This hurts:
[TSN]
Now the birds' situation looks all the more desperate; you don't want to ruin Flacco with WR scrubs. Harrison's leverage just skyrocketed.
On the Bolts side of things, I still can't understand why so many predict a large fall for this season. Both for the team and LT. Last year, the Chargers' two best players were out (LT was essentially out with his toe injury) and they still made the playoffs, and ohbytheway beat the hottest team in the NFL at the time, the Colts. All without a sliver of pass D.
This is a young team that gets better every year. The fact that opponents now need to plan for Sproles as well as LT suggests a minor renaissance for the big man. Merriman will cause havoc, especially if English is any good. Rivers had the best QB rating in the league last year, throwing TDs to 9 different players. Once the D improves, the offense will look that much better.
Will they win 14 games again? No. Will they win their division? Likely. Will the "hard" schedule hurt them? A little I suppose. But even in their "terrible" year last year, they amassed a 5-1 record in their division, 6-0 if not for Hochuli. The Bolts under Turner have consistently won when it matters most. I expect more of the same this season.
- Matt
Showing posts with label Ravens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ravens. Show all posts
Monday, July 27, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Mid-March State of the Blog
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Ok, just gentlemen.
Here's a long-awaited post from me, as I've been slacking a lot, after giving Will a lot of shit earlier. With the Penguins streaking (10 straight games with at least a point earned), I've been spending a ton of time on the Pensblog in a state of maddening joy. But it's time to rap, gents. About the sports.
Baltimore Orioles: Orioles Hangout had a very good post on Brian Matusz's pitching mechanics recently. I recommend reading it, but you may not like what you hear. In short, he needs a lot of work, meaning he probably won't make an impact in the majors until at least 2012. Whatever keeps the arm fresh is good with me though.
And, uh, Orioles will flirt with .500 as late as September. Bank on it.
Baltimore Ravens: It's good that the dirty birds kept Ray Ray. He's one of the most beloved players in Baltimore sports history, no matter what the rest of the country thinks. The only thing to watch is a potential "old guard" versus new D coordinator situation, much like the Steelers experienced with Alan Faneca in their offensive line. Which reminds me, Steelers suck.
San Diego Chargers: Good move restructuring LT's deal without trying to rip him off. He's still a top 5 back in the league, he just needs to get healthy. Cutting down on the money while including guarantees for the roughest position in all of sports is a fair compromise. It's even better that this got resolved early in the offseason, rather than creating a boiler pressure situation after the draft. I'm feeling good about the Bolts next season.
Indianapolis Colts: are gay.
Maryland Terrapins: WOOOOOOOO! I like the first round matchup with Cal. It's a rematch of the football game last fall when the Terps surprised the Bears. MD has a good chance, I'm penciling them in the W column. They're starting to play well on neutral courts, which will be very useful in the very near future.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Streaking! Suddenly, the Pens find themselves in the 5 seed position with 82 points. With 11 games left to play, one figures the Pens need to go 6-5 the rest of the season to be assured a playoff spot. That would be 43 wins and 94 points, which is enough in the post-lockout landscape. Depending on their first round matchup, they could be doing a lot of damage. The first line is looking very good these days, Guerin, Kunitz and Crosby all had 3 points in this afternoon's game. It was good enough to make the scoring race a 1-2 Penguins punch, which is the first time since Lemieux-Jagr that it's happened this late in the season.
Washington Capitals: Whaaa?!? Considering a third of our readership is Caps fans, I'm giving legitimate space to reporting about them without calling them names. Given their stellar track record at home (despite recent struggles), their recent road power show speaks volumes. On the other hand, their first round opponent will come out swinging in the first two games, knowing that the Caps can clean up in another team's arena. Ovechkin in particular has picked up his game away from home, but bank on him creating more points at home in the postseason. The worry spot for fans has to be Green; teams are starting to pick up on his reluctance to take the body. The playoffs are a grind, and dirty goals are a must. The Ovechkin Play (TM) on the power play may not work, so the Caps have to find a way to adjust.
