HoosierCat Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 How about this ............ you coming to the game or would you rather hide behind your PC, you skirt?What is there, a "Dummies" book for trolls? "When talking smack after your team has already dropped one to a division opponent: 1) start out calling people names; 2) make excuses for your loss; and 3) challenge anyone who challenges you to a fight." Yup, I'm sure you could be a big man once you're surrounded by 60,000 screaming Ravens fans. What a joke.Looks like your ticket just got punched!!It isn't my ticket you ought to be worrying about, it's the Ravens' ticket to the playoffs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevnz Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 JohnnieEgo,A thoughtful post, I'm impressed. You're wrong, but I'm still impressed. A lot of the Bengals games have been close, the Ravens game was not one of them. The Ravens biggest problem going into this game is that they still expect the Bengals to turn into the same old Bungles. That's not gonna happen. The Ravens have a really good defense. However they really need an offense that performs consitantly. The points pilled up against the 40whiners really is not an indication of the Baltimore offense, that was a combination of two things, heaps of turnovers, and like you said, the 40whiners just stopped playing. This should be a fairly evenly matched game. But Kitna is playing at a Pro Bowl level and has consistant weapons to throw to, but Anthony Wright started a a 3rd string QB this year, and his recievers (except his TE Heap) haven't showed that they can play consitantly. As for stopping the Bengals WR's yeah, shutting down one wideout is one thing, but if the shut Chad down, there's still P-Dub, and K-Wash to contend with, plus the TE's. I say the Bengals have the edge.As for Rallo...He's a p***y. He comes to my town I'll show him how we take care of things down south. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UCANTBEATOURJOHNSONS Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 The only teams that have proven a problem for Baltimore this year have been who? Pittsburgh (bengals beat them), Seattle (Wow, we beat them too!), and CINCINNATI (You lost once you dolts!). Seems to me the Ratbirds are in trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 Waddya know, Ego *can* actually talk football! Amazing. It's like watching one of those counting horses they used to have in vaudeville shows.In any event, Ravens should beat the Bengals. Bengals have been playing very close games and winning them.Yup. Emphasis on the winning part. The Bengals have demonstrated an annoying habit: playing to the level of the competition. I wouldn't be expecting a blowout.I think the clock will strike 12 Sunday.Strike 12? I'll settle for the clock striking :00 on time so you don't get an extra 30 seconds like you did to beat Seattle.Only teams with any success versus the Ravens were Pitt & Seattle.Funny, I didn't know the Ravens were 10-2...They attacked the secondary right down the middle of the field.Which the Bengals are quite capable of doing.The difference of late is that the offense hasn't been losing games for us. The defense is not that much different from 2000 and, quite frankly a QB, in Billick's scheme, only has to be average. Last week the 49ers, incredibly, just plain quit. All Anthony Wright is doing is just not turning the ball over.There's no doubt that Wright is an improvement over Boller and Redman. He has the Ravens offense going to the point where they're able to take advantage of your defenses' ability to create turnovers and good field position. What remains to be seen is whether he can start consistently driving the team down the length of the field for 7. Turnovers and field position are nice but you can't count on them.Ravens will stop the run and if we can stop T. Owens and Holt, why can't we stop Chad Johson & Warrick?Go ahead. Kitna will throw to Kelley Washington. Or Matt Schobel. Or Corey Dillon. Or Rudi Johnson. Or Jeremi Johnson. Warick and CJ are No. 2 and No. 1, but don't get fixated. The Bengals have 10 guys with double-digit reception numbers. Spreading the ball around has been key to their success.Also, with any luck at all, Ravens should be 10-2. Everything has gone wrong this year and we're 7-5.Here come the excuses again. Coulda...woulda...shoulda...Bengal fans could say the same thing. If we got the fumble that wasn't called against the Raiders, etc.An advantage that the Bengals have had each week is that they get zero respect. To anyone who has played competitive sports that's maybe worth 10 points a game------IMO. In the first meeting, the difference I saw was the Bengals seemed to have a gameplan and Kitna was very calm.The proverbial lightbulb has (apparently) finally gone on for Kitna, who says the game has slowed down for him. He's also got better coaching in the person of Ken Zampese and Marvin Lewis, who have instilled a new sense of patience in him -- mostly by telling him to take the sack or throw the ball away vs. making a dumb throw that gets picked.Like any QB, if we make him jump around and dont' gift wrap 21 points, we should win.I would keep an eye on the "jump around" bit. Kitna has shown some scrambling ability -- he had three rushes for 18 yards last week.In our first meeting everything went the Bengals way and every major Ravens play was called back. That said, we had a chance with the onsides kick at the end.See? Stopping with the excuses isn't so hard. You had a chance, you didn't get it done, now it's a new day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnieEgo Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 I guarantee you that the Ravens do not expect the "same old Bengals." They may of thought that during our first meeting, but I expect this game to be a playoff atmosphere. Also, I'd much rather the press hype Cincy and ignore Balt., like they've always done. That media pressure may take it's toll on your young team. At some point during the game your team will experience doubt, who do they look at for leadership? We have Ogden and Lewis ......... and even Wright, if you can believe that.I honestly don't think you guys can beat us "straight up" AND in Baltimore. We have to make mistakes. Also, I don't think you guys made any mistakes in our first meeting.The only "fear" I may have is that Billick has too much confidence in his secondary and accordingly Kitna will have time to throw. That is, complex blitzing schemes aren't our normal procedure.Jamal has been maybe 75% for 4 weeks now, but Wright can run.P.S. John Rallo is from the south. You'll have something in common. