Do they realize that they play the texans this sunday ?

[EllisUnit]

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/pos...super-bowl-run

The Baltimore Ravens will go to the Super Bowl this year. Correction: The Ravens had better get to the Super Bowl this year.

In 16 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, linebacker Ray Lewis has only one Super Bowl ring. Can he get his second this season?With playoff nemesis Pittsburgh out of the way, the biggest obstacle standing in the way of the Ravens and a trip to Indianapolis is themselves. Look around the remaining AFC playoff field, and there's a team that didn't have a winning record in the regular season (Denver Broncos), a team starting a third-string rookie quarterback (Houston Texans) and a team that has the AFC's worst defense (New England Patriots).

You know that Ray Lewis broke into his pregame dance when he saw what was left in the AFC. Baltimore starts its postseason by playing the Texans on Sunday after a bye week. It was only three months ago that the Ravens beat the Texans by 15 points after a bye week.

If the Patriots win the other AFC divisional-round game Saturday, the Ravens would have to play the AFC Championship Game in New England, where they beat Tom Brady and the Patriots by 19 points two years ago. If the Broncos work their magic again, the AFC Championship Game would be played in Baltimore, where the Ravens have won 10 straight.

Everything is set up for the Ravens this year. If they don't reach the Super Bowl now, they might never do so under coach John Harbaugh.

Some would say it's the Ravens' destiny to go to a Super Bowl in Indianapolis, the city where the Colts moved from Baltimore. The fact is, the team's postseason path has never been more favorable, especially in Harbaugh's four seasons.

Always a wild-card team, Baltimore has had to play all seven playoff games under Harbaugh on the road. As a No. 2 seed this year, the Ravens host a postseason game for the first time in five years.

Baltimore failed to make it to the Super Bowl the previous three years because it couldn't get past Ben Roethlisberger (twice) and Peyton Manning. Roethlisberger is out of the playoffs after hobbling the past month on a high ankle sprain, and Manning has been out for the entire season after neck surgery. How many years will two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks be out of the Ravens' way before they play their first postseason game?

The Ravens are stressing to everyone to play with a sense of urgency.

"That’s the biggest thing that we emphasize to everybody in the locker room, whether they are 16 years in the league or rookies: Seize every moment," defensive end Cory Redding said. "Control the opportunity you are in. Never take this for granted."

Part of that sense of urgency comes from not knowing how much longer the Ravens will have linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Ed Reed, two of the best to play their positions. Both have been struggling toward the end of the season and will be older than 33 next season.

This Super Bowl run will come down to the Ravens' next generation, running back Ray Rice and linebacker Terrell Suggs. The Ravens are at their best when Rice is breaking long runs and Suggs is hitting quarterbacks.

The Ravens, though, haven't played their best heading into the postseason. In the final three weeks of the regular season, Baltimore got routed in San Diego, survived a late rally against Cleveland and needed two big touchdown runs by Ray Rice to outlast Cincinnati.

In Baltimore's defense, no AFC team is playing great. Houston and Denver both lost their last three games of the regular season, and New England had to come back from big first-quarter deficits (17 and 21 points) to win its last two games.

What has separated the Ravens from the remaining AFC teams is their ability to beat the best teams. The Ravens went undefeated in a division that sent three teams to the playoffs. Baltimore is also 6-0 against this year's playoff teams, which is far better than New England (1-2), Houston (3-2) and Denver (1-3).
“I’ve got the Ravens going to the Super Bowl," former Ravens coach Brian Billick told a Baltimore radio station. "They’re going to beat Houston. I think they can go in and beat New England."

When it comes to the postseason, the biggest question mark for the Ravens is quarterback Joe Flacco. In seven playoff games, he has completed 53.3 percent of his passes, throwing four touchdowns and seven interceptions.

But the only quarterback left in the AFC with more playoff wins than Flacco is Brady.

“Normally, when you size up the playoff pool, it’s what? Rank the quarterbacks," Billick said. "In the AFC, obviously at the top of the pyramid is Tom Brady. I don’t think anybody would argue that, and no disrespect to Joe Flacco, but no one is going to pick Joe Flacco over Tom Brady. But there’s no question the Baltimore Ravens are a more complete team.”

After three straight years of coming up short in the playoffs, the Ravens believe they're the more motivated team.

"Everything fuels what you’re going through," Harbaugh said. "Every shared experience fuels who you become, what you become -- the disappointments as much as the triumphs. That was a big disappointment last year."

Even if this year ends in similar disappointment, the Ravens will have plenty more trips to the playoffs in the future with the likes of Rice, Flacco, Suggs and Haloti Ngata. But an opportunity like this one in the AFC might not come around again.

