Sorry for the late post, but I just got back to Baltimore, so here is the post I wrote early this morning:

As I sit in the airport getting ready for my flights back to dreary and cold Baltimore from Florida through Atlanta, the Dolphins will always have one thing over the Ravens, and that is the weather all season long for their home games. Man, it is so nice to be able to go watch football games in January wearing shorts and a sweet Hawaiian shirt (of course)! However, after the results of the past two games we’ve played here, that might be it as far as advantages. Ed Reed and company might be staking their claim to the place as “our house” as we laid two of Miami’s six losses this season on them in their own crib. However, it appears the acknowledgement of our superiority has began to sink in with the more sane minds in South Florida, compared to a bunch of the rude and obnoxious Dolphin fans around me in my section as well as many on the team’s blog site.

I listened to a bunch of sports talk on the radio Monday and most of it centered on the Sunday’s football game. The first show I listened to in the morning was out of Orlando with a guy who sounded like a transplanted New Yorker, loud and opinionated, yet dead on with his comments. He said the Dolphins were pushed all over the field by the Ravens, lost the game on both sides of the ball, and were just not in Baltimore’s class of competition. He surmised that the Dolphin fans who thought their team was one or two players away from contending for a Super Bowl were delusional, as he thought the team had significant holes. Furthermore, he stated, Miami would be playing a first place schedule in 2009, and he expected a huge letdown as they would be facing six playoff teams next season and thought a record of 9-7 at best was in their future, and it could get ugly with an 8-8 or even worse record.

Late Monday afternoon, I was listening on their ESPN affiliate to the Miami fans who kept calling in to state they had a great season and were proud of their team. Many went on to say their defense held us down most of the game and still had a chance to win in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t overcome the five turnovers from a team that only had something like 13 turnover for the entire regular season. Former Dolphin RB Keith Byars even commented that the Dolphins should have pulled QB Chad Pennington late in the game due to his ineffectiveness. The other hosts had the same thought as me, which was, could you imagine putting the untested rookie, Chad Henne, in against the Ravens defense!? Didn’t they see what happened when the Eagles Andy Reid did the same thing, pulling Donovan McNabb and inserting backup Kevin Kolb, in Philly’s 36-7 beatdown courtesy of us in November? After hearing a bunch of sad, but hopeful Dolphins fans, I had to put in my two cents worth, so I dialed in.

When they answered the phone, I asked to speak to the host regarding the Dolphins game. They asked where I was from and I said Baltimore, to which they replied, “he’d love to talk with you!” He put me on the air almost immediately where I introduced myself and asked him not to give me a hard time because I was a Ravens fan. I told him I wrote a blog on the Ravens and that while I thought we would win all along, I felt the Dolphins game plan was ineffective, as it seemed that everything they used to get to where they were in the first place seemed to have been abandoned in the game plan against the Ravens. I stated that Penningotn’s decision to test our secondary by going deep against us time and time again played right into our hands and that he did not have the arm to make it happen in that manner. I also said that the short, crossing slants against our linebackers that worked towards the end of the first game in October never seemed to materialize and the lack of throws to the tight ends and RB’s were virtually non-existent. He replied that he was not going to be angry or yell at me, as he totally agreed and thought my comments were right on target. I told him my cousin, who is a huge Dolphins fan, said he and most fans would be disappointed if the ‘fins lost, but that they had a great season and for that they would be happy. However, I continued, most Ravens fans would have been devastated if the Ravens had lost, as our expectations had risen throughout the season. He agreed, stating that the Ravens were not too far removed from a Super Bowl champion and had two future Hall of Famers on defense while the Dolphins were building from the ground up. I finished by stating that we were much closer to the 2006 13-3 team than the 5-11 2007 team that was decimated by injuries and combined with the health, depth and amazing progression of the rookie Joe Flacco, that it didn’t matter to the Ravens if Flacco received zero votes for the Rookie of the Year, that coach John Harbaugh received zero votes for the Coach of the Year, and that while I didn’t know if Ed Reed had received any votes for Defensive Player of the Year (he did), I knew the Steelers James Harrison had won it. The Ravens loved not getting any respect and just wanted to prove everybody wrong, just as they did in their Super Bowl Championship season of 2000-2001. He said he totally agreed and thanked me for calling from a Ravens perspective.

