The layoff. Those twenty days separating the Baltimore Ravens from their last full throttle competition and the next. We’ve seen it before, and it didn’t work out so well. And as fans of the team, it haunts us. Will these upstart Houston Texans who have competed at a high level during the past three weeks against the Titans, Colts and Browns, respectively, have an edge over the Ravens who will have been idling for a prolonged period by the time kickoff arrives at 4:30 PM on Saturday.
On one hand the rest is welcomed. It allows key players like Kyle Hamilton, Ronnie Stanley, Zay Flowers, Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Williams among others, to heal and get their bodies ready for the ultimate 3-game stretch. It gives the team time to work Mark Andrews back into the mix as well as newcomer Dalvin Cook who could play a key role in the postseason. The free spot on the bingo card (the bye) also prevents further injuries. But does it challenge the sharpness of the team’s execution on game day of the Divisional Round?
The Ravens management more than likely shares these concerns and they’ve made changes to how they approach the down time. This edition of the Ravens is also a more battle-tested team with great leadership. That’s not to say that the 2019 team lacked leaders. This one just has more, with more decorated resumes and a quarterback who has lived this experience before. Despite the truckload of accolades bestowed upon him, none of it sparks his competitive spirit more than his insatiable desire to prove the naysayers wrong, to show the world that he can win in the postseason and to ultimately hoist the prize Lamar Jackson covets most, the Lombardi Trophy.
The Texans
There’s a lot of hype for the Texans coming into this game and the accolades for the league’s likely rookie of the year, C.J. Stroud, are as plentiful as the calls in Dallas for Mike McCarthy’s head. Stroud is a more accomplished player than the one who visited Baltimore back on September 10th when the Ravens beat the Texans 25-9. And while it’s fair to say that the Texans offense is improved, it’s equally fair to suggest that so too is the Ravens defense. Kyle Van Noy wasn’t on the scene. Jadeveon Clowney hadn’t yet stepped on the field of play with the Ravens. Kyle Hamilton wasn’t yet the All-Pro force he has become and Brandon Stephens hadn’t yet settled into his role on the boundary.
And let’s not forget that the Ravens offense wasn’t then, what it is today. Todd Monken’s unit has improved dramatically and the version the Texans will see on Saturday may be a shock to the collective system of DeMeco Ryans & Co.
So, while it’s true that the Texans aren’t who they were four months ago, neither are the Ravens.
Back in 2012-13
During Joe Flacco’s romp through the 2012 playoffs, the first stop was at The Bank against a stellar rookie and the upstart Indianapolis Colts. Andrew Luck had won 5 of his last 6 regular season games to help the Colts earn a wildcard berth. They came into Baltimore brimming with confidence, guided by Ravens former DC Chuck Pagano. The Colts competed well, down just 10-6 at the half. But by the 8:33 mark of the third the Ravens pulled ahead 17-6 and for all intents and purposes, the game seemed decided.
It should surprise no one if this season’s first playoff game against a surging rookie QB begins and ends in a similar fashion.
Stroud in a Cloud
Cole Jackson put together a nice piece for us in the video below that illustrates how the Texans attacked the Browns. Nico Collins is vital to Stroud’s effectiveness and as Cole explains, look for Mike Macdonald to take away the explosive plays with some Cover 4 and with good technique and proper drops from Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen. This might compress the windows for Stroud and help throttle down the Texans attack in much the same way that the Ravens did to Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins.
Josh Allen
There’s no denying that Josh Allen is on a roll. There’s also no denying his arm talent and his ability to make big plays with his legs. His antics on the field however, we can all do without.
Allen is known to be a flopper, cut from the cloth of a Duke basketball player. Touch him after a play and he’ll go down like Frazier if it helps him to get a free 15. And you know what, he’s often successful.
Game tomorrow, Monday doesn’t matter to me, I’m just excited to see the new ways Josh Allen will flop in the snow! Maybe he’ll do a snow angel on the way down!
— Gutfoxx (@Gutfoxx) January 13, 2024
On Monday against the Steelers, Allen faked going into a quarterback slide which is understood to be a quarterback’s way of giving himself up and avoid any unnecessary hits. His fake worked, the Steelers relaxed, Allen didn’t slide and then tapped into his resourcefulness as a runner to take it in for a 52-yard house call.
Later in the game, Allen did slide and the once bitten, twice shy Steelers defender Myles Jack wanted to make sure that Allen did in fact go down. There was no head shot, but just as he flops and begs for a call, Allen did the same on Monday after Jack’s hit. And once again, Allen got his way.
Josh Allen fake slid and gained an extra 20 yards, later in the game he actually slid and the defender was forced to hit him because he was afraid of giving up a big play & was penalized for it.
This needs to be fixed by the NFL.
pic.twitter.com/KscEqqhUsU— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) January 16, 2024
Now compare the flagged hit above to a similar hit that was NOT called for the benefit of Joe Flacco and the Cleveland Browns.
Desmond King break dance spinning on Joe Flacco #NFL pic.twitter.com/wd5ocAhasS
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) January 13, 2024
I’m sure that Andy Reid will address this with the game officials before his Chiefs square off with the Bills on Sunday evening. And should the Bills and Ravens advance, John Harbaugh should do the same.
Steelers Playoff Failures
The Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t been a postseason juggernaut for quite some time. They’ve lost 5 straight by the average score of 40-27. That’s hardly the kind of game that you think of when the Steelers are involved. Since winning the Super Bowl in 2008, Tomlin’s teams are 5-9 during the playoffs.
