Week 13: MNF Ravens @ Packers

[raidersbball20]

discuss this week's Monday Night Football game here

[z Revis]

Nice preview. Lol, kidding.

Big game for both teams. I got the Packers winning this one though. I think the Packers have the advantage on both sides of the ball. I think it'll be a somewhat low scoring defensive battle, though.

20-12, Packers.

[wwharton]

I don't know about the Pack having the advantage on both sides of the ball, lol. I do like them though. Ten days rest, playing at home, may be snowing... sounds like all signs point to a Packers victory.

I don't see Suggs being back for this game and the Ravens cornerback issues aren't going away (Washington's out for the year)... I think Webb is going to take advantage of more playing time though. I really like that kid. The Ravens will move the ball. I'm worried more about them keeping Rodgers and company in check than putting up points. I think the winner fo this game will have at least 30 points.

Since it's a toss up to me and I'm a Ravens fan, I'll say Ravens 35 - Packers 30. But honestly, all signs are pointing toward a Packers win here.

[z Revis]

Quote: Originally Posted by wwharton

I don't know about the Pack having the advantage on both sides of the ball, lol.

How so? You don't think they have a better offense and defense? I do. And I especially do for this game since Suggs is out again.

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by wwharton

I don't know about the Pack having the advantage on both sides of the ball, lol. I do like them though. Ten days rest, playing at home, may be snowing... sounds like all signs point to a Packers victory. I don't see Suggs being back for this game and the Ravens cornerback issues aren't going away (Washington's out for the year)... I think Webb is going to take advantage of more playing time though. I really like that kid. The Ravens will move the ball. I'm worried more about them keeping Rodgers and company in check than putting up points. I think the winner fo this game will have at least 30 points. Since it's a toss up to me and I'm a Ravens fan, I'll say Ravens 35 - Packers 30. But honestly, all signs are pointing toward a Packers win here.

Was wondering when you would chime in.

Let me know what you think about this scouting report on the Ravens. The writer agrees the secondary is a weak point, but also mentions Flacco a weak spot at the moment. The writer states that Flacco has his stats going down hill the past 4 games.

http://www.jsonline.com/packerinsider/78287347.html

[wwharton]

Quote: Originally Posted by z Revis

How so? You don't think they have a better offense and defense? I do. And I especially do for this game since Suggs is out again.

Well I know you do, since you just said it in the post before me, lol. Suggs was out last game as well as Washington. Ngata was out the two games before that I believe. All teams have injuries. Suggs being out isn't something you can just ignore, and I can see it contributing to a loss, but I also saw Kruger for the first time and he made the game sealing interception.

I'd take Ray Rice over anybody on the Packers. They have a tough run defense but I don't think they'll stop the Ravens from running. They also have amazing corners but that doesn't mean much in terms of stopping Rice either. I also don't think they'll get TOO much pressure on Flacco which means there should be time for him to hit Mason or Clayton. The Ravens will move the ball.

On the other side of the field, unfortunately the Ravens haven't been getting much pressure on QBs even with Suggs healthy. They're going to have to call up some nice blitzes and that remains to be seen. I don't think Jennings has been right all year. I don't think we have a corner that can stick with him when he's right but don't know what to expect from him. Driver could do some damage as well as Nelson or Jones getting a big play.

As for the question, I'd say they're two different teams. I think the Packers do what they do better on offense than the Ravens but mostly in terms of consistency. The Ravens haven't really been in the middle, just either up or down. On D, it's the same... they're different. I think the Ravens are a bit better at what they do (stop the run, deal with the pass knowing they can't run) than the Pack (solid all around). That's not how I'd look at this game though bc what the Ravens do well on D goes against what the Pack do well on offense, and even though the Pack have been good against the run I think the same is true on the other side.

[wwharton]

Quote: Originally Posted by roadman

Was wondering when you would chime in. Let me know what you think about this scouting report on the Ravens. The writer agrees the secondary is a weak point, but also mentions Flacco a weak spot at the moment. The writer states that Flacco has his stats going down hill the past 4 games. http://www.jsonline.com/packerinsider/78287347.html

Blah... it's for insiders only. Can you pull a few key quotes and summarize?

