162 replies to this topic

[SportsGuy]

They've won 5 of 6 and are playing very good football right now. Ravens have lost 4 of 5 going into the playoffs. That's a telling trend to me. Consistently doom and gloom? No, it's just very clear to me that unlike the past several years this team is not a legitimate SB contender.

Indys defense is terrible. They struggle to run the ball.

Rookie QB, rookie RB, rookie head coach.

Losing 4 out of 5 is meaningless especially since today's loss means nothing.

They are much healthier now, have more experience and are at home. Ravens are the clear favorite in this game and they should win rather easily...ala KC a few years ago.

[SportsGuy]

LOL. Our defense has to get 2 scores?? Really. Poor statement. What a bunch of negative nellies. I'm not sure if you people are severly overrating the Colts or underrating the Ravens.

Both...I also don't think people see the obvious offensive changes, the health getting better and just the idea the Ravens are a seasoned playoff team.

That doesn't mean Indy can't win but they will need help from the Ravens to do it.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Both...I also don't think people see the obvious offensive changes, the health getting better and just the idea the Ravens are a seasoned playoff team.

That doesn't mean Indy can't win but they will need help from the Ravens to do it.

IE: Poor game planning, and/or poor execution... which we've seen plenty of this year, so it's definitely doable... but if the Ravens play their game, they win fairly easily, IMO.

[SammyBirdland]

I hope I'm underrating the Ravens, but what I see is that the Ravens are the weakest team in the playoffs this year and the Colts have to be feeling very fortunate to have drawn us. We fired our OC with three games to go for crying out loud! Our offense has severe issues.

[SportsGuy]

IE: Poor game planning, and/or poor execution... which we've seen plenty of this year, so it's definitely doable... but if the Ravens play their game, they win fairly easily, IMO.

Right...but luckily, the play calling issues should be over with.

So, turnovers and penalties.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Indys defense is terrible. They struggle to run the ball.

Rookie QB, rookie RB, rookie head coach.

Losing 4 out of 5 is meaningless especially since today's loss means nothing.

They are much healthier now, have more experience and are at home. Ravens are the clear favorite in this game and they should win rather easily...ala KC a few years ago.

Today's game notwithstanding, I would not be so dismissive of the recent skid. The Ravens' flaws, which have been there most of the season honestly, really came to the forefront. They turn the ball over at the most inopportune times and are the most penalized team in the NFL.

Indy is young, but they are a very confident team right now. No matter the final result, I doubt the Ravens win "easily" by any means.

[Mackus]

Luck has thrown for a ton of yards, but he also led the NFL in interceptions and tied for the 4th most fumbles (T-5th for lost fumbles). They don't run the ball very well and their defense isn't particularly good.

I'm really confused about why the couple people who think they should be the favorite and are unlikely to lose in Baltimore feel the way they do.

[bnickle]

I hope I'm underrating the Ravens, but what I see is that the Ravens are the weakest team in the playoffs this year and the Colts have to be feeling very fortunate to have drawn us. We fired our OC with three games to go for crying out loud! Our offense has severe issues.

Not even close. How anybody can say definitively that Baltimore is weaker than Indy or Cincy is beyond me. Or if your including NFC teams how you can clearly say they are weaker than Chi/Min or Was/Dal. If you wanna say that their not clearly better than any of these teams I can go with that. I don't think we're that much, if any better, than any of these teams I named. However, I certainly don't think we are weaker either.

[SportsGuy]

Today's game notwithstanding, I would not be so dismissive of the recent skid. The Ravens' flaws, which have been there most of the season honestly, really came to the forefront. They turn the ball over at the most inopportune times and are the most penalized team in the NFL.

Indy is young, but they are a very confident team right now. No matter the final result, I doubt the Ravens win "easily" by any means.

You are confusing confident team playing well for better team. Those are 2 different things.

Many of the things that exposed the Ravens were health related.

[SportsGuy]

Luck has thrown for a ton of yards, but he also led the NFL in interceptions and tied for the 4th most fumbles (T-5th for lost fumbles). They don't run the ball very well and their defense isn't particularly good.

I'm really confused about why the couple people who think they should be the favorite and are unlikely to lose in Baltimore feel the way they do.

Indys Oline isn't that good either, which has been a big issue with those fumbles.

[bnickle]

Luck has thrown for a ton of yards, but he also led the NFL in interceptions and tied for the 4th most fumbles (T-5th for lost fumbles). They don't run the ball very well and their defense isn't particularly good.

