Week 1 General Discussion

[Soko]

58 minutes ago, wackywabbit said:

Uh.. definitely the team with the QB injury. THEN the Bengals. Or the Browns. Or the Panthers, who needed to see something above atrocious from team and QB. Then the Falcons. All those are clearly bigger "letdowns" than the Ravens. The Jaguars for how the game played out are debatable. 

The meaning of the Ravens loss and Lamar's "bad" game were over-amplified because of it being the opener. The mental anguish of losing hasn't slowed down the team when they lost playoff games and they've had some notable awful regular season losses the last couple years. If you wanted to say something was shown that would ruin their season, it is the O-line mess, and that'll seriously be tested in the upcoming schedule. But that wouldn't be a top 10 storyline if the game wasn't the opener. If Lamar survives behind that line, especially early when they figure things out, are people actually concerned about them making the playoffs?

It’s an opportunity cost. What’s the main question/goal with this year’s Raven’s team? Yes, yes - the OL, the new defensive staff, Henry. But it’s really, can this team topple Mount Mahomes and get to a SB? Obviously no SBs are forged in Week 1, but after routinely getting son’d by KC, this could’ve been a real statement win for Baltimore. I don’t think any other team was looking at Week 1 that way, to that extent.

Carolina can go pulverize their next three opponents and show they’ve made progress. So can the Falcons. So can the Jags. The Ravens can go 10-0 in their next 10, and we’ll still be wondering if they have the stones when KC rolls around.

That said, I still think it’s Cincy. No business losing to this Pats team at home.

[sammymvpknight]

2 hours ago, Jakuvious said:

Minshew is a stopgap. He's a QB who is good enough that he at least allows you to evaluate the talent elsewhere on the team. You spend the year seeing what you have in Pierce and across the roster, and the next year you look to acquire a QB, whether that's with Pierce, or with a new HC as well.

I don't entirely disagree, as some of their moves aren't indicative of a slow build. I wouldn't have signed Wilkins or kept Adams, personally. But I do get not wanting to pass up talent on that level, regardless of the state of the rest of the team.

I wouldn’t even put Minshew in the bottom 10 QBs this week. It could get much worse. The Raiders were in the game…and could have won the game if Pierce wasn’t a horrible coach. 

[AngusMcFife]

4 minutes ago, Soko said:

It’s an opportunity cost. What’s the main question/goal with this year’s Raven’s team? Yes, yes - the OL, the new defensive staff, Henry. But it’s really, can this team topple Mount Mahomes and get to a SB? Obviously no SBs are forged in Week 1, but after routinely getting son’d by KC, this could’ve been a real statement win for Baltimore. I don’t think any other team was looking at Week 1 that way, to that extent.

And Baltimore proved they can play KC evenly and the game comes down to a centimeter. They rolled up 450 yards at 6.1 yards per play. Mission accomplished.

[Soko]

6 minutes ago, AngusMcFife said:

And Baltimore proved they can play KC evenly and the game comes down to a centimeter. They rolled up 450 yards at 6.1 yards per play. Mission accomplished.

So the goal this year is to play KC close and still lose? Didn’t we already know they could do that?

They were an elite team last year but are owned by KC. Losing to them again = “mission accomplished”? That’s some Stockholm syndrome level mental gymnastics. 

That’s probably a good thought process for a team like Pittsburgh or Jacksonville or Indianapolis - like they might be good, but no one’s expecting them to topple the top teams in the conference. You can’t be the bonafide #2, elite team in the conference, lose to #1, and say “mission accomplished” lol. Is that what happens in the Ravens forum? Likely was ruled out and you all were like “guys, we finally did it” haha.

[AngusMcFife]

2 minutes ago, Soko said:

So the goal this year is to play KC close and still lose? Didn’t we already know they could do that?

They were an elite team last year but are owned by KC. Losing to them again = “mission accomplished”? That’s some Stockholm syndrome level mental gymnastics. 

