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Big Question: Ravens hype


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[size="5"][b][color="#000000"]Big Question: Ravens hype[/color][/b]
[/size]June, 22, 2010
By James Walker

» [b]NFC Big Question[/b]: [url="http://espn.go.com/blog/NFCEast/post/_/id/14987"][color="#225db7"]East[/color][/url] | [url="http://espn.go.com/blog/NFCWest/post/_/id/19396"][color="#225db7"]West[/color][/url] | [url="http://espn.go.com/blog/NFCNorth/post/_/id/13355"][color="#225db7"]North[/color][/url] | [url="http://espn.go.com/blog/NFCSouth/post/_/id/10818"][color="#225db7"]South[/color][/url] » [b]AFC[/b]: [url="http://espn.go.com/blog/AFCEast/post/_/id/14611"][color="#225db7"]East[/color][/url] | [url="http://espn.go.com/blog/AFCWest/post/_/id/14100"][color="#225db7"]West[/color][/url] | [url="http://espn.go.com/blog/AFCNorth/post/_/id/14140"][color="#225db7"]North[/color][/url] | [url="http://espn.go.com/blog/AFCSouth/post/_/id/12533"][color="#225db7"]South[/color][/url]

[b]Coming off a 9-7 season, will the [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=bal"][color="#225db7"]Baltimore Ravens[/color][/url] live up to the immense preseason hype in 2010?[/b]

The frown on [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=2584"][color="#225db7"]Chad Ochocinco[/color][/url]'s face told the story last week. The [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=cin"][color="#608fd6"]Cincinnati Bengals[/color][/url]' receiver [url="http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/13948/ochocinco-ravens-not-better-than-us"][color="#608fd6"]couldn't understand[/color][/url] all the preseason hoopla surrounding Baltimore.

"The Ravens?" Ochocinco said. "I mean, what have they done?"

To Ochocinco's point, it was the Bengals who dominated the AFC North last season. Cincinnati swept Baltimore in two games on its way to a division title. The Ravens underachieved in the regular season but won a road playoff game against the [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=nwe"][color="#225db7"]New England Patriots[/color][/url] to advance to the divisional round.

Suddenly expectations are sky high for the Ravens, who seem to have the right ingredients to be successful. Quarterback [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=11252"][color="#225db7"]Joe Flacco[/color][/url] is improving in his third season, Baltimore traded for three-time Pro Bowl receiver [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=4512"][color="#225db7"]Anquan Boldin[/color][/url], and a strong draft added depth to key areas.

Some power rankings now have the Ravens rated among [url="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/061410dnspogosselinnflrankings.3a223bc.html"][color="#225db7"]the top three teams[/color][/url] in the NFL, and nearly all [url="http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/12653/offseason-power-rankings-afc-north"][color="#225db7"]project Baltimore to win the AFC North[/color][/url].

Is the Ravens' hype premature? Or as Ochocinco recently implied, is it undeserved?

"We got better than them," Ochocinco said in defense of the Bengals. "They're not better than us."

Overexposure could be a cause for concern. Traditionally, Baltimore plays better as the underdog, not as the favorite.

Most recently, the Ravens had modest expectations in 2008 with a rookie quarterback and advanced to the AFC Championship Game. Last season, some experts picked Baltimore as a possible Super Bowl contender, and the team finished 9-7 and lost in the divisional round.

How the Ravens handle preseason expectations will be important this year. Ochocinco isn't on Baltimore's bandwagon, but a lot of people are.





[url="http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/14140/big-question-ravens-hype"]http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/14140/big-question-ravens-hype[/url]
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[quote]Quarterback Joe Flacco is improving in his third season, Baltimore traded for three-time Pro Bowl receiver Anquan Boldin, and a strong draft added depth to key areas. [/quote]

All of this is based on hype and assumptions. Chad's right, because it could just as easily be:


[quote]Quarterback Joe Flacco [i]should improve[/i] in his third season, Baltimore traded for the [i]oft injured, but[/i] three-time Pro Bowl receiver Anquan Boldin, and [i]what might be a strong[/i] draft [i]could have[/i] added depth to key areas. [/quote]
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The Ravens Offense isn't better (even with Boldin, and Stallworth, and the two new tight ends) than this group on Defense.
Advantage Bengals.
The Ravens Defesne couldn't keep this offense (which will be leaps and bounds better than last season) from scoring enough to win.
Advantage Bengals.