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnieEgo Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 "Turnovers and field position are nice but you can't count on them."__________________________________________Actually, Billick rode that theory all the way to a super bowl win. This guy punts consistently inside his opponents 40 yard line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevnz Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 At some point during the game your team will experience doubt, who do they look at for leadership? We have Ogden and Lewis ......... and even Wright, if you can believe that... "Turnovers and field position are nice but you can't count on them."__________________________________________Actually, Billick rode that theory all the way to a super bowl win. This guy punts consistently inside his opponents 40 yard line.Yeah, doubt, sure...Like when the opposing team scores a touchdown with just a minute left in the game and you have to drive over 50 yards to in it...Yeah doubt like that, surely the Bengals couldn't rebound from something like that....Oh wait, they already did. The Bengals have people to look to, Kitna, T James, K Hardy, people that the players look too. People that inspire the team to play better people that don't commit murder.....And it wouldn't have been Brian "the Genius" Pillick that road that stuff to the Super Bowl, he road Marvin Lewis' coattails to the Super Bow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnieEgo Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 Are you implying that Ray Lewis is guilty of murder? Figured you guys couldn't talk sport for long.Again, I don't think Marvin Lewis was anything without Ray. That's not smack talk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevnz Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 Hey, calling Ray Lewis a murderer is talking football, he did the crime but he still plays....It's out there.Marvin Lewis nothing without Ray Lewis? Now that's just nonsense. I think even Ray Lewis would say that. Marvin Lewis turned a rowdy lot of Redskins into a top 10 defense in one year. He consistantly improved the Ravens defense the entire time he was there. He has already completely turned around the Bengals, He brought them into the 21st century from the 60's. He is a hell of a coach and get's the most out of his players. and simply the Ravens wouldn't have won that Super Bowl if not for Marvin Lewis and that's a fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnieEgo Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 If Ray Lewis "did the crime" as you suggest, then how do you account for him being found innocent. I mean, there wasn't even a separate Civil Trial.As far as M. Lewis being responsible for the SB win, it can't be a fact if you can't prove it. Like I said, Ravens defense is real close to 2000 form and the common denominator is Ray, not Marvin, Lewis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevnz Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 If Ray Lewis "did the crime" as you suggest, then how do you account for him being found innocent. I mean, there wan't even a separate Civil Trial.As far as M. Lewis being responsible for the SB win, it can't be a fact if you can't prove it. Like I said, Ravens defense is real close to 2000 form and the common denominator is Ray, not Marvin, Lewis. No way are these ravens that good. The level of competition is nowhere near as high as it was in 2000. They had a much tougher schedule that year and they aren't even the best Defense in the NFL, or the AFC for that matter, there only fourth best. Ray Lewis is an important player on his teams defense. But they would still be pretty damn good without him this year, but in 2000 the defense would still have been great without him. (In his defense he is a better player than he was in 2000) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boobie Clark Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 Holy s**t! That's the first reasonable thing you've said. However, you lost to KC, Pitt and StL. So, no matter how you threw around KC and StL - it didn't help. I'm not at all concerned about your offense, although it has that Trent Dilfer just don't lose thing going. Cincy has a well balanced attack and they've got the psych advantage of winning round 1, all making this an interesting game. I've always been more afraid of this game than I was KC. Ray Lewis is a monster. I pray to get this game on local (Phoenix) TV and not another damn Broncos or Raiders game. UGH!!Now, my sister will beat down your sister! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bengalboy Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 The Bengals didn't have success against the Ravens? Hey Johnny, let go of my eggo. Under that pretty Raven uniform is still Cleveland's biggest bowel movements. Hey Rollo, you pitch or catch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalszoneBilly Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 Yo Boobie!! Do you live in Phoenix Arizona? I live up here in Prescott, Arizona, and I too hate the total lack of seeing the Bengals on TV!! I'll be in Phoenix this weekend to visit the in-laws, but I seriously doubt we'll get to see the Bengals at Ravens game unless we find a sports bar with the satellite football package on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hottub Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 Again, I don't think Marvin Lewis was anything without Ray.Well, let's see. You can look at total defense stats at:http://www.nfl.com/stats/teamsort/NFL/DEF-...AL/2001/regularhttp://www.nfl.com/stats/teamsort/NFL/DEF-...AL/2002/regularhttp://www.nfl.com/stats/teamsort/NFL/DEF-...AL/2003/regularAccording to those, when Marvin Lewis left Baltimore for Washington in 2002, the