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Season Surprises & Accurate Expectations


DreamKid

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Things that won't be heavily expected regarding the Ravens this season, a surprise big or small.

3 Good, 3 Bad.

Then what are some things you do expect to hold true based on common/frequent expectation or even hype.

Also, remember no poster knows the future and these are just their thoughts on things that possibly could happen. Just time killing stuff before real football is here. No need for crazy arguments/debates.

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Here's mine.

Good

1. Ronnie Stanley will enter the Top Ten Tackle discussion.

Maybe this isn't good because it'll cost us big time, but I think everyone will be surprised by the leap Stanley takes. He's flashed in the pass game and flashed in the run game but this season look for him to convert flash to flesh and really cement his name in the league.

2. We'll field one of the most efficient offenses in the league.

Improvements are expected, but I think impact will be a surprise. Our runners excel at getting first downs as does the newly added Snead, but the overall talent of our pass catchers has raised significantly. Move the chains, get open deep, we have the personnel for both and don't sleep on our rebuilt RedZone passing attack with Crabtree, Scott, Hurst and Andrews here as new arrivals. Add in X factors like Lamar Jackson and a diverse, steady, reliable offense could be in town for the first time in years.

3. The Ravens will lead the league in Sacks.

I had to include a big one :) . We were 11th in the league last season with 41 sacks, 15 behind the top spot. This year will be different though, I think we'll see a drop in pick totals where we led the league last year and a major jump up in sacks. A slew of proven and hungry pass rushers, corners with shutdown DNA, and a much improved offense to run up the score and force the pass game. Color me excited about us slamming some QBs to the turf. This one is reach with teams like JAX and LAR lurking, but I'll stand tall on it. Suggs, Bowser, Judon and Williams are capable of getting more than 40 sacks by themselves, add in some of our ascending DI players along with ZDS and you have a recipe for big numbers.

 

Bad

1. Kenneth Dixon will be a disappointment.

Obviously as with all the predictions of bad surprises, I and everyone else hope I'm wrong but this is one that has been popping in my head often. Dixon has injured his knee what.. 3 times since we drafted him and then you stack the multiple suspensions on. His PED suspension looks "real" to me, meaning I don't think he got busted for the fluff stuff like Adderall. He looks deflated from the shots and video I've seen. A lack of definition and mass is present and quickly noticeable. His defense of "I was a big fish in a small pond, but now I'm not so I gotta be careful", was also odd. It's like he's admitting to use and referencing how being a star player at a small school allowed him to escape testing. Something about it all just bothers me and I no longer have a good feeling when it comes to Kenneth Dixon. I think he's a liability in more ways than one and could prove so as soon as the Pre Season.

2. Our major woes on defense will remain exactly the same.

It's fun to think that magically Jefferson and Weddle because of some Wonder Twin connection will grow stronger together in year 2, but also just silly. Both will still get the life trucked out of them, their lack of range for their safety spot will still be there, and both's general lack of physicality, versatility, and impact to cost ratio will haunt this team. I do expect some of the mental mistakes to go away though.

Maybe I'll be proven wrong on this next part early but as it stands our issues with TE coverage will be the same. The main culprits have all returned and with no counter measures added and a tough TE schedule on the way, I'm concerned.

3. An UDFA will flash big time yet still get cut and go on to ball for another team this season.

This will be a tough pill for Baltimore fans. We really grow attached to our UDFA finds and I feel this year there'll be one or two we just can't keep, be it because of positional importance or need etc. This team has a lot of depth and a lot of guaranteed roster spots, there won't be room to spare this year. Even some UDFAs who flashed in previous years could be out of a roster spot.

 

 

What Hype will have been warranted? 

I'll guess Flacco and our CBs.

Joe really does seem dialed in and all of the positives surrounding him this season aren't fluff. His improved play will represent a superior core to previous years and get us back into the playoffs.

A rundown of our players and the kind of successful role they could occupy for Joe- 

Hayden Hurst + Willie Snead (Anquan Boldin) Top Tier Hands, Possession Threat, Big Time Catch Specialist, Chain Mover.

Mark Andrews (Dennis Pitta) Reliable Pass Catching TE, SCB Mismatch.

John Brown + Chris Moore (Torrey Smith) Deep Threat, DPI Fear. 

