We knew the schedule would be tough after finishing in first place last year (and getting matched up with the AFC's other first place teams this year), as well as divisional matchups against the vaunted NFC East and a challening AFC West. So I'm going to break down the schedule game-by-game and give you a predicion of how I think the Ravens will finish up, and Matt and Vince will also chime in with their predictions.
Check out our game-by-game picks after the jump:
Week 1: Home, Cincinnati Bengals, Monday Night Football (7 PM)
Cincinnati is a somewhat sexy pick by people who love the growing tandem of Andy Dalton and AJ Green.and a team that quietly snuck into the playoffs as the 6th seed last year. I'm not sold. I still see them as a solid notch below the Ravens and Steelers in the AFC North, and expect the Ravens to come out firing on all cylinders on their first Monday night home game since 2007 trying to prove that they are not past their prime.
Tyler's Predicion: WIN
Matt's Prediction: WIN
Vince's Prediction: WIN
Week 2: Away, Philadelphia Eagles (1 PM)
The Dream Team is back for year 2, and yes, I am talking about the team that didn't even make the playoffs in 2011. The Eagles will yet again be a team to watch this season as it remains to be seen if Michael Vick can truly lead them to greatness. This will be the first of four very tough NFC East matchups, but I like the Ravens in this one. I think they are the better team and I wouldn't be surprised to see Torrey Smith burn Nnamdi Asomugha once or twice.
Tyler: WIN
Matt: WIN
Vince: LOSS
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| Terrell Suggs and the Ravens aren't going to let Tom Brady get away yet again |
Aside from the Steelers games, this may be the game the Ravens want to win most. They are desperate to show that they should have been playing in the Super Bowl last season after the Cundiff deboccle in the AFC Championship. Expect this to come down to a decisive late field goal yet again, but there is no way I can pick against the Ravens in this game. Cundiff at the buzzer FTW.
Tyler: WIN
Matt: LOSS, Patriots always find some way to win/Ravens find way to lose. I'll believe the Ravens can beat them when they show me.
Vince:WIN
Week 4: Home, Cleveland Browns, Thursday Night Football (8 PM)
This is the definition of a trap game. The Ravens will hopefully be 3-0 at this point but could be a little emotionally and physically drained after three big time opponents and spotlights the first three weeks of the season. That combined with the short rest and the Jaguars/Seahawks effect of 2011 could make this much closer than anticipated. Also, if the Browns draft Trent Richardson, he could prove to be problematic out of the backfield. If this were on the road, I'd almost expect to lose. But the Ravens don't lose at home. Period.
Tyler: WIN
Matt: WIN, they don't lose to Cleveland either and with Hillis gone no way they lose this game.
Vince:WIN
Week 5: Away, Kansas City Chiefs (1 PM)
The Chiefs were a strange team last year. After making the playoffs in 2010, they were inconsistent when Matt Cassel was healthy, and horribly inconsistent after he went down (Remember, they beat the previously undefeated Packers late in the season). The Ravens killed them in the AFC Wild Card two years ago when they were good, I can only imagine what they'll do know when they aren't as good. Plus, the extra rest from a Thursday night game will help.
Tyler: WIN
Matt: WIN
Vince: WIN
Week 6: Home, Dallas Cowboys (1 PM)
Oh the Cowboys. They are as unpredictable as any team in the NFL. They should yet again be in the hunt in the NFC East. This game could be pretty competitive but I am going to give the Ravens the benefit of the doubt here with home field playing the deciding factor. Ravens by a touchdown.
Tyler: WIN
Matt: LOSS, Dallas traditionally starts off fairly well and fades late. Chalk this up as one of three home losses this season.
Vince:WIN
Week 7: Away, Houston Texans (1 PM)
The Texans will be reloaded and ready to go in 2012. They were competitive in the regular season game in Baltimore with a healthy Matt Schaub but no Andre Johnson. The playoff game in Baltimore was also surprisingly competitive with TJ Yates at QB and Johnson healthy at WR. After both of those wins being close at home, I think the healthy tandem of Schaub and Johnson plus playing on the road spells trouble for the Ravens.
Tyler: LOSS
Matt: WIN, this could be the biggest reg. season win for the Ravens this year.
Vince:LOSS
Week 8: BYE
Week 9: Away, Cleveland Browns (1 PM)
After the bye week and its the Browns. Enough said. Game, blouses.
Tyler: WIN
Matt: WIN, unfortunate they play the Browns this week. Coming off bye weeks in the regular season is doomsday for Ravens opponents
Vince:WIN
Week 10: Home, Oakland Raiders (1 PM)
The Raiders, what an enigma. After nearly missing out on a playoff berth last season in the questionable AFC West, it is evident that the Raiders do have some talent and could once again surprise a few teams. Having them come across the country and play a 1 PM game, which is essentially a 10 AM game for them, will not help. Carson Palmer will be unable to bring back the demons of his old Bengals days.