After the offense struggled in the AFC championship game, it was good to see Lamar and the offense adapt and move the ball (especially given the turnover on the offensive line). Ravens aren't psyched out or intimidated at all by the Chiefs, next time maybe the toe will be in bounds rather than on the white.

It was the Ravens most difficult regular season game, and they lost by a centimeter against the best team in the league on the road in a game with strange calls (refs "make an example" out of Stanley's illegal formation but let the Chiefs tackle repeated commit false starts, phantom hold on Linderbaum erases a 30 yard gain). Ravens fans are buzzing with optimism. 

[AngusMcFife]

13 minutes ago, Soko said:

That’s probably a good thought process for a team like Pittsburgh or Jacksonville or Indianapolis - like they might be good, but no one’s expecting them to topple the top teams in the conference. You can’t be the bonafide #2, elite team in the conference, lose to #1, and say “mission accomplished” lol. Is that what happens in the Ravens forum? Likely was ruled out and you all were like “guys, we finally did it” haha.

You have an active imagination, I'll give you that.

[Soko]

11 minutes ago, AngusMcFife said:

Ravens fans are buzzing with optimism. 

 

19 minutes ago, Soko said:

So the goal this year is to play KC close and still lose? 

 

19 minutes ago, Soko said:

Losing to them again = “mission accomplished”? That’s some Stockholm syndrome level mental gymnastics. 

 

19 minutes ago, Soko said:

You can’t be the bonafide #2, elite team in the conference, lose to #1, and say “mission accomplished” lol. 

Never said the Ravens were psyched out. I said they had an opportunity to answer the biggest question (aside from make/win a SB, which no one can do Week 1 obviously) they had, and they didn’t do it. Nothing they realistically do the rest of the regular season is going to answer it, unlike most of the other teams. My team hasn’t been competitive in a minute, but I don’t ever remember losing to the Colts, Broncos, Ravens, or Steelers and thinking “mission accomplished”, lol. We already know the Ravens can run with the best of them. It’s not about competing for them (or any of the best teams), it’s about winning.

To each their own, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

Ravens still definitely my second biggest letdown of Week 1. 

[SalvadorsDeli]

No one seriously believes that if Likely's foot had been one inch further in and Derrick Henry had trucked into the end zone on the 2 point conversion that it would have answered "the biggest question" or even one of the biggest questions surrounding this organization. That can only be answered in January, and the only thing that matters as far as this team is concerned is building towards a.) a playoff berth and b.) a team capable of going all the way this time. "Statement wins" don't matter for this team anymore, they know they can do it, they certainly know they can do it in September, and the only remaining thing to solve is something that cannot ever be solved in a Week 1 game. 

[AngusMcFife]

7 minutes ago, Soko said:

Never said the Ravens were psyched out. I said they had an opportunity to answer the biggest question (aside from make/win a SB, which no one can do Week 1 obviously) they had, and they didn’t do it.

OK, they were a centimeter away from doing it. Lamar drove 85 yards in under 2 minutes with no timeouts and threw a TD pass, unfortunately a fraction of a toe was on the white.

Seems like overly fixating on the result rather than the process in week 1 is a mistake.

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Nothing they realistically do the rest of the regular season is going to answer it, unlike most of the other teams. My team hasn’t been competitive in a minute, but I don’t ever remember losing to the Colts, Broncos, Ravens, or Steelers and thinking “mission accomplished”, lol. We already know the Ravens can run with the best of them. It’s not about competing for them (or any of the best teams), it’s about winning.

Even if the Ravens beat the Chiefs week 1, it wouldn't answer anything. The narrative would simply be that, sure, the Ravens can beat the Chiefs in the regular season, but when the chips are down, they'll lose in the playoffs.

IMO the Ravens scratched their hardest game off the schedule week 1, a could have easily won it. But there is obvious work to do on improving O-line and secondary communication.