I'm really confused about why the couple people who think they should be the favorite and are unlikely to lose in Baltimore feel the way they do.

It's baffling. Listen, Baltimore isn't a top teir team but thy're clearly trending up, especially defensively. You can't read a single thing into this game against Cincy. If there is antything you can read it's that half of our 2nd string defense held Cincy's 1st string offense to 1 TD the whole 1st half and that came off of a short field at the end of the 2nd quarter.


IMO, Indy is solid. My gut tells me it will be a tight game but if it's gonna get out of hand it's gonna be in the Ravens favor. Like mentioned, Indy has no running game and Luck is turnover prone. I could see us putting up an early score and then getting to him and kind of forcing them out of their gameplan early.

[BSLMikeLowe]

You are confusing confident team playing well for better team. Those are 2 different things.

Many of the things that exposed the Ravens were health related.

Fair enough, Indy is playing much better right now. I think that means a lot and is why they could upset the Ravens.

The offense can't use injuries as an excuse. The defense is beat up, but I don't think a pseudo bye week will make a huge difference. The guy they miss the most by far, Webb, is not coming back. Neither is McClain. We'll see if time off helped Ray, Suggs and Pollard.

[SportsGuy]

Fair enough, Indy is playing much better right now. I think that means a lot and is why they could upset the Ravens.

The offense can't use injuries as an excuse. The defense is beat up, but I don't think a pseudo bye week will make a huge difference. The guy they miss the most by far, Webb, is not coming back. Neither is McClain. We'll see if time off helped Ray, Suggs and Pollard.

No, the offense has been healthy although not having Yanda vs Denver hurt.

However, the offense, while not injured, was handicapped...by Cameron.

The Giants game completely changed things for me.

And really, there were a lot of encouraging things today.

[SportsGuy]

Indy also expended a lot of energy and played all their guys the whole game this week.

And we are looking at a short week appears, where Indy has to travel.

Which or course means, advantage Ravens.

[SportsGuy]

Indy does have some guys that are former Ravens..,and Pagano obviously knows us.

That's an advantage for them.

[DJ MC]

Today's game notwithstanding, I would not be so dismissive of the recent skid. The Ravens' flaws, which have been there most of the season honestly, really came to the forefront. They turn the ball over at the most inopportune times and are the most penalized team in the NFL.

Indy is young, but they are a very confident team right now. No matter the final result, I doubt the Ravens win "easily" by any means.

The thing is that the Ravens' issues haven't shown up for two weeks.

[DJ MC]

Indy does have some guys that are former Ravens..,and Pagano obviously knows us.

That's an advantage for them.

And one for Baltimore, too.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Anyone know how they decide when the games are played? If I were NBC I'd imagine I'd much rather show the Ravens/Colts on Saturday than the Texans/Bengals but I'm not sure if it's their choice.

For selfish reasons, I want the game to be on Saturday.

[SammyBirdland]

Anyone know how they decide when the games are played? If I were NBC I'd imagine I'd much rather show the Ravens/Colts on Saturday than the Texans/Bengals but I'm not sure if it's their choice.

For selfish reasons, I want the game to be on Saturday.

I don't know how, but I'm reading that we should find out when the game is during Sunday Night Football.

[BSLMattJergensen]

No game is easy in the playoffs but I'm much happier to be matched up against the Colts at home in the Wild Card round.

The Colts are a team fueled by emotion and with Pagano's return to the sidelines today at home I expected a win over the reeling Texans today. This young team does have a few wins over playoff teams like Green Bay, Minnesota and now Houston but their other eight victories were against losing clubs. Their run defense is among the worst in the NFL. Luck has had a pretty good rookie campaign but as expected he will turn it over either on the turf or through the air.

Sometimes we (including myself) are too close to the Ravens to be objective about the matchup. We are too aware of this team's many flaws. I see a defense that is trending upward and that's without many of it's star players. The biggest question mark has always been the offense. Will we see the group that torched the Giants or the one that couldn't put it in the endzone against Kansas City? If the team is to go far it will because Joe Flacco go them there. That said I like the matchups of the Ravens runners against the Colt front 7 and from there I see options to exploit them with burners like Smith and Jones on play-action.

The playoffs are a totally different animal. Are the Colts young bucks up to the task of playing a playoff tested team in a hostile environment? Turnovers will be the difference.