9/1/17

FOOTBALL IS BACK!! IT’S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, MY OLD FRIEND!

Week One of the regular NFL Season is finally here. The grind of training camp and the preseason is over and none too soon. The endless drivel of how “great Tom Brady is”  and how the Patriots are the team to beat in 2017 was about to drive me crazy!

So, the regular season is here and it’s good to be plucking the keyboard again talking Ravens football.

Okay, I can’t hold it in anymore–THE DEFENSE LOOKS FANTASTIC! I know…I know….it was only preseason but it was great seeing the D-Line stopping the run and our corners actually covering the receivers. We’ve been stopping the run for years but the pass coverage looks like it will be a huge improvement.  I was geeking out on the defensive numbers and discovered that the Ravens gave up the second fewest points in the preseason.  Do you want to know who gave up the the fewest points?  It was the Browns. Do you want to know who gave up the most points? —-It was the PATRIOTS! Their defense is going to be terrible this year.  They lost a lot of good defensive players. (I was going to add “Since they won the Super Bowl” but I couldn’t bring myself to say it) . The AFC North gave up the fewest points in the NFL–AFC or NFC. The rankings were Browns 1st, Ravens 2nd, Steelers 7th and the Bengals were in the 17th slot. We always knew our division has good defense but it’s kinda scary to think that the Browns defense is getting better.

Have you noticed that I have avoided talking about the Ravens Offense? That’s because no one has any clue what it will be like. Joe didn’t take one snap in preseason. He just started practicing last Saturday.  Joe himself  even said when he gets hit for the first time he doesn’t know if he will get up.  Not exactly the confidence you want to hear out of your starting quarterback.  The offensive line is another huge question, the starting line as a unit did not take one snap together in the preseason or in training camp.  Will they be able to protect our rusty quarterback?  Can they run block as a unit to help our core of running backs missing Kenneth Dixon our best runner?

This is what I love about football every year– the anticipation of how good your team will play.  So I hope I don’t pass out while I’m setting on the edge of the chair holding my breath waiting for Joe to get up after his first hit this week.  We will all find out together if the preseason means anything or if it’s really necessary.  Isn’t this Great!

GO RAVENS!!!

Disclaimer: Gotta say it for our new friends on this blog. I picked the teams that we want to win, who will help the Ravens in the playoff picture, not who I think will win. Do not bet the farm on these picks. Read on!

Thursday night 8:25pm

Chiefs over  Patriots
I just can’t take any more of the media Patriot / Tom Brady love-fest.  If the Patriots lose Week One then there will be no talk of a undefeated season.  Wouldn’t that be fantastic!

Sunday
1:00pm

RAVENS over Bengals
Joe will need to knock the rust off early, the O-line will need to be ready for the Bengals defense who will bring the pressure all day long.  We have good receivers but will Joe have time to use them?  Can we run the ball to help the pass?   Yes, a lot of questions for the offense but not for our defense.  Our Ravens defense is back!  No more losing steam in the fourth quarter and giving up points.  This defense is stacked with great players and will rotate in and out to stay fresh.  Look for the Ravens defense to control this game, the offense to manage this game and Justin Tucker  to will this game.  GO RAVENS!!!

Bills over Jets
Rooting for the home team Bills

Bears over Falcons
Matt Ryan, what a loser.  How did he lose the Super Bowl after being ahead by 25points?

Browns over Steelers
We just can’t root for the Steelers. We will beat the Browns next week.

Lions over Cardinals
Both NFC teams rooting for the home team.

Texans over Jaguars
Rooting for the home team, besides those poor people in Houston need something to cheer about.

Raiders at Titans
You pick’em. Both AFC teams that we play later this season.

Redskins over Eagles
I need my Redskin fan customers nice and happy next week.

4:05pm

Rams over Colts
NFC over AFC, the Colts are a mess and may not have Andrew Luck playing.

4:25pm

Packers over Seahawks
Rooting for the home team.  This will be a good game to watch after the Ravens win in Cincinnati.

49ers over Panthers
Just rooting for the home team.

8:30pm

Cowboys over Giants
Watch this one on Sunday night. The Cowboys could actually be good two years in a row.

Monday
Having two games on Monday night means us poor slobs that have to get up at 4:30 in the morning may be able to stay awake to see the end of the first game.

7:10 pm

Saints over Vikings
Rooting against the home team Vikings just because I don’t like them and we play them week 7.  So I hope I can stay awake to see them lose.

10:20pm

Broncos over Chargers
Rooting for the home team.

NOTE: The Buccaneers at Dolphins game has been moved to Week 11 due to Hurricane Irma. God Bless our friends in Florida.

It’s great to have football back!  So enjoy the games with a friend.

And that’s just the view from 151.

GO RAVENS!!! 

WEEK THREE: LONDON-Can’t wait!