NHL: Red Wings have taken the points lead. Who's surprised? ...Columbus is the lovable underdog in the West, they're in good position to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. ...Philly may make a push for the Atlantic division title if Brodeur stops owning the league soon. They have several games in hand on most Eastern teams. ...It seems only one of the Sabres, Canes and Panthers will make the playoffs. I'm banking on the Hurricanes to finally snap their drought.
Totally wrong NCAA tourney predictions later this week.
- Matt
Here's a long-awaited post from me, as I've been slacking a lot, after giving Will a lot of shit earlier. With the Penguins streaking (10 straight games with at least a point earned), I've been spending a ton of time on the Pensblog in a state of maddening joy. But it's time to rap, gents. About the sports.
Baltimore Orioles: Orioles Hangout had a very good post on Brian Matusz's pitching mechanics recently. I recommend reading it, but you may not like what you hear. In short, he needs a lot of work, meaning he probably won't make an impact in the majors until at least 2012. Whatever keeps the arm fresh is good with me though.
And, uh, Orioles will flirt with .500 as late as September. Bank on it.
Baltimore Ravens: It's good that the dirty birds kept Ray Ray. He's one of the most beloved players in Baltimore sports history, no matter what the rest of the country thinks. The only thing to watch is a potential "old guard" versus new D coordinator situation, much like the Steelers experienced with Alan Faneca in their offensive line. Which reminds me, Steelers suck.
San Diego Chargers: Good move restructuring LT's deal without trying to rip him off. He's still a top 5 back in the league, he just needs to get healthy. Cutting down on the money while including guarantees for the roughest position in all of sports is a fair compromise. It's even better that this got resolved early in the offseason, rather than creating a boiler pressure situation after the draft. I'm feeling good about the Bolts next season.
Indianapolis Colts: are gay.
Maryland Terrapins: WOOOOOOOO! I like the first round matchup with Cal. It's a rematch of the football game last fall when the Terps surprised the Bears. MD has a good chance, I'm penciling them in the W column. They're starting to play well on neutral courts, which will be very useful in the very near future.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Streaking! Suddenly, the Pens find themselves in the 5 seed position with 82 points. With 11 games left to play, one figures the Pens need to go 6-5 the rest of the season to be assured a playoff spot. That would be 43 wins and 94 points, which is enough in the post-lockout landscape. Depending on their first round matchup, they could be doing a lot of damage. The first line is looking very good these days, Guerin, Kunitz and Crosby all had 3 points in this afternoon's game. It was good enough to make the scoring race a 1-2 Penguins punch, which is the first time since Lemieux-Jagr that it's happened this late in the season.
Washington Capitals: Whaaa?!? Considering a third of our readership is Caps fans, I'm giving legitimate space to reporting about them without calling them names. Given their stellar track record at home (despite recent struggles), their recent road power show speaks volumes. On the other hand, their first round opponent will come out swinging in the first two games, knowing that the Caps can clean up in another team's arena. Ovechkin in particular has picked up his game away from home, but bank on him creating more points at home in the postseason. The worry spot for fans has to be Green; teams are starting to pick up on his reluctance to take the body. The playoffs are a grind, and dirty goals are a must. The Ovechkin Play (TM) on the power play may not work, so the Caps have to find a way to adjust.
NHL: Red Wings have taken the points lead. Who's surprised? ...Columbus is the lovable underdog in the West, they're in good position to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. ...Philly may make a push for the Atlantic division title if Brodeur stops owning the league soon. They have several games in hand on most Eastern teams. ...It seems only one of the Sabres, Canes and Panthers will make the playoffs. I'm banking on the Hurricanes to finally snap their drought.
Totally wrong NCAA tourney predictions later this week.
- Matt
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Championship Weekend Preview
First, Arizona vs. Philly.
Don't care. Next.