It was pretty cool to talk sports on the radio in enemy territory, even cooler to have an open minded talk show host who saw the reality of the situation and pretty much agreed with all my points. It was great to represent the Beatdown, although I would have loved  to have had the opportunity to plug our blog. All in all, it was a great day to watch the replays on the NFL Network and ESPN, as well to read the local papers and hear the sports talk radio hosts and fans lament about their loss and heap (Heeaappp!) praise upon our Baltimore Ravens as we move onto a showdown this Saturday with revenge on our minds against the Titans.

(NOTE: If you have the time, click here to check out this six minute clip of highlights from this past Sunday's game, especially the pick six by Ed Reed, with my personal favorite, the "de-cleating" of the Dolphins' WR Ted Ginn by Haloti Ngata. Priceless!)

As I sit in warm, sunny South Florida in anticipation of another Ravens victory over the Miami Dolphins tomorrow., I still need to put my quick thoughts here on the Beatdown regarding the other three playoff games starting with tonight's game. So, in the interest of time and trying to enjoy being away from the frigid Baltimore weather, let's get right to it.

Arizona over Atlanta: Believe it or not, I actually like the Cardinals to rebound in a big way. Kurt Warner is playoff battle tested and knows how to handle the pressure. He also has geat receivers to throw to and the Cards usually play a lot tougher at home than they do on the road, especially when they have to go to the east coast. Meanwhile, the Falcons have been a wonderful surprise and have some great players, including Rookie-of-the-Year, Matt Ryan, and RB Michael Turner, who finished tied for second in voting for the league's MVP. However, Ryan is not nearly the QB on the road as he is at home and I expect the Cards to be able to outscore the Falcons in this one.

Indianapolis over San Diego: This is going to be the closest game of the weekend, as both teams can easily take charge and win tonight. Both QB's have the guns to put up points in a hurry and as well as the Colts have done in winning the last nine in arow, the Chargers have come back from the dead to steal the AFC West title on the arm of Philip Rivers. However, Peyton Manning is the master of his domain and should be able to pick apart the San Diego secondary all night. At the same time, the Colts defense has shown signs of life, with the pass rush of Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis and of course, All Pro safety, Bob Sanders stuffing the run as well as playing a great center field.

Minnesota over Philadelphia: Most people have jumped on the Eagles bandwagon, but not me. I know they destroyed the Cowboys when they needed to, but that was at home where they've played well all season. However, they lost a lot of luster in my eyes with their loss in Washington where they couldn't even score a TD all game. Now they have to go into a deafening dome as a visitor and deal with a very good defense and that Peterson guy at running back . As good as Donovan McNabb can be, he can also throw down a clunker like he did in Washington, as well as he did in Baltimore. I'm looking for the Vikings to let Peterson loose all night and McNabb to make the mistakes that give the game to the Vikings.

NOTE: I'll pick & pan the Ravens-Dolphins game in Sunday's posting, before I leave to go to the game tomorrow morning. GO RAVENS!!!

...were the three Thanksgiving Day & Night games the most one-sided Turkey Bowls you've seen in a long time? I guess the NFL thinks that they can put the hapless Lions on TV every Thanksgiving and since there's no other games on at that time, we'll all watch it anyway. Sort of like a terrible accident. You try to look away but can't help peeking through your fingers at the calamity of it all!

...the Lions are a lock to get the #1 pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, and look to finish winless, as they are an abysmal team on both sides of the ball.

...the Detroit players still must be thankful this Thanksgiving that they have a job playing football in the NFL, a dream for the rest of us.

...many of those guys will probably not be playing football next year and will be stuffing their faces on their couches just like us!

...the Titans sure found the best possible way to get well this week, and put the loss to the Jets behind them.

...Tennessee placekicker Rob Bironas is money on just about every attempt,as he easily hit all four of his FG's from over 40 yards. Take that, Matt Stover!

...Kerry Collins is going to make it very tough for Vince Young to return under center anytime soon, if at all in the future.

...I'm not too sure where he could go and be successful at this point in his career.

