Does anyone actually think the Ravens can beat the Patriots

[ASG0531]

Originally Posted by adpz

Gronk being out hurts a lot - adjustment talk aside. He's starting to look not very durable unfortunately - which I never would have expected for a guy as big and athletic as he is.

Anyway, Brady is the key to the Pats as anyone knows. I think the Ravens are more capable of pressuring Brady than the Texans D. Watt's a great player but it takes more than edge pressure to knock Brady off his game.

THAT is a legit issue for the Pats...however it is not involved in next Sunday's game.

[Wall Street]

God I really friggen hope so.

I think Baltimore is going to need to play the same type of game a Mid-major plays when they make a BCS bowl...Boise State nothing to lose mentality.

Or just get Brady to the turf a few times in the first half. I wear green goggles but that guy has a glass jaw.

[Hitman Harris]

Baltimore can beat those sissy-phags, and they will.

I'd enjoy seeing Brady and Lewis retire together, because Tammi is either gonna want to, or be FORCED to after that one!

[MarkyMarkSanchez]

Originally Posted by Gastineau99

Yes, Flacco is much better than Schaub, and the Ravens beat them last year, if not for an awful drop by some a-hole WR from Buffalo.

hmmmmmm

But yes the ravens can do it but they will be tired! Tired and hungry. Pats don't have gronk.

[joiseyjet]

Ray Lewis believes they can. & if all that stands between him &getting back tp the show is Brady I think lewis will be ready & have his team ready with his best locker room speach ever.

[carlito1171]

Originally Posted by BushyTheBeaver

You call 6-10 motivating?

Well it is, I guess.

I was referring to our playoff win in Foxboro in 2011.

[srobjets]

No.

[Tai Mai Shu]

At least Vegas don't think so.

NFL Lines AFC & NFC Conference Championship Games
NFL Football Line Conference Championship Playoffs.
Title Game NFL Playoff Lines 1/20, 2013

Date & Time Favorite Line Underdog Total
1/20 3:00 ET San Francisco -3.5 At Atlanta 48.5
1/20 6:30 ET At New England -9.5 Baltimore 51

[PatriotReign]

Originally Posted by SlickBri481

Just hope the Niners don't get upset next week because they can and will beat the Pats if it comes down to it

SF are beasts on D and they have an QB/offense to match. I don't see anyone beating them.

[Rob0729]

Originally Posted by detectivekimble

Once again, when a team is playing from 20 points behind, bad things tend to happen. In a tight game, you see how bad they suck. The Patriots' defense is not good. Stop with this ****.

Really, if the game is close and the other team has the ball with two minutes to go, do you really want the Patriots' defense on the field? They ****ing suck. The offense masks everything.

They did a great job in both Giants games last year.

Did you watch the game? The Texans started the game on the Pats' 11 yard line and were forced to kick a field goal after only getting 3 yards. They followed that drive up with four punts where none of their drives went for more than 38 yards. And 15 of their 28 points were scored AFTER the Pats got a 25 point lead.

Yesterday's game wasn't a blowout until 1:21 left in the third where the Pats went up 31-13. Up to that point, it never got more than a 14 point game and that was only for two minutes in the second. So the Pats held the Texans to 13 points until garbage time and then gave up 15 points in what was really garbage time with a 25 point lead in the fourth.

If you think yesterday was an example of the Pats defense looking good only because they had a huge lead, you either didn't watch the game or you don't understand football. Other than one drive at the end of the first half, the Pats defense did great without a huge lead.

[detectivekimble]

Originally Posted by Rob0729

Did you watch the game? The Texans started the game on the Pats' 11 yard line and were forced to kick a field goal after only getting 3 yards. They followed that drive up with four punts where none of their drives went for more than 38 yards. And 15 of their 28 points were scored AFTER the Pats got a 25 point lead.

Yesterday's game wasn't a blowout until 1:21 left in the third where the Pats went up 31-13. Up to that point, it never got more than a 14 point game and that was only for two minutes in the second. So the Pats held the Texans to 13 points until garbage time and then gave up 15 points in what was really garbage time with a 25 point lead in the fourth.

If you think yesterday was an example of the Pats defense looking good only because they had a huge lead, you either didn't watch the game or you don't understand football. Other than one drive at the end of the first half, the Pats defense did great without a huge lead.

