No time to mince words, just be blunt: it was a rough week for the Top Ten. Three of last week’s top ten lost, and three more snuck away with wins in the most absurd of ways.

The Patriots and Cardinals fell out of the rankings this week. The Patriots lost to the Steelers by a wide margin at home. In a sentence, they offense got shut down and the defense failed to show up. It was almost expected though; defense has been the Patriots’ problem all season long.

For the Cardinals, they just got outplayed by the Eagles. In the process, they lost yet another chance to clinch their division. Though, I must admit, it would be kind of fun to see a team get into the playoffs at 7-9.

The two new arrivals this week, taking over the spots of the Pats and Cards, are the Cowboys and Falcons. Both teams have won eight games and are fighting for the second wild card position in the NFC. Unfortunately, both will likely end the season with better records than the winners of the NFC North and NF C West.

The full list is after the jump… Read the rest of this entry »

Following two devastating losses in consecutive weeks - in two games the Ravens certainly feel like they should have won - things get no easier as the team hits the road for five of its next six games. The first of these games is against the Colts, and no reference to where they used to play or how Baltimore fans feel about the game is necessary.

Lucky for the Ravens, the Colts might be one of the weaker teams they face in this dreaded six game stretch. At 2-2, the Colts have underperformed so far this season and were only able to squeak out a win against Houston last week thanks to an astonishing 21-point surge in the final four minutes of the game. Once able to score at will against opponents, the Colts’ offense appear to be missing something this year. All the weapons are there, but the functionality is not. Similarly, a strong defense from past seasons is struggling this year to contain the run.

Heading into Sunday, here are two key match-ups to keep an eye on … Read the rest of this entry »

If there’s one positive about playing on Monday Night Football, it’s that the next game comes that much sooner. It’s Thursday already? Sweet. I’m sure the Ravens, however, are feeling slightly less excited. The team could probably use the extra day - or two or three - of rest.

Like it or not, however, the Ravens have to be ready as the unbeaten Titans find their way to M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday for a clash of former rivals. Fisher-Billick was just as much to watch as Belichick-Mangini, but with the Billick era gone in Baltimore, it’s a new page in this rivalry. A win for the Ravens would be huge, helping them maintain their solid standing in the conference and establishing them as a serious contender. A loss for the Titans may not be as costly as it could be for the Ravens, but the Titans are looking to maintain their strong start and continue to hold off the Colts and Jags.

Here are two key match-ups that we should watch in Sunday’s game… Read the rest of this entry »

The Baltimore Sun today published two articles, oddly similar to one another, about scrutiny of John Harbaugh’s conservative decision-making in the Ravens 23-20 loss to the Steelers on Monday. The first piece, from Jamison Hensley, seems a bit more like reporting the mood around town following the loss. The second piece, from Mike Preston, is simply picking for the sake of picking.

My question: why is Harbaugh taking any heat for the loss on Monday?

Read the rest of this entry »

Here’s a snippet of some of the comments from fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers over at McMillen and Wife and Steeler Nation. The Steelers won the game in overtime, but are Steeler fans content? Find out and keep reading.
Read the rest of this entry »

It may not seem like much, but in discussing the game last night with some other ExtremeRavens staff, I had a bit of a revelation about this Ravens team. Perhaps it’s obvious, perhaps it’s just plain wrong… perhaps I’m bringing bad karma…

But here is how I see this season and our first three games so far - or rather, here’s what I think we’ve learned and can look forward to - and it can’t help but remind me of a team we saw here not too long ago.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Ravens defense continued to shock and awe while the offense’s sputtering still showed promise.

Quarterback: C
It was a tale of two halves from the rookie quarterback who held up well in the first half and started to slide, sometimes badly, in the second. While he did throw a touchdown in the first half, he also racked up two fumbles, including losing one that resulted in a defensive touchdown for Pittsburgh. Flacco’s arm strength was on full display and he let the doubters know that yes, he can move sideline-to-sideline.

Running Backs: C
The Ravens struggled early with running the ball, but by the second quarter, the running game was running over Steelers’ defenders. They lost that momentum however, and continued to struggle throughout the game. There were some nice runs, but it wasn’t consistent.

Receivers: C
Without Derrick Mason, the Ravens wide receivers would probably be lost. Mason provides a spark on offense when the unit most needs it. Even with a floating pass from Flacco, Demetrius Williams missed a catchable pass that went through his hands. Daniel Wilcox did catch one in the endzone for Baltimore, but aside from Mason, the receivers were nonexistent.

Offensive Line: C
The offensive line continues to come together as a unit. Again it was a tale of two halves. The line did an excellent job of containing the Steelers’ defense in the first half. But, the second half was a different story, and the total result was five sacks for the opposition.

Defense: A-
This unit played solid, dominating defense, with the exception of Jarret Johnson’s silly penalty. There’s no excuse for it, and the penalty allowed the Steelers to enter Ravens territory for the first time in the game. The defensive backs continue to have tackling problems.

