It hurts, but let's look ahead

Ok, so we lost and they're ahead 1 game owning the tiebreaker. So be it.
We'll need to go undefeated and wait for them to lose 2 to get the division. Or handle our stuff and get a WC.

Their remaining schedule: @SEA, CIN, SF, @CLE, IND, @SD, CLE, @CIN.
Even though it looks difficult, they still have 8 games to go (half season for them) and can still lose 2 of those games (being @CIN, @SD, SF the toughest).
Our schedule: @CIN, BYE, @KC, CIN, CLE, @SF, STL, @CLE
We can go undefeated the rest of the way. I don't see us losing more than 1 game, 2 on worst case scenario (any two of @SF / @CIN / @KC). That will most probably head us to playoffs (13-3, 12-4 or 11-5). (On East & West, they still have a bunch of games against each other, making it easy to think most of them will finish with 5 losses, maybe 6).

2nd place of our division (Us, If they don't lose 2 or we don't go undefeated), will be a WC, heading to Hou/Tenn or KC/SD/OAK on jan 7/8.
I don't know about you, buy I do like our chances facing anyone of them on WC weekend. And still like Bal chances to lose 2 of their remaining games (call me optimistic, but Flacco does struggle sometimes and costs them opportunities).

Our bye comes at great time to let the team get healthy and get theirselves together. It hurts, yes. But we'll be fine and this team will get better when healthier, for sure.
Still a lot of football to be played.

 

I hope so

 

Realistically, I was hoping for a split of last week's and this week's game, so it is about what I expected for W/L. It is the way we won last week (convincing) and way we lost this week (puzzling at the end) that make me less confident about the rest of the season. It could be spectacular, it could be dreadful. I'd give about 50:50 odds on either of those.

 

You are very optimistic bt, I don't see it that way. The games that I see us having trouble is @ Cin, @ KC, and @ San Fran, pls Cin at Heinz. Thats at least 3 more loses which puts us at 10-6 and fighting with SanDiego, KC, Oakland, Bills, Pats, Jets, and Cin for a wild card spot. This team has some serious problems, and I don't see any fix in sight. If we lose the next two, it will be true, we are done. This team is so up and down, and inconsistant. You don't know what team will show up. I truly believe we have some serious coaching problems. How else would you explain what happen on that last offensive drive where we ended up punting the ball back to the Ravens and promptly letting them dive down the field for the winning TD. All we needed was one first down and the game would have been over, or kick a field goal for a 7 point lead which would have ment a tie if they score. Put we got a delay of game penalty and punted the ball back to Flacco and company who drove down the field and won the game.

 

You are very optimistic bt, I don't see it that way. The games that I see us having trouble is @ Cin, @ KC, and @ San Fran, pls Cin at Heinz. Thats at least 3 more loses which puts us at 10-6 and fighting with SanDiego, KC, Oakland, Bills, Pats, Jets, and Cin for a wild card spot. This team has some serious problems, and I don't see any fix in sight. If we lose the next two, it will be true, we are done. This team is so up and down, and inconsistant. You don't know what team will show up. I truly believe we have some serious coaching problems. How else would you explain what happen on that last offensive drive where we ended up punting the ball back to the Ravens and promptly letting them dive down the field for the winning TD. All we needed was one first down and the game would have been over, or kick a field goal for a 7 point lead which would have ment a tie if they score. Put we got a delay of game penalty and punted the ball back to Flacco and company who drove down the field and won the game.[/quote]


We are going to lose (at least??) 3, out of 4, to Cincy, S.F. and KC?

Funny stuff!!

 

We are NOT losing to KC. I see us going 12-4 and getting the 5 which hopefully gives us the winner of the West with a healthy team by that point and we make our run.

 

exactly,but I would love that extra week off for a bye and then playing at home but we can get it done either way.

 

Honestly that was the Ravens Super Bowl last night as was week one. What did they do the following week? They promptly laid an egg and dropped one in Tenn. I can see the same thing happening again this week when they have their long trip to Seattle, who by the way can pull the upset when they want to and you know the Ravens aren't going to get up for that game. My point is I think we can win every game we have left and knowing Baltimore they'll cough up at least two more so there you have it, we claim the division again! If we finish at 13-3 that sould at least get us a bye if not the home field so all will be well in the Burg at season's end. The key is getting our weapons healthy and back in action.

 

I hope your optimism about baltimore's ability to collapse ends up being right...

 

Glass half-empty or half-full? I prefer to see it half-full as does SteelCityDynasty. The Rats ARE going to dump some more games to easy opponents! Bet on it. The spirit of 2005 lives on. We just have to take care of our business and let the Rats fumble away their's.

 

The Bengals are a good team this year. They have a tough and legitimate Defense where we have this offense that has great potential and talent, but consistantly under achieves. Even in games they have looked good and moved and protected the ball they don't score the TDs they should, which can lead to disaster in any given game. And from what I am seeing in highlights...the Bengals can easily do what the Ravens did to us last night.
SF is for real. We might match up well enough to beat them. CLE sucks, but you can never take them lightly. They are one of those teams I always fear to be a dangerous spoiler when on paper they shouldn't be able to compete. KC and STL stink.
The Ravens will lose some games, but so will we. The trouble is...they now have to lose 2 more than we do and I just don't see it happening.
We are looking at a Wild Card spot to make the playoffs and that is a crap shoot, especially this year with 2 divisions that have 3 teams winning a lot of games.