Post by Zig on Jan 4, 2015 15:32:59 GMT -5
I'd still much rather play the Colts or Bengals but Tom E. has made me feel more confident about beating the 1 team I didn't want to see...
Should Pats fear the Ravens? Nevermore
January 4, 2015, 1:15 pm
You ever digest the Edgar Allan Poe poem for which the Baltimore Ravens were named?
It’s about a guy jilted by his girlfriend Lenore and, while he sits pining and lamenting, a raven flies into his room and just verbally goads him to a deeper level of despair. All the stupid bird says is, “Nevermore.” And the thing says it eight times.
It concludes:
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."
And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted—nevermore!
Scary stuff.
These Ravens may not be as literate as Eddie Poe, but their mere presence absolutely has the power to unnerve Patriots fans the same way the bird messed with Lenore’s ex-boyfriend in the poem.
This whole damn week is going to be spent talking certain segments of Patriots fans off the ledge or prying the blankets down off their heads. Lotta mental damage was exacted in the 2009 and 2012 playoffs and – for some reason – even though the Patriots won the 2011 AFC Championship, that left a mark on the local psyche as well.
So here’s three sensible points to make to counter the nonsensical raving of those ascared of the Ravens.
ROB GRONKOWSKI
He didn’t play last season when the Patriots beat the Ravens 41-7 in Baltimore. That was a Ravens team that needed that Week 16 win to make it to the postseason. A team that had momentum having won four in a row. And they gagged at home to the Gronkless Patriots. The 2012 AFC Championship game for New England? Also Gronkless. The 2011 AFC Championship win for the Patriots? Gronk got his ankle jacked up by Bernard Pollard in the third quarter after he’d caught five passes for 87 yards by halftime. He’s the best tight end in football and one of the most devastating offensive weapons. Some of the upper-tier tight ends they’ve seen this season have lit the Ravens up – San Diego’s Antonio Gates had seven for 83 and the Saints Jimmy Graham had six for 47 and two TDs.
HOW DO THEY SCORE?
When the Patriots lost to the Ravens in the 2012 AFC Championship game, do you recall who was in the starting lineup for the Patriots defense? On the line that day were Justin Francis and Kyle Love. Aqib Talib was out of the game before halftime. Now, the Patriots have the best man-to-man corner in football who they’ll deploy on the great Steve Smith (one hopes) while bracketing Torrey Smith with Brandon Browner and Devin McCourty. Jamie Collins roams and disrupts. The Patriots have the inside beef to deal with Justin Forsett and Joe Flacco – while a tough quarterback – is not a precise thrower nor a threat to run. The Patriots have shut down offenses with far more potency than the Ravens’.
OFFENSIVE DIVERSITY
When the Patriots drilled Baltimore last season, they were a run-heavy offense with LeGarrette Blount and Stevan Ridley. New England ran the ball 19 times and threw it 13 times in the first half of that Week 16 win and that’s where they created their edge. In Week 17 this year, needing a win over the Browns, a kid named Terrence West ran for 60 yards on seven carries in the first half against the Ravens defense. The Steelers couldn’t get much done against the Ravens on the ground without Le’Veon Bell in the Wild Card game, but the Patriots should be able to make some progress. If they can’t they have plenty of options through the air.
www.csnne.com/blog/patriots-talk/should-pats-fear-ravens-nevermore
Should Pats fear the Ravens? Nevermore
January 4, 2015, 1:15 pm
You ever digest the Edgar Allan Poe poem for which the Baltimore Ravens were named?
It’s about a guy jilted by his girlfriend Lenore and, while he sits pining and lamenting, a raven flies into his room and just verbally goads him to a deeper level of despair. All the stupid bird says is, “Nevermore.” And the thing says it eight times.
It concludes:
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."
And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted—nevermore!
Scary stuff.
These Ravens may not be as literate as Eddie Poe, but their mere presence absolutely has the power to unnerve Patriots fans the same way the bird messed with Lenore’s ex-boyfriend in the poem.
This whole damn week is going to be spent talking certain segments of Patriots fans off the ledge or prying the blankets down off their heads. Lotta mental damage was exacted in the 2009 and 2012 playoffs and – for some reason – even though the Patriots won the 2011 AFC Championship, that left a mark on the local psyche as well.
So here’s three sensible points to make to counter the nonsensical raving of those ascared of the Ravens.
ROB GRONKOWSKI
He didn’t play last season when the Patriots beat the Ravens 41-7 in Baltimore. That was a Ravens team that needed that Week 16 win to make it to the postseason. A team that had momentum having won four in a row. And they gagged at home to the Gronkless Patriots. The 2012 AFC Championship game for New England? Also Gronkless. The 2011 AFC Championship win for the Patriots? Gronk got his ankle jacked up by Bernard Pollard in the third quarter after he’d caught five passes for 87 yards by halftime. He’s the best tight end in football and one of the most devastating offensive weapons. Some of the upper-tier tight ends they’ve seen this season have lit the Ravens up – San Diego’s Antonio Gates had seven for 83 and the Saints Jimmy Graham had six for 47 and two TDs.
HOW DO THEY SCORE?
When the Patriots lost to the Ravens in the 2012 AFC Championship game, do you recall who was in the starting lineup for the Patriots defense? On the line that day were Justin Francis and Kyle Love. Aqib Talib was out of the game before halftime. Now, the Patriots have the best man-to-man corner in football who they’ll deploy on the great Steve Smith (one hopes) while bracketing Torrey Smith with Brandon Browner and Devin McCourty. Jamie Collins roams and disrupts. The Patriots have the inside beef to deal with Justin Forsett and Joe Flacco – while a tough quarterback – is not a precise thrower nor a threat to run. The Patriots have shut down offenses with far more potency than the Ravens’.
OFFENSIVE DIVERSITY
When the Patriots drilled Baltimore last season, they were a run-heavy offense with LeGarrette Blount and Stevan Ridley. New England ran the ball 19 times and threw it 13 times in the first half of that Week 16 win and that’s where they created their edge. In Week 17 this year, needing a win over the Browns, a kid named Terrence West ran for 60 yards on seven carries in the first half against the Ravens defense. The Steelers couldn’t get much done against the Ravens on the ground without Le’Veon Bell in the Wild Card game, but the Patriots should be able to make some progress. If they can’t they have plenty of options through the air.
www.csnne.com/blog/patriots-talk/should-pats-fear-ravens-nevermore