Chris Moore (Jacoby Jones) Rotational Playmaker.

*Bonus Boost: Michael Crabtree + Jordan Lasley + Jaleel Scott. These three are new types of weapons for Flacco.

I don't think Joe will become Brees during the regular season but I do think he'll do what we know he's capable of and take advantage of the weapons around him. ^^That's all just the primary receivers too. I expect improved hands from Collins, Allen, and don't sleep on Ricard's growth. I hope Patrick Ricard's nickname becomes "The White Leech", for being a Caucasian Vontae callback and draining defenses of their will with his relentless, overwhelming, and steady physicality. 

 

As for our corners, it's all been said ad nauseam and I think it will be proven swiftly. By season's end the tandem of Smith, Humphrey and Young will be known as tops in the league.

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11 hours ago, DreamKid said:

Good

1. Flacco will have his best season as a Raven

not necessarily a good look on him, but all reports point to him finally being motivated now knowing his salary should be earned and its not a given being the starting QB for a franchise.

2. Flaccos performance will make him trade-able

the Ravens are a top noth organization and wouldn't just trade him to a s*ithole like Pittsburg (joking) but if take 1 is an accurate guess they should easily pick up high picks to bhuild LJ's offense

3. Jefferson will earn his paycheck

one more year in the system, a new DC who hopefully knows how to use him and a need of more dime packages as they still have a void next to Mosley. he'll proce worthy of my jersey purchase last year (yep, rocking #23)

Bad

1. no WR picked in this years draft will amount to anything

same ish different season. you can hype up Scott / Lasley all you want but i heard that story every offseason for years.

2. Weddle gets hurt early and retire

it was bad seeing him decline laast season, can't see him come back after another injury at his age. Webb is resigned to replace him but it'll show Ravens MUST find a true successor to Reed. but hey! see below!

3. it's the last hooray for Suggs

HOF bound!

What Hype will have been warranted? 

Deshon Elliott. maybe i am the only one expecting great things but he'll be the eventuall successor to Weddle. finally found thew missing link to a secondary that will raise memories to the LOB, give them 2 years but Humphrey/Young/Elliott/Jefferson will be a top3 backfield in the NFL. role / replacement of Jimmy Smnith tbc

 

i c/p your format if thats ok DK.

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On 6/15/2018 at 2:38 AM, DreamKid said:

 

3. The Ravens will lead the league in Sacks.

I had to include a big one :) . We we're 11th in the league last season with 41 sacks, 15 behind the top spot. This year will be different though, I think we'll see a drop in pick totals where we led the league last year and a major jump up in sacks. A slew of proven and hungry pass rushers, corners with shutdown DNA, and a much improved offense to run up the score and force the pass game. Color me excited about us slamming some QBs to the turf. This one is reach with teams like JAX and LAR lurking, but I'll stand tall on it. Suggs, Bowser, Judon and Williams are capable of getting more than 40 sacks by themselves, add in some of our ascending DI players along with ZDS and you have a recipe for big numbers.

 

While lead the league may be bold, I think Top 5 isn't crazy at all given: the maturation of Judon, Williams and Bowser; a stacked stable of corners; and Martindale replacing Pees.  I really want Suggs to get 12 sacks so that he can crack the Top-10 of the all-time list.  Only two guys within the top-10 not in the HoF are Peppers and Ware, and I imagine that will change once they are eligible.

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5 hours ago, sp6488 said:

I really want Suggs to get 12 sacks so that he can crack the Top-10 of the all-time list.

Look at this-

Rank Player Sk Years Tm
1 Willie McGinest 16.0 1994-2008 nwe
2 Bruce Smith+ 14.5 1985-2003 buf
3 Terrell Suggs 12.5 2003-2017 rav
4 Reggie White+ 12.0 1985-2000 2TM
5 LaMarr Woodley 11.0 2007-2015 pit
  Clay Matthews 11.0 2009-2017 gnb
  James Harrison 11.0 2002-2017 3TM
  Charles Haley+ 11.0 1986-1999 2TM
  Dwight Freeney 11.0 2002-2017 3TM
10 Richard Dent+ 10.5 1983-1997 3TM

^^That's the career Playoff Sack record leader board. 

Tell me that isn't one of the greatest records to hold for a pass rusher. That's something as a fan I want Suggs to get super badly, and I'm confident he will. 

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