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Do they realize that they play the texans this sunday ?

EllisUnit

Vote RED!!!
http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/40169/time-is-now-for-ravens-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.
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
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

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

Rookie
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

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

srrono

All Pro
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

Practice Squad
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

Let The Big Fish Eat!
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.
 

GuerillaBlack

Hall of Fame
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

Practice Squad
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

Hall of Fame
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

Hall of Fame
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

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

Blake

MMQB
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

Practice Squad
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"
 

Blake

MMQB
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"
I agree with most of your post, but just because Yates was labeled as the 3rd string QB doesnt mean he cant get the job done. Did you expect the Texans to make Yates the 2nd string QB after we signed Leinart as the backup?

I suspect there are more than a couple 2nd and 3rd string QB's that are better than a dozen or so "starters" in the NFL.

Lastly, you must realize that the Texans offense actually makes it pretty easy for a QB that knows the system to come in, throw 20 times a game for 200 yards and put up big points. Even with Schaub at the helm we had alot of big point games that Schaub threw very little. Just ask his fantasy football owners.
 

OntRavenFan

Practice Squad
I agree with most of your post, but just because Yates was labeled as the 3rd string QB doesnt mean he cant get the job done. Did you expect the Texans to make Yates the 2nd string QB after we signed Leinart as the backup?

I suspect there are more than a couple 2nd and 3rd string QB's that are better than a dozen or so "starters" in the NFL.

Lastly, you must realize that the Texans offense actually makes it pretty easy for a QB that knows the system to come in, throw 20 times a game for 200 yards and put up big points. Even with Schaub at the helm we had alot of big point games that Schaub threw very little. Just ask his fantasy football owners.
I'm not knocking TJ at all. He's been "efficient" in your offense. He does the same thing we ask of Flacco. Manage the game, make a play when required and more importantly just don't lose the game for us.

This game is going to be totally different for him though. Rookie QB in hostile territory in the playoffs. I'm not saying he "can't" get it done but I think it's more likely he can't than he can.
 

Dread-Head

Hall of Fame
Mr. Oriel A. Phillips once opined:

"Any team can beat any other team...on any given Sunday."


Take that anyway you wish. IF Ray Lewis WAS doing a happy dance then I think he's pretty brave for a guy with such tiny bird legs and bad knees.
 

NitroGSXR

Super Sic #58
Ohhhh and five. Zip. Nada. Zilch. Diddly-squat. Nil.

Our record is a big fat zero against the Ravens. I say punch them in the mouth before you start whining about disrespect. We are playing a team that has kicked us in the gut one time too many.
 

OntRavenFan

Practice Squad
Everytime Ray Lewis does his dance, someone is murdered in Atlanta.....
Wow dude.

Just when I posted on the Ravens board in response to a Texans fan about what a good bunch of posters are on this site compared to the "Other" Texans message board this post shows up.

These types of comments are what gets your fanbase a bad name. Kudos to you!
 

Blake

MMQB
Wow dude.

Just when I posted on the Ravens board in response to a Texans fan about what a good bunch of posters are on this site compared to the "Other" Texans message board this post shows up.

These types of comments are what gets your fanbase a bad name. Kudos to you!
Welcome to the internet. Things may not seem as they appear.
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
I'm not knocking TJ at all. He's been "efficient" in your offense. He does the same thing we ask of Flacco. Manage the game, make a play when required and more importantly just don't lose the game for us.

This game is going to be totally different for him though. Rookie QB in hostile territory in the playoffs. I'm not saying he "can't" get it done but I think it's more likely he can't than he can.
Agree. I also agree with the similarities between your team & ours & what we'll be asking our QBs to do.

I'm hoping some of the talking heads are right & Harbough forgets that he has Ray Rice on the team & he asks Joe Flacco to do too much.

As far as our rookie QB in hostile territory..... I hope we protect him the way we've protected him all year long, good running game, dominating defense, & (most important) getting a lead early.
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
Mr. Oriel A. Phillips once opined:

"Any team can beat any other team...on any given Sunday."


Take that anyway you wish. IF Ray Lewis WAS doing a happy dance then I think he's pretty brave for a guy with such tiny bird legs and bad knees.
I hope Jacoby doesn't do something stupid like the Ray-Ray dance if he happens to score.

Don't want to wake that sleeping dawg..... if he's sleeping.
 

