Predict Ravens Record: Perception Experiment Thread --- or, How I learned to stop worrying and love the Ravens!

[Beau Petard]

(ed. note - thread title is for all you old farts!)

At the end of July, before the "pre-season" got into full gear, RavnMadMan and I started threads that were merged into a single one asking for predictions for the Ravens regular season record for 2011-2012. I ran these kind of threads on SunSpot to see how people's opinions sometimes were swayed by the latest personnel move du jour, or some player's injury, or the utter panic of not having the left tackle slot nailed down, or whatever.

What I found was that some folks were pretty level-headed in assessing our team's chances, and some were ready to end it all and jump out the first story window! In any event, I believe I posted the results of the "pre-training camp" guesses, and now that we've had a chance to see the 4 pre-seas. games, digest personnel moves, watch other teams in action, etc., it's time to see if euphoria has come to town, or doom and disaster awaits us.

This being the follow-on thread, the idea is to:
1) Post your prediction for the Ravens for 2011-2012 REGULAR season.

2) Please make a single prediction - it's difficult to summarize when I get "between 8 and 12 wins". Plus, that doesn't tell me much.

3) That being said, please feel free to add comments or extra conditions, post-season predictions, etc.

4) Do NOT "edit" your predictions. Some may actually think that you waffled on your initial guess and went back after the fact just to make your prediction look good. If you do want to change your guess, just make a second post with any update(s).

5) Get your predictions in before the start of the Ravens-Pitt game Sunday. Evaluating predictions made AFTER the first game is over doesn't add much!


I'll summarize the results of this thread, and post them sometime after the Pitt game (got some travelling to do.)

[alienrace]

The offensive line depth, and lack of a veteran backup QB worries me, but I see no reason to change my prediction. There are 7 or 8 gimme games, and a lot of others that are winnable.

12-4.

[EdReed4HOF]

12-4 (split with Pittsburgh) wildcard spot

Beat Houston in the wildcard round, lose to NE in the divisional round.

[rla20cpa]

12-4; win AFC North; SB champs

[Jeremiah W]

19-0


Seriously though I can see 14-2, #1 seed and a championship. I really like the moves this offseason (even though they did not include Nnamdi).

Other than Nnamdi the main thing I wanted was to get Oher back to RT and to beef up the run game. I believe McKinney and Leach will do just that. The othr thing I wanted was a legit deep threat to keep the 8 man fronts away from Rice, then comes Evans.

On D I really blamed Mattison for most of the 4th Q comebacks with that 3 man rush prevent dfense garbage and off coverage all day long. I think the D will respond to a more aggressive approach and crank up the sacks and takeaways.

Actually I am sticking with 19-0. F it. Let me see someone beat this team when fully assembled before I give them a loss.

[GOTA]

9-7 which is up a game since we did this last. The Evans trade was a must and Ozzie got him for pretty much nothing. I like the Ricky signing which helps keep the 2 headed running game that almost every team uses. The Ravens need to protect the passer better and rush the passer better. They accomplished neither. A lot of talent in the AFC is going to push the Ravens back for a year.

[JMUpurkfool]

No change for me, though I do like the make up of the team a lot more than I did before the preseason started.

12-4 AFCN Champs.

[Jeremiah W]

9-7 which is up a game since we did this last. The Evans trade was a must and Ozzie got him for pretty much nothing. I like the Ricky signing which helps keep the 2 headed running game that almost every team uses. The Ravens need to protect the passer better and rush the passer better. They accomplished neither. A lot of talent in the AFC is going to push the Ravens back for a year.

For real? Despite all the well documented issues last year they were a 12-4 team even with the AFC E and NFC S on the schedule. Come on man. Where are the 7 losses coming from exactly going down the schedule? Ohio?

[B-more Ravor]

11-5, Wildcard.

[ballhawk]

12-4
or
13-3 if we take one from the steelers


i don't think we have gotten any worse this offseason and we play a much easier schudule this year. our offense should be better and our defense should be more aggressive. losses to the steelers, colts, and chargers. i would be worried about the texans but we play them at home coming off the bye.

[Fecaprino]

12-4, and unless we sweep the steelers that means wild card. I think we go all the way to the AFC championship. Against the steelers...

[pyite32]

I originally posted that we would be 10 - 6, but I like some of the FA moves Ozzie has made, so I now see it as 11 - 5 and hopefully a wild card. I am mostly excited about next year because the FA moves ozzie made this year are all mulit year deals and the young guys will hopefully start showing some serious production.

