Ravens better than last year?

[cdumler7]

Possibly worse than Kruger, but as an OLB in a 3-4 his run responsibilities aren't as much as they are as a 4-3 DE. That's why he's a better 3-4 OLB than a 4-3 DE IMO.

He has shown to be a good 3-4 OLB so I can get on board with that but again like I said 7 new starters on defense with Webb on the PUP list possibly making it hard to really judge how good or bad this defense really is going to be. My guess is by the end of the year this unit will prove to be better than last years but I don't see them being a top 5 unit like I can with the Broncos, Bengals, and Texans who all finished last year in the top 10 and for the most part kept their units in tact or added a few pieces even.

 

[Smoke]

never be topped!


Look on Ravens Players Faces when Cundiff Misses Field Goal Funny - YouTube

I can't lie, I don't think a day went by that I didn't think about the ending of that game last year, but this past season fixed that.

 

[Money]

He has shown to be a good 3-4 OLB so I can get on board with that but again like I said 7 new starters on defense with Webb on the PUP list possibly making it hard to really judge how good or bad this defense really is going to be. My guess is by the end of the year this unit will prove to be better than last years but I don't see them being a top 5 unit like I can with the Broncos, Bengals, and Texans who all finished last year in the top 10 and for the most part kept their units in tact or added a few pieces even.

Your viewpoint certainly isn't without merit and we will just have to see. I will say the biggest deficiency of the defense last year was the DL and that has greatly been improved.

Don't read too much into the Webb situation by the way. His recovery is well ahead of schedule. My guess is he makes his first appearance in week 3 of the preseason.

 

[Clayton]

I kinda agree with the narrative that the Ravens will be better in the regular season than they were last year. Ngata, Webb and Suggs are their 3 best players on D and the rest of the additions and subtractions are mostly a push. Quite frankly, the Ravens were lucky to make the playoffs last year as they played evenly with AFC West lightweights the Chargers and Chiefs. Getting healthy at the right time for the playoffs made them look like a different team.

But when the Packers won the Super Bowl, they came back with a more talented team and didn't get back. Its really hard to win a Super Bowl in the modern game and the Ravens had a LOT of guys that stepped up big last year and their absence is going to be noticed at some point.

 

[PATSOX08]

It stings!

I can't lie, I don't think a day went by that I didn't think about the ending of that game last year, but this past season fixed that.

Not sure a win in the following season can fix a missed chance to go to a Super Bowl. But a Ravens fan would know better than a Pats fan. We haven't done it yet. As a Pats fan it was nice to shut that big mouth Suggs up that year. Not sure what his rub with Brady is, other than a free chance to make headlines and get a TV invite. H3ll they all do it, mentioning Brady equals free press. Still the look on baby teeths face was priceless.

 

[indypatfan]

Defensively, they will not be the same team this year and from recent history, seems that teams who win the super bowl fluke the following year in the regular season or lay an egg in the post seasons.

Every year there are about 10 teams that have a realistic chance winning the SB. Ravens are one of the 10.

 

[Southieinnc]

Every year there are about 10 teams that have a realistic chance winning the SB. Ravens are one of the 10.

That is a reasonable statement. But by that logic, the Ravens have a 1 in 10 chance, along with NE, etc. (mathematically speaking, not odds)

 

[cdumler7]

Every year there are about 10 teams that have a realistic chance winning the SB. Ravens are one of the 10.

Not sure I actually agree with this statement. There seems to be a team that emerges that surprises people. The first of the last two championships for the Giants was one that surprised a lot of people. I don't think they were considered a top 10 team.

Now I do agree that there are about 10 teams most years that stand the best chance but with how the NFL works a team that has been mediocre most of the year can still emerge the Champion. Heck the Ravens are a great example of that this past year where they kind of backed into the playoffs and nobody gave them much of a chance in any of their games yet here they are the Champs.

 

[TDs3nOut]

That is a reasonable statement. But by that logic, the Ravens have a 1 in 10 chance, along with NE, etc. (mathematically speaking, not odds)

Only if probability is uniformly distributed over the ten teams. Then again, I don't think that many would have given the Ravens even a 10% chance of winning the SB heading into the playoffs last year. Really no telling how the Ravens will compare this year to last year, but putting together an unlikely playoff run like they put together isn't something that one can count on with much confidence.

 

[JDM]

its how he plays the game, yes he has slowed down but his attitude and aggressive style on the field rubs off onto his teamates and transforms the way the team plays. it was the same with rodney harrison on the pats. with these guys on the field the team plays nasty and physical and aggressive. without them it slips a bit and is noticable, the whole unit just doesnt bring it the same. that can be the difference from a great defense to one that is average. you might have a young talented rookie that can step in and play well but unless they have the same attitude ray lewis or rodney harrison had they will not influence the players around them.