Texan_Bill

Hall of Fame
Wow dude.

Just when I posted on the Ravens board in response to a Texans fan about what a good bunch of posters are on this site compared to the "Other" Texans message board this post shows up.

These types of comments are what gets your fanbase a bad name. Kudos to you!
Easy killer (no pun intended), but seriously sometimes tongue in cheek comments don't translate in written form.
 

Hervoyel

BUENO!
I don't think this is a "They aren't respecting us" or a "Go ahead and crown them!" to the Ravens kind of blog post. I think the guy writing it is just stating the truth. This is one of those seasons where a Super Bowl trip is staring Baltimore in the face. He's just saying that the Ravens look to be peaking at the right time and they've got a Houston team coming to visit that has a very obvious handicap at QB. I can't really dispute that. I want the upset like all of you (ok, not you guys wearing purple) but it will be a major disappointment for the Ravens and their fans if they stumble this year. First round bye, rookie QB, and then most likely a New England team with no defense whatsoever? That's a path to the Super Bowl that we'd all like to see in our future.
 
Wow dude.

Just when I posted on the Ravens board in response to a Texans fan about what a good bunch of posters are on this site compared to the "Other" Texans message board this post shows up.

These types of comments are what gets your fanbase a bad name. Kudos to you!
Dude, pull the stick out of your butt...

You know you chuckled....:spit:

I am quite sure if I looked on the Ravens board there would be something about Cushing and his PED ban/being preggers.......
 
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TheCD

Rookie
Wow dude.

Just when I posted on the Ravens board in response to a Texans fan about what a good bunch of posters are on this site compared to the "Other" Texans message board this post shows up.

These types of comments are what gets your fanbase a bad name. Kudos to you!
Honestly, I think you're overreacting here. Those jokes about Ray Lewis will always be made, just like those about Favre and his winkie, and those about Cushing being pregnant, etc. etc. The fact of the matter is Ray Lewis put himself in that situation and regardless of the outcome he's always going to be linked to it.
 

Grid

All Pro
in Ray Lewis' defense.. im pretty sure you could make the argument that anytime anyone does any dance anywhere, someone is murdered in Atlanta.
 

Texan_Bill

Hall of Fame
in Ray Lewis' defense.. im pretty sure you could make the argument that anytime anyone does any dance anywhere, someone is murdered in Atlanta.
While that's true, it's more an indictment of our country and should be commented on in the NSZ forum! ;)
 

TheMatrix31

Hall of Fame
I don't see it. Do you think the Broncos are SB contenders? The Seahawks last year? The Texans got a good draw in the first round in a very down year for the AFC. Congrats to them on making the Playoffs, and winning that last game, but they are injured as heck and are putting a rookie QB against one of the best defenses in the league on the road. And Yates will have to throw all over the place if they can't get Foster going against the 2nd best run defense in the NFL(Foster was held to under 49 yards the first matchup, and Schaub was fairly mediocre because of it, although Andre didn't play that game).

EDIT: I had your post quoted but was busy watching the IU game so I didn't see your edit.. anyway I think the Texans have a much bigger question at QB and home field is home field. It's still an advantage whether it hasn't been since 2005 or not. If you stack them up like you did, yeah it looks good, but I think the Texans offense vs the Ravens defense favors the Ravens much more than the Texans D against the Ravens O. If that makes sense.
From another board.

I can stand thinking that we've got an uphill battle. What I don't like is this constant ********load of disrespect and discrediting of what we've done and what we are.

The Texans and Ravens are VERY evenly matched. Like, unbelievably evenly matched. And the way our D has performed this year, I'll take my chances rolling with that D against Flacco(or Flaccid? That's the question)/Rice/Ricky/Leach/Boldin/Smith/Dickson/Pitta/OL.

I trust my D against that offense more than I trust the Ravens D as its currently constituted against Yates/Andre/Foster/Tate/Vickers/Dreesen/Daniels/OL.

This game is gonna be like, 17-16. I don't see how anybody can discredit either team. It's about as evenly matched a game as you'll see.
 

Ryan

THIS YEAR
Wow dude.

Just when I posted on the Ravens board in response to a Texans fan about what a good bunch of posters are on this site compared to the "Other" Texans message board this post shows up.

These types of comments are what gets your fanbase a bad name. Kudos to you!

Maybe you shouldn't generalize an entire fanbase based off of one person's posts, too.
 
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