Unbelievable

**RvnFanInIndy** · 10-05-2008, 05:04 PM

OK...I'm going to stand out on an island now, bring your worst. I was just reading the game thread and you freaking people are UNBELIEVABLE!!!!! We start the season 2-0 against really, REALLY bad teams, and everyone is suddenly thinking 10-6...12-4....playoffs are a lock, etc. Now, after 2 losses, y'all are ready to call Flacco a bust. WTF!!!

Phrases like...'Don't know if we have a consistent answer at QB yet'.....'He absolutely stinks when rolling out to his right...I mean his 3 INT's (including the one that was overturned) were Neil O'Donnell esque.' Again I ask...WTF??

Lest we forget...rookie QB, that played at a D1-A school...rookie head coach... the same "lousy receivers" most everyone was bitching and moaning about in the preseason...not to mention the "aging defense, with it's over-rated, over-the-hill, leader" Does anyone else remember that stuff being said on these very boards about a month ago?? Am I pissed we have lost 2 VERY winnable games...damn right I am. Honestly, does it surprise me that we are 2-2...not in the least. Hell, if the Clowns had shown 1/10th what they had last season, we'd be looking at 1-3.

I'm beginning to think that some Xanax or Lorazepam may be in order for some of you. Just in case anyone forgot...Squeelers are 3-1 and the Titans are 5-0...it's not like we just got rolled by the Chiefs for f*cks sake!! Think back on what you thought our overall record for the season would be during preseason....I seem to remember seeing lots of 8-8's....7-9's....a few were predicting above .500 but most were just praying for anything above last years disaster. Personally I think there was WAAYYYY too much KOOL-AID being drunk after week 2. It's a long season, and Joe is gonna have ups and downs, Harbs is gonna call good games and bad, the D is gonna look bad sometimes, great others.

Again, these are all my opinions, and we know how that goes. Should we expect better out of the team than they showed today?? Perhaps, but let's not forget where we came from, and how bad it really was last year. Now, I'm ready to duck and dodge the slings and arrows you see fit to throw at me.

**Lee Van Cleef** · 10-05-2008, 05:08 PM

Up to a point I agree. I was saying after the first two wins that people should put it in perspective and remember that Flacco is a rookie who is going to have bumps in the road ahead and that whilst we are better than most thought, we still aren't playoff ready.

**POPSinPA** · 10-05-2008, 05:17 PM

This team would be 4-0 with a real QB. That's not to say Flacco sux, he is just what he is, a green rookie.
Sad, but get used to it.
I know everyone is going to blame the D, but quite frankly they are the only thing that kept us in the game that long.
A real Veteran QB and we are easily 4-0. Even with Boller I believe we would be 4-0. But alas these are the cards we were dealt, and a playoff caliber defense is going to go wasted on a rookie QB that should be watching.
Oh well, 2-2 ain't all that bad and the kid does show promise.

**phatboy** · 10-05-2008, 05:30 PM

You have got to be kidding me. BOLLER he could not have made half of the throws Flacco has and he definitely would have more turnovers.

**Lee Van Cleef** · 10-05-2008, 05:32 PM

Seriously, give it a break. Boller wouldn't have led the O on a game-tying 4th quarter drive against Pitt. He wouldn't have made some of those tight throws into coverage Flacco has.

Stop being a wind-up merchant.

**RvnFanInIndy** · 10-05-2008, 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by Lee Van Cleef

Up to a point I agree. I was saying after the first two wins that people should put it in perspective and remember that Flacco is a rookie who is going to have bumps in the road ahead and that whilst we are better than most thought, we still aren't playoff ready.

Exactamundo!!!

Put way better than what I said. Lot shorter too.

**RavensInBrazil** · 10-05-2008, 06:09 PM

I agree about Boller, I don't think he could have led us to Ws. What really strikes me about Flacco is his ability to keep drives alive. I mean, I don't know what his stats are exactly, but he seems to be money on 3rd downs. Sure, he's making mistakes, but he'll learn, and I have no reason to believe he won't be a great QB

It is sad to see all this awesome defense go to waste, but really, there's not much we can do about it

**Mrbunks** · 10-05-2008, 06:17 PM

We're a better team WITHOUT Boller. Never was impressed with him...

