Ravens rev it up on the road
The most impressive thing about today's 27-9 victory over the Dolphins was the five forced turnovers. The Ravens intercepted Chad Pennington four times and recovered a fumble against a team that had turned the ball over just 13 times during the regular season. The Dolphins led the NFL in fewest turnovers, but also lost the regular season game against the Ravens in part because of a pick six by Terrell Suggs.
The road doesn't get any easier. The Ravens now have a short week before facing the AFC's top seed, the Tennessee Titans, but they've proven week after week that they are not affected by the difficult logistics they have faced since losing their bye week early in the season.
Personal pat on the back dept.: If you go back to Wednesday and read the advance staff picks for today's Ravens game, you'll find I missed slightly on the score (23-9) but hit the nail right on the head with my prediction. If Ed Reed can just hold onto the ball after each of his two INTs, the Ravens should be able to win for the second time this year at Dolphin Stadium. If you don't believe me, you can check it out here.






Comments
Peter
From out here on the west coast, it seems that the team nobody talks about, is the Ravens. If defense wins championships, the Ravens are in good position. It wouldn't surprise me at all if they go to Nashville and beat the Titans!
Posted by: James Doss | January 4, 2009 4:48 PM
Why do the Ravens get a short week, while San Diego gets an extra day? Wouldn't it make sense for SD-Pitt to play on Saturday and Bal-Tenn to play on Sunday, so each team has the same number of days off?
...............................................................................................
Pete's reply: You're asking a lot for the NFL to make sense.
Posted by: Chris | January 4, 2009 4:49 PM
Hey Pete...I mean Blind Squirrel,
Just before Ed had his Pick 6, I told my wife that we needed an interception. I guess we're both a couple of Nostra-friggin-domases.
I hope you have the same good vibes for next Saturday's game.
Posted by: Greg O'B | January 4, 2009 4:53 PM
I fingertip deflection cost him a third pick too. Best four-game stretch by a single defensive player I've ever seen.
Posted by: J-Red | January 4, 2009 4:55 PM
Today was a win and you savor it. But the Ravens will have to play better if they are going to beat the titans or Steelers. You cannot have a QB going 9 for 23 against the better teams. Flacco didnt lose the game today.....but he didnt win it either.
Posted by: Kirk | January 4, 2009 4:59 PM
Not dominating, in the sense of destroying the Dolphins in a physical sense, but demorailzing (and perhaps somewhat comical) in the way the DBs kept coming up with clutch interceptions.
Joe Flacco, though not spectacular, was more than adequate, and as I recall, had several balls dropped.
Go Ravens, Festivus Maximus!
Posted by: logiopath | January 4, 2009 5:20 PM
pete, I think this must be fate. you at the beginning of the football season, you predicted the Bengals would blow out the Titans. oh how things change eh? I must say, I'm excited to comment on your blog as soon as the titans win sunday 21-9. mark it down.
.............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Where did I make that prediction....here?
Posted by: releaseburres | January 4, 2009 5:22 PM
will this football season ever end???
...............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Yeah, on Feb. 1, 13 days before pitchers and catchers report.
Posted by: Deadan78 | January 4, 2009 5:24 PM
Yes! Great win. I love this team
Posted by: Will | January 4, 2009 5:54 PM
I believe you Pete, in fact I don't need to check it out I recall your prescient blog days ago. The Ravens kicked some Miami behind this afternoon and I see more of the same vs Tennessee on Saturday. I wish I could meet Chris Carter of ESPN and ask him how cool he thinks Joe Flacco is now? Mr Carter seemed to wanna remind Flacco that the playoffs is a notch above the regular season and that todays game would not be "just another game" for the cool, calm and collected rookie and insisted on referring to everybody's new darling, Matt "Ice" Ryan as a can't miss example. HA! Also, in yet another pre game slighting that I picked up on, NFL Network analyst, Warren Sapp, asked "who's that?" when there was a camera shot of Ravens safety/punt returner Jim Leonhard warming up. Hope Warren was paying close attention, and by now he should know wears #36 in a Ravens jersey and who "that" is!
Posted by: Kevin Darnell Miller from Homestead, PA | January 4, 2009 5:58 PM
Nice Pete. Now if you could only translate your prophetic football knowledge to the stock market or next week's playoff lines...
