Last week’s win in Pittsburgh may have been a 60 minute game but it all came down to a few seconds of play. Calais Campbell’s blocked field goal and Gus Edward’s three yard run for a first down allowing us to run the clock out and end the game for a 16 – 14 victory. As usual, this Raven vs Steelers game was ugly and brutal with both starting quarterbacks getting knocked out of the game and into concussion protocol. I might add that the hit on Tyler Huntley should have drawn a flag with Steeler Minkah Fitzpatrick using his shoulder to hit Tyler in the head. I was glad to see the Raven’s run game, with J K Dobbins back, to dominate the Steelers supposedly very good run defense. As I always say…I will take an ugly win over a pretty loss any day.

To come out of Pittsburgh with a road win is tough but what can be even tougher is trying to heal up on a short week to play another AFC North divisional game in Cleveland. That’s right, we play on Saturday at 4:30 against the Browns in Cleveland.

Now I have a little story to tell. Remember when you were in elementary school and you had to write a paragraph about how you spent your summer vacation. This is my paragraph about how I spent my bye week. And of course nothing has changed since I was in elementary school–I am handing this in a couple weeks late.

How I spent my Bye week

I am in the New Orleans French Quarter with a bunch of Browns fans the weekend after the Ravens beat the Saints in New Orleans. So I get to proudly wear my purple around town. The purpose of the trip was to be the officiant at a wedding. It was nice Blah Blah Blah enough of that. Flash forward to Sunday and we are going to a Browns bar on Orleans Street to watch the Browns vs Dolphins and I am almost rooting for the Browns to beat the Dolphins. I show up a few minutes after kickoff and the Browns are up 7-0- so far, so good. I walk in the bar proudly all purpled up, I receive the expected and appropriate boos from all the Cleveland fans. I take a bow and order a beer when this young lady comes up to me and tells me she needs to by me a drink. I curiously accept and ask why. This lady tells me she was on the phone with her boy friend who is from Baltimore when I walked in she tells him that a guy just walked in with a Ravens jersey on. The boy friend tells her any Ravens fan brave enough to walk into the Browns bar deserves a free drink. I thanked her and enjoyed my free beer. Back to the game. I sit down with my fellow wedding guests. The groom’s family was from Cleveland, as I said the Browns were up 7-0. But from there it was all down hill for the Browns. Sitting there I got a glimpse of what it’s like to be a Browns fan and let me tell you it’s not pretty. With each play I got more and more depressed listening to what has to be a weekly ritual of sayings to please just catch the ball or just tackle the runner. As the Browns fans dragged me into their deep depression I realized I needed to leave before it was to late. I left just after halftime and not a moment to soon. Of course the Browns lost and the Dolphins remain only 1/2 game behind the Ravens. So amongst the lively music and glitter of the French Quarter you can spot a Browns fan from a block away as they drag themselves through life.

GO RAVENS!!!

Remember, my picks are who we want to win not who we think will win. So don’t bet the beer money on my picks.

Thursday 8:00

(7-6) Seahawks over (9-4) 49ers
Just rooting for the home team.

Saturday (That’s right SATURDAY remember this–we get an extra day of football)

1:00

(10-3) Vikings over (4-8-1) Colts
Still can’t forgive the Colts for moving out of Baltimore. Besides any team that has a tie in their record doesn’t deserve to win another game.

4:30

(9-4) RAVENS over (5-8) Browns
So we are the underdogs again this week against the Browns. Now that’s what I call disrespect. That’s OK because we will earn the respect on the field with a stifling defense and an unstoppable run game. This will be Browns QB Deshaun Watson’s third game after coming back from his suspension and he won’t be ready to face the likes of our healthy defense. The Browns like to run the ball and the Ravens are one of the best at stopping the run. The Ravens like to run the ball and will run at will right down the middle of the Browns defense. It looks like Tyler will play Saturday with Anthony Brown as backup while Lamar is nursing a knee. The Ravens will run for over 200 yards and get another divisional win on the road.

GO RAVENS!!!

8:15

(8-5) Dolphins over (10-3) Bills
We are looking up at the Bills in the playoff seeding and would love to quiet the Josh Allen lovers.

SUNDAY

1:00

(5-8) Panthers over (5-8) Steelers
It was a beautiful sight looking at all the long sad faces of the Steeler fans leaving the stadium last week knowing they just got beat by a practice squad quarterback.

(4-9) Saints over (5-8) Falcons
Rooting for the home team.

(12-1) Eagles over (3-10) Bears
It’s amazing how consistently bad da Bears are year after year. They are the Browns of the NFC.

(1-11-1) Texans over (10-3) Chiefs
That’s a lot of ones in the Texans record.
Rooting for a team with a tie in it since we are looking up at the Chiefs in the playoff seeding.

(10-3) Cowboys over (5-8) Jaguars
NFC over AFC. We will start looking at the draft positions next week.

(6-7) Lions over (7-6) Jets
The Jets are still in the playoff hunt and this will knock them out.

4:00

(6-7) Buccaneers over (9-4) Bengals
This is the game we are most interested in on Sunday and they make us wait until 4:00 to watch it. We need Tom Brady to pull a win out of his hat and give us a early Christmas present. Have I ever told you that Tom Brady is my favorite player? Not really, but he may be this Sunday if he beats the Bengals.

(3-10) Broncos over (4-9) Cardinals
Well, I spoke to some, we can start looking at the draft position of the AFC Broncos. We want the early draft picks to be in the NFC.

(7-6) Patriots over (5-8) Raiders
We want the Patriots to have playoff hopes when they play the Bengals next week.

(7-6) Titan vs (7-6) Chargers
Both 7-6 AFC teams not sure who to root for they are both in the playoff hunt. Maybe, root for a tie.

8:00

(7-5-1) Commanders over (7-5-1) Giants
The Giants don’t belong in the playoffs. So we are rooting for Washington.

Monday

8:00

(5-8) Packers over (4-9) Rams
How the mighty have fallen. The reigning Super Bowl champion Rams are 4-9 and in last place in the NFC West.

Enjoy the games with a buddy, because you never know when he may not be around any more.

RIP Jameson

And that’s just The View from 151.

GO RAVENS!!!