Baltimore Offense vs. Pittsburgh Defense
Baltimore's offense relies on the run to set up the pass. Pittsburgh's defense specializes in blocking the run first so the opposing team forces passes. For the Ravens to succeed, they'll have to attack with the deep ball early. Unless Polamalu seriously picks up his game, that's the most vulnerable part of the Steelers' D right now. Keep the ball away from the middle of the field unless absolutely necessary. Pittsburgh has the best linebacking corps in the entire league.
Advantage: Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Offense vs. Baltimore Defense
It's no secret Rex Ryan likes to order the blitz a lot. This works well in the first 28 minutes of each half. As the Steelers have shown, the final two minutes is when this tactic tends to backfire a lot. What usually may work for the Ravens will not help them here. They're going to need serious adjustments on the defensive scheme when crunch time comes, or Ravens fans may be glad that Ryan's probably leaving for another job in the near future. Roethlisberger is very good at picking up the blitz and converting on big third downs. This is what killed the Chargers. Injuries have also devastated the Ravens' D. When healthy, this is an easy pick for Baltimore. But 18 weeks without a bye have caught up to them, and it will show tomorrow.
Advantage: Pittsburgh (in the long run)
Special Teams
Despite the punt return for a TD in their last game, the Pittsburgh return game remains pretty sad. Their punter is also pretty much the worst in the league. On the other side, Baltimore boasts one of the best kicker-punter tandems in the league. Stover is clutch, but he's also not as effective as he once was in the 40+ yard range. Pittsburgh has been windy as hell the past couple weeks, so it will all depend on field position. Expect the Steelers to pick the side of the field rather than kick/return if they win the opening coin flip.
Advantage: Baltimore
Overall
There are two main factors in this game: how effective Willie Parker can be against the D that's given him problems his entire career, and whether Baltimore's D can make the proper adjustments instead of over-blitzing as they often do. Another big factor is health, which is not in the Ravens' favor. The game is winnable by either side, especially if the stars step up in a huge way. But looking at it objectively, Pittsburgh has a greater chance of winning.
Prediction: Steelers 24, Ravens 10
- Matt
Don't care. Next.
Baltimore Offense vs. Pittsburgh Defense
Baltimore's offense relies on the run to set up the pass. Pittsburgh's defense specializes in blocking the run first so the opposing team forces passes. For the Ravens to succeed, they'll have to attack with the deep ball early. Unless Polamalu seriously picks up his game, that's the most vulnerable part of the Steelers' D right now. Keep the ball away from the middle of the field unless absolutely necessary. Pittsburgh has the best linebacking corps in the entire league.
Advantage: Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Offense vs. Baltimore Defense
It's no secret Rex Ryan likes to order the blitz a lot. This works well in the first 28 minutes of each half. As the Steelers have shown, the final two minutes is when this tactic tends to backfire a lot. What usually may work for the Ravens will not help them here. They're going to need serious adjustments on the defensive scheme when crunch time comes, or Ravens fans may be glad that Ryan's probably leaving for another job in the near future. Roethlisberger is very good at picking up the blitz and converting on big third downs. This is what killed the Chargers. Injuries have also devastated the Ravens' D. When healthy, this is an easy pick for Baltimore. But 18 weeks without a bye have caught up to them, and it will show tomorrow.
Advantage: Pittsburgh (in the long run)
Special Teams
Despite the punt return for a TD in their last game, the Pittsburgh return game remains pretty sad. Their punter is also pretty much the worst in the league. On the other side, Baltimore boasts one of the best kicker-punter tandems in the league. Stover is clutch, but he's also not as effective as he once was in the 40+ yard range. Pittsburgh has been windy as hell the past couple weeks, so it will all depend on field position. Expect the Steelers to pick the side of the field rather than kick/return if they win the opening coin flip.
Advantage: Baltimore
Overall
There are two main factors in this game: how effective Willie Parker can be against the D that's given him problems his entire career, and whether Baltimore's D can make the proper adjustments instead of over-blitzing as they often do. Another big factor is health, which is not in the Ravens' favor. The game is winnable by either side, especially if the stars step up in a huge way. But looking at it objectively, Pittsburgh has a greater chance of winning.
