***MNF 12/3/07 - New England vs. Baltimore - Official Discussion***

[JohnnyMapleLeaf]

last thing Boller needs is something else to misdirect his passes.......actually looking at it from the positive side, maybe it's what he needs to actually hit a receiver in the numbers.....his receivers should be able to figure that out (though i am not too high on the average IQ of a lot of these guys)..........you would just do the following:

you take the average pass which is usually 3-4 yards behind you on a calm day, then you factor in the wind and which way it is blowing....say it is blowing the ball 4-5 yards from right to left. So if you lined up on the right side and were running a 15 yard in, you would go to the spot you were supposed to be in....then move 3 1/2 yards behind yourself......then adjust about 4 1/2 yards in front and that ball should be there......:laughing:

LMAO! :laughing:

maybe your right...maybe that's just what he needs...kind of like a Bary Zito curveball right back into the receivers numbers...lol

[NittanyLions94]

:thumbs: I, for the life of me, can not figure out why the line is dropping:

1. NE Has killed worthless teams and some good teams

2. The blueprint thing: I think this logic is flawed for two reasons: (a) NE knows what Philly did and knows how to change it; (b) Boller is not that good of a qb and there has never been an accusation that Baltimore is an offensive team

3. Look ahead game: NE plays Pitt next week

4. Public has the NE/PHI game in their heads

5. Road wins for NE have been 24, 21, 21, 21,4 and 46.

6. Cincinnati's vaunted defense held Baltimore to 7 points

7. But ****ty Cleveland's defense held baltimore to 30 points

I think the question is: Is this more of a NE vs. Washington game or a NE vs. Philadelphia game.

I think it is more like the NE vs. Washington. I think the Pats are ready to show that last week was an abhoration and not the norm. Which all the stats point to anyway

Horfin

I look at it the same way. I hate to compare teams because each game is different by NE went to Dallas and won by 21, and Baltimore isn't even allowed in the state of Texas, let alone in the same league as Dallas. Cleveland is a ****load better than Baltimore in the way that they could actually hope to score with NE and they got doubled up 34-17, Cincy is better than Baltimore and they got blasted at home, etc.

I just can't figure it out for the life of me how anyone can back Kyle Boller and Brian Billick.

[navy_blue99]

I think the wind would affect Baltimore more than New England. Brady's passes are missiles. It may affect his long ball, but the Patriots don't really need the long ball to dominate. They just kill you on those 5-10 yard slants or outs to Welker and Moss. The Patriots are coming out throwing tonight, no matter how windy it is.

In my opinion, it's New England or no play. I dont see how you can make a case for Baltimore. They can't match points with the Pats like the Eagles did. They don't have a smart enough coach and don't have the offensive talent. I'm leaning towards taking the Pats, even with the windy conditions.

[Stifler's Mom]

Maybe it's a swirling wind, or a cross wind? Lets see NE score 40 in that type of weather. They won't. They can't run the ball for **** (don't throw their ypc stat at me....it's meaningless in a game where they HAVE TO RUN, when all the yards they gain come when they're either way ahead or on draws/traps when the defense is expecting pass)

Second, just like you can't assume Baltimore has the weapons to execute Philly's game plan, you certainly can't assume NE can just "fix it". They are what they are, and they have who they have. Up until last week, no one had figured a way to slow em. Now the blueprint is there, and their weaknesses have been exploited.

Why are we talking about the Ravens offense anyway? I'm gonna go out on a limb here and just guess that anyone who takes the Ravens isn't thinking 49-42. If I'm backing Baltimore, I'm backing the weather, and the defense/special teams, and the possible look ahead for NE (very small part)....surely as hell not Kyle Boller, LOL

I don't get the "NE beat so and so by 23, and so and so by 34, and these other guys by 50, so they should kill Baltimore cause Baltimore blows worse than those teams" capping either. C'mon, you guys know better than to cap like that.

Also, Horfin, a look ahead is a BAD thing, LOL (which I'm sure you know, but you list it like you mean it to be a positive for NE).....and my guess is that the Patriots destroying 9 of the first 10 opponents they played is in the public's heads just a little bit more than the Eagles game from last week. Seriously, look at all the replies on this board. Don't hear too many Patriot doubters here.

Seriously, if NE looks so easy at this line, after all the ass whippings they've handed out, all the times the public cashed the hell out of em this year, and how bad Baltimore sucks....why play them? Especially if the line is dropping? I mean ****, they were a -25 fave last week against a better team than they're playing tonight, so while it's definitely true to say -19.5 or -20 is one hell of a line, it's not like the books are unwilling to jack their lines up higher...but they didn't.

