What are your expectations of this team next year?

[Raveninwoodlawn]

I hearing that many outsiders think our fans and FO have pretty unrealistic expectations of this team.

Next year...with a normal amount of injuries (not 06 when had virtually no injuries or 07 where we had a really bad rash of injuries), and the team learning a new system and adjusting to a new coach, what do you expect?

Elite (13+wins)? Playoff team (10+ wins)? Around .500 (7-9 wins)? Bad (5-6 wins)? Terrible (below 5 wins)

And what do you think about how the rest of the fanbase or the FO views this team?

[TheExtraPoint]

I was actually wondering this yesterday, and am really glad you posted the poll.

One reason why I am encouraged by the coaching search as of now - they aren't looking for short-term, win now solutions like Marty Schottenheimer, or to a lesser extent Bill Cowher.

It leads me to believe that this franchise has an accurate mirror, and the reflection it sees is one of a team that desperately needs to cut allegiances to players it likes personally or that have a history here in favor of a rebuild/youth movement.

It is completely unrealistic and frankly irresponsible for this franchise to break the bank to win next season. In reality, this team could be adequately rebuilt into a championship contender in the span of three off-seasons. I hope this is the path we are going to take. I do believe this is the reason why we ultimately went away from Brian Billick, and towards a younger coach that can oversee the process as we take the young pieces we have and build a team around the Ed Reeds, Haloti Ngatas, and the Jason Browns of this team.

If the Ravens attempted to go for broke this season, it would have happened with Billick on the sideline, and probably would have equated to him serving as a lame-duck coach, because there's no way we're better than .500 next season, if lucky.

Instead, I really hope we are seeing the seeds being planted for what will be a responsible rebuilding effort, which in today's NFL can happen in record time.

It's time to take our lumps. .500 at best.

[TheExtraPoint]

Nestors Blog on the subject is excellent if you ask me, and seems to be entirely accurate: A good read.

http://wnst.net/Home/tabid/36/EntryID/4425/Default.aspx

The over-riding theme: The problems are widespread with this team, but most easily addressed by cleaning up the roster... Haven't we heard this tune before? I recall people feeling very much the same way following the Motown Meltdown a few years back. We're right back where we started folks.

We put a band-aid on the problem by building a short-term winner that quelled the attitudes of a lot of our players, but now it's time for surgery. I really hope Bisciotti, Cass, and Ozzie are ready to operate.

[The Fanatic]

I really hope Bisciotti, Cass, and Ozzie are ready to operate.

I really hope Biscotti and Cass are ready to let Ozzie do his job the way he thinks it should be done.

Lots of times the fish stinks from the head down.

[RavenScallywag]

I think there are two groups of Baltimore fans...

You've got your "Baltimoron fans", who think we're a disgrace if we don't go to the playoffs, blame Boller, Billick, and Ozzie for every loss we get, and just generally think if we aren't over 500, this team needs to be blown up and the franchise is going in the toilet.

Then, you've got the fans who actually know what's going on, who know we may need a few years of lower record here and there to let young players cut their teeth and develop into the better players they can be.

Brian's first season with the club was 8-8. I'm expecting our next HC to improve our record, nothing more. If they don't improve our record, they go on the hot seat, but we give them at least 1-2 more years to see where it goes from there.

[Sephy]

Anywhere from .500 to a 10 win-ish season. Getting healthy might do this by itself. And if Troy continues to play well, I'd lean more towards the 10 win barrier.

[HoustonRaven]

Just get this team back to the respectable column .... meaning control the egos! If Ray or Suggs get nasty about this, sit them or cut them!

[Raveninwoodlawn]

Interesting...everybody who has voted so far says .500 or worse.

I think a lot of the general public think we are a better team than that.

[TheExtraPoint]

If Ray or Suggs get nasty about this, sit them or cut them!

I'd say preempt that possibility by getting rid of the potential problem children now.

[Purpleguy]

Interesting...everybody who has voted so far says .500 or worse.

I think a lot of the general public think we are a better team than that.

That's because the general public doesn't hear C-Mac on the radio whining about coming in for mini-camps under a new coach. They don't hear Ray calling out the old coach, who testified for him in a murder trial. They just hear the hype about what a great defense this is.

I think the Ravens are going to be terrible next season, but if they get rid of Ray, Suggs, C-Mac, Rolle, and JO then I'll deal with it and anxiously watch a young team develop under a new direction. Hopefully that direction will have more focus on balance with offense and defense.