I said losing his leadership hurts. But maybe now that it's not ray Lewis' team someone else can step up. You can only have so many leaders and true leadership is willing to take the back seat in some situations, and when the team already has the best of his era, you let him own the team.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Not sure I actually agree with this statement. There seems to be a team that emerges that surprises people. The first of the last two championships for the Giants was one that surprised a lot of people. I don't think they were considered a top 10 team.

Now I do agree that there are about 10 teams most years that stand the best chance but with how the NFL works a team that has been mediocre most of the year can still emerge the Champion. Heck the Ravens are a great example of that this past year where they kind of backed into the playoffs and nobody gave them much of a chance in any of their games yet here they are the Champs.

10 is about right in terms of legit contenders, but winning the SB is more about how you're playing in DEC.

 

[cdumler7]

10 is about right in terms of legit contenders, but winning the SB is more about how you're playing in DEC.

Well even December has been a horrible indicator. Baltimore went 1-4 this last December. The Giants the year before that went 2-2. Green Bay went 2-2 as well. Saints went 2-2. Pittsburgh in 2008 was the last team to have a winning December that went on to win the Superbowl.

 

[Southieinnc]

10 is about right in terms of legit contenders, but winning the SB is more about how you're playing in DEC.

Winning the Superbowl is more about matchups, IMHO. Lots of other factors too. Key injuries contributed to NE falling out but Pats were also soft against a more physical Ravens. All the junk 's been heard, I'd rather be lucky than talented.

 

[Attractive and Rich]

10 is about right in terms of legit contenders, but winning the SB is more about how you're playing in DEC.

No it's not.

 

[Smoke]

Not sure a win in the following season can fix a missed chance to go to a Super Bowl. But a Ravens fan would know better than a Pats fan. We haven't done it yet. As a Pats fan it was nice to shut that big mouth Suggs up that year. Not sure what his rub with Brady is, other than a free chance to make headlines and get a TV invite. H3ll they all do it, mentioning Brady equals free press. Still the look on baby teeths face was priceless.

Don't get me wrong, it still bothers me when I see the ending to the 2011 season AFC CG replayed. It just doesn't sting as much nor do I think about it as much since the Ravens won it all last season. Now had they lost to the 9ers, it would still haunt me most likely.
And as for Suggs' dislike for Brady, I think it goes back to when he was called for a roughing the passer penalty that was not, but was called after Brady got the attention of the ref and pointed at his knee, the year he returned from his season-ending knee injury.

 

[NinerSickness]

Denver Broncos release LB Joe Mays - SBNation.com

"They will move forward with Nate Irving and Stewart Bradley at middle linebacker"

Ouch man.

With the release of Joe Mays, the loss of Dumervil and the suspension of Von Miller, this is only reinforcing my belief that the Ravens are the best team in the AFC.

 

[Money]

Denver Broncos release LB Joe Mays - SBNation.com

"They will move forward with Nate Irving and Stewart Bradley at middle linebacker"

Ouch man.

With the release of Joe Mays, the loss of Dumervil and the suspension of Von Miller, this is only reinforcing my belief that the Ravens are the best team in the AFC.

You are a very wise person.

 

[cdumler7]

Denver Broncos release LB Joe Mays - SBNation.com

"They will move forward with Nate Irving and Stewart Bradley at middle linebacker"

Ouch man.

With the release of Joe Mays, the loss of Dumervil and the suspension of Von Miller, this is only reinforcing my belief that the Ravens are the best team in the AFC.

If you think Joe Mays was a big part of this defense last year that just shows me how little you know about the Broncos. Joe Mays started the first five games of the season...Guess what the Broncos record was through those first five games was? It was 2-3. After he was benched then injured for the year the Broncos went 11-0. He was not a big player on the defense. Now Dumervil and Miller I can understand but Joe Mays...Come On man.

 

[NinerSickness]

If you think Joe Mays was a big part of this defense last year that just shows me how little you know about the Broncos. Joe Mays started the first five games of the season...Guess what the Broncos record was through those first five games was? It was 2-3. After he was benched then injured for the year the Broncos went 11-0. He was not a big player on the defense. Now Dumervil and Miller I can understand but Joe Mays...Come On man.

I never said he was a huge part of the defense; but he was a starter. And they're going with Nate Irving and Stewart Bradley at MLB. That doesn't exactly inspire confidence to me.

On the other hand, I would be comfortable going into the season with Jameel McClain & Arthur Brown at ILB behind that Ravens' DL and next to one of the best OLB tandems in the league.

 

[Money]

I never said he was a huge part of the defense; but he was a starter. And they're going with Nate Irving and Stewart Bradley at MLB. That doesn't exactly inspire confidence to me.

On the other hand, I would be comfortable going into the season with Jameel McClain & Arthur Brown at ILB behind that Ravens' DL and next to one of the best OLB tandems in the league.

There are still doubts about McClain, but the Ravens did also sign Daryl Smith as insurance. You are correct about the Ravens' DL...it is both extremely talented and extremely deep.