Prediction: Steelers 24, Ravens 10
- Matt
Sunday, December 21, 2008
The Ravens Are Some Sort of Football Team.
It's not my place to write about other people's favorite teams. But Will hasn't posted since I last had sex, so let's go ahead and do him a favor:
First of all, it's nice that the Ravens are in control of their own destiny. No, I'm not bitter that a team I honestly thought was going to win the Super Bowl this year and who I happen to root for is NOT in control of their own destiny, why do you ask? But the Ravens need to beat the severely underachieving Jags to make the playoffs for sure, regardless of what goes down in the AFC East. The Chargers... let's move on.
Didn't care enough to watch the actual broadcast, but I saw the recap on nfl.com and it went something like this:
Announcer #1: The Cowboys are great, aren't they?
Announcer #2: (Mouth full of Cowboy dick)
I mean, seriously, the second guy did all but cup the balls. Go ahead and watch the video recap. As Mason scoops up the fumble, and as McGahee breaks free of tacklers, he says "ohhh noooo" on the air pretty loudly. Let's keep in mind this was a nationally broadcast game, not some shitty Dallas CBS announcers. But it gets better. As McClain rumbles in for the second TD in two plays (holy fuck, by the way), you can actually hear him take off his headset and slam it on something! Where the hell do they find these guys? Unemployment office parking lot in Texas? Let's get a Detroit guy instead, at least the color commentary would just be gentle sobbing.
Besides the joke announcing job, the other thing that stands out is how overrated Jason Garrett is/was. When I heard the Ravens were pursuing him, I told people "oh, so they want exactly what Billick was?" And look, now Dallas looks stupid for opening up the checkbook for someone who benefitted from talented players. Phillips is possibly worse than Norv, he shouldn't have an NFL head coaching job. Harbaugh is good, definitely better than average in this league. And Flacco is the best QB the Ravens have had, maybe better than Vinny Testaverde (don't wet yourself just yet, Ravens fans).
Is any of this enough to make me root for my original home team again? Hell no. Brees with both eyes gouged out is better than most of Bmore's offensive players, and Rivers, though a huge dick, is vastly more skilled than Flacco. LT is causing many people to panic, but he's still a quality back, better than McGahee or McClain. San Diego lost to the current playoff teams that have clinched playoff spots by a total of 4. Throw in Denver, and it's 5. It just goes to show how much luck matters. Pittsburgh is incredibly lucky, San Diego is incredibly unlucky this year. Baltimore's MO is win or get blown out, unless the opposing offense is inept (Pitt, Tenny).
In short, congrats Ravens fans, but it's not over. It's actually possible the Chargers make it and you don't. Hopefully I don't see too many urine stains on people's pants (at least I hope it's urine) when I get back in town, because the birds aren't even close to the Super Bowl yet. Well, that's my backhanded compliment entry for the month, time to go pretend the Pens aren't missing half their team right now...
- Matt
First of all, it's nice that the Ravens are in control of their own destiny. No, I'm not bitter that a team I honestly thought was going to win the Super Bowl this year and who I happen to root for is NOT in control of their own destiny, why do you ask? But the Ravens need to beat the severely underachieving Jags to make the playoffs for sure, regardless of what goes down in the AFC East. The Chargers... let's move on.
Didn't care enough to watch the actual broadcast, but I saw the recap on nfl.com and it went something like this:
Announcer #1: The Cowboys are great, aren't they?
Announcer #2: (Mouth full of Cowboy dick)
I mean, seriously, the second guy did all but cup the balls. Go ahead and watch the video recap. As Mason scoops up the fumble, and as McGahee breaks free of tacklers, he says "ohhh noooo" on the air pretty loudly. Let's keep in mind this was a nationally broadcast game, not some shitty Dallas CBS announcers. But it gets better. As McClain rumbles in for the second TD in two plays (holy fuck, by the way), you can actually hear him take off his headset and slam it on something! Where the hell do they find these guys? Unemployment office parking lot in Texas? Let's get a Detroit guy instead, at least the color commentary would just be gentle sobbing.