Special Teams: B
Sam Koch is quite the specialist in kick placements. The punt coverage was decent, but Yamon Figurs really seems to be struggling. So much so that the Ed Reed was put it in to return at one point.

Coaching: B
The Ravens called an even-handed game and took some shots down the field in an attempt to keep the Steelers offense. The result wasn’t what they wanted, but it was a start against their first winning-record opponent of the season.

How would you rank the Ravens?

What a doozy of a game for the Ravens and Steelers tonight. I’m still wound up and still emotional about it all… it’s been just minutes since the final kick crossed over… So here’s what I see… Read the rest of this entry »

Heading into Sunday, let’s breakdown the fantasy-side of the Ravens-Steelers match-up.

Quarterbacks:

Joe Flacco: Still has yet to throw a touchdown pass and, last week, finally made some mistakes with the football. I know no one owns him, and it should stay that way for now.

Ben Roethlisberger: Big Ben got sacked 9 times last week by Philadelphia. Many believe that number could be reached again Monday against the Ravens. If you league counts sacks, you need to be worried. But worry anyway… without proven runner behind him and given two straight questionable starts by Big Ben, it’s time to sit the guy if you can afford it.

Runningbacks:

Willis McGahee: The latest reports are that he will play. If he plays, you play him. The numbers may not be grand, but he is the most likely way the Ravens will find the endzone and he’ll receive most of the carries for the team.

Le’Ron McClain: McClain will be a part of this offensive package all season. He is a great option as a 3rd back, or even a starting back if you have runners on their bye week. He scored his first two rushing touchdowns last week and against a strong Steelers defense, expect him to continue to get goalline carries. The man is a bowling ball, and dare I say again, Jerome Bettis-esque.

Rashard Mendenhall: Perhaps worthy of a spot start in the absence of Parker, but only as a 3rd back. Against a stout Ravens D, he’s hardly worth picking up unless no other option presents itself.

Wide Outs / Tight Ends:

Hines Ward: Has been productive so far this season but has suffered in recent weeks as Big Ben and Parker have struggled. Still worth a start. Always worth a start.

Derrick Mason: Similar to Ward, always worth the start if you have him. He will see the ball and catch the ball and, maybe, will find the endzone. Start him.

Todd Hap: Still struggling, but still a better option than most other tight ends. Heap is going to be a key player in this game and will get frequent looks from Flacco. Start him.

Heath  Miller: He’s yet to be a threat this season, but is still worth the start over many other options. He’s been a poison, much like Ward, to this Ravens defense.

Defenses:

Ravens: They have quickly proven themselves to be the class of the NFL again. The run-stopping power is there and is helping to control the passing game. The pass rush has been brutal, ringing up sacks and helping the secondary get to the ball. Against a weak offensive line and a defeated run game, they deserve the start.

Steelers: At home, they are always tough. The run defense is stout, but is missing one of its biggest contributors in Casey Hampton. Still, the points will come from their ability to control Joe Flacco. At home, with a healthy Troy Polamalu, they might create some fireworks. If you have them, they are probably a good bet to start. It’s not like this will be a high scoring affair…

It’s Friday once again, and you know what that means… it’s time for everyone to lay it out…

You’ve had time to celebrate last week. You’ve had the time to worry about this week. You’ve had time to ponder and analyze every last match-up and intangible… So put it out there!

Who ya got?

From the ExtremeRavens Staff:

Danielle:  21-17 Steelers.  At this point, if I keep picking the Ravens to lose, they could go 19-0 (Why Not?). Seriously, though, the Steelers, at home, coming off an embarrassing loss. I was at Boller’s first NFL game. It happened to be at Pittsburgh and it wasn’t pretty. It won’t get that bad - the defense will keep Baltimore in it - but I think the Ravens come up short.

John: 20- 13 Steelers.  The Ravens will have a harder time running the ball which will put more pressure on Flacco. I expect he’ll look more like a rookie due to the hostile environment and the solid defense Pittsburgh brings.

Ken: 24-23 Steelers.  It won’t be the Ravens defense that lets the team down. The offense will make mistakes and it will cost us. Same story we’ve come to expect -hostile environment, hostile defense, good team. And did I mention the Ravens are just 2-6 at Heinz Field?

Andrew: 17-13 Ravens.  This is going to be a hard-hitting, trash-talking, smash-mouth football game. Quite simply, the team that is more physical will win. The Ravens front-seven has been very physical this season, and historically do very well against power backs like Mendenhall. Without Casey Hampton and Brett Keisel in the middle of the Steelers defense, the Ravens offensive line and three-headed monster at runningback continue their success. Both teams will get after the quarterback, but when it is said and done, the Ravens win a close one.

Dan: 20-3 Ravens.  A decimated Steelers offensive line, an injured running back, and a beat-up quarterback. It’s our defense’s fantasy game. Similar to the Browns game, the defense will keep the offense near the red zone by way of sacks and forced turnovers. Flacco and offense will only have to punch it in from 30-50 yards out, which they are more than capable of doing.

Feel free to add your own predictions below…