The New England Patriots: Spooking the NFL One Week at a Time

The Pats have gone out and tamed two first-class sophomore quarterbacks in consecutive weeks. Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco played respectable games. Even the New York Jets’ win over the Patriots seem a bit off. The whole game looked like New York was waiting for New England to prevail; all the Jets could do was blitz all the time and pray that Tom Brady would not find his gait.  When Brady was knocked out at the start of last season there was a scuttle to reorganize the AFC pecking order. When New England regenerated itself, Miami had just squeaked by them in the East. A sense that the league had been given a brief break from Brady, Belichick, and the Ark of the Covenant they keep stored under Fox borough.

The New England Patriots status has preceded them this year. Tom Brady is still on the road to recovery from his knee injury. Brady must remember that hit every time he drops back. But Brady is slowly recapturing his form, and in the meantime the rest of the NFL is praying that Matt Cassel just dreamed that he left for Kansas City. If teams would like to pound New England they need to go out there and strike them in the mouth. You have to act, instead of just reacting to what the Patriots settle on showing up.

Pats Beat Ravens

Mark Clayton was open and waited for the 4th-down pass that could keep the Ravens’ hopes alive. Joe Flacco reached his target inside the Patriots 10-yard line and past the first-down marker, but Clayton didn’t hold on with 28 seconds remaining. New England did—eking out a 27-21 victory over Baltimore on Sunday. The game was certain when Clayton dropped the ball and the Patriots ran out the timer as they kept their unbeaten record against the Ravens with their fifth win.

Brady completed 21 of his 32 passes for a total of 258 yards, one TD and no interceptions. Flacco, on the other hand, went 27 for 47 for a total of 264 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Trailing 17-7 at the half, Baltimore made it 17-14 when Terrell Suggs hit Brady for a sack and knocked the ball loose. Dwan Edwards recovered the football in the end zone for a touchdown with 6:19 left in the third quarter. But Brady led the Patriots on their next possession, a 79-yard drive ending with his 14-yard touchdown pass to Randy Moss.

Patriots Vs. Ravens

Baltimore has looked very good so far on both sides of the ball, but dominating Kansas City and Cleveland at home is expected and their win at San Diego isn’t really impressive given that the Ravens were out-gained 5.4 yards for each play to 7.1 yards per play by the Chargers. It’s pretty obvious that Baltimore is improved offensively in quarterback Joe Flacco’s second season but their pass defense has been poor (6.8 yards per pass play allowed) and Tom Brady should be able to exploit that weakness in this game. The Patriots are worse than average defensively as expected, allowing 5.4 yards per play to the teams that would combine to average 5.1 yards per play against an average defensive unit, so Baltimore should move the ball as well.

My ratings favor Baltimore by 2 points, but the Ravens apply to a negative 25-57 ATS road letdown situation following last week’s easy win over the Browns.

Unbeaten Ravens Demolish Winless Browns

The unbeaten Ravens gained control from the outset Sunday and demolished the Browns en route to a 34-3 victory. Joe Flacco threw a career-high 342 yards to help the Ravens more than validate their role as two touchdown favorites. Flacco was 25 for 35 with 1 touchdown, and Willis McGahee’s two touchdowns gave him six in three games. Baltimore is 3-0 for only the second time in franchise history, thanks a lot to an offense that is averaging 34.3 ppg.

Baltimore set the tone early when Domonique Foxworth intercepted a Quinn pass and McGahee followed with a touchdown run that made it 7-0. The 31-yard drive was also extended when Flacco ran for 2 yards on a fourth-and-1. The Ravens scored two more field goals, and then covered 80 yards in eight plays, seven of them passes by Flacco, before McGahee ran in from the 15 for a 20-0 lead at halftime. Looks like the Ravens are for real, we’ll be seeing more of these headlines the next couple of weeks, and Unbeaten Raves demolish Browns.

Baltimore Ravens Clamped Titans Running and Take Home the ‘W’

Nashville, Tennessee – They say Defense wins championship and the Baltimore Ravens proves that well not to the literal meaning. The Baltimore Ravens were able to stop the torrid rushing game of the Tennessee Titans to advance in the Conference Finals with the score Ravens 13-Titans 10.

Rookie Quarterback Joe Flacco showed great flair moving the chains and leading the Ravens offense with 11/22 passing for 161 yards and a lone TD his recipient was Wide Receiver Derrick Mason (5 Reception for 78 Yards and a TD). But the story is the Baltimore Ravens Defense which forced 3 Turnovers by the Tennessee Titans which despite having advantage with total yards (TEN 391; BAL 211), time of possession (TEN 34:07; BAL 25:53) and first downs (TEN 21; BAL 9) they did have the most turnovers with 1 interception (by Ravens CB Samari Rolle) and 2 Fumbles that cost them the game.

The lost of Tennessee Titans may also be attributed when Rookie Running Back sensation Chris Johnson (11 Carries, 72 yards and 1 TD) didn’t return to the game due to an ankle injury. Which prompted the Titans to rely on their passing as veteran QB Kerry Collins was 26/42 in passing with 281 yards but threw 1 interception. WR Justin Gage did well as he recorded 135 yards with 11 reception. Power RB Lendale White pick up the slack at rushing the ball with 15 carries but only 45 yards, it proves that Baltimore Ravens defense really made a difference as Linebacker Bart Scott had 9 tackles, veteran Linebacker Ray Lewis had 8 tackles and 1 Force Fumble while SS Jim Leonhard also posted a force fumble and 5 tackles. FS Ed Reed has a quiet night with only 3 tackles but his effort on the coverage also made a big difference.

The game was sealed when Kicker Mat Stover drilled a 43-yard Field Goal that breaks the tie at 10 and after that Kerry Collins only completed 1 pass (his first) on the Titans possession and failed on the next 3 attempts to hand the Baltimore Ravens the ticket to the AFC Conference championship game. They will be waiting for whoever wins on Sunday when the Sand Diego Chargers Battle the Pittsburgh Steelers.