** I will stick with my 11 - 5, but I think the Jets game could go either way, so a possible 12 - 4 if the line gels and can protect Flacco from Fatty McFatFat's constant blitzing.

Steelers - L
@ Titans - W
@ Rams - W
Jets - L
Texans - W
@ Jaguars - W
Cardinals - W
@ Steelers - L
@ Seahawks - W
Bengals - W
49ers - W
@ Browns - W
Colts - L
@ Chargers - L
Browns - W
@ Bengals - W

[Crean N Crimson]

I originally posted that we would be 10 - 6, but I like some of the FA moves Ozzie has made, so I now see it as 11 - 5 and hopefully a wild card. I am mostly excited about next year because the FA moves ozzie made this year are all mulit year deals and the young guys will hopefully start showing some serious production.

** I will stick with my 11 - 5, but I think the Jets game could go either way, so a possible 12 - 4 if the line gels and can protect Flacco from Fatty McFatFat's constant blitzing.

Steelers - L
@ Titans - W
@ Rams - W
Jets - L
Texans - W
@ Jaguars - W
Cardinals - W
@ Steelers - L
@ Seahawks - W
Bengals - W
49ers - W
@ Browns - W
Colts - L
@ Chargers - L
Browns - W
@ Bengals - W

when's the last time the ravens lost 3 home games?

11-5. AFCN Champs, Super Bowl appearance.

[goldenelite28]

11-5.

The only concern i have is for the o-line and i don't think it will be as bad as last year.

[GOTA]

For real? Despite all the well documented issues last year they were a 12-4 team even with the AFC E and NFC S on the schedule. Come on man. Where are the 7 losses coming from exactly going down the schedule? Ohio?

9-7 is that impossible for you to consider? It's not like I came in a 5-11 prediction. Just 2 years ago this team won 9 games but not there is no way that could happen?

I see the Ravens getting swept by the Steeler splitting with the Browns, losing to the Chargers, Texans, Colts and either at the Titans or against the Jets, not sure which yet.

[Ibravenfan]

Sticking with 10-6. The O line will take a month to gel. Flacco needs to get rid of the ball faster and thru pre season, he has not done that. Also undecided whether or not the running game will be better than last year. The D is under a new coach and the secondary is unproven. There are alot of question marks at this point.

[Dave Lap]

I agree. There are a lot of question marks still to be answered.

10-6.

I really hope they prove me wrong and do better than that.

[Honest John]

19-0


Seriously though I can see 14-2, #1 seed and a championship. I really like the moves this offseason (even though they did not include Nnamdi).

Other than Nnamdi the main thing I wanted was to get Oher back to RT and to beef up the run game. I believe McKinney and Leach will do just that. The othr thing I wanted was a legit deep threat to keep the 8 man fronts away from Rice, then comes Evans.

On D I really blamed Mattison for most of the 4th Q comebacks with that 3 man rush prevent dfense garbage and off coverage all day long. I think the D will respond to a more aggressive approach and crank up the sacks and takeaways.

Actually I am sticking with 19-0. F it. Let me see someone beat this team when fully assembled before I give them a loss.

I'm sticking with 12 - 4. Also an AFC Championship match-up with New England. I think JW is right. Going from Mattison's soft read and react approach, playing off receivers, 3 man rushes to the old Ravens style, and the presence of more physical players on defense (Smith, Pollard, more Webb, no Gooden, no Fabian) will make this defense better. I loved Mason but getting him out of Joe's ear will be a plus, and should result in Joe becoming the leader that a QB needs to be. Oher to RT and Yanda to RG greatly improved 2 positions, and McKinney does not have to be All-Pro to equal the job Oher did last year at LT. At WR, if the Ravens have had a better pair than Boldin and Evans, I don't remember it. Finally, coaches usually do get better, especially in the area of game management. Harbaugh should continue to grow as a game coach, so that aspect should also be improved.

All this improvement on a team that was 12 -4 and up by 14 points at Pgh in the playoffs before trying to sit on the lead.

[PeterB58]

8-8

Missing the playoffs for the first time in the Harbaugh era.

[baltimore_hokie]

11-5, split with Steelers (each team wins the away game).

Strong running game will be able to pound some teams into submission, passing game will still lag behind somewhat.

Pass rush and secondary will be better, but rush D will be worse than expected.