Tyler: WIN
Matt: WIN, starting to mount a nice little win streak here. Will it last?
Vince:WIN
Week 11: Away, Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday Night Football (8 PM)
Primetime road games are not a strength of the Ravens (i.e. Jacksonville, usually Pittsburgh, etc.) Last season's last minute victory in Pittsburgh on Sunday night is not something that usually happens. This is the start of a tough home stretch and I don't think it starts off on the right foot.
Tyler: LOSS
Matt: LOSS, all good things come to an end. Primetime away games are not the Ravens forte.
Vince:WIN
Week 12: Away, San Diego Chargers (4 PM)
Yuck. At San Diego again. Ravens fans will not forget that Sunday night drubbing at the hands of Philip Rivers at the end of last season. Having to travel to the west coast following a brutal Sunday night game in Pittsburgh is a formula for disaster. Not that NFL players ever throw in the towel, but depending on the outcome of the previous week's game, the Ravens may take it easy and rest up for Pittsburgh at home in Week 13. Either way, not a good matchup for the Ravens.
Tyler: LOSS
Matt: LOSS, long trip and will struggle to comeback from losing at Pitt.
Vince:WIN
Week 13: Home, Pittsburgh Steelers (4:15 PM)
This time will not lose three games in a row. This will be a statement game as the Ravens tell the NFL to f*** off after scheduling them this brutal three week stretch. I anticipate a similar outcome to last season's opening game. The split of the series will probably leave the fate of the division up to how the Ravens play against the Bengals and Browns.
Tyler: WIN
Matt: WIN, In what is probably Ray's last year and maybe Ed's (deja vu) the veterans lead this team to an impressive win and right back into the thick of the AFC playoff picture
Vince:LOSS
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| #LOLRexGrossman |
The Beltway Bowl 2012. I was disappointed this game did not make primetime status. The Redskins are still another year or two away from attempting to make some noise, but this regional rivalry has a fun background because of some hostility between neighboring fans. Expect Ravens fans to fill at least half the stadium as the Redskins will be out of the playoff hunt and looking forward to who they could have taken in the first round with the picks they traded to get RGIII.
Tyler: WIN
Matt: WIN RGIII (presumably) will do better than most rookie QBs against the Ravens. The 52 other Redskins will not in this 45 minute away "road" game
Vince:WIN
Week 15: Home, Denver Broncos (1 PM)
I was looking forward to Tebow coming to Baltimore, but an old Peyton Manning coming to town isn't a bad consolation. I have no idea where the Broncos will be in the standings at this point, so there could be some direct competition for a wild card spot in this game. This is as much of a toss up as any game, as it is impossible to tell the impact that Manning will have. Ravens, barely.
Tyler: WIN
Matt: WIN I'm not convinced Peyton is the Denver QB this late in the year (injury), but either way the Ravens win this to maintain footing in AFC
Vince:WIN
Week 16: Home, New York Giants (1 PM)
I don't think the Ravens are a team that matches up well with the Giants. Their passing attack is only going to get better, and late in the season they will be clicking on all cylinders. First home loss of the season comes in the last home game of the season.
Tyler: LOSS
Matt: LOSS This SB 35 rematch comes at a critical juncture of the season, unfortunately I think the Ravens come up short and fail to secure home field advantage
Vince:WIN
Week 17: Away, Cincinnati Bengals (1 PM)
Playing at Cincinnati scares me. The Bengals are likely to be back in the playoffs in 2012 as the Dalton-Green combo grows in year two. After a nice stretch in Weeks 13-15, the Ravens could find themselves backing into the playoffs with two straight losses.
Tyler: LOSS
Matt: LOSS The Bengals for whatever reason always intimidate me, going back to the Corey Dillon days. I see a big year from Dalton and AJ Green, with this being one of their best games to wrap up the regular season.
Vince:WIN, this game will be played in an empty stadium with mostly purple fans in attendance.
Final Predictions:
Tyler: 11-5 (7-1 Home, 4-4 Away, 4-2 AFC North), 2nd AFC North (Steelers w/ better AFC North record), AFC Championship runner-up
Matt: 10-6 (5-3 Home, 5-3 Away), 2nd AFC North, AFC Champion, SB Runner up
Vince: 13-3, This is a best case scenario in my mind. I think we will finish slightly south of this but I'm trying to get the good vibes flowing. Hopefully Flacco plays well in this contract year and leads us deep into the playoffs again.
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