total defense dropped from 2nd to 22nd, while the Redskins went from 10th to 5th. When Lewis left Washington, they dropped from 5th to 25th (so far this year).Now the Bengals total defense has not improved so far this year - they were 17th in 2002, and they are 22 so far this year - but Marvin is not Defensive Coordinator this year. He's Head Coach and as such he's responsible for wins and losses, not yards allowed. And in the wins-and-losses category, Marvin Lewis has turned a two-game winner into a seven game winner (so far).I think that maybe - just maybe - Marvin Lewis is a *little* something, with or without Ray Lewis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnieEgo Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 "According to those, when Marvin Lewis left Baltimore for Washington in 2002, the total defense dropped from 2nd to 22nd"_________________________________________Ray Lewis missed 11 games in 2002 with injury AND that was our salary-cap purge year.Also, the Redskins "improvement" was 3 yards less (allowed) per game, while their "drop" was maybe 40 yards per game. I guess I could point to injuries to Bauman & Smoot in 2003, although ten of Washington's games have been decided by seven points or fewer.Although the Bengals defense hasn't necessarily improved, it's difficult to believe that Lewis doesn't put his scent on it at some point.IMO, I don't see him as being a material factor. That said, maybe a head-coaching job is really his forte'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevnz Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 IMO, I don't see him as being a material factor. That said, maybe a head-coaching job is really his forte'. Yeah, I'd say a head coaching job is his forte. That's a real understatement....He was a huge factor on those teams. I'd say if you asked anyone in the know, they'd tell you he was too. I mean even the offensive players on teams he was the coordinator for raved about him, that should say something.cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnieEgo Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 kevnz, I responded in a statistical fashion because that was the "battleground" that "hottub" chose. All else is subjective and thus arguable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevnz Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 kevnz, I responded in a statistical fashion because that was the "battleground" that "hottub" chose. All else is subjective and thus arguable. There are 3 kinds of lies:liesdamned liesand statistics....But in saying that they do point to some things. They show that Marvin Lewis was a hell of a coordinator.And really, isn't half the fun arguing? cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hottub Posted December 3, 2003 Report Share Posted December 3, 2003 Good points, Ego. I'm sure there are many factors. I agree (who could argue?) that Ray Lewis is a great player. But I also think that Marvin Lewis is a great coach. Washington didn't respond the way they could have, IMO, primarily because players like Arrington didn't want to buy into it. IIRC, there was an interview with the Redskins LBs during a Monday night game early last year where they said as much. Lewis was demanding a much more disciplined style of play than they were used to, and they sounded as tho it chaffed them a bit. I remember thinking "Shut up, you numbskull! Look what he did in Baltimore! Quit fighting it and you have a chance to be great!". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hottub Posted December 3, 2003 Report Share Posted December 3, 2003 I certainly agree about stats. Everyone loves stats when they support their position, and dismisses them when they don't. Still, it's just fun to drop some facts into a discussion sometimes. And the numbers *are* facts. Their interpretation, now, that's another matter... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnieEgo Posted December 3, 2003 Report Share Posted December 3, 2003 In any event, a win Sunday is much more important to us than it is to the Bengals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevnz Posted December 3, 2003 Report Share Posted December 3, 2003 In any event, a win Sunday is much more important to us than it is to the Bengals. Okay, now you're on the same crack that the KC and Pittsburg fans were on. This game is equally important to both teams. This is a playoff game, cause the odds are the loser will be on the outside looking in for the last wildcard spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnieEgo Posted December 3, 2003 Report Share Posted December 3, 2003 "Okay, now you're on the same crack that the KC and Pittsburg fans were on. This game is equally important to both teams. This is a playoff game, cause the odds are the loser will be on the outside looking in for the last wildcard spot. "__________________________________________________________(God give me strength) Ravens probably have to win out, especially if this is Bengals only loss. A tie with Cinn. does us no good given the tiebreakers as follows:1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs).2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.5. Strength of victory.6. Strength of schedule.7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.9. Best net points in common games.10. Best net points in all games.11. Best net touchdowns in all games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevnz Posted December 3, 2003 Report Share Posted December 3, 2003 Yeah, I know all of that. But (if the Bengals lose) then the tiebreakers start to favor the Ravens.1-even2-possibly even, you gotta figure that it would be cause The Bengals will beat the Browns, and I'd put money on the Ravens against the Steelers and Browns. 3-Pretty sure that the Ravens will have that tie breaker.So this is an equally important win for both teams. Besides, the Ravens have an easier schedule left, where as the Bengals still have to play an away game against the Rams, but all of the Ravens games are against sub 500 teams after the Bengals.This is a playoff game, win and you're in, lose and you might as well go home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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