Posted by: Chris | January 4, 2009 6:16 PM
Congrats, Peter, on your prescience. You were joined in that by about 200,000 of your best friends in Baltimore. This was a predictable outcome, and I hope the Ravens continue to take care of business next week. Having said that, Tennessee is not Miami. I'm thinkin'.... Baltimore 17, Tennessee 13. 2001 all over again? What say thee, Peter?
Posted by: Marty | January 4, 2009 6:17 PM
Pennington was rattled since the first half.The Miami crowd sounded like they were being fed wine and cheese most of the game.The Fish have a decent foundation to biuld on but they're not ready for prime time this year.Flacco did'nt make any rookie mistakes( hello,Matt who?) so the O could put together some productive drives(pts. and defensive down time).My score was 27-24 but I did'nt count on Pennington throwing 4 picks.Wow!
Posted by: Dan R. | January 4, 2009 6:25 PM
Hats off to the Ravens, they did it like they have done it all season. Glad to see Willis McGahee get back into his form.
GO RAVENS
Posted by: ocjohn | January 4, 2009 6:38 PM
Frankly Mr. Schmuck, any idiot would have predicted a Ravens victory "If Ed Reed can just hold onto the ball after his two INITs...." (As a Cal Bears fan, I hold laterals in a special place in my heart!) But you are right, but this is a a real beauty of a total team defense and a much much improved total team offence. Go Ravens!
Rick
Posted by: Rick | January 4, 2009 6:45 PM
Pete, Nice call I had 30-9. Great call on Reed.
Posted by: cb coach | January 4, 2009 7:00 PM
Good golly Pete , you are amazing , I think you are now my personal hero...........
Posted by: spy | January 4, 2009 7:39 PM
From the AP regarding today: "But with the result, Cameron won more games at Dolphin Stadium this season than in 2007 as Miami's head coach."
I love it. We are way in the bonus here as far as this season is concerned. I can't wait for Saturday.
Posted by: Pathetic Fan | January 4, 2009 8:27 PM
Ok. Great win. Now it's time to go pay back the Titans and their low class team. I don't just say that, it's everyone around the league. I hate the Steelers, but what they did a couple of weeks ago was un called for with the stomping of the towels and Jevon Kearse blowing his nose in the towel. Plus, I remember when we played them earlier this year. Cornerback, Courtland Finnegan was getting all in the face of Mason for no reason, except that a 34 year old receiver was frustrating him because he beat him with his amazing route running. Then they were shoving each other on the sideline, which included Keith Bulluck, another guy that's very low class. A couple years ago he took out Musa Smith with an unessecary hit. Finnegan proved to me that he as well is another low class player with his antics and unprofessionalism. Plus, there was a time when Titans defensive tackle, Albert Haynesworth threw Joe Flacco to the ground clearly after the play was blown dead, when he jumped offsides for a pentaly. And the zebras didn't call it a pentaly. Also I will always remember when the Titans played the Cowboys and he stepped on Andre Gurode's head. What a low class, dirty player on a very low class team. There's a difference Peter between physical and just plain dirty and low class, trashy. They wanted the Titans to win with an absolutely BOGUS call on Terrell Suggs for roughing the passer. I don't know about you Peter, but I thought that was the worst call I've ever seen in my life! We easily outplayed them all day and had that game. I'm glad they got it though because now there's this revenge factor against the Titans. Joe Flacco even said at the end of the game, "we can't wait to get down to Nashville and see those guys again." And he doesn't do that kind of stuff. Also Le'Ron McClain said there's pay back coming for all the teams that beat us in the regular season. Plus, in week 5, Joe Flacco was not nearly as good as he is now. He definately won't hand them those gifts that he did in that matchup. Even with a perfectly healthy defense (Albert Haynesworth) we still rushed for 132 yards on them and out-physicalled them. Chris Johnson and Lendale White went nowhere and won't again, with the Baltimore defense playing the way they have as of late. I don't think there's a team that can physically stop us right now. Ed Reed, who wasn't even at full strength and playing good almost was good enough to beat us. I feel bad for Kerry Collins because the Ravens are extremely physical and extremely dangerous. He's going to make some mistakes, I'll just say that. I don't know about you Peter, but Kerry Collins has always been a guy that couldn't deal with pressure and with our defense and team so good on the road, fearless, I just see us smothering them in another tight one since their defense is above average. Kerry is shaking in his pants right now...Deja Vu?
Posted by: Kerry thinks were scary! | January 4, 2009 8:33 PM
Pete--I couldn't help but think of your prediction as I watched the game. Like Ed, what a good read.
I really got a kick out of you hitting the "9" by virtue of Frank Walker's block of Miami's extra point attempt.
