win before that year total.  ONE.  He was 5-7 in the playoffs after that season and never won more than one playoff game in ANY other year. 

 

Peyton won his first ring in his 9th NFL season.  He was 3-6 in the playoffs before that.  He would win 2 rings, and in the years his team didn't win the Lombardi (rest assured, he was simply along for the ride in his 18th season, run game, defense, and a very flawed SB opponent... just like the first one when they were gifted Rex Grossman and the Bears)... "his" playoff record was 7-13.

 

Marino never won a ring, and in 17 NFL seasons, won 2 playoff games ONE time.

 

Rodgers won his first ring in his 6th NFL season and he got a 4-0 on his resume.  In the other 18 of his 19 NFL seasons, he's won more than one playoff game ONE time.  "His" playoff record outside the 2010 season is 7-10.

 

Elway won his two rings in his 15th and 16th NFL seasons.  He went deep a bunch of times, in what was then a generally weaker-to-much weaker AFC.  Otherwise his first 14 NFL seasons ended with an L or no January games.

 

Trent Dilfer has a Superbowl ring and an all-time playoff winning percentage of 83.3%

 

These are all facts.

Even Tom Brady, from 2005-2010 (a period of time as long as Lamar's career), went just 5-5, with 13 picks in 10 games. The greatest playoff QB of all time. Winning in the playoffs is hard.

[NewMarketSean]

During the O's down years in the 00s and during the 110+ loss seasons recently, there were years I barely watched more than 20 innings of baseball all year. That is when you become apathetic. Not when your QB won his second MVP and you made it to the AFCCG.

 

As terrible as it was to finish the season this way, they'll be good again next year barring major injuries. Let's see what happens.

[Slidemaster]

Goff blew a 17-point halftime lead to miss the SB. I can only imagine how hard you'd go on Lamar if he did that.

Goff plays defense?

[Slidemaster]

I'll believe in Lamar in the playoffs when he gives me a reason to believe in him. When a guy plays that consistently poorly in his losses I just can't overlook it, and neither should anyone else.

I don't care about the MVP. Win something.

[Ravens2006]

During the O's down years in the 00s and during the 110+ loss seasons recently, there were years I barely watched more than 20 innings of baseball all year. That is when you become apathetic. Not when your QB won his second MVP and you made it to the AFCCG.

As terrible as it was to finish the season this way, they'll be good again next year barring major injuries. Let's see what happens.

From the moment John wrestled full control away from dear old dad's failing grip, the ownership of the Orioles didn't care AT ALL about the team winning games. That's where I checked out. I wouldn't go to a restaurant that serves imitation crab meat and charges me peak season jumbo lump prices for it. I was checked out on the Orioles for several years until what, a week and a half ago?

As much as I can't stand Harbs impact on games when the clock starts ticking, I don't for a second actually think the dude doesn't care about winning. The whole organization tries to win. You care, you try, I'm in... you don't care and don't try, I'm out.

[mdrunning]

Even Tom Brady, from 2005-2010 (a period of time as long as Lamar's career), went just 5-5, with 13 picks in 10 games. The greatest playoff QB of all time. Winning in the playoffs is hard.

From 1985 to 1987, which was the three-year span between his second and third Super Bowl wins, Joe Montana went 0-3 with no touchdown passes and four interceptions in the postseason. Four-for-four in Super Bowls, but even he came up snake eyes in the playoffs at times.

[cprenegade]

I think saying the Ravens will be in the SB next year is every bit as foolish as saying they can't be in the SB next year.  They will be one of the teams fighting in the mix, but there is no reason to think they have any better of a chance than this year.  In fact, I think you can honestly say there is reason to believe it will be much harder.  

 

It's not unfair to say that most of the stars aligned to give the Ravens a golden opportunity to get to the SB this year.  It really feels like this was their big chance at being the team coming out of the AFC and they did not capitalize.  

 

I had the Ravens just a notch below the big 3 in the AFC (KC, Buffalo, Cincy) to start the season.  Until KC went on their playoff run, it was fair to say they looked vulnerable.  Buffalo struggled until mid season and had to run the table to get in the playoffs and Cincinnati never looked right from the start with Burrow nursing injuries.  I expect they will all return mostly to form.

 

Now KC has a challenge, to be the first team ever to threepeat.  As hard as that is to do, they want to be the first in the SB era to do it and cement their status as a dynasty.  That's just what everyone needs......a KC team that has a challenge and a goal.

 

The whole AFC should be even better, if that's possible.  If Aaron Rogers stays healthy the Jets could be a playoff factor.  Jim Harbaugh's history with turning teams around tells me the Chargers will be better.  They already have a good team, it was just really poorly coached.  Houston is an up and coming team.  

 

The Ravens may not even win their division next year.  Cincinnati is likely to rebound next year if Burrow stays healthy so they will be primed to challenge the Ravens for first, and they will do it with a last place schedule.  

 

The Ravens first place schedule alone looks more difficult next year.  KC, Buffalo, Houston, Philadelphia, Dallas, LA Chargers.  That's along with the AFC North.  Obviously some teams that look tough now may not be next year, but at least right now on paper the schedule looks like one with only a few "easy" games.  