Besides the joke announcing job, the other thing that stands out is how overrated Jason Garrett is/was. When I heard the Ravens were pursuing him, I told people "oh, so they want exactly what Billick was?" And look, now Dallas looks stupid for opening up the checkbook for someone who benefitted from talented players. Phillips is possibly worse than Norv, he shouldn't have an NFL head coaching job. Harbaugh is good, definitely better than average in this league. And Flacco is the best QB the Ravens have had, maybe better than Vinny Testaverde (don't wet yourself just yet, Ravens fans).
Is any of this enough to make me root for my original home team again? Hell no. Brees with both eyes gouged out is better than most of Bmore's offensive players, and Rivers, though a huge dick, is vastly more skilled than Flacco. LT is causing many people to panic, but he's still a quality back, better than McGahee or McClain. San Diego lost to the current playoff teams that have clinched playoff spots by a total of 4. Throw in Denver, and it's 5. It just goes to show how much luck matters. Pittsburgh is incredibly lucky, San Diego is incredibly unlucky this year. Baltimore's MO is win or get blown out, unless the opposing offense is inept (Pitt, Tenny).
In short, congrats Ravens fans, but it's not over. It's actually possible the Chargers make it and you don't. Hopefully I don't see too many urine stains on people's pants (at least I hope it's urine) when I get back in town, because the birds aren't even close to the Super Bowl yet. Well, that's my backhanded compliment entry for the month, time to go pretend the Pens aren't missing half their team right now...
- Matt
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Feel Good Hit of the Summer
Baseball season over, sort of. Woot.
For the first time in years, I'm legitimately satisfied with the teams that ended up making the playoffs. The only team I'll be rooting against this year is the Red Sox, for obvious reasons. If the White Sox make it, I might prefer they lose. I could do analysis of the playoffs but no one gives a shit. What a poop sport. Anyway, here's the ideal matchups in the World Series for me:
1. Chicago Cubs vs. Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays
Why: You root for both of these teams unless you're a douchebag. Win-win for baseball fans.
2. Philadelphia Phillies vs. Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays
Why: Best offensive World Series ever? Maybe, but at least it wouldn't be boring.
3. Milwaukee Brewers vs. Minnesota Twins
Why: No one not bordering Canada would watch this series. Baseball would look like a joke sport and have a forgettable "Classic". Bud Selig gets killed by a foul ball. Also, this would be a huge FUCK YOU to the big market teams.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Why: Besides being a good matchup, it would have lots of promotional power and happen late at night so I'd never have to watch it.
5. Chicago Cubs vs. Chicago White Sox
Why: I needed filler. Might be fun, but we'd be bored of Chicago references in seconds.
Honorable Mention: Red Sox vs. Anyone who beats them in 7 games
Why: Red Sox go up 3-0, pull biggest choke job ever. Tell me that wouldn't be fantastic.
In other news, Ravens will win the AFC North. You heard it here first. I'd rant about the retarded 4th and inches the Steelers took a FG on (ended up almost winning the game for the Ravens), but Blood Sugar Sex Magik came out on Rock Band and is fucking sweet. I'm out.
- Matt
Sunday, September 7, 2008
VOMIT
Wow... that was a sucker punch and a half. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you obviously don't follow football. Full recap of the game tomorrow if I don't kill myself.
However, congrats to Ryan and Flacco to winning their NFL debuts. With actual supporting casts, they could be in the top 10 of QBs in the league. Granted, seeing the competition is enough to say anyone deserves such an honor.
- Barf
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Foosball Blog
Well, I was going to write something about big schools scheduling cupcake opponents, but Thomas Neumann at ESPN wrote this surprisingly good article doing a much better job than I could have done. Therefore, mini previews for the NFL games are in order.
Detroit at Atlanta: I think, and Will disagrees, that Atlanta has a very good shot at pulling off the upset. I believe not in Atlanta, but against Detroit. Atlanta seems ready to pretend last year never happened, but Detroit is hoping they can duplicate their fast start. Too much written about this, ugh.