Now that's what I call clicking.
.............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Thought I was going to hit it right on the money, but Flacco made that great QB draw for the TD instead of the field goal.
Posted by: Barry | January 4, 2009 9:16 PM
All Honor and Glory to the Great Schmuck, Swami of Swamis, Oracle of Oracles, Seer of All Things Athletic! Hail to the Great One, Lord and Master of Prophecy and Prediction. We cast ourselves prostrate and silent before him, in awe of his magical majesty and mighty magnificence. When Peter the Great speaks, let no circumstance dare to contradict. Go Peter! Go Ravens!
Posted by: Rockville Jake | January 4, 2009 9:25 PM
Don't pat too hard, Peter. That wasn't the ONLY prediction you made for this game:
"It could be deja vu all over again, right down to the 20-3 final score."
Stick to a single prediction and I'll be impressed.
..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: I didn't really mean that as a prediction, just a comment on the kind of game it might be. If you want to get me on double-dipping, however, I was on WBAL today and they asked for my prediction and I completely blanked on the score I put in the paper, so I also had a different score on the pre-game show. Doesn't matter. I didn't get any of them exactly right.
Posted by: John E Quest | January 4, 2009 9:28 PM
The Dude will be hitting the road for Nashville. Win or lose Nashville is a great city, the fans are class act and it's going to be a great game.
Posted by: The Dude | January 4, 2009 10:37 PM
Schmuck, you are confusing me. What's the difference between The Schmuck Stops Here and the Peter Schmuck column? I just can't tell the difference other than a picture with sunglasses on TSSH. Oh and nice cameo on the MLB Network. :)
.............................................................................................
Pete's reply: I guess it is confusing. The difference is that the column is longer and appears in the print edition, usually on Saturday and Sunday. Just to be safe, read everything I write and click on the blog about 200 times a day.
Posted by: Alan | January 4, 2009 10:47 PM
How about this fun fact- Cam Cameron won more games as the O-cordinator of the Ravens in Miami than he did as their head coach last year.
This day belonged to the D however. One day we will all look back and realize what a treat this was!
Posted by: JPA | January 4, 2009 11:12 PM
i got bragging rights down here now. to paraphase jackie gleason "HOW SWEET IT IS"
Posted by: lauderdale raven fan'big kenny | January 5, 2009 2:57 AM
Jim #36 who? This guy has done as much for the Ravens as anybody else on the team. He plays as a team player, returner, safety and anything else asked of him. Probably the unsung player on the roster, hands down! The media(TV commentators) do not even know who he is. What a shame for such a great player just coming in to his own. Check his stats people!!!
.............................................................................................
Pete's reply: You're preaching to the choir, Bob. Nobody in Baltimore is overlooking this guy, but the national commentators are usually too busy fawning over Peyton to know the name of some blue-collar Baltimore DB.
Posted by: Bob C | January 5, 2009 10:21 AM
I had 3-1 odds that the MIAMI RAVENS (reed, lewis, mcgahee) would outscore the miami dolphins. when willis broke that run I thought I hit it, but he came up short. I like you thought there was no way miami, or should I say pennington, could beat our d. bet was just for spite to show my miami friend how bad we would smack them around and it definitely came true.
this just in, ed reed didn't win Defensive MVP, harrison did. Just more fuel to the locomotive that is your BALTIMORE RAVENS! It's only picking up more steam so you can either get on it or get run over by it.
20-10 Ravens beat tennesse. Ed reed has another pick.
Posted by: jamaltimore | January 5, 2009 1:28 PM
you made your prediction while filling in for Steve Davis back in the early part of the season
.............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Good. That means there's no written record of it, so I can retain plausible deniability.
Posted by: releaseburres | January 5, 2009 2:22 PM
ahh but if I did some digging through your September archives I could find our semi conversation and call you on it. but I'll just let the titans speak for themselves this weekend.
...............................................................................................
Pete's reply: I'm not calling you a liar. I just don't remember that. Keep in mind, I've gotten 9,000 blog comments since then, so you shouldn't be surprised that I might "misremember" something, as the Rocket would say.
Posted by: releaseburres | January 5, 2009 11:05 PM
wow! 9000! that's impressive. great job. that's not sarcastic either. half were from the Tex whirlwind though...
..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: True.
Posted by: releaseburres | January 6, 2009 7:23 PM
the other half is hate mail to MacPhail
Posted by: releaseburres | January 6, 2009 9:51 PM