Believe it or not, I WANT the Jets to play the Dolphins next week! The Phins have to exorcise that demon and kill off these pesky Jets or nothing else matters in my eyes!

Go Vikings?!?!? Are you losing it completely? It is a must-win for the Ravens tonight. Go Ravens!!!!

Originally posted by Pagan
Believe it or not, I WANT the Jets to play the Dolphins next week! The Phins have to exorcise that demon and kill off these pesky Jets or nothing else matters in my eyes!

NNNOOOO!!!!! I WANT the Dolphins to go to the Super Bowl. I know we need to beat them, but can we just play them next year?:vibrator:

Bad news for the Dolphins fans. The Ravens are heading south and we are bringing our defense. The receivers better be healthy in Miami, 'cause you are getting NOTHING on the ground.

The Ravens running game is working, so I think it will be a very low scoring game.

Flix, you'd better hope that the D can score some points, cause I think the offense of the Ravens has yet to click. If Miami scores more than 20, it's over. (just MHO, you know I love those Ravens) :rolleyes:

20 pts on the Ravens :eek: Are you nuts? ;)

Yes, I know how much you care for the Ravens. Your fanclub membership is in the mail. :D

***SMACK TALK TIME!*** :D

Hmmmmm....I do seem to recall that last year, when the Ravens had the alledged "best defense in the history of the NFL", they traveled to Miami and left on the bad side of a 16-6 score. Miami has a better team this year than they did last, especially at the WR position. The Ravens, however, are not what they were last year.

Looking at the Ravens' offense last night, the same can be said....you ain't gettin' NOTHIN' on the ground. My Man Zach will make sure of that! Grbac looked terrible, Jason Taylor is licking his chops waiting to get him! I see a close game, with Miami's receiving corps being the difference. The Ravens will "eat crow"!

Prediction: Dolphins 17-13

I remember the 6-16 game last season. If the Dolphins wants to win, then they have to throw the ball. Watch out for a McAlister, Ray Lewis or Woodson interceptions. The game will probably be decided on turnovers and I think the Ravens will have an advantage there, since it will be tough for the Dolphins to run the ball. I think the weakest link in Miami is the QB. He will not get a lot of time in the pocket, so he will probably have Ravens #58 Peter Boulware on top of him a few times.

Offense wins games, Defense wins Championships. Ravens will win 23-10. :D

Originally posted by Flix

Offense wins games, Defense wins Championships. Ravens will win 23-10. :D

Hate to bring up some stats here for ya Flix....but Miami has a nice little D also. While the Ravens gave up only 265 points this year, the Dolphins only gave up 290. The difference over 17 games averaged out per game is pretty small, considering that there were quite a few points scored on Miami by opposing defenses. The Ravens gave up 277 yards of total offense per game, the Dolphins gave up 288. Plus, the only good team in your division is the Steelers. Miami had to play the Jets and Patriots. So....pretty even on defense, wouldn't you say?

As far as offense, here's the breakdown:

Rushing: Ravens - 113 ypg 3.7 avg.
Dolphins - 104 ypg 3.5 avg.

Passing: Ravens - 224 ypg 57.5% comp. pct. 18 TDs 20 INTs
Dolphins - 208 ypg 60.7% comp. pct. 20 TDs 19 INTs

Once again, pretty damn even. Now...the game's in Miami, where the Dolphins are 7-1. The Ravens are 4-4 on the road.

I don't see where you think this score is going to be so lopsided in the Raven's favor. Grbac is as mobile as a cactus. Miami's D will get to him. You say that Feidler won't have alot of time in the pocket. That's okay, he's a pretty good scrambler. I'm sure to compensate for the Raven's pass rush they will call a good amount of rollout plays.

Watching the game Monday night, the Raven's barely could get out of their own way at home against a pathetic Viking team, while the Dolphins dismantled the Bills. Dolphins have the edge in momentum. I repeat my prediction....Miami 17-13.

Originally posted by Pagan
So....pretty even on defense, wouldn't you say?

I don't see where you think this score is going to be so lopsided in the Raven's favor.

GO RAVENS!!

Even?!?! I don't think so. Everyone knew that the Ravens would run it up the middle? Where was the great D?