Division Winner? Da Bengals.
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I might be the only one, but I don't like the idea of Terrence Cody joining the Ravens defense. Adding a 360 pound run stuffer to the middle of that defense won't make life easier for anybody. I know the secondary is a question mark (besides Ed Reed), but Cody will help keep their run defense very tough.
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[quote name='Inigo Montoya' date='22 June 2010 - 10:47 PM' timestamp='1277261279' post='894373']
I might be the only one, but I don't like the idea of Terrence Cody joining the Ravens defense. Adding a 360 pound run stuffer to the middle of that defense won't make life easier for anybody. I know the secondary is a question mark (besides Ed Reed), but Cody will help keep their run defense very tough.
[/quote]

IMO, Cody is a Pat Sims project coming out of college. I think average interior line Vets would eat him alive if they tried to give him alot of snaps as a rookie.

I'm guessing the Bengals will see very little of Cody in the first match up. I'm betting that guy has alot of work to do on his body and conditioning to even practice effectively.

It's more of a depth future pick, IMO.
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On the Ravens: I just can't see why you give them a distinct advantage over the Bengals or even the Steelers.

Typically the 3rd place team steps up to take the division the next season.


Ravens had the second place schedule last year. Overall the entire division caught an easier schedule on paper playing NFC North and AFC West. The Ravens struggled to out pace the Steelers for second and recorded a worse record than the previous year.

I think they'll be solid but they are getting huge hype and I just don't see it.

Last year the race for the North was boring. It wasn't even a race, it was just a matter of seeing if the Bengals would blow it. Any other team winning a division in that fashion and having the offseason the bengals have had would be overwhelming favorites the next season.
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[quote name='Inigo Montoya' date='22 June 2010 - 10:47 PM' timestamp='1277261279' post='894373']
I might be the only one, but I don't like the idea of Terrence Cody joining the Ravens defense. Adding a 360 pound run stuffer to the middle of that defense won't make life easier for anybody. I know the secondary is a question mark (besides Ed Reed), but Cody will help keep their run defense very tough.
[/quote]
Cody didn't play alot in college and his stats where very average just because he is a fat ass ,i don't get all the hype.Big don't make better defenses see the Sam Adams project,you have to be able to stay on the field and he hasn't proven he can do that not even in college.
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[quote name='cp2024' date='23 June 2010 - 11:26 AM' timestamp='1277306794' post='894423']
Cody didn't play alot in college and his stats where very average just because he is a fat ass ,i don't get all the hype.Big don't make better defenses see the Sam Adams project,you have to be able to stay on the field and he hasn't proven he can do that not even in college.
[/quote]


You obviously didn't follow Alabama the last two seasons. They finished #5 in the nation in rush defense in 2009 and #6 in 2008. In terms of scoring defense, they finished #1 in 2009 and #6 in 2008. His stats weren't great because his job was to occupy space and make it virtually impossible to run the ball inside. I don't like the idea of a 360 pound space eater in the middle of the Ravens defense right next to 340 pound Haloti Ngata. Again, maybe it's just me. Reports out of Ravens camp have said he's impressed their coaches and is already competing for playing time ahead of long-time starter Kelly Gregg.
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[quote name='Inigo Montoya' date='23 June 2010 - 02:11 PM' timestamp='1277316702' post='894445']
You obviously didn't follow Alabama the last two seasons. They finished #5 in the nation in rush defense in 2009 and #6 in 2008. In terms of scoring defense, they finished #1 in 2009 and #6 in 2008. His stats weren't great because his job was to occupy space and make it virtually impossible to run the ball inside. I don't like the idea of a 360 pound space eater in the middle of the Ravens defense right next to 340 pound Haloti Ngata. Again, maybe it's just me. Reports out of Ravens camp have said he's impressed their coaches and is already competing for playing time ahead of long-time starter Kelly Gregg.
[/quote]
He was a situational player at Alabama,he played mostly goal line and fourth and short and third and short plays that was it.
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[quote name='cp2024' date='23 June 2010 - 03:35 PM' timestamp='1277321735' post='894469']
He was a situational player at Alabama,he played mostly goal line and fourth and short and third and short plays that was it.
[/quote]