...even though their running attack was shut down by the Ravens, both LenDale Whie and Chris Johnson still look pretty formidable as a tandem.

...the Cowboys are looking like they are heading for a playoff spot, although it will have to be as a Wild card.

...whomever has to face them in the first round of the post season will not be happy, and will probably also lose to them.

...I can't wait to see how we will stack up against them when we close out their stadium's final game before the Cowboys move into their billion dollar new home next season.

...I would have rather faced Dallas next year, so that I could selfishly consider a road trip to see their new digs.

...the Arizona Cardinals are not nearly as impressive when they have to travel east, as they are something like 0-3 on this coast.

...Donovan McNabb shut up many of his critics, but there will always be those in Philly who are never satisfied until he's run out of town and then leads the Bears or Vikings to the Super Bowl.

...I was real happy to see the Eagles rebound as I had predicted, which makes our victory over them look a heck of a lot better than it would have if the Cards had gone into the Linc and kicked their asses as well.

...the Bengals blogger, Kirkendall, over at Cincy Jungle, had a nice Thanksgiving post yesterday that I recommend you read to get a better perspective on the better things to be thankful for than just winning on the field.

...I left a comment thanking him for the mention and wishing him luck, but just not this Sunday!

Just taking a break from all things Ravens to wish everyone (yes, even the ,...gulp,...Cleveland fans, even though they don't have as much to be thankful for) a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. The kids are home from school, eating and now drinking everything in the house, having tons of friends over to mess up the basement and parking all over the lawn, knocking down driveway lights, leaving the doors open and lights on all over the house throughout the entire night, spilling beer on the carpet, smelling the house up with their blunts and who knows what else, and.....oh wait, get a grip, Rexx. Uhhh....nevermind (<---has issues).

Anyway,...the Ravens probably have a practice this morning then off to their homes to enjoy a festive meal and watch some Thursday football, as there are three games for us to enjoy, although only one involving an AFC team. I heard yesterday from former Dallas Cowboys GM Gil Brandt on Sirius NFL Network, that the reason the Lions and Cowboys are always playing on Thanksgiving is that when the league started this, they were the only teams who agreed to play at this point of the week and have been schedued as such ever since. However, I'd like to see more rivalry games that might have a higher interest level than some of these one-sided affairs. Of course, perhaps the NFL is thinking that they can put the Lions on every Thanksgiving even if they suck because it's the only game on and we have no other choice. Hmmm,...pretty smart thinking, those NFL brainiacs!

So, to stay up to date with my weekly selections, here are my Picks & Pans for the Thanksgiving Games:

Teneessee over Detroit: Wow, wouldn't it stir up a lot if the Lions pulled the upset and won their first game today? The Titans would also have lost their second in a row and now the Indianapolis Colts would start frothing at their mouths! However, something tells me that ain't gonna happen, as the Titans will be ready and angry to take out the frustration of losing their first game on the hapless Lions. Expect some big days out of the Titans RB's and enough from QB Kerry Collins to satisfy their passing attack. Meanwhile, the Detroit braintrust is probably focusing on whom to take with their first pick of the 2009 NFL Draft than what to do with this team the rest of the 2008 season!

Dallas over Seattle: To be honest with you, I actually think this game will be closer than the point spread suggests (-12.5). The Seahawks have had QB Matt Hasselbeck back for a couple of weeks now and Dallas' pass defense is nothing to write home about. At the same time, Tony Romo is back and appears to once again be in sync with TO, as evidenced by last week's connections between the two. Dallas is on a mission to get in the playoffs while the Seattle players are auditioning for next year. I expect a high scoring game with Dallas scoring more than Seattle.

Philadelphia over Arizona: Yes, that is correct. Despite the Eagles horrible performances the past two weeks in tying the Cincinnati Bengals and getting blown out by our Baltimore Ravens (yea!), the Eagles are now home and have defended their home turf pretty well this season. I expect a big bounce back game from Donovan McNabb, to quiet his naysayers (that will never happen) and continue the controversy of what to do with him once the season is completed (hint: 'da Bears!). The Cardinals have a great passing attack but the Eagles defense has played well in their two recent defeats. I expect both teams to put up the points but the Eagles pass rush and secondary makes the difference as they collect more turnovers than the Cardinals and edge Arizona in what is my Upset Special Pick of the Day.

