The NFL announced their opening week prime time games yesterday and we learned that the Ravens are opening up on the road on Monday Night against the Bengals. I’ve read some email saying that this is further proof that the league has it in for the Ravens and that you can count on the Ravens having a tough home game after they return from one of three west coast road trips.
Here we go….kick in the inferiority complex, spark up those old comments about building a museum and let the pity party begin!
The fix is in against the Ravens!
I don’t see what the big deal is. Of course predicting a schedule is certainly not our strong point and we got out of that business after “Schedulegate†in 2005. But still even scheduling mental midgets like me could see that the Ravens were likely to open on the road given the Orioles homestand around the NFL’s opening weekend.
You have to play the Bengals anyway right? So why not play them in the opener? If you think about that, it’s not so bad. Why not play a team run by Carson Palmer before they get into a rhythm offensively and before they get an idea of how the Ravens will employ Willis McGahee? Returning to B’more with a 1-0 record worked pretty well last season.
What scenario would have been better for Week 1?
Besides if the Ravens are going to be on MNF, I just assume they do it on the road. I remember when there was a day that we couldn’t wait to see if the Ravens played a Sunday or Monday night game. Then it was about respect. If we didn’t get our fair share, it was all about Tagliabue having it in for Baltimore and a lack of respect. That’s a cross we seem to enjoy carrying around here. The Ravens players play that same card often too seemingly as a motivating stimulant.
Now when we get those prime time games, I still get emails from folks who think the RETIRED Commish is still exerting his alleged negative ill will towards Baltimore.
"Why does our opener have to be on MNF?"
"We don’t play well on nationally televised games!"
"Why do we always open on the road?"
Look, a first place schedule is never easy and three west coast road trips in a season are never easy. It’s a way overused cliché yet it bears repeating, “One game at a time.â€
And just think of the neighborly thing the Ravens are doing for the Cincinnati community by keeping the Bengals’ players off the streets at night.
Are you ready for some football?