Again, you obviously didn't watch Alabama play the last two seasons. Don't know what else to tell you. Cody played significantly more snaps than just goal line and short yardage situations. Child please.
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[quote name='Inigo Montoya' date='23 June 2010 - 03:42 PM' timestamp='1277322158' post='894472']
Again, you obviously didn't watch Alabama play the last two seasons. Don't know what else to tell you. Cody played significantly more snaps than just goal line and short yardage situations. Child please.
[/quote]
If he played all these snaps that you say then were is the stats to back them up.The games i watched the guy logged about 10 snaps and that was it ,and some of those were for defending field goals.Ced sweep to the left Ced sweep to the right oh no! fat ass down call the paramedics 400 pound man down.
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[quote name='scharm' date='22 June 2010 - 11:40 PM' timestamp='1277264436' post='894380']
IMO, Cody is a Pat Sims project coming out of college. I think average interior line Vets would eat him alive if they tried to give him alot of snaps as a rookie.

I'm guessing the Bengals will see very little of Cody in the first match up. I'm betting that guy has alot of work to do on his body and conditioning to even practice effectively.

It's more of a depth future pick, IMO.
[/quote]

The guy doesn't have a very strong upper-body. 22 reps @ 225?????? He should be embarrassed.
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[quote name='Tigris' date='23 June 2010 - 12:51 PM' timestamp='1277322671' post='894475']
The guy doesn't have a very strong upper-body. 22 reps @ 225?????? He should be embarrassed.
[/quote]

But he was pounding down a hoagie with the other hand at the time.
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[quote name='Tigris' date='23 June 2010 - 03:51 PM' timestamp='1277322671' post='894475']
The guy doesn't have a very strong upper-body. 22 reps @ 225?????? He should be embarrassed.
[/quote]

Yeah that's a skill position number. Not sure how long his arms are sometimes guys with long arms struggle a little.

I just don't think he's going to be much of a force his rookie year. All the time you see the best of the best rookie DTs come in a struggle with hand placement, conditioning, etc.

Anything can happen in the NFL, but my impression of the Ravens draft was that was a draft focused 2/3 years down the road.

Where as the Bengals got at least 1 out of the box starter and maybe a couple immediate contributors. I also think Bengal fans overrate the impact of "big" DTs a little. I guess it stems from wanting one so badly for so long, I guess.
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[quote name='scharm' date='23 June 2010 - 09:20 PM' timestamp='1277342452' post='894505']
Yeah that's a skill position number. Not sure how long his arms are sometimes guys with long arms struggle a little.

I just don't think he's going to be much of a force his rookie year. All the time you see the best of the best rookie DTs come in a struggle with hand placement, conditioning, etc.

Anything can happen in the NFL, but my impression of the Ravens draft was that was a draft focused 2/3 years down the road.

Where as the Bengals got at least 1 out of the box starter and maybe a couple immediate contributors. I also think Bengal fans overrate the impact of "big" DTs a little. I guess it stems from wanting one so badly for so long, I guess.
[/quote]Ding Ding Ding we have a winner someone who understands what i am thinking.
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[quote name='cp2024' date='24 June 2010 - 10:17 AM' timestamp='1277389032' post='894555']
Ding Ding Ding we have a winner someone who understands what i am thinking.
[/quote]

Don't stop now CP..... only 6 more posts to go!
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[quote name='cp2024' date='24 June 2010 - 02:37 PM' timestamp='1277408277' post='894613']
NO can you help a guy out.
[/quote]



[b][url="http://forum.go-bengals.com/index.php?showforum=36"][color="#000000"]** PRIVATE | MEMBERS LOUNGE **[/color][/url][/b]
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[quote name='oldschooler' date='24 June 2010 - 03:41 PM' timestamp='1277408477' post='894615']
[b][url="http://forum.go-bengals.com/index.php?showforum=36"][color="#000000"]** PRIVATE | MEMBERS LOUNGE **[/color][/url][/b]
[/quote]
Thanks Old.
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