 

The roster itself will be changed.  EDC brought in several plug and play pieces that fit very well but were not long term solutions.  Will Clowney, Van Noy, OBJ be back?  The offensive line needs some work.  Stanley is probably back, but is he the LT?  The running back room needs work.  If Edwards is gone, who is the feature back?  Is Mitchel ready to be that guy, especially off of an injury?  Will Dobbins be back or sign a bigger contract elsewhere from someone willing to take a chance?  Do the Ravens tag Madibuike, and will he accept that or hold out?  And now what happens with Flowers?  If he ends up off the roster for this story that will be a huge blow.  A lot of questions to answer.  

 

So you can't say the Raven's blew their only shot at a SB by losing the AFCC, but you can say they blew a really good one.  They will probably be back strong next year, but getting back to the AFCC and particularly as the #1 seed feels like it will be a much more difficult task.  

[TwentyThirtyFive]

On paper the AFC is a beast. It really is. Key injuries and other factors will knock some teams down and out the way like Cin or LA Chargers were this year but those teams could easily bounce back. Like who are the teams where its like yeah Im pretty damn sure they are a sub .500 team next year. NE, Tenn, Den. Im not even totally comfortable putting all 3 of them in that category.

[Mackus]

So you can't say the Raven's blew their only shot at a SB by losing the AFCC, but you can say they blew a really good one.  They will probably be back strong next year, but getting back to the AFCC and particularly as the #1 seed feels like it will be a much more difficult task.  

 

Agree with this.  Very unlikely they have as good of a regular season as they did in 2023, for reasons both internal and external.  Still think they can be a team that gets to and wins the Super Bowl, but doubt they secure the #1 seed and have a clear path like they did this year.  Obviously that #1 seed and clear path aren't requirements for getting there and winning, so still plenty of hope and I think the Ravens have roughly as good of a chance as anybody else in the conference.  They just won't be clearly ahead of everyone else like they how they were when 2023 ended (they weren't there when 2023 began, so another example of how fluid everything is).

[Slidemaster]

I actually think there is every reason to believe the Ravens will be substantially worse.

- So many good coaches are gone.
- Zay is possibly (likely) gone.
- Almost certainly going to suffer more injuries (they had almost none this year).
-Cincinnati, Houston, snd LAC should all be substantially better.
- Rapidly decreasing financial flexibility to plug holes.

This was the year and they blew it. Honestly when you subtract Zay from the equation I think you can reasonably say that they could be battling to even make the playoffs, let alone the Superbowl.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

I actually think there is every reason to believe the Ravens will be substantially worse.

- So many good coaches are gone.
- Zay is possibly (likely) gone.
- Almost certainly going to suffer more injuries (they had almost none this year).
-Cincinnati, Houston, snd LAC should all be substantially better.
- Rapidly decreasing financial flexibility to plug holes.

This was the year and they blew it. Honestly when you subtract Zay from thr equation I think you can reasonably say that they could be battling to even make the playoffs, let alone the Superbowl.

WTF do you even think youre saying here.

[jamesdean]

I actually think there is every reason to believe the Ravens will be substantially worse.

- So many good coaches are gone.
- Zay is possibly (likely) gone.
- Almost certainly going to suffer more injuries (they had almost none this year).
-Cincinnati, Houston, snd LAC should all be substantially better.
- Rapidly decreasing financial flexibility to plug holes.

This was the year and they blew it. Honestly when you subtract Zay from thr equation I think you can reasonably say that they could be battling to even make the playoffs, let alone the Superbowl.

Worst case scenario but I suppose that's all possible.  

[Slidemaster]

WTF do you even think youre saying here.

I mean...I'm not sure what to say. It's all written there. I think next year is going to be substantially harder than this past one. Next year is much more likely to remember a 2021 or 2022 type team (with poor receivers and a good-not-great defense) than 2023.

[BaltBird 24]

2024 could go exactly like 2021 and 2022 if Lamar gets injured. We were decimated in 2021 and still well on our way to a playoff berth until Lamar got hurt. 2022 team still made the playoffs and could've beaten the big, bad Bengals with freaking Tyler Huntley at QB.

Everything rests on the health of Lamar.

[bmore_ken]

I never said he can't, but until he shows me he can, I have no reason to be excited. Like it or not, he's written his own narrative of being a playoff choke artist, and until he silences the critics, those voices will grow louder.

 

Perhaps he should get some help from his OC when the playoffs start. The last two OCs haven't gotten it done with their lousy playcalling. Lamar doesn't call his own plays. 

[Slidemaster]

Perhaps he should get some help from his OC when the playoffs start. The last two OCs haven't gotten it done with their lousy playcalling. Lamar doesn't call his own plays.

I could have bought that before it happened with Monken, but I think we're kidding ourselves if you think the OCs are calling whatever they want with no input from Lamar.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Lol. I told you people would turn on Monken in less than a year. Its always the coaches fault. Always.

[bmore_ken]

I could have bought that before it happened with Monken, but I think we're kidding ourselves if you think the OCs are calling whatever they want with no input from Lamar.

Monken just further proves the point. He's the second OC in a row with the top rushing attack in the league to abandon it in the playoffs. Until Lamar starts calling his own plays, the buck stops at the OC and HC. Period!!!!!!!

[Slidemaster]

Monken just further proves the point. He's the second OC in a row with the top rushing attack in the league to abandon it in the playoffs. Until Lamar starts calling his own plays, the buck stops at the OC and HC. Period!!!!!!!

So you think it's more likely that two OCs in a row with elite rushing attacks chose to abandon them in the playoffs, rather than Lamar calling his own plays (or at least having great influence over them) and trying to play superhero with his arm?