GAME THREAD - Week 1 - Steelers

[Sephy]

Welcome to another glorious season of Ravens football! Now, I can't promise I'll be on hand to PBP every game, but I'll do my best. I trust in the rest in my stead. However today, I'm here. And what a better way to start the season and see how wholesale changes have fared against the team we can't seem to finish against.

Major questions that we'll know more about after today:

Can Flacco spread the Steelers out and attack with his new toys?
Will Rice find more running room against the Steelers with Leach in front of him?
Will Leach and McKinnie help stem the tide of the Steelers' edge rush, albeit with a non-100% Harrison?
Can Cameron call a good gameplan against Pittsburgh?
Will the Ravens improved pass rush get to Ben more often and put him on the turf, or will he be ducking sacks and letting loose long passes?
Will the young CB corps hold up deep against Wallace, Brown, and Sanders?

And finally:
Can the Ravens freaking beat Ben Roethlisberger??

Only about an hour and a half away from kickoff now. Where else would you rather be?? See you at 1!

[akashicrecorder]

Let's get this season STARTED!!!

[Sephy]

Ravens Inactives: WR Tandon Doss, CB Chykie Brown, OLB Michael McAdoo, ILB Jason Phillips, G/C B. Mattison, NT B. McKinney, OLB S. Kindle

Steelers Inactives: QB D. Dixon, RB J. Dwyer, CB C. Brown, LB C. Carter, OT C. Scott, OG R. Foster, WR J. Cotchery

Don't like Kindle or Doss being inactive. Not one bit.

[Marcel#52]

^^^^ Sephy beat me to it

[SteelFaninBMore]

I'm more than a little surprised at Doss and Kindle being inactive. Leaves Torrey and LaQuan as the #3 and #4, I guess?

[akashicrecorder]

Don't like Kindle or Doss being inactive. Not one bit.

Me neither. We start off Week 1 handcuffing ourselves. I don't understand this team sometimes.

[Sephy]

So the Ravens only go with 4 WRs since Reed is suspended. A little surprising, being that the 4th is LaQuan Williams. Either they really trust the kid, or Cameron is predictably not trying to spread out the Steelers.

Doss being inactive is really, really silly. What if there's an injury?

[Raveninwoodlawn]

Ravens Inactives: WR Tandon Doss, CB Chykie Brown, OLB Michael McAdoo, ILB Jason Phillips, G/C B. Mattison, NT B. McKinney, OLB S. Kindle

Steelers Inactives: QB D. Dixon, RB J. Dwyer, CB C. Brown, LB C. Carter, OT C. Scott, OG R. Foster, WR J. Cotchery

Don't like Kindle or Doss being inactive. Not one bit.

Not only do I not like it, I don't understand it. I guess we are going to see Torrey in the #3 spot whether we like it or not.

With 2 WR's not playing (and one of whom you wouldn't expect would be out there running a lot of pass patterns in Williams), and all 3 TE's active, I think the "spread them out" theory will not be tested today.

I also would have kept as many pass rushers active as possible...including Kindle.

[RavenScallywag]

Kindle makes some sense...Kruger obviously is the rotation pass rusher with JJ, based on his preseason play. We're not taking Suggs off the field.

Doss...sigh. Next week, I'd think Williams would be the inactive. Torrey, you step up and beat their nickel CB. Shouldn't be hard.

[RavingMad]

Ravens Inactives: WR Tandon Doss, CB Chykie Brown, OLB Michael McAdoo, ILB Jason Phillips, G/C B. Mattison, NT B. McKinney, OLB S. Kindle

Steelers Inactives: QB D. Dixon, RB J. Dwyer, CB C. Brown, LB C. Carter, OT C. Scott, OG R. Foster, WR J. Cotchery

Don't like Kindle or Doss being inactive. Not one bit.

That Kindle decision has fvcked up my mood. Damn! 2nd round pick can't get on the field.

[dandrews]

For those of you expecting the Ravens to spread the Steelers out, I can tell you right now it's not going to happen. It's not part of our offense.

More wide receivers = less guys to protect flacco.

[Ravenfan_11]

I almost had a heart attack. I thought McKinney was Bryant McKinny.

[goodandfast]

Not only do I not like it, I don't understand it. I guess we are going to see Torrey in the #3 spot whether we like it or not.

With 2 WR's not playing (and one of whom you wouldn't expect would be out there running a lot of pass patterns in Williams), and all 3 TE's active, I think the "spread them out" theory will not be tested today.

I also would have kept as many pass rushers active as possible...including Kindle.

Yeah I mean, Torrey will be bringing kicks back that's why he made it, and LQ is going to return punts, but I think we better get ready for 2 WR 2 TE a lot.

[goodandfast]

I almost had a heart attack. I thought McKinney was Bryant McKinny.

Brandon McKinney. Bryant McKinnie. Subtle differences.

[Justlovemybirds]

Tandon Doss inactive? Did he get hurt or something?

[goodandfast]

CBS just referred to Ravens/Steelers as 'The Rivalry' pretty cool.

[StingerNLG]

I don't at all understand Doss being inactive. He proved he could play in preseason. For pass ruahers it was either Kindle or Kruger, I get that.

I had to double take at McKinney. I thought it was Brandon.

[goodandfast]

I don't at all understand Doss being inactive. He proved he could play in preseason. For pass ruahers it was either Kindle or Kruger, I get that.

I had to double take at McKinney. I thought it was Brandon.

It is Brandon. But Bryant plays LT so we're good.

[Marcel#52]

I can't really say they won't spread them out, Dickson can play some slot WR. and with Kindle out.. Theres still McPhee and Art Jones.. We've still got a pass rush coming.

[akashicrecorder]

I am already in a worse mood because of Torrey over Doss. That is MESSED up. All kinds of. Torrey showed NOTHING in the preseason, while Doss was a revelation.

Nothing like numb-skulled politics to start the season.