Fear Festering In Baltimore
November 25th, 2010
As Joe delves deeper into his study of the stinkin’ Baltimore Crows, it’s clear that Ravens fans are uneasy about facing the Bucs.
Fans up there have been yammering about how last Sunday’s game against the Panthers was too close against a crappy team like Carolina — 20-13 in the fourth quarter before Baltimore kicked a 50-yard field goal and scored two defensive touchdowns.
Remember Panthers no-name running back Mike Goodson? The guy who put 100 yards on the Bucs? He dropped 120 yards on 22 carries on the Crows.
Joe’s caught chatter on Baltimore sports radio about how the Ravens start too slowly in games and lack consistency. Beat writer Jamison Henlsey, of The Baltimore Sun, offers up three things that can go wrong for the Ravens against Tampa Bay:
1. LeGarrette Blount runs over Ravens. The Ravens’ up-and-down run defense needs to pack a punch against the physical, 247-pound running back. Ravens players compare Blount to Cleveland’s Peyton Hillis, who ran for 144 yards against the Ravens earlier this year.
2. Secondary struggles to keep Mike Williams out of the end zone. The Buccaneers rookie wide receiver has scored touchdowns in three out of his past four games. Ravens cornerback Josh Wilson has given up a touchdown in his first two starts of the season.
3. Another fourth-quarter meltdown. The Ravens finished off the Carolina Panthers in the fourth quarter, but they’ve hardly been the best closers in the NFL. Tampa Bay has outplayed teams in one quarter this season — the fourth — outscoring opponents 63-29.
Joe’s hardly expecting a “W” from the Bucs on Sunday, a forecasted 44 degrees at kickoff probably won’t help, but surely these Ravens are beatable.
November 25th, 2010 at 11:12 am
are u “hardly” expecting a loss?
November 25th, 2010 at 11:12 am
Mike Williams and Benn will each have touchdowns!!
November 25th, 2010 at 11:25 am
We win this one and and playoffs are looking like reality.
November 25th, 2010 at 11:38 am
I watched the Ravens vs. Panthers game last night. It wasn’t the beat-down that it appeared to be on the final scoreboard. The Panthers continually gashed the Ravens D on the ground. Carolina continues to take one step forward and then two steps back. If they had any stability/production out of their QB spot, they wouldn’t be 1-whatever they are. They shot themselves in the foot over and over again, helping mask a half-aging-half-inexperienced Ravens defense.
After watching that game, I’m a lot more confident in the Bucs chances. Now, the game is being played in Baltimore and the cold forecast (which who knows what it will be after that San Fran game. That forecast said 50’s and rain, but it looked beautiful out there.) will make the Bucs the underdogs. But with the way we’ve been playing, you can’t count the Bucs out.
November 25th, 2010 at 11:50 am
The Ravens defense is aging quite a bit. They can still have moments of greatness. But they also have moments of weakness.
If the Bucs continue to pound them. They will win. The Bucs can not have turn overs and expect to win.
November 25th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
I watched the Faclons/Ravens game and the Panthers/Ravens game on NFL rewind. If we play that team we can win.
If we play the team that beat the Steelers and Jets, we will lose.
I think it just depends on which Ravens team shows up this Sunday.
Joe, temp doesn’t matter buddy. This is the old Bucs that struggled in the cold. These are all new young guys, and half of them come from cold weather climates.
November 25th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
isn’t* the old Bucs
November 25th, 2010 at 12:08 pm
I’m floored. Florio giving us some cred..
9. Bucs get their chance to impress.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have handled every team they’ve faced, with the exception of the three elite franchises they’ve played — the Steelers, Saints, and Falcons.
This weekend, the Bucs draw the Ravens. On the road.
On paper, this is another game that Tampa should lose. If the Bucs find a way to win, it’ll be time to take this team seriously.
Actually, it’s already time to take this team seriously. With upcoming games against the Redskins, Lions, and Seahawks, 10 wins could be in the offing. With the Ravens, Falcons, and Saints also on the docket, victory in any one of those games will help the Bucs do the unthinkable — nailing down coach of the year honors for Raheem Morris, and possibly executive of the year recognition for Mark Dominik. With a roster devoid of pricey veterans, the Bucs are one of the few teams that is playing like a true team.
November 25th, 2010 at 12:23 pm
As soon as you mentioned Florio I stopped reading.
November 25th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
The Buccaneers play they same game they played last week they leave babylon/baltimore winners. The Object should be used frequently bang bang banging on those vultures all day. They can be had if things go right
November 25th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
This game will most likely be decided by turnover differential. Get Blount his 20 carries along with that and we win.
November 25th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
The Bucs’ number one asset is that they believe in themselves. The Bucs keep getting better and their potential is off the charts. I think Atlanta is a fraud and will collapse down the stretch, the Saints are getting better and hitting their stride. The Bucs are the wild card and who knows, they could just run the table. If they beat the Ravens, Raheem has to be in the Coach of the Year conversation. I am confident and like our chances every week. Most teams get worse with injuries, but the Bucs just seem to get better. Go Figure.
Happy Thanksgiving Guys and God Bless our Troops.
November 25th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
The keys to the Bucs winning in Faltimore will be:
1. Leading by halftime
2. Error free – no turnovers
3. Play defense like last week agains the 49ers
and most importantly
4. let Greg Olson have Freeman go down the field EARLY. You’ve got to let Freeman and Williams have their shots. Williams have proven he’s a fighter for the ball.
I know everyone is enamoured with Blount but I believe that it will be up to Freeman and his arm to win this game. In fact I’ll go out and say that the Ravens will be concentrating so much on shutting down Blount that Winslow will actually have a big game.
BUCS 27 RAVENS 20
November 25th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
Yup I already said this. THE RAVENS HAVE NO CORNERS!!! If the o-line can keep Suggs and Lewis off of Freeman he should shred this D!!!
November 25th, 2010 at 6:38 pm
If the Bucs can manage to put on a clinic this Sunday a lot of teams are going to start worrying, I can guarantee that.
November 25th, 2010 at 7:25 pm
I here nominate Raheem Morris LCoY, as in the Luckiest Coach of the Year!
Lets all be honest, the guy deserves something for his string of unmatched luck. 🙂
November 25th, 2010 at 7:45 pm
Why the smiley face? Like anyone else on the boards here besides maybe Buc You and thomas will think your funny.
November 25th, 2010 at 8:36 pm
Well said gitarlvr….
Shove that smiley face up your &#$….Rahs doing a great job…
This is the Bucs chance to show that they are for real on the biggest stage of the year.
Bucs win 24-17
November 25th, 2010 at 10:38 pm
Play the Ravens much like the 49ers and let the chips fall!
November 26th, 2010 at 1:48 am
It wasn’t Palm Springs In San Fransisco, and we won. Ravens old men are vulnerable to Power Backs, look what Hillis of Cleveland did to them ? IF we can show what we did in Frisco, Tampa wins.