260 replies to this topic

[jamesdean]

With the Steelers victory on Sunday, I think this is another must win game.  How do you all feel?  Is this one of the games you can see the Ravens losing going forward?  I certainly don't expect them to win out and finish the season 12-5 but in real time, I think beating the Vikings (maybe even convincingly) will be significant in the overall confidence of the team.  

[Mackus]

Not a must win. Would really hurt to lose of course, but wouldn't be the damning indictment on their likelihood of playing high quality football the rest of the year that losing at home to Chicago to at Miami would've been.

I do expect them to win this one, but I won't think the cause hopeless with a loss (unless Lamar gets hurt).

[85Knight]

I thought this was a must win even before that Steelers victory. Now I think it's important that we get to 8-5 to win the division. Of course there are other scenarios and the most important thing is that we control our own destiny right now. It would be nice too to continue this roll and build up some momentum heading into the playoffs.

[NewMarketSean]

I thought this game would be a somewhat easy W but then Minnesota beat the Lions in Detroit.

 

Not sure how to feel about this game. Starting to get some confidence back but that is usually when the team pulls the rug out from under you.

 

Also feels like we've never won in Minnesota. Still remember that 2009 game, still pisses me off.

[Mackus]

Certainly the outlook for catching and passing the Steelers looks a lot better with a win than a loss.  I'll think they are going to do that with a win.  With a loss, I would probably only think they could do so, even if Pittsburgh loses, too.

[jamesdean]

We really need the Chargers to do their part this Sunday. As long as the Steelers lose, I'll feel better about a Ravens loss. And for the record, I'm not in the JJ McCarthy camp. He doesn't impress me much. Maybe the Jones trade will spark the pass rush and we'll be able to force the kid into some costly mistakes. Its definitely not going to be a cake walk and the Ravens need to play a clean game, but I feel pretty good about our chances.

[85Knight]

I don't like the sound of falling to 3-6 and needing the Steelers to lose to the Chargers just to stay 2 games back. At some point the math starts to become daunting.

It would also be nice not to have to beat the Steelers twice to win the division or get into the playoffs.

[Slidemaster]

They need to win. McCarthy is back now and their defense is solid. Lamar needs to carry them.

[ivanbalt]

Vikings defense is definitely jekyll and hyde.

[jamesdean]

Vikings defense is definitely jekyll and hyde.

Yeah, I don't think its anything special. They can be scored on.

[Biggsy]

Still not sold on McCarthy. In his 3 games he averages 150 yards per game, he has 4 INT's in just 3 games, under 60% completion percentage while only averaging 5 air yards per attempt. And he has one of the better supporting casts all around him in a good line, great WR's and 2 really good RB's.

Obviously hes young, and things can start clicking at any moment. But the times I've watched him, he just reminds me a lot of Mark Sanchez.

With that said, our defense has a tendency to make average QBs look like all-pros, so maybe its a wash there.

Their defense is decent. Better at stopping the pass than the run. But I don't think they're good enough to consistently stop our offense at full health. If they can get a 2 possession lead early, I think this would go the way of the Miami game. I don't think McCarthy is good enough to win games on his own.

[makoman]

It would also be nice not to have to beat the Steelers twice to win the division or get into the playoffs.

You’re right, but we shouldn’t have started 1-5 then. Beating the Steelers twice is the clearest path. Assuming we don’t win out, losing to an NFC team on the road is the most forgiving thing.

[Mackus]

All the permutations I'm trying to track in my head have us beating the Steelers twice. I know there are paths if we split but still get the tiebreak due to conference record, but much clearer if we just sweep them.

[85Knight]

You’re right, but we shouldn’t have started 1-5 then. Beating the Steelers twice is the clearest path. Assuming we don’t win out, losing to an NFC team on the road is the most forgiving thing.

There's definitely very little room for error after a 1-5 start. The last 4 games look more tricky than the next 5 to me. We need to stack them while we can.

[85Knight]

All the permutations I'm trying to track in my head have us beating the Steelers twice. I know there are paths if we split but still get the tiebreak due to conference record, but much clearer if we just sweep them.

Same here. My calculus changed after they beat the Colts. I think the only way that last game doesn't matter is if we get to 5-0 in the division and probably 10 wins overall.

[jamesdean]

Lets just worry about Minnesota, instead of projecting what they'll have to do a month from now. Concentrate on what they need to do this Sunday. I'm sure Harbaugh has been driving the same mantra home this week.

[85Knight]

Lets just worry about Minnesota, instead of projecting what they'll have to do a month from now. Concentrate on what they need to do this Sunday. I'm sure Harbaugh has been driving the same mantra home this week.

That's for the team not us fans. That's exactly why betting and fantasy sports exist and are so popular. Projecting makes my fandom more interesting.

[Mackus]

Lets just worry about Minnesota, instead of projecting what they'll have to do a month from now. Concentrate on what they need to do this Sunday. I'm sure Harbaugh has been driving the same mantra home this week.

 

You started this thread by calling this game a "must win" and asking if others if it's one of the games they could lose "moving forward". 

[jamesdean]

You started this thread by calling this game a "must win" and asking if others if it's one of the games they could lose "moving forward". 

Lets just say I realized the error of my ways and probably should have phrased the intro differently. Probably should have prioritized " must win now" instead of "moving forward." Either way, you guys can write what you want. No biggie.

[85Knight]

You started this thread by calling this game a "must win" and asking if others if it's one of the games they could lose "moving forward".

Touche.