The time for the Ravens' Super Bowl is now

I mean do they realize they have 2 more games to play before they get there ? And that all starts with beating us this sunday. Nearly everyone expects us to lose. We WILL NOT lose this game, and even after we win noone will care. We will only win because Flacco has a bad day, or because the refs called a bad game. Some B.S reason. Originally we were 1 and done, well that didnt work out to well.

It will be fun smashing the Ravens at home. i cant wait.

[Daravenator]

You do realize that is ESPN's AFC North Blog, right?

[EllisUnit]

Originally Posted by Daravenator

You do realize that is ESPN's AFC North Blog, right?

i said they, which means anyone, the media the fans. We are a big time overlooked team, everyone knows that.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by EllisUnit

I mean do they realize they have 2 more games to play before they get there ? And that all starts with beating us this sunday. Nearly everyone expects us to lose. We WILL NOT lose this game, and even after we win noone will care. We will only win because Flacco has a bad day, or because the refs called a bad game. Some B.S reason. Originally we were 1 and done, well that didnt work out to well.

It will be fun smashing the Ravens at home. i cant wait.

Sounds like the media thinks the next two games are a formality. We can only hope the Ravens think the same.

While I'm all for beating the best teams at their best, I think the Texans are due a break or two right about now. To catch the Ravens sleeping would be nice. To draw a referee with a personal vendetta against the Harboughs would be nice as well.

I'll take a win in Baltimore anyway we can get it.

[TEXANRED]

I think it's great that everyone is over looking the Texans. They can over look us right to the Superbowl.

[rush2112mn]

Let them overlook this game...I hope their fan base does too....they have this game in their house....they think it is a win already and all they have to do is show up and put on their uniforms.....

That should be bullentin board material........

[PHAROAH]

Let them over look us but when they look up at the scoreboard and when we win this game all they will say is what the hell happened!!!!!! Lets go H-Town!!!!!!!!

[GP]

Originally Posted by TEXANRED

I think it's great that everyone is over looking the Texans. They can over look us right to the Superbowl.

Originally Posted by rush2112mn

Let them overlook this game...I hope their fan base does too....they have this game in their house....they think it is a win already and all they have to do is show up and put on their uniforms.....

That should be bullentin board material........

Originally Posted by PHAROAH

Let them over look us but when they look up at the scoreboard and when we win this game all they will say is what the hell happened!!!!!! Lets go H-Town!!!!!!!!

I'm on record in the other thread about the weather forecast....this Texans team is going to WIN the game.

All the conditions are right. The real struggle will be the AFC Championship game, and if the Broncos have to come to Reliant for that game??? OMG! Texans Nation is going to explode.

The Broncos vs. Texans for the AFC Championship would be the B-E-S-T storyline for sports media all week long leading up to that game. It would get HUGE ratings.

I smell some good old fashioned "special cooking" by the refs to make it happen, too. Go ahead Goodell, FINE ME for saying it. But when you see some calls go the way of Broncos and Texans this weekend, remember I told you so.

[Perki-Perk]

The Texans are still in it?? Weird.

[srrono]

Well I hope BALT believes the hype and comes out flat so HOU can build a lead in first half and hold on for the win.

[HoustonRaven]

Not sure how you can pin all of the Ravens fan base, or the team for that matter, on the writings of the AFC North Blogger giving his opinion.

I can assure you most Ravens fans are not taking this one lightly.

[Nitrofish]

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

Not sure how you can pin all of the Ravens fan base, or the team for that matter, on the writings of the AFC North Blogger giving his opinion.

I can assure you most Ravens fans are not taking this one lightly.

I wonder how you know that? As far as I can see from their official message board, they give the Texans no chance to win. With the exception of a few posters most simply brush the Texans off like a pest.

I highly doubt the Ravens players think as little of the Texans as their fan base does, but surely some of them do.

I mentioned in other posts that this is eerily similar to what happened to the Ravens in 2006 when the #3 Seed came into their house and beat the #2 Ravens on their way to the Super Bowl win.

Texans have more than a chance to win this game.

[srrono]

well we ars 0-5 against them but that cant stay that way forever.

[GuerillaBlack]

I was listening to Mike and Mike this week, and they were going over matchups. Greeny was saying "if the Patriots beat the Broncos, then they will host the Ravens for the AFC Championship, but could you imagine Tebow having to go play Baltimore for the AFC Championship?" Then there was kind of an awkward pause and then Golic said "come on now, that's IF Baltimore even beats Houston". If there was some way for the Texans coaches to play that clip for the team, it would get them fired up.