Flacco shows promise and poise for such a young guy. We are going to experience some growing pains. You had to expect that once a couple of losses came our way that people would change their tune.

We need to be patient as we have a new coaching staff and rookie QB. There is promise, but we cannot expect greatness overnight.

Do we have a change in our division? Sure! a .500 record might get you into the playoffs!

Just my two cents...

**Rayvens52** · 10-05-2008, 06:53 PM

[QUOTE=Lee Van Cleef;101088]Up to a point I agree. I was saying after the first two wins that people should put it in perspective and remember that Flacco is a rookie who is going to have bumps in the road ahead and that whilst we are better than most thought, we still aren't playoff ready.[/QUOTE]

How can you say that. You have no clue if we are ready. This is a team that could easly be 4-0 right now. We are playing beyond expectations right now, and the D is looking like the team of 2006. Yes Flacco will have bumps, but by no means would we be better with Boller PERIOD! We have a young O-Line that was beating up a great Tenn front 4 all day. This is a very good football team that just lost 2 games hey had won, and this is a team that if Pitt starts to fail due to injuries we could take this division.

**festivus** · 10-05-2008, 07:36 PM

I can't believe some of you want to talk about what Boller would have done.

Besides that, I agree with the OP. Good post!

**Tspot-D-Ravenator** · 10-05-2008, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by POPSinPA

This team would be 4-0 with a real QB. That's not to say Flacco sux, he is just what he is, a green rookie.
Sad, but get used to it.
I know everyone is going to blame the D, but quite frankly they are the only thing that kept us in the game that long.
A real Veteran QB and we are easily 4-0. Even with Boller I believe we would be 4-0. But alas these are the cards we were dealt, and a playoff caliber defense is going to go wasted on a rookie QB that should be watching.
Oh well, 2-2 ain't all that bad and the kid does show promise.

**highwater** · 10-05-2008, 07:51 PM

There is nothing unbelieveable about any of this -- first of all, you are making a mistake if you think the game thread is an accurate barometer on what we are all thinking. Those posts are literally made while the game is happening, and we all get caught up in the emotion of the game while it is actually taking place. Twenty-four hours later, people may have different thoughts after they've had time to cool down.

And second, Flacco is a rookie and is going to make rookie mistakes, but since he is our starting QB, he's not above criticisim. I don't think we're giving up on him by any means, but if he makes a bad play, it's okay for us to point out that he made a bad play. I think he's willing to admit those were bad plays himself, so why shouldn't we?

**ravenwoman** · 10-05-2008, 07:59 PM

Flacco is a rookie and we have to expect our share of interceptions. Even Johnny Unitas had a lot of interceptions over his career.

I really think the game changer was the 4th qtr. penalty on T. Suggs. That gave Tennessee the game. Prior to that, it was a close game with 2 evenly matched teams. We have to get over it and move on.

**4G63** · 10-05-2008, 09:39 PM

I had a feeling before this game that Flacco would not do well, but that doesn't mean we should bench him because of todays game. He had a bad game and will have plenty of bad games!!

I know he's a rook and I know he started his 4th game ever in the NFL. That being said, I'm still impressed with the guy!! He just has "it", which sadly, we haven't had in a long time (if ever). He'll learn and get better.......

**RvnFanInIndy** · 10-05-2008, 09:47 PM

Originally Posted by highwater

And second, Flacco is a rookie and is going to make rookie mistakes, but since he is our starting QB, he's not above criticisim. I don't think we're giving up on him by any means, but if he makes a bad play, it's okay for us to point out that he made a bad play. I think he's willing to admit those were bad plays himself, so why shouldn't we?

Where did I say we can't criticize the team or Flacco?? I was talking about the ney-bobs (sp?) of negativity that were acting, and typing, as if the Ravens were locks to be the favorites in the Super Bowl and are now contenders for the overall #1 pick in the draft next year. I was simply stating my opinion that maybe, just maybe, people were getting a little ahead of themselves after the first 2 games, and are now coming down a little too hard after the second two.

And by the way, that 24 hour cooling off period usually just means that people have time to, backtrack, restate, 'clarify', clean up, gloss over, put the proper spin on, what they were truly feeling in the first place. To me, "heat of the battle" just means your self-censor mechanism is turned off.