(NOTE: I'll make my Picks & Pans of the rest of this weekend's game on Saturday and the Ravens-Bengals game on Sunday.)

Wow, what a firestorm the Baltimore Ravens created up in Philly with the Donovan McNabb benching. I also thought Reid pulled him too early, as they were only down by three despite his wretched passing stats (13.2 QB rating). I would have waited until the game was pretty much out of reach, although that wasn't until mid-fourth quarter. Then he could have pulled him and inserted Kevin Kolb without any lingering controversy this week. Kolb had no time the prior week to practice with the first team and to throw him to the wolves right off the bat at the start of the second half was a recipe for disaster that the Ravens totally took advantage of. I can certainly think of a bunch of other teams that would make a much better shot for a QB to come in cold against than the multi-scheming Ravens. He had no shot and Reid looked like an idiot for the move. McNabb is a class guy and looked real calm on the sideline and in all those subsequent interviews on television. Tomorrow, he starts at home against the Arizona Cardinals and don't be surprised if he bounces back with a huge game. He's a professional and if the Philly brass and fans want to run him out of town, I'm sure he'd love to put on the pads and colors of his hometown Chicago Bears, who would welcome him home as their next Messiah!

Waaa, I have a broken pinky finger and can't play the rest of the year. Yes, that's the next great thing out in Clevelnad, Mr. Brady Quinn. So much for the introduction of the replacement for the ineffective Derek Anderson. Now Brown's coach Romeo Crennel doesn't need to flip a coin to see who's playing each week (or even each half) and can just stick with DA the rest of the season. Maybe they should even sign Anderson to another contract extension and give him more signing bonus dollars just to be sure Brady's little fingers gets better so he can do some more commercials and maybe even play some football. As a Ravens fans, the more pain the Browns fans suffer, the more happiness I gleam from their ineptitude in the front office, on the sidelines and on the playing field.

It looks like the Pittsburgh Steelers' DT Brad Keisel has not recovered from his previous injury, as he is now reportedly out for Sunday's game in New England and may be out a few more weeks beyond that. This only helps the Ravens and will hamper the Steelers run to the playoffs. Both of their cornerbacks are injured and may not play as well. Does that sound familiar? The Ravens tanked last year without both of their starting corners, although there's probably no way the Steelers' reserves are as bad as the Ravens were last year. They always find a way to stay in contention, so don't count them out just yet. However, I can't wait to see the Patriots' Matt Cassel go for 400 yards against them this week! Yes, he's on my fantasy team, not that it will matter for the last place Wonder Dogs, who are out of playoff contention due to my wonderfully poor draft. Dammit all to hell Matt Hasselbeck and Jamal Lewis!

In between the week that the Steelers face the Patriots this Sunday and the Ravens in two weeks, they host the high flying Dallas Cowboys. Even though that game is at Heinz Field, the Cowboys are desperately fighting for a playoff spot and will not be a pushover, even at home. That will be a real tough three game stretch for Pittsburgh and will absolutely define their season. Winning two of three will be considered success, but I'm looking at one of three at best, with the definite possibility that they go o-fer, and perhaps even drop out of contention for a playoff spot, as they still will have to go to Tennessee the week after playing us, which could be the fourth game in a row against top playoff teams. While they should be able to beat the Cleveland Browns in the season's final game, they could conceivably finish the last five games as bad as 1-4, which would give them a 9-7 record and a seat on the couch watching the playoffs on TV in January. Yes, that would be so sweet for us Ravens fans!

The Cincinnati Bengals hve turned from the soap opera team of the summer into the forgotten ugly sister in the AFC North. Yeah, there's still all the talk about letting head coach Marvin Lewis go after the season, as well as the normal get rid of Chad Johnson and even TJ Houshmandzadeh. However, based on their stellar 1-9-1 record, there isn't much to talk about. It would be different if they were tied with the winless Detroit Lions and winless themselves, but a win and a tie put them well above the hapless Lions, who have a great chance of running the table and joining the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the only winless teams in NFL history. At least the Bungels have an excuse and that's the