Maestrobjwa

The last time the Ravens won the SB...nobody was looking for them. I mean before we clinched, we had lost 3 straight, the third being an absolute shellacking at home by the Broncos. That season the defense had been mediocre at best (I think we were ranked in the mid to low 20s), and injuries worsened things. And yet...after that Broncos game, it all came together. Now again, we can't say for SURE they put it together at the right time this year, but nobody can say it just can't happen. Both Ravens SB teams had their issues (like 2000's elite defense but abysmal offense, lol) Flawed teams with just enough talent have won SBs before. So as a Ravens fan I'm just gonna watch, and I'm not gonna count them out!

Nah he just kinda ran with it after I said it, lol

Alright pay up. All avocado references require royalties

Hey at this point I'd just be happy to see it just be cold for Thanksgiving...the bar is so low, haha

I gotta wonder whether Peyton and Lamar have talked...like their trajectory with the playoff hump their first several years is nearly identical!

Imperfect teams have won SBs before. It's all about if you can put it all together at the right time. And what are you saying...if we get to the SB we wouldn't have deserved it? Lol

To me Henry wasn't a good option there because they had been stuffing him all day.

Uh...yes, he is. Particularly this year: Did he not lead this team back both times against Cincinnati? And you can argue a toe away from beating KC. He is playing better than Mahomes statisticaly this year, and he beat Josh Allen in primetime (literal bright lights). So he is absolutely up there with them overall. Now...as far as playoffs? Yes he's gonna have to wear that criticism until he gets over that hump--the same way Peyton Manning had to before the 2006 season.

Mid-December on can be a different animal. We just have to see if it all comes together at the right time (and I argue that we were close enough to beating KC Week 1 that we have a legit chance). Get the defense to play to the respectable level they did today, you know the O will bounce back...the ingredients are there, and for me that's enough not to count us out even against PIT and KC. Good but messy Ravens teams have a funny way of surprsing sometimes.

Somebody was supposed to be in the end zone there...you could see Lamar looking as if that was the case.

That is true. But that's not a Tomlin vs Harbs thing...we've been bad with penalties all year, lol I don't know how well you quantify that though (I do wonder what coaches tell teams to not be penalized)

December may be different...that's when we'll need it the most.

Not really--defense did not allow a TD. Easily their best team of the season.

I don't know why this narrative counts today...fumbles, Tucker. Not Harbs fault today.

Of all of our dumb penalties, here's the one that I understand the least: Ineligible man downfield. Why the heck can't our O-lineman stay where they're supposed to stay? I mean dang it's at least one per game with that specifically, smh

Summary of summary: -PDO (although I know there are various elements and blaming one sigular thing isn't the best science--but by perception that has become the main villain of the last 8-9 years!

Man why the euro people gotta go and do that? As if we need more fantasy nonsense to weenie about, lol

I think the "worse" is more on Orr. Here's my theory: What if Zach Orr has just sucked at communicating the plays? I'd imagine a veteran DC could do at least that much. Orr is still calling the plays right now even though Pees is an assistant/advisor. And we agreed that the defense was never this bad under Pees...so to me the only option left is to demote Orr. If Pees hands are in things too much...let him take over so there can be consistent communication.

Nah let him take over. Zach Orr is worse right now. Dean Pees has SB rings

I don't remember Dean Pees defenses being this awful, though...were they?

I'm definitely not ready to rule out meh. If they can find a little extra something down the stretch, that could be just enough.

6-1 vs Joe Burrow, 10-1 against them altogether, lol

Because they had to do SOMETHING. Orr has been in over his head and he played under Pees who he still had a great relationship with...when there are no other viable options, you have to do the best you can. For me..."bend don't break" is still better than a complete breakdown. The "breaking" we've seen with Orr calling the plays is worse than anything Pees did, imo. I'm still in favor of just having Pees take over--I mean at least he did do well enough to win a SB, lol And really...this offense is great enough to carry "bend don't break" (although the communication of defense HAS to improve). And besides...what other moves are available for the Ravens to make at the point?

Better to not speculate until we know. It could be a sprain too.

Or...the offense could just be having an off night no matter what the gameplan was. They're out of sorts for the first time all year. But this is where if you had a better defense...you could withstand it, lol