Let me repeat myself. No one will score 20 pts on the Ravens in playoff football. Steelers are next. Goodnight, Kordell. We are going to the AFC Championship. The Steelers will be like the Dolphins - another bump on the road. :)

Gloating does not become someone Flix! I was going to come in and post a congratulatory post to the Ravens, but then you had to go and blow it! ;)

First off, kudos to the Ravens for winning. They played a solid game and stuck to their game plan, and it worked for them. However, they had a little help. Some from the refs, some from the Dolphins.

1. - Two non-fumble calls, one returned for a TD that would have definitely turned the game around. On one of them, a phantom defensive holding penalty, when the reciever wasn't yet 5 yards down the field. Bullshit calls that definitely had an impact on the game.

2. - That pass that Fiedler hit Mcknight in stride on at the 5 yard line, and the fool let it bounce off him and be intercepted. That would have turned the whole game around. Score would have been 17-10 with still 8 minutes to go. Took the wind right out of the Dolphin's sails.

3. - Stupid penalties commited by the Dolphins, especially on that 4th and one where Gadsden flinched. Had they gotten that 1st down, they would have had a little momentum.

Yea, the Ravens ran it down their throats. I knew they'd have some success thanx to Gardner being injured, and Zach's shoulder hurting was definitely a factor. He bounced off some tackles that he never would have had he been healthy. Chambers not playing was huge too. No one to stretch the field and keep the D honest.

I know, I know....we could say shoulda coulda all day. The fact is the Ravens won. But don't get cocky, Flix....just like the Ravens themselves. No one will score 20 on the Ravens in playoff football? Should they get lucky enough to go to the superbowl, do you really think they'll hold the Rams to under 20? That won't be the offensive challenged Vikings, Dolphins or Giants they'll be playing! It will be the Rams, in a dome. Not good.

I think you're looking past the Steelers a little too quickly also. They're not as banged up as Miami was, and their defense was better than the Ravens this year. If the bus is healthy you could be in for a long day. They might not have to score 20 to beat the Ravens. Their defense is good enough that the Ravens won't exactly be lighting up the scoreboard either.

In other words, don't count your chickens! That's why they play the games.....

*WARNING* *TRASH TALK AHEAD*

I'm sorry, but I couldn't help myself since you brought up the defense stats yourself. You didn't mention Gardner or Thomas as a problem back then, but NOW they're a factor. And Thomas still had A LOT of tackles. He stopped a few run-throughs, that could have resulted in more Ravens pts.

Anyways. You know the fumble for a TD was a incomplete pass. He never had the ball under control with both feet on the ground. The pass to McKnight would not have changed a thing. They scored 3 pts in the first 42 mins, what makes you think they would score a TD in the last eight mins?

I just had to say something since I have heard about this great Miami team all year. They are good, but they are not ready for playoff football.

The Ravens defense didn't you show up for the last two games against the Steelers. If they do that this time, the Steelers won't stand a chance. I will go with 22-13 Ravens win next week.

Flix my man, what makes you think that the Ravens can score 22 points on the Steelers' league leading defense when they could only score 20 on the Dolphins injured one?

As for Thomas, yes he had alot of tackles, but most were after the runner got through the line of scrimmage, not meeting them at the line like he usually does.

That pass to McKnight wouldn't have changed anything??? Making the score 17-10 with nine minutes to go wouldn't change anything??? I must have been watching a different game! ;)

I have been saying that Gardner's absence was big all along. I didn't think the Ravens had the horses to exploit that, but I'll admit when I was wrong. I never said Miami was great. Never held any superbowl aspirations, I knew they were a good team, but needed that extra ooomph on offense. Had Chambers played, they would have had that. Ward also dropped a few passes that would have been first downs.

Things happen, part of the game, but to say that Miami wasn't a playoff team is laughable. They went 11-5 in a tough division. Your boys went 10-6 in one of the easiest divisions in the NFL. I'd love to play the Browns and Bengals twice a year, and if the Steelers had a decent kicker who didn't miss 4 field goals in that first game, you would have been 9-7. Not exactly a powerhouse.

I also noticed you said nothing about the sack and fumble and the phantom holding call. :D

Sorry Bud...I can't bring myself to root for the Ravens. I prefer teams to hold their heads high with some class. The Ravens show none at all. They brag about themselves, put other people down, and generally act boorish. "Best defense in the history of the NFL"? I think the 70's Steel Curtain and the '85 Bears have a better claim to that. Neither of them lost 6 games in a year.

Good luck next week....you'll need it!