 

[Steelersfan43]

Beat the chiefs in the regular season don't mean much come playoffs time if you face them...Just ask to the Buffalo Bills

[Soko]

1 minute ago, AngusMcFife said:

OK, they were a centimeter away from doing it. Lamar drove 85 yards in under 2 minutes with no timeouts and threw a TD pass, unfortunately a fraction of a toe was on the white.

Seems like overly fixating on the result rather than the process in week 1 is a mistake.

What about missing Zay/Bateman, wide open? What about over throwing Likely? What about going for two if that centimeter was in bounds? You seem to be selectively forgetting certain details of the game. 

I won’t say Baltimore fumbled the game, but they absolutely fumbled the opportunity of overtime away. Thats not a win, nor is that a good process IMO, but again, to each their own. I’m already teetering on the edges of pure time wasting by arguing with someone that calls an L an accomplished mission, lol.

1 minute ago, AngusMcFife said:

Even if the Ravens beat the Chiefs week 1, it wouldn't answer anything. The narrative would simply be that, sure, the Ravens can beat the Chiefs in the regular season, but when the chips are down, they'll lose in the playoffs.

IMO the Ravens scratched their hardest game off the schedule week 1, a could have easily won it. But there is obvious work to do on improving O-line and secondary communication.

Disagree, but it’s subjective. Obviously the playoffs are the main demon to conquer here, but so is Mount Mahomes. Especially after the way things ended last year.

Do you think the majority opinion was that the Ravens have no chance of being competitive with KC? Because if the answer to that is no, then I don’t see how playing them close can be viewed as an accomplishment. When you’re an elite team, losing to other elite teams isn’t an accomplishment, no matter how close it is. 

[AngusMcFife]

17 minutes ago, Soko said:

What about missing Zay/Bateman, wide open? What about over throwing Likely? What about going for two if that centimeter was in bounds? You seem to be selectively forgetting certain details of the game. 

I'm not forgetting anything. Zay clearly was running through the zone but Lamar thought he was going to sit down in the open space. It's a pretty common miscommunication, especially in week 1.

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I won’t say Baltimore fumbled the game, but they absolutely fumbled the opportunity of overtime away. Thats not a win, nor is that a good process IMO, but again, to each their own. I’m already teetering on the edges of pure time wasting by arguing with someone that calls an L an accomplished mission, lol.

I haven't used the word "accomplishment" once but you seem to be fixated on it for some reason.

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Disagree, but it’s subjective. Obviously the playoffs are the main demon to conquer here, but so is Mount Mahomes. Especially after the way things ended last year.

KC is just one of the teams in the AFC, maybe we'll face them in the playoffs or maybe not. The main "DEMON" for the Ravens was clearly Spagnolo, though, and I felt like Lamar's new lighter weight enabled him to do some things that counteracted his scheme in the AFCCG. Less concerned about Mahomes.

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Do you think the majority opinion was that the Ravens have no chance of being competitive with KC? Because if the answer to that is no, then I don’t see how playing them close can be viewed as an accomplishment. When you’re an elite team, losing to other elite teams isn’t an accomplishment, no matter how close it is. 

Yeah, it's week 1 though. I literally had no idea who 3 out of the 5 starting offensive lineman were going to be for the Ravens until it was announced at the game. At this stage in the season I am mostly evaluating the younger, inexperienced players and hoping they can play in the scheme.

That's why your talk of "accomplishments" is kind of silly at this point.

[Soko]

1 hour ago, AngusMcFife said:

Mission accomplished.

 

1 minute ago, AngusMcFife said:

I haven't used the word "accomplishment" once but you seem to be fixated on it for some reason.

Lmao. Have a good day, brother.

[AngusMcFife]

2 minutes ago, Soko said:

 

Lmao. Have a good day, brother.

Hold on, let me edit that out

[AngusMcFife]

37 minutes ago, Soko said:

 

Lmao. Have a good day, brother.

To be fair, "mission accomplished" is a colloquial saying meaning job completed. So as far as the offense goes, I think they showed they can move the ball easily vs. Spagnolo.

But I don't think I implied that losing a game was an accomplishment as you were putting it.