Ravens-Pats II: More drama than "Jersey Shore?"
We're still five days from Ravens-Patriots in the first round of the NFL playoffs and the story lines are forming like an MTV reality series:
Will Patriots quarterback Tom Brady get special treatment from the refs? Will the Ravens get flagged for unnecessary roughness every time they breathe on the guy, never mind hit him?
Will Bill Belichick get all sorts of breaks from the officials, too, just because he's Bill Belichick, winner of three Super Bowls as coach of the Patriots, the yoda of the gridiron, the Albert Einstein of the chalkboard and the most brilliant mind in pro football coaching today?
Will the NFL pundits -- Sports Illustrated's Peter King, NBC analysts Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison, etc. -- ever stop dissing the Ravens' playoff chances?
What's the central theme here?
Right, nobody likes the Ravens. The Ravens will get shafted at Gillette Stadium this Sunday. They're going into a bar fight with one arm tied behind their backs.
I don't see any of the bad stuff happening.
In fact, I think the Ravens have an excellent chance to knock off the Patriots. No Wes Welker, Tom Brady struggling lately, the Patriots' shaky defense against the run, a Ravens strength -- all of it points to the Ravens having a good day and coming out with a win.
But we love drama in this town. We love the whole us-against-them mindset. It's been around forever.
Way longer than "Jersey Shore."
I love this town
in Ravens, Today's Special
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Comments
Actually, Tony Dungy said that he likes the Ravens. Harrison questioned him on that, and Dungy confirmed that he likes the Ravens over the Patriots.
Posted by: ebe | January 5, 2010 10:22 AM
Umm, Kevin? Were you watching NBC on Sunday night when Dungy picked us to win?
Posted by: Ron | January 5, 2010 10:27 AM
Actually Dungy orginally said he didn't like us prior to the Sunday night game. But afterwards when him and Harrison made their picks he changed his mind. Must have seen McGahee stiff arm again or relized Rice Burner put up over 2,000 all purpose yards.
We should go split back with both of them and than send Rice out into the slot.
Posted by: Ray Rice Burner | January 5, 2010 11:57 AM
It's not the Pats that scare me, it's our penalties,the refs and Brady's theatrics of faking hits.
ps. Why do i AL:WAYS have to give my e-mail on this threat?
Posted by: jon dey | January 5, 2010 12:47 PM
Dungy waffled on Sunday - first he said he like the Ravens, then when they discussed it a bit more he clarified to say he likes them but not enough for them to win in N.E.
Posted by: mk | January 5, 2010 1:01 PM
Whatever works. Us against the world, slights by so-called experts. The bottom line is that these are professional referees and aren't going to give anyone a break. They call them as they see them right or wrong. In most cases, they are right and the bad calls usually equal themselves out. The Ravens have brought this scrutiny on themselves by their complete lack of composure and discipline at critical times this season. Keep one thing in mind. There are only 3 teams that have truly "beaten" the Ravens this season, Bengals, Packers, and Ravens. Just ask Plexi-glass Burress, the self-inflicted wounds always hurt the most.
Posted by: JHill | January 5, 2010 2:41 PM
"Belichick, winner of three Super Bowls... the yoda of the gridiron, the Albert Einstein of the chalkboard... the most brilliant mind in pro football coaching today?" Yes, and also the biggest coward and disgrace in pro football today -- to wit, the New Orleans game when he threw in the towel rather than fight a losing battle to the bitter end. Right then and there, I lost all respect for him. Hall of Fame material? Hardly. "Die hard; never die easy." Walter Payton, Hall of Famer.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 5, 2010 5:48 PM
JHill, you might want to check your facts. The referees are part-time employees, just like most ticket-takers at the movies.
No offense, If you think they don't play favorites then I've got a bridge I'd like to sell you. Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and the Pittsburgh Steelers make the NFL significantly more money than the Baltimore Ravens ever do. What's more - Ravens fans, like me, perversely relish in the us-against-the-world mentality. As long as these things are true, it will ALWAYS be in the financial interests of the NFL and their part-time employee officials to screw us over. Just watch on Sunday.
Posted by: rph | January 5, 2010 6:19 PM
I don't want to seem like I'm drinking the purple kool-aid, but I have to agree with Kevin. This Patriots team is not what they have been this past decade. The key to the game is how we play Randy Moss, if the ravens can limit him to under 5 receptions, I think the game is ours to lose.
Posted by: Dave | January 5, 2010 7:32 PM