The Steelers have had some postseason issues pic.twitter.com/XOrCp65jv4
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 16, 2024
But no one would deny Tomlin’s resourcefulness or his ability to rally a team that appears beaten. That said, their late season surge may prove to be costly if they don’t figure out a way to land a franchise quarterback. Mason Rudolph ain’t it! Early indications are the Steelers will have the 20th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. That might not be good enough to upgrade the position and if they don’t, expect more of the same from the Steelers next season.
Or might they trade for Justin Fields?
A Rude Homecoming
Matthew Stafford played 12 seasons in Detroit. He was beaten up regularly as a member of the Lions; was a model teammate and was active in the community. He just wanted to win a championship and Detroit GM Brad Holmes put together a plan to make it happen, provided of course the return was good for the Lions. It was.
The Lions received Jared Goff, a 2021 third-round pick, and first-round picks in 2022 and 2023 from the Rams in exchange for Stafford. By most counts, the deal worked well for both teams. But apparently not in the eyes of Lions’ fans.
Boo birds for Matt Stafford in Detroit 👀pic.twitter.com/j2rwJoGu9n
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) January 15, 2024
Imagine for a moment if Cleveland beat the Texans and this week the Ravens were hosting Joe Flacco & the Browns. Do you think that Ravens fans would rain a shower of boos upon Joe? I don’t think so. There would be a warm greeting and then it would get down to business. Game on!
But apparently not in Motown.
I have a friend who is from Detroit and a diehard Lions fan. I asked him about the boos and the single-word text reply was, “embarrassing”. He then added that he loves Stafford for all he did for the Lions.
If only those at Sunday evening’s game felt the same.
The boos were hard to ignore, even for Stafford.
Rams HC Sean McVay said he was happy for his ex-QB Jared Goff. I asked Matthew Stafford if he's happy for the city of Detroit, seeing as how he played his first 12 seasons here: "I'm happy for the players." pic.twitter.com/K738IcmkyD
— Kory E. Woods (@KoryEWoods) January 15, 2024
Happy 39th Birthday wishes go out to Joe Flacco. (Photo by Kevin Moore) pic.twitter.com/f8YBd0MBps
— Tony Lombardi (@RSRLombardi) January 16, 2024
[Read about the return of Mark Andrews]
Through Youthful Eyes
What a week to be a young Michigan-based sports fan. First, there was the Wolverines winning the NCAA national championship only to be followed up by the Lions winning their first playoff game in 32 years. THIRTY. TWO. YEARS.
Thirty-two years ago, Blockbuster was flourishing; Paula Abdul was making hits; Silence of the Lambs was crushing the box office; and Google was 6 years away from being invented.
This video below tells a great, heartwarming story about a young boy and a red-letter day in the annals of sports history in the Motor City.
This kid just had the best week of his life pic.twitter.com/xQ3xg4oX84
— Detroit Free Press (@freep) January 15, 2024
When Eagles (Don’t) Soar
It was embarrassing when it happened. Even more embarrassing in retrospect. Nick Sirianni’s behavior after the Eagles beat the Chiefs 21-17 on November 20 was sophomoric and unbecoming of an NFL head coach.
While it was happening, there were those who wrote it off as Sirianni being the kind of coach that the city of Philadelphia embraces. I wonder if that town is feeling brotherly love for the Eagles skipper these days.
What goes around… pic.twitter.com/Bp5S97gGfq
— Tony Lombardi (@RSRLombardi) January 16, 2024
The Eagles are a rudderless ship. They have a head coach whose resume suggests he’s offensive-minded, but Philly’s offense was awful for more than a month. Their defense was arguably even worse, and the tackling in last night’s playoff game – PLAYOFF GAME, was like that of a defeated team – a team that wasn’t giving 100%. That’s called mailing it in and when it happens in the postseason, that’s a big problem.
Ray Lewis… NOT happy with the Eagles defense
(cc: @RayLewis) pic.twitter.com/oSdHRezebP
— Omaha Productions (@OmahaProd) January 16, 2024
Today, we’re left wondering if Sirianni will return in 2024. Can a head coach who guided his team to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons and was a play or two from winning the Super Bowl last season, really be on the hot seat? What do you think, Nick?
“Nick, are you getting fired tomorrow?”
Nick Sirianni: pic.twitter.com/QDSJBw5oQJ
— Kendall Beck (@KBeckEagles) January 16, 2024
Alternate Unis
The Ravens have worn their alternate uniforms twice this season. Once during the blackout game at home on Thursday Night against the Bengals, and then on New Year’s Eve against the Dolphins when they donned the black jerseys with the purple pants.
Playoff Aura 🔥🔥 https://t.co/vYHq6rsclv pic.twitter.com/wI4TFEL9eQ
— Alex Gardner (@Alex_Gardner25) January 16, 2024
Each season teams can opt for their alternates three times, including the postseason. So, there’s a chance that the Ravens could give the alternates another go in the Divisional round this Saturday at 4:30PM or next week if they advance to the AFC Championship Game which is a 3PM start time.
Or might they wait until Super Bowl 58?
2 Responses
The elements could be a factor as the Texans play in a domed stadium and it will be brutally cold Saturday at the “Bank”!
That could impact Lamar just as much as the Texans. Lamar hasn’t been great in the few cold weather games that he’s played in.