I don't know what he said about Flacco but I wouldn't go on his stats. He looked noticeably uncomfortable when LT Gaither wasn't playing (you know how that goes all too well). I think that's when he really started getting back in the habit of zeroing in on Mason too much, which was his big problem last year. Unlike last year (which I could never understand) the Bengals and Browns basically put all their energy in keeping Mason from getting the ball and Flacco couldn't adjust. Last week Clayton had over 100 yards and the last couple of weeks he's been looking at Kelly Washington a bit more again. He just needs to spread the ball around. Mason and Rice are hard to stop but you can't ONLY go to them. I think that's been effecting his stats.

He's also been dealing with ankle/foot injuries for weeks now. I think that's why his passes have been going high a lot, and he hasn't run as much (and they haven't called as many roll outs). Since he's not on the injury report it's hard to tell if it's getting better or it is what it is. He's been doing ok with his decisions though. The pass to Rice in the Colts game that was picked off was a bad play call. He did what he needed to do against MIN (damn kicker), NE (Clayton dropped a ball that hit him in the gut) and IND (they were in fg range on that last play)... and even the 2nd Cincy game the idiot kicker missed one that would've cut the lead to 7 after a good drive.

I think Flacco was getting too much love early in the season but he's doing ok for his second year. I wouldn't put him on Rodgers level or anything, but he's not my worry this Monday.

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by wwharton

Blah... it's for insiders only. Can you pull a few key quotes and summarize? I don't know what he said about Flacco but I wouldn't go on his stats. He looked noticeably uncomfortable when LT Gaither wasn't playing (you know how that goes all too well). I think that's when he really started getting back in the habit of zeroing in on Mason too much, which was his big problem last year. Unlike last year (which I could never understand) the Bengals and Browns basically put all their energy in keeping Mason from getting the ball and Flacco couldn't adjust. Last week Clayton had over 100 yards and the last couple of weeks he's been looking at Kelly Washington a bit more again. He just needs to spread the ball around. Mason and Rice are hard to stop but you can't ONLY go to them. I think that's been effecting his stats. He's also been dealing with ankle/foot injuries for weeks now. I think that's why his passes have been going high a lot, and he hasn't run as much (and they haven't called as many roll outs). Since he's not on the injury report it's hard to tell if it's getting better or it is what it is. He's been doing ok with his decisions though. The pass to Rice in the Colts game that was picked off was a bad play call. He did what he needed to do against MIN (damn kicker), NE (Clayton dropped a ball that hit him in the gut) and IND (they were in fg range on that last play)... and even the 2nd Cincy game the idiot kicker missed one that would've cut the lead to 7 after a good drive. I think Flacco was getting too much love early in the season but he's doing ok for his second year. I wouldn't put him on Rodgers level or anything, but he's not my worry this Monday.

Interesting, I'm not an insider, but I can read it.

Here is the top part.

I'll break this into three's.

It won't exactly be a cast of shrinking violets on the visiting sideline Monday night when the Baltimore Ravens meet the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

"They're a confident group of guys, no matter what their record is," an executive in personnel for a recent Ravens' opponent said. "I can promise you they will show up. They're not going to be easy to beat. They never are."

Baltimore (6-5) won its first three games, lost three in a row and has been on a win-one, lose-one jag ever since. On Sunday night, they beat Pittsburgh in overtime, 20-17.

"I think they're pretty beat up because that game was really physical," an assistant coach for a recent Ravens' foe said. "Playing at home, I'll give Green Bay the edge. The Ravens are not the defense people used to fear playing against. If Green Bay scores 21 points, Baltimore will have a tough time."

Quarterback Joe Flacco's diminished performance in the last month is reflected by the Ravens' scoring average of 14.5 in Weeks 8-11 compared to 28.4 in Weeks 1-7.

"Watch the two Cincinnati games," an opposing assistant said. "They about killed (Flacco). He is a tough guy, but he's not the same quarterback he was last year. I think Dom Capers will get after their (expletive)."

Although Terrell Suggs, their best pass rusher, won't play because of a knee injury, the Ravens run a diverse defensive scheme that has proven difficult to attack for non-divisional opponents.

"We play them twice a year and know how to account for the way they jump around all the time and the (expletive) they do," an official for an AFC North team said. "Teams that don't see it often can be in trouble because you'll have a lot of unblocked guys if you don't account for it correctly."

Cornerback, which is the Ravens' worst position, doesn't bode well for their matchup against the Packers' receiving corps.

"As long as they can protect, Green Bay will be able to throw the hell out of the ball on them," another assistant said. "But the Ravens will be smelling blood. They'll be trying to bring pressure from every which way. If the Packers turn the ball over and can't protect, they'll get beat."