651 replies to this topic

[BSLMikeLowe]

I think this is the sentiment of most.
I don't feel like this at all. 

 

I think the evidence up to now supports it. Only way to prove that narrative wrong is to beat them. We'll see if they get another chance.

[BSLChrisStoner]

I think the evidence up to now supports it. Only way to prove that narrative wrong is to beat them. We'll see if they get another chance.

Mahomes being 5-1 vs Jackson and the Ravens doesn't feel like evidence to me. 

 

Don't think the '18, 19, '20 games mean much of anything at this point.

Even from last year, you have different teams with the roster turnover which exists. 

 

But let's include the AFC Championship and last night. 

 

If you are a good team, and play another good team, sometimes you'll lose. 
I don't think that means the Ravens are owned, or that it would require their best game to win.

KC is talented team, with championship mentality.  
That's tough to beat at any time.
I respect what they've accomplished.

 

I don't think they have a better roster, but either way the difference between the teams is minimal.

That's the NFL as a whole 1-32, and certainly there are only further minimal differences at the top. 

 

On any given day it's execution and the basics.... turnovers, RZ, 3rd down.

On any given day, Mahomes is good enough on his own to beat you. 

 

Did the Ravens choke in the AFC Championship?
Maybe.
But as poor as the Ravens played overall in that game, they still had a chance to win. 

 

Last night the Ravens came out and overcame their own errors and scored right away.
At the end of the game... they drove the field in a hostile environment against a good defense, and gave themselves an opportunity.
They don't get an award for being close, but I don't think KC was in their head there. 
The Ravens were ready to go when the game started, and they weren't defeated when they got down.

 

 

If the Ravens earn their way back to the playoffs, and get KC again, it won't be easy beating a talented team with championship pedigree; but I just don't feel it's some insurmountable mountain, or that the Ravens need all the breaks, or to even have to play their absolute best game to win.

Agree the narrative and skepticism will continue to exist until they prove it wrong.
Agree that we will see if the Ravens earn another opportunity.

[BSLMikeLowe]

I think I'm more disappointed in how the Ravens have responded to the loss in their comments than I am their actual play last night. Outside of the OL, I'm really not discouraged by anything I saw. I just don't think they are at KC's level right now....but who in the NFL is?

[You Play to Win the Game]

I think this is the sentiment of most.
I don't feel like this at all. 

Agreed. I think the Ravens are right there. Which is what adds to the frustration.

[Ravens2006]

The one sidedness of the "illegal formation" tackles lined up off the line; the Linderbaum holding penalty when KC was doing similar "holding" all game, and that RTP late on Mahomes (even though technically his hand was on his helmet, so to a lesser extent) - were all just gross and highly impactful. The refs weren't going to let the Ravens pull a Lions this year. That much was clear. They still almost did anyway.

 

So at the end of Hochuli's review ruling announcement, he said "Kansas City wins the game" or something like that. I have no evidence to support this but while it doesn't often happen where a referee has to make an announcement / ruling on a play with zeros on the clock... I don't recall ever hearing an official announce that a specific team "won the game" in that fashion. Some variant of "Time is expired, the game is over"... "Pass is ruled incomplete, that is the end of the game"... yeah, I think so? But "Team X Wins", not feeling it...

[TwentyThirtyFive]

I think I'm more disappointed in how the Ravens have responded to the loss in their comments than I am their actual play last night. Outside of the OL, I'm really not discouraged by anything I saw. I just don't think they are at KC's level right now....but who in the NFL is?

The Chiefs are in their heads as I said. But now they can go on with their season. Just go play ball

[Ravens2006]

I don't think the Ravens "choked" the AFC championship game. To me "choking" implies some actual amount of anxiety, panic, etc that leads to mistakes.

 

The PLAYERS didn't choke. They got outscored. The defense certainly didn't choke. Hamilton didn't choke on the Kelce TD catch early, he couldn't have had much better coverage. The Chiefs made just enough plays at the right time and the Ravens didn't. Outperformed is different than choked.

 

The coaches on the other hand, Harbs and his OC in particular... they absolutely displayed some panic and anxiety early.

 

So if anyone choked that game, it wasn't someone wearing a uniform.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

It's definitely a case of multiple things being true. Lamar Jackson struggles with the deep ball consistently and has a tendency to give the ball away on the minus side of the field. With that said, Lamar Jackson carried the offense the entire evening and was the primary reason why the Ravens were in position to tie or win the game as time expired.

For sure. Brillant in numerous ways but also has a few flaws that may be fatal. Fatal in that he cant get over the hump. Thats certainly not set in stone but its a fair criticism at this point

[BaltBird 24]

Did anyone expect a win last night?

All things considered (3/5th new OL, new RB, new DC, playing Mahomes and the defending champs in their stadium opening night, no pre season action for most of the starters), I think they held their own fairly well.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Did anyone expect a win last night?

All things considered (3/5th new OL, new RB, new DC, playing Mahomes and the defending champs in their stadium opening night, no pre season action for most of the starters), I think they held their own fairly well.

They were ok. I dont think we should be grading on much of a curve. The flaw would be trying to read too much into this game one way or another. Each matchup is different. The thing I come back to is the OL play. It will determine how good this team can be offensively. It will also determine how fresh and healthy Lamar remain over a full season. Quite frankly, he is not going to be able to scramble as much as he did last night. That was too much of our offense. Lamar just playing backyard football. And dont get it twisted, I want him to do that but it cant be all the offense is and expect him to survive tge season. I thought the RG3 comment Stoner posted had a lot of merit

[Ravens2006]

Did anyone expect a win last night?

All things considered (3/5th new OL, new RB, new DC, playing Mahomes and the defending champs in their stadium opening night, no pre season action for most of the starters), I think they held their own fairly well.

I'm surprised DeCosta didn't add one more veteran OT somehow in the last month. Still sort of suspect they might make a trade to grab somebody from an also ran in a few weeks, but time will tell. Don't need an all world guy on the edge with Lamar's ability to avoid sacks and pressure, but would LOVE someone just average and consistent.

[cprenegade]

The Chiefs are in their heads as I said. But now they can go on with their season. Just go play ball

 

I didn't really buy into that, but after reading the post game statements from the Ravens I do now.  These guys remind me of Pittsburgh the year they thought they had NE beat in the regular season and the TD was overturned.  Roethlisberger threw an int in the end zone and they lost home field to NE.  All they talked about was NE, so much so they got beaten by Jacksonville in the first playoff game and never got to see NE again.  The Ravens have KC in their head.  They trashed talked after a loss.  KC took the classy way out by giving the Ravens a lot of props for being a great team.  Maybe the Ravens need to take a step up in class and lose with a little dignity instead of sounding like Jackasses.