I'm not talking about one game. The Jets scored 48 points in one game. Do you want me to argue that the Jets have a good offense?

I'm saying the Pats defense sucks. But, if you really believe otherwise, then no one can help you.

[detectivekimble]

Originally Posted by Fixit

See, here's how it works. The offense has been scoring a lot of points, while the defense was preventing them. Hence, the constant big leads.

As far as holding a small lead late, most teams struggle with that on a regular basis, because it's hard to defend when a team is in four-down desperation mode. Fortunately, NE is good enough on both sides of the ball to avoid those situations most of the time.

But whatever helps you get through being a Jets fan ...

If you think the Pats defense is good, you're delusional. I'm objective. I think Tom Brady is the best QB I've ever seen. At the same time, I think your defense sucks. Hopefully Flacco abuses you on national tv.

[Fixit]

Originally Posted by PatriotReign

SF are beasts on D and they have an QB/offense to match. I don't see anyone beating them.

Since (and including) the NE game, SF is giving up 30/game on defense.

[Fixit]

Originally Posted by detectivekimble

If you think the Pats defense is good, you're delusional. I'm objective. I think Tom Brady is the best QB I've ever seen. At the same time, I think your defense sucks. Hopefully Flacco abuses you on national tv.

How much did Seattle (best defense in football, mind you) give up yesterday? And how, exactly, did they lose at the end?

[Rob0729]

Originally Posted by detectivekimble

I'm not talking about one game. The Jets scored 48 points in one game. Do you want me to argue that the Jets have a good offense?

I'm saying the Pats defense sucks. But, if you really believe otherwise, then no one can help you.

The Pats defense doesn't suck. They were in the top 10 in points allowed (they gave up significantly less points than the Jets this season). That doesn't suck. They were among the top teams in takeaways. That doesn't suck.

They are not a great defense, but they are certainly at least average. I would say the defense as it is constituted now is above average. Don't confuse the bad defense that started the year with this defense.

[long island leprechaun]

Originally Posted by BushyTheBeaver

Exactly. It gets silly when fans start talking about games at a professional level being determined by "motivation," as if professional athletes need to be incentivized, cajoled, or tricked into caring whether or not they win or lose. I suspect a fair amount of it derives from the age old white perception of "lazy blacks."

I disagree. Psychology, motivation, will to win, not coming out flat... there is no doubt that teams fluctuate in regard to their edge and focus. It's more complex in team-driven sports than individual, where psychology can be absolutely the difference between winning and losing when the athletic skill level between opponents is a wash. How many fights did Ali win due to a psychological edge and unwillingness to go down? There are literally hundreds of examples on the professional level.

[Rob0729]

Originally Posted by detectivekimble

If you think the Pats defense is good, you're delusional. I'm objective. I think Tom Brady is the best QB I've ever seen. At the same time, I think your defense sucks. Hopefully Flacco abuses you on national tv.

It isn't Jets defense bad. Unlike the Jets, the Pats can stop the run, stop the opposing team from getting in the end zone at a better rate, turnover the ball, and get to the QB (at least better than the Jets). The only area the Jets are better than the Pats are yards allowed, but this because the Pats play a bend don't break defense and the opposing teams' average field position is deeper in their own territory.

BTW, don't actually think the Jets defense is bad, but the Pats defense is better than them in a lot of important areas. Yet, I bet you think the Jets have a good defense while the Pats defense sucks.

[SONNY WERBLIN]

The Ravens do have a legitimate shot. You don't out-finesse the Pats. You beat them up. And the Ravens have the ingredients to do it on D and O. Plus, I can not even imaging how jacked up Ray Lewis will have his guys. Lewis had 17 freakn' tackles against the Bronco's and the Ravens held the Bronco O to 21 points while scoring 7 on a pick 6. That D was outstanding against the Bronco's and I expect them to be even better against the Pats. My prediction is that Lewis, Suggs, Ngata, and Reed will rattle Brady, and the Pat D will not be able to come up with the big play to win a close game (they are just to used to playing with a big lead).

[CleatMarks]

I put this game at 60% Patriots 40% Ravens. The Ravens do have a good shot and if it were in Baltimore, I'd put it at 50%/50%. If the Ravens can't pressure Brady and he can get his guys open, it's at best for the Ravens, a shoot out.

[Borgoguy]

45-13 Pats.