Why is everyone talking up the Ravens in the National Media

[RPbillsfan]

I keep hearing about how good the Ravens are and how they will challenge for a playoff spot in the AFC.

 

Really, they have an average QB with a dimenishing skill set, no top of the line running backs (sorry, don't see Alex Collins as even close to elite), an ok offensive line, very solid at T, interior decent.  The WR group dosent scare me challenging the Bills secondary and their #1 pick TE Hayden Hurst is out Sunday.

 

Defense is solid and not spectacular, solid outside pass rush in Suggs and Judon, very average secondary.  Defensive line is solid but again not elite and they are down two starters one on the defensive line (Willie Harris) and without their top corner in Jimmy Smith (suspended for being a knucklehead)

 

The special teams return game is weak, great placekicker in Justin Tucker and a good punter.

 

They have the look to me of a 6 win team at best.

 

So, please tell me why the national media is all over their jocks unless I'm totally missing something.

[Fadingpain]

I'm no Ravens fan, but if you think they are a 6 win team at best, how many do you think we will win?

 

 

[Big C]

I said this in another thread. Not really sure what all this talk up is about. They are always competitive but they aren't an elite team. I do think a lot of this chatter is more about their favorable matchup this week. Feels a bit like that year we opened at Chicago. They went like 5-11 and we got to 9-7. Time will tell. I'm staying hopeful for now.

[Seanbillsfan2206]

Suggs is 52 years old. He’s definitely on the decline at this point. They don’t scare me. Bills 17 Ravens 13

[RPbillsfan]

1 minute ago, Seanbillsfan2206 said:

Suggs is 52 years old. He’s definitely on the decline at this point. They don’t scare me. Bills 17 Ravens 13

I see a score very similar with the Bills winning about 20-16

[MJS]

They went 7 and 2 to end the season I think. They shut out 3 teams last year, which is really impressive.

 

But mostly I think it is habit. The national media is used to them having a decent team, so talk them up.

[RPbillsfan]

8 minutes ago, Fadingpain said:

I'm no Ravens fan, but if you think they are a 6 win team at best, how many do you think we will win?

 

 

I believe this years Bills will be 7-9, slow start with so many tough road games, strong 2nd half

[GunnerBill]

They will win more games than Buffalo in 2018. Including one on Sunday. I think both of their lines are a little better than you credit, they are good at linebacker and decent in the secondary. 

 

Oh and they have for my money the 2nd best coach pound for pound in the league after Belichick. 10 years, only one below .500. 

Edited September 6, 2018 by GunnerBill

[LeGOATski]

They were on a role last season before barely missing the playoffs, IIRC. Flacco is playing well. The D is playing well.

 

They looked really good in preseason - this is probably mostly what the media is reacting to.

 

They're not unbeatable by any means. If the Bills get the ball out quick, they can neutralize the pass rush. I expect to see the Bills pass to set up the run and should be able to execute heavy run sets successfully.

 

I don't think the Ravens are hard to game plan against. They just have to execute. 

[JMF2006]

They are media darlings because they drafted TTV2 only this time they used a 1st rounder instead of a 4th

 

Funny how they have him listed at #2 QB but even they admit RG3 will come in if Falco gets hurt.

 

I look at their depth chart and it doesn't look that impressive.

 

Hopefully the Bills can come out and surprise them with an early score or two and quiet the crowd.

[DefenseWins]

I see a tight defensive struggle with a last second field goal being the decisive play. Bills 23-20...

 

[Fr. Jerk]

[PeterDude]

3 hours ago, RPbillsfan said:

I believe this years Bills will be 7-9, slow start with so many tough road games, strong 2nd half

 

And by the looks of things the Ravens should be a few games better than the Bills.  Hence the national media's viewpoint?

[Rochesterfan]

3 hours ago, LeGOATski said:

They were on a role last season before barely missing the playoffs, IIRC. Flacco is playing well. The D is playing well.

 

They looked really good in preseason - this is probably mostly what the media is reacting to.

 

They're not unbeatable by any means. If the Bills get the ball out quick, they can neutralize the pass rush. I expect to see the Bills pass to set up the run and should be able to execute heavy run sets successfully.

 

I don't think the Ravens are hard to game plan against. They just have to execute. 

 

I don’t think it was as much a roll as schedule.  After the bye week 3 of the 6 games were against teams that had lost their starting QB for the game (GB, Hou, and Indy) and 1 game against Cleveland.  That was their wins.  The 2 games against starting QBs - Pittsburgh and Cincinnati - they lost both of those.

 

The Ravens looked good this preseason, but I think the Media loves Harbaugh and overthinks what kind of a coach he is.  I don’t think that team is any better or worse than the Bills right now - to me the difference is home versus away.

 

I anticipate it is going to come down to a couple of teams - Buffalo, Baltimore, KC for the last playoff spot just like last year and the year before.  I think the difference in the teams overall is minimal, but with a week to week league that the NFL has become - you just don’t know what team will show up until the game starts.

[Fadingpain]

4 hours ago, RPbillsfan said:

I believe this years Bills will be 7-9, slow start with so many tough road games, strong 2nd half

I think Baltimore will end up with a better record than Buffalo.

 

 

[GunnerBill]

19 minutes ago, Rochesterfan said:

think the Media loves Harbaugh and overthinks what kind of a coach he is.

 

John Harbaugh is a brilliant football coach.

[Rico]

I have no idea what’s going to happen on Sunday, but there’s no one on this Ravens team that scares me. Suggs is the closest thing to an impact player, but he’s older than dirt. Everyone else is long gone.

[nucci]

Reputation...none of these writers have a clue what's going to happen this season.....they all said Bills would be a 2-4 win team last season

[YoloinOhio]

4 hours ago, MJS said:

They went 7 and 2 to end the season I think. They shut out 3 teams last year, which is really impressive.

 

But mostly I think it is habit. The national media is used to them having a decent team, so talk them up.

This. And laziness. I even heard someone pick them to go to the SB yesterday on the radio. ?

Edited September 6, 2018 by YoloinOhio

[CaptnCoke11]

Bills fans criticizing another teams talent just didn’t seem right to me... For many reasons