Visit the Ravens board, and they are saying the same thing. It's like they don't understand we are a younger version of them. We play TOUGH defense and run the ball well. I hope the Ravens team is feeling the same way. And with Joe Flacco's comments yesterday about throwing the ball, it already looks like they are listening to what everyone is saying too much.

[OntRavenFan]

Originally Posted by GuerillaBlack

Visit the Ravens board, and they are saying the same thing. It's like they don't understand we are a younger version of them. We play TOUGH defense and run the ball well. I hope the Ravens team is feeling the same way. And with Joe Flacco's comments yesterday about throwing the ball, it already looks like they are listening to what everyone is saying too much.

We know who and what we are up against this week.

To be honest, I can say the same thing about your fans based on the message boards.

IMO we have every reason to be confident this Sunday. I believe we have earned the right to be confident in our chances this weekend.

Your fanbase also has every reason to be confident, you just won your 1st playoff game in a rather dominant fashion. Keep in mind you played the #6 seed and the 3rd of the teams to make it from the AFC North.

As much as I read on your boards that you don't get the respect or the love of the analysts, Baltimore Ravens get even less. If you were playing anyone but the Ravens you'd be in the spotlight a whole lot more.

That's OK with us, we've learned to let our record speak for itself. They can call us inconsistent (4 straight playoff appearances). Who cares. We will be playing with a burning fire to silence the critics this year.

So I expect on helluva game on Sunday, but as a Ravens fan I also expect to come out victorious!

[HJam72]

Originally Posted by rush2112mn

Let them overlook this game...I hope their fan base does too....they have this game in their house....they think it is a win already and all they have to do is show up and put on their uniforms.....

That should be bullentin board material........

Oh, I bet it's on the bulletin board, the walls, the doors, all over the bathrooms, and carved into Cushings forehead.

[HJam72]

Originally Posted by OntRavenFan

We know who and what we are up against this week.

To be honest, I can say the same thing about your fans based on the message boards.

IMO we have every reason to be confident this Sunday. I believe we have earned the right to be confident in our chances this weekend.

Your fanbase also has every reason to be confident, you just won your 1st playoff game in a rather dominant fashion. Keep in mind you played the #6 seed and the 3rd of the teams to make it from the AFC North.

As much as I read on your boards that you don't get the respect or the love of the analysts, Baltimore Ravens get even less. If you were playing anyone but the Ravens you'd be in the spotlight a whole lot more.

That's OK with us, we've learned to let our record speak for itself. They can call us inconsistent (4 straight playoff appearances). Who cares. We will be playing with a burning fire to silence the critics this year.

So I expect on helluva game on Sunday, but as a Ravens fan I also expect to come out victorious!

To be honest, I really doubt the Ravens are overlooking anybody. A certain percentage of their fans may be (especially if they have any noob fans like we are getting), and the media IS, but that doesn't mean the team is. I will just have to hope I am wrong and that they are...

I've said it already that IF we win in Baltimore, we're going to the Superbowl. This is our AFC Championship. Doesn't mean we don't have to respect the Pats, but this is the one.

[Thorn]

The Ravens fans think the Ravens will win, the Texans fans think the Texans will win. What else is new?

[Blake]

Dont get bent out of shape about it. Not saying you are, but dont sweat it. We are the under dog and they already beat the Texans earlier this year. What did you expect them to say?

I think this playoff Texans team is very different from the week 6 team and the Ravens need to understand that. AJ turns the tables upside down and it is going to be much harder for them to limit Foster like they did in the previous matchup.

The Ravens should win, BUT nobody should rush to crown their asses. Lets play the game.

[OntRavenFan]

Originally Posted by Super Mario

Dont get bent out of shape about it. Not saying you are, but dont sweat it. We are the under dog and they already beat the Texans earlier this year. What did you expect them to say?

I think this playoff Texans team is very different from the week 6 team and the Ravens need to understand that. AJ turns the tables upside down and it is going to be much harder for them to limit Foster like they did in the previous matchup.

The Ravens should win, BUT nobody should rush to crown their asses. Lets play the game.

Well I'm not bent out of shape.

AJ definitely adds something to your offense but really with TJ at the helm I think that gets negated slightly. If we were facing Schaub+ AJ I would be seriously more worried.

TJ is your 3rd QB, and I suspect for good reason, otherwise you have 3 #1 QB's on your depth chart and I know Leinhart is no #1! LOL

Your coaches are going into this game likely with the same gameplan we are. Run the ball and don't stop running the ball. If the opposing team's D stuffs the run, then KEEP running the ball. Get the win, even if the score is 3-0 in the end. I suspect both the Texans and the Ravens gameplan is "don't let our own QB beat us"