Bottom line....am I confident Baltimore can hang with NE? Hell no. But often times those are the gems, where the oddsmakers know something....and there's no reason on the surface that this line should be anything under -21.5, if not more....cause like you all said (and I agree), Baltimore blows and the Pats have beaten just about everyone by that margin or more all year.

Just the way I see it. GL to all you guys, no matter who you play :thumbs:

[Stifler's Mom]

I think the wind would affect Baltimore more than New England. Brady's passes are missiles. It may affect his long ball, but the Patriots don't really need the long ball to dominate. They just kill you on those 5-10 yard slants or outs to Welker and Moss. The Patriots are coming out throwing tonight, no matter how windy it is.

In my opinion, it's New England or no play. I dont see how you can make a case for Baltimore. They can't match points with the Pats like the Eagles did. They don't have a smart enough coach and don't have the offensive talent. I'm leaning towards taking the Pats, even with the windy conditions.

You think Baltimore's defense isn't smart enough to or capable of stopping slants and 5-10 yard outs if the deep ball isn't a consideration because of the weather??

Geez, I know the Ravens suck....but I don't think they're that bad, LOL

[NittanyLions94]

You think Baltimore's defense isn't smart enough to or capable of stopping slants and 5-10 yard outs if the deep ball isn't a consideration because of the weather??

In short, no I don't think they an stop all of the NE weapons even if they all do go short. Baltimore will have to score to cover, and if the wind is that bad, how do they plan to get down the field is my question.

[JohnnyMapleLeaf]

Pats win 23-6, 27-9...IMO....something like that...I'm actually looking at taking the under...

[Stifler's Mom]

So if BALT has 11 guys within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, they aren't capable of breaking up some passes and making some tackles?

NE has had so much success because of the speed of their receivers, and their ability to get down field and open things up, and because of the accuracy of Brady. These things are all at the very least affected by 50 mph winds, if not completely negated if the wind is a cross wind or in their face.

In addition, they can blitz like hell with the safeties if the deep ball isn't a threat. That worked well for Philly.

Honestly, I can't remember the last time I've seen such a strong consensus that any certain side is the concrete play, with no doubt in everyone's minds!!

[JohnnyMapleLeaf]

I think stif brings up some good points. Some of the same points that kept this 2007 Pats backer from laying the full chalk tonight. Still don't see any sane play on Baltimore....but his points have to be taken into consideration. Ed Reed could get the cover himself ...I doubt it, but in a hurricane...maybe! lol

Anyone know what kind of wind usually happens at MT Bank stadium? Down field wind? Cross wind? Swirl wind?

[NittanyLions94]

I think if you're banking on some wind to stop the Patriots you will be disappointed at the end. If you really think Baltimore can hang within the number without McAlister, and you capped the game, then that's fine. But the weather report I'm looking at says 18 MPH winds for tonight with gusts in the 20's. So, whichever side you pick, good luck, but I don't care if the sharps, dulls, squares, syncicates, etc. are on the Ravens, I can't justify backing them.

[JohnnyMapleLeaf]

yeah...I couldn't back Baltimore +28 in a typhoon...but that's just me, lol... :beer2:

[dwd14]

Ravens offense is horrible and way too often this year they have to settle for field goals. when the game starts to get a little out of hand they wont be able to settle anymore and their scoring will stop. see the pats puttin a huge number up on the ravens, over 35 imo. eagles were able to keep their offense on the field and move the ball, the ravens havnt done that against anyone so i dont see any reason that they could do it against the best team in the nfl.
pats make a statement tonight
42-10 pats

[NittanyLions94]

And for anyone relying on the Ravens' run game, they have went over the century mark exactly twice in their last 6 games against SD, Cleveland(100), Cincy, Pittsburgh, Buffalo(100), and St. Louis.

Just tossin' it out there, no need to jump all over me.

[homedawg]

Pats win 23-6, 27-9...IMO....something like that...I'm actually looking at taking the under...

they are all gonna need to be close, to make that many fg's, with the wind..:beer2:

I was thinkin' more like a 28-7 type of game... :drunk:

[homedawg]

I think if you're banking on some wind to stop the Patriots you will be disappointed at the end. If you really think Baltimore can hang within the number without McAlister, and you capped the game, then that's fine. But the weather report I'm looking at says 18 MPH winds for tonight with gusts in the 20's. So, whichever side you pick, good luck, but I don't care if the sharps, dulls, squares, syncicates, etc. are on the Ravens, I can't justify backing them.

New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens - weather.com