Seattle at Buffalo: If it were November or later, I'd say Buffalo would win. And Seattle is usually better than it's given credit for.
Jets at Miami: Sure, everyone will be paying attention to this game. I'd love to see Miami pull off the upset, but realistically...
Kansas "City" at New England: Tempt me with a 16 point spread will you? Let's see, a team unchanged from last year (mostly) versus a terrible team mostly unchanged from last year... yeah, moving on.
Tampa Bay at New Orleans: I'm too classy to make a hurricane joke. I think the Bucs blow and the Saints have a gale force offense, powered by Drew Brees. With suspect defenses, there will be a storm of passing and a flood of running, breaking the levees of the defensive line. Did I forget to include a "not" in the first sentence?
St. Louis at Philthadelphia: Yawn. Eagles fans are annoying.
Houston at Pittsburgh: Consider this: Houston is 1-0 all time at Heinz Field. Might actually be an entertaining game, but just in case it sucks, wait until halftime to watch.
Jax at Tenn: Too lazy to type out two of the longest team location names. While it looks like a Jags blowout in the making, the TITans did surprise them last year. I'm already bored though.
Cincy at Baltimore: Joe "Af" Flacco (say it aloud) could be good. Or he could be bad. Those are pretty much the two options, but hearing someone say something along those lines in the commentary is pretty much a given. I still think the Ravens have a good chance of winning, and since I'm not a Ravens fan I don't fear jinxing them. Ravens 24-20.
Carolina at San Diego: As a Chargers fan, I refuse to jinx them.
AZ at SF: Too bad Leinart isn't playing. They could have made this season Real World: NFL Quarterback and interviewed him between downs talking shit about the other players, and also beer.
Dallas at Cleveland: At least one of these overrated teams will look stupid after this game.
Chicago at Indianapolis: When you think the Bears might win, you remember that despite an injury, Manning still plays like Manning, and the Bears will always suck when they have the ball.
Minnesota at Green Bay: Almost unfair to Aaron Rodgers. But I've had enough arrogance from fat fucks from Cheeseland to want to see the Packers get pummeled.
Denver at Oakland: Either a really bad football game or a really good KISS concert.
I am seriously Jonesing for some hockey. I might do something crazy soon.
- Matt
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
AFC Preview: Where Winners Go To Win (part 1)
It occurred to me during a severely long and boring meeting today that I should talk a little about all 16 teams in the AFC. Why? Because between mental masturbation and hallucination lies the sports part of my brain. Here's a rundown of each team, their go-to offensive play, the relative strength of their D, and their chance at winning their division or the Super Bowl.
AFC North: The Least North Division Ever
Baltimore Ravens
Go-To Play: Offensive genius Kyle Boller throws directly to the opponents, in the hopes that they will fumble after the hit, giving the Ravens an automatic first down.
Defense: In the rare event you actually score against this unit, watch your back. Seriously man, half of them have knives and shit.
Chances of Winning: Not good, but they did win a Super Bowl title with this man:
Cleveland Browns
Go-To Play: Move to Baltimore and win the Super Bowl in less than 10 years. If that fails, have whats-his-name pass to the guy, number eighty or ninety something or whatever.
Defense: Sometimes the best defense is an awful defense. Wait...
Chances of Winning: About as likely as Bush's third term.
Nasty 'Nati Bengals
Go-To Play: Any passing play in which fat guys don't break Carson Palmer's knees.
Defense: You've got to be fucking kidding me.
Chances of Winning: You know what? Let's just move on to Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Go-To Play: "Fast" Willie Parker hops on a motorcycle and books it into the end zone. Note to offensive linemen: make sure Roethlisberger is wearing a helmet during this play.
Defense: While the "Steel Curtain" era is long over, the modern Steelers' "Lead Drapes" has not yet let a single gamma ray particle into their end zone.
Chances of Winning: Good, unless they have to play in the AFC Championship at any point, where they are approximately 6-73 in the past 42 years.
More tomorrow, so I can stretch this feature out over 8 days
- Matt
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