The question is, can you win a SB with _____ as the QB.
Flacco proved yes. He didn't have an unreal defense (Ravens D was rather mediocre this year...and it showed in that 2nd half). He had a good RB for sure, and he had solid receivers--but you can argue that's a prerequisite for any champion. But at the end of the day...a team built around Joe Flacco could, and did, win the Super Bowl.
There are plenty of QBs out there on Flacco's level that you could win with--some easier than others for sure. The Bills don't have one though.
The NFL is becoming a joke. You no longer need to have the best player or team. You just need to be playing the best in January. You don't need a great QB(Eli proved that TWICE)
Nope. Baltimore, New England, Denver, Houston, and Indiapolis are all almost a lock IMO.. Leaves 1 spot for either Cincy or Pittsburgh to obtain.
I agree with Denver, NE and Houston but Baltimore is anything but a lock. Hell, they barely made it this year really despite being like 8-2 or whatever at one point.
Indy won a lot of close games. Those can go either way. luck had his moments but the guy was a pick machine. You don't think that team had some incredible will or something due to Pagano do you?
Nope. Baltimore, New England, Denver, Houston, and Indianapolis are all almost a lock IMO.. Leaves 1 spot for either Cincy or Pittsburgh to obtain.
Neither are locks. Baltimore looks like a completely different team without #52. Indy had an incredibly soft schedule and Mathis and Freeney are only getting older. Pittsburgh's offense looks terrible (thank you Todd Haley). I just can't say anything bad about Cincy, without a running game they're not going to last long in the playoffs but they can go with anyone.
Truthfully the AFC is a weak conference with 2-3 elite teams and who knows after that. If Spiller and the new QB can win those swings game who knows where this team ends up...
Also don't forget Miami.... that defense looked sharp last year.
Neither are locks. Baltimore looks like a completely different team without #52. Indy had an incredibly soft schedule and Mathis and Freeney are only getting older. Pittsburgh's offense looks terrible (thank you Todd Haley). I just can't say anything bad about Cincy, without a running game they're not going to last long in the playoffs but they can go with anyone.
Truthfully the AFC is a weak conference with 2-3 elite teams and who knows after that. If Spiller and the new QB can win those swings game who knows where this team ends up...
Also don't forget Miami.... that defense looked sharp last year.
Not really. Ray was little more than an emotional leader on that team this year. The defense performed better after he went out with the triceps injury. They're also getting back Lardarius Webb and Jameel McClain, both of whom are very good players--Webb was primed to become the top player on the defense when he went down. Other guys like Corey Graham and Chalky Brown got valuable experience, as well, which will only improve the secondary. And if leadership is what you're worried about, that team still has it in spades elsewhere, even if they lose Ray and Reed. And I'm sure Newsome will replenish the roster with quality draft picks--it helps that this is a good year for safeties and LBs.
Neither are locks. Baltimore looks like a completely different team without #52. Indy had an incredibly soft schedule and Mathis and Freeney are only getting older. Pittsburgh's offense looks terrible (thank you Todd Haley). I just can't say anything bad about Cincy, without a running game they're not going to last long in the playoffs but they can go with anyone.
Truthfully the AFC is a weak conference with 2-3 elite teams and who knows after that. If Spiller and the new QB can win those swings game who knows where this team ends up...
Also don't forget Miami.... that defense looked sharp last year.
Indy's not a lock, but Baltimore won't change much without Lewis. He did absolutely nothing in the Supewbowl, and other than being a cheerleader, Baltimore will be fine without him. They're not going from winning the Superbowl to missing the playoffs because they lost Lewis.
They might need to get rid of him to resign flacco.
And YES. Having an average/maybe below average #1 and a bunch of 3rd/4th options isn't cutting it. Having someone to take pressure off stevie would be huge. The only issue is, neither one of them's very fast (although fitz can't throw deep anyway) and tj graham sucks
They might need to get rid of him to resign flacco.
And YES. Having an average/maybe below average #1 and a bunch of 3rd/4th options isn't cutting it. Having someone to take pressure off stevie would be huge. The only issue is, neither one of them's very fast (although fitz can't throw deep anyway) and tj graham sucks
Despite the speed issue I'd still kill for a possession game featuring Johnson and Boldin, which makes Jones/Nelson even better as they get to slide in as the actual 3/4 guys instead of playing at being number 2s.
There has got to be somebody else they can move to fit in Flacco, especially with Lewis retiring.
They might need to get rid of him to resign flacco.
And YES. Having an average/maybe below average #1 and a bunch of 3rd/4th options isn't cutting it. Having someone to take pressure off stevie would be huge. The only issue is, neither one of them's very fast (although fitz can't throw deep anyway) and tj graham sucks
From the way Reed speaks today and yesterday, he's not retiring. You never know, but I believe he will be back. They have a ton to do to retain their SB team.