**Mwjergs** · 10-05-2008, 10:01 PM

Expectations have changed week to week for this team.
They have gone in most people's eyes from a 5 win team to a playoff team.
Joe Flacco is the future and by luck he is the present as well. He will have his good and bad at reading NFL defenses.
The defense has been fantastic this season and after watching them matchup with two supposed top AFC teams even with all the mistakes they could have pulled out those games. I still think that they are a middle of the pack team that still needs a vertical game to take it to playoff level.

Watching the Titans line up 8 in the bos and still gaining 123 yards on them was impressive but I would have loved to have seen ONCE to throw a FLY pattern one on one to the outside. I know they want to keep it conservative but that's embarrassing. Until that happens expect close games all year and they win some and lose some.

**darb72** · 10-05-2008, 10:12 PM

Would we be 4-0 with Boller? Who knows and who cares? Boller is injured and Flacco is our QB this year and for the future. He's not gonna get pulled.

Flacco does some things really well. The guy is accurate and he'll continue to improve in that area. Despite what some people over on the Crayon Forums will tell you, accuracy does improve. Boller went from low, low 50s completition percentage to around 60%. Flacco is mid-50s, maybe a bit higher so that gives us hope for the future.

He never gets rattled. Honestly he's the most laid back QB I've ever seen. When he scrambles, he's always looking down field for a receiver.

Now he does do some bad things. He doesn't protect the ball as well as he should while under pressure. He doesn't throw the ball away if nothing's there. These things are to be expected from a rookie and are correctable.

As for the season. We're 2-2 and let the two losses slip away from us in the fourth quarter. True we beat the two Ohio teams which is sort of like beating a pair of really good high school teams, but I'm more impressed by how we hung in there and fought with the Squeelers and Titans.

**ravenjoe** · 10-06-2008, 09:59 AM

[QUOTE=Rayvens52;101116]

Originally Posted by Lee Van Cleef

This is a very good football team that just lost 2 games hey had won, and this is a team that if Pitt starts to fail due to injuries we could take this division.

I still believe the Ravens have a good enough team that can take the division, regardless of whether Pittsburgh fails or not. However, we are going to have to learn to close teams out, and BEAT Pittsburgh when they come here.

**RavensFanIAm** · 10-06-2008, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by POPSinPA

This team would be 4-0 with a real QB. That's not to say Flacco sux, he is just what he is, a green rookie.
Sad, but get used to it.
I know everyone is going to blame the D, but quite frankly they are the only thing that kept us in the game that long.
A real Veteran QB and we are easily 4-0. Even with Boller I believe we would be 4-0. But alas these are the cards we were dealt, and a playoff caliber defense is going to go wasted on a rookie QB that should be watching.
Oh well, 2-2 ain't all that bad and the kid does show promise.

Sorry, but this is bull. The D didn't finish the job in both losses, even though Flacco didn't help much in either loss. The D played their part as well. Sorry, that won't fly..........

**Lee Van Cleef** · 10-06-2008, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by Rayvens52

How can you say that. You have no clue if we are ready. This is a team that could easly be 4-0 right now. We are playing beyond expectations right now, and the D is looking like the team of 2006.

The D is looking good, but it couldn't stop a Kerry Collins drive yesterday for the game. 2006 they probably would have.

Yes Flacco will have bumps, but by no means would we be better with Boller PERIOD!

Nowhere did I say that we would, in fact I very much disagreed with someone who said we would be better off with Boller. So why you're saying this to me I don't understand.

We have a young O-Line that was beating up a great Tenn front 4 all day. This is a very good football team that just lost 2 games hey had won, and this is a team that if Pitt starts to fail due to injuries we could take this division.

And what about the injuries we're starting to take on? Remember we're on the early end of a 15 game streak here, we're starting to mount up injuries in the secondary and this is a team that has a fair amount of years spread across it's definitive feature, the D.

And surely the fact that against 2 supposed AFC contenders we failed to close the game out shows that we are not at a point yet where we figure to make a run into the playoffs? We lost to a flawed Pitt team missing key starters and we lost to an overrated Titans team that we spent a good deal of the time man-handling. In both instances we failed to close out the game and accrued stupid penalties. If that inspires you with confidence, go crazy. I'm going to hold back on the hype and look at this with a degree of pragmatism.