[Greg]

You can't really make that call until the personnel shake-outs happen.

If this team came back as constituted it could be a 10 win team and make the playoffs if the injuries are held in check. If they decide to go younger and not re-sign Suggs, etc, we could be a 4-5 win team with an eye on rebuiding.

I don't think there is every an excuse for an NFL team to win less than 4-5 games unless it has been horribly mismanaged. This team has talent in guys like Brown, Ngata, Reed, McGahee, etc that is young and should be able to win 4-5 games if properly handled. If Ray, Price, Rolle, McAlister, etc are here several more wins should be expected.

Are we going to try and make the playoffs next year or clear the deck and rebuild around our younger core talent?

Until we see what the team does speculating on wins next year is off base, IMHO.

[UKRavenStockers]

We've got too much talent to be a terrible team again IMO. We got hit by some massive injuries this year to key players and had absolutely no discipline or interest in playing. Given a new head coach and the way that often galvanises a team I see no reason why this time shouldn't take aim for .500 and better next season. We've got a good running game, young talent on the O-line (Brown is close to All-Pro calibre) that needs the right guy to bring it together (offensive line coach is the single most important hire of the off-season IMO), the best run defence in the NFL and a pass defence that took a step back.

This defence might have slipped from where it was in 2006 but there are still some very good pieces there:
- Gregg and Ngata are as good a DT pairing as there is in the league.
- Bart and Ray take way too much flak here, they do a very good job still.
- Reed making plays on the back end.

This defensive unit is still as good as any unit in the league, the scoring D took a slip this year but the talent is still there for us to build around this defence.


There is absolutely no reason why with the right guy leading the way on the sideline and getting this team's focus back (he's got a task with the egos, but if he takes charge from the outset there's no reason he won't galvanise this team) that we shouldn't be a .500 team next season.

[HoustonRaven]

I'd say preempt that possibility by getting rid of the potential problem children now.

Or the new HC tells them right when he walks through the door "It's my way or the beltway".

[RavenTD]

We are a 0-0 team for 08 right now.

Its great fun as fans guessing and looking stupid or very clever with your shots in the dark.

Me,I always take it week to week when the season kicks off.

At present we are at ground zero,we are a blank piece of paper with nothing written on it.Throw in our Head Coach,his staff,his system and how the players take or fit the new system,the football gods damnation of injuries.Free agency,the Draft.

Darn even my $3000 crystal ball can't sniff any of that out.

[Raveninwoodlawn]

Obviously you can't make a solid prediction now.

I just want to get an idea of fans general expectations of this team.

In all likelyhood, there is not going to be a big rebuilding/cleansing of this roster. So more or less, we will probably have the same roster as we had last year.

[metro]

It depends on the schedule and the overall health of the team. The Ravens should get a last place schedule. If the team can stay healthy, they should be a .500 team and possibly challenge for a playoff spot.

[UKRavenStockers]

It depends on the schedule and the overall health of the team. The Ravens should get a last place schedule. If the team can stay healthy, they should be a .500 team and possibly challenge for a playoff spot.

Obviously the sequence of the schedule counts, but:

Home:
Pitt
Cincy
Cleveland
Titans
Jags
Chiefs/Raiders (Can't remember which came last)
Redskins
Eagles

Road:
Pitt
Cincy
Cleveland
Houston
Indy
Dolphins
Cowboys
Giants

[Brandon]

I really hope Biscotti and Cass are ready to let Ozzie do his job the way he thinks it should be done.

Lots of times the fish stinks from the head down.

RACK THAT

I voted terrible.

Unless we now bring in Marty, I don't think we have a chance of doing well.

Seriously though folks, why isn't Harbaugh getting any looks from the other teams looking for head coaching jobs, yet our FO (umm, business people in the organization) seem really enamored with him after Jason Garrett?

[RavenTD]

You can also go way off base at looking at the teams you are playing next year.As in todays NFL you never can tell who is going to be strong or who is going to be weak. Unless you are playing the Colts and Pats who are pretty much locks for the playoffs year in year out.[Curse 'em].

[UKRaven]

We played bad last year , against worse teams than we play this year , we lost to a 1-15 team , have salary cap problems , an 'old' team and no coaching staff !!!

Lets's start a zero and work our way up!!!