Ozzie Newsome will find ways to keep the Ravens competitive if not very good. After living in the Baltimore area for 20 years now... well they are night and day when looking at the Bills. The Ravens are like their division rival Steelers... any down year they will bounce back the very next year. Meanwhile the Bills putz along at 6-10 and have their every three year coaching change.
The Ravens aren't going to miss Ray Lewis. He's been collecting pay checks for a few years now.
People underestimate how good Lardarius Webb is--he was set to be one of the elite corners in the league when he went down. Baltimore gets him back next year, which will be a huge addition to a Super Bowl-winning team. Additionally, they just won a Super Bowl with the reigning defensive POY (Suggs) missing the first five games and playing the rest of the season at about 80%. Also, as has been mentioned, the loss of Lewis from a football standpoint is being greatly overblown. He wasn't much of a contributor over the last two seasons of his career. People also underestimate how much getting rid of Cameron improved the psyche of Flacco, and the offense reaped the benefits.
Newsome will re-sign the right guys, let go the expendable ones, and replenish the roster through the draft--a draft that is deepest in two of their biggest need areas (ILB and S). And for all the talk about losing players and getting older, their main division rival (Steelers) is even older, and will also be losing important pieces (Wallace), as well.
Baltimore will win a minimum of 10 games next year.
Ozzie Newsome will find ways to keep the Ravens competitive if not very good. After living in the Baltimore area for 20 years now... well they are night and day when looking at the Bills. The Ravens are like their division rival Steelers... any down year they will bounce back the very next year. Meanwhile the Bills putz along at 6-10 and have their every three year coaching change.
The Ravens aren't going to miss Ray Lewis. He's been collecting pay checks for a few years now.
The Ravens were mostly a joke outside of like 2000 until Harbaugh arrived
Baltimore isn't a lock because they're not a very good team.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Myllz
If Baltimore isn't good, who is?
The first guy is right. If you dig into their season you would notice they have a win against NE that probably shouldn't have been(controversial FG.) Then you have Dallas. Bailey misses at the end. Then you have @ SD, a miracle 4th and 29 against a joke SD team. Then you have the game in PIT against the backup, backup QB(who beat them in BAL 2 weeks later)without Jones's punt return TD they LOSE!
The No Fun League isn't about being good or great anymore. It's about being average, just getting in and being hot/healthy in January.
The first guy is right. If you dig into their season you would notice they have a win against NE that probably shouldn't have been(controversial FG.) Then you have Dallas. Bailey misses at the end. Then you have @ SD, a miracle 4th and 29 against a joke SD team. Then you have the game in PIT against the backup, backup QB(who beat them in BAL 2 weeks later)without Jones's punt return TD they LOSE!
The No Fun League isn't about being good or great anymore. It's about being average, just getting in and being hot/healthy in January.
So you knock them for winning close games, saying they could've gone the other way, and then point to close losses but dont give them the benefit of the doubt. Great argument.
They were the 4th best team in the AFC during the regular season. Out of 16. That's pretty good, no matter how hard you try to rationalize it to the contrary.
People underestimate how good Lardarius Webb is--he was set to be one of the elite corners in the league when he went down. Baltimore gets him back next year, which will be a huge addition to a Super Bowl-winning team. Additionally, they just won a Super Bowl with the reigning defensive POY (Suggs) missing the first five games and playing the rest of the season at about 80%. Also, as has been mentioned, the loss of Lewis from a football standpoint is being greatly overblown. He wasn't much of a contributor over the last two seasons of his career. People also underestimate how much getting rid of Cameron improved the psyche of Flacco, and the offense reaped the benefits.
Newsome will re-sign the right guys, let go the expendable ones, and replenish the roster through the draft--a draft that is deepest in two of their biggest need areas (ILB and S). And for all the talk about losing players and getting older, their main division rival (Steelers) is even older, and will also be losing important pieces (Wallace), as well.
Baltimore will win a minimum of 10 games next year.
Excellent player but he is coming back from a torn ACL.... that will hurt his speed.
We're looking at a team the with enter the season with Reed and Lewis (Reed is too expensive for Baltimore) and their best player is coming back from an ACL tear.... If Boldin is cut/traded this team will fall behind early and Flacco will start forcing throws. Flacco deserves a lot of credit for his playoff run but he played three AFC teams that were terrible against the pass and couldn't apply pressure.... He puts up 21 points in the first half and when SF changes their scheme he becomes less potent..... Baltimore is not a 10 win team.
The NFL is becoming a joke. You no longer need to have the best player or team. You just need to be playing the best in January. You don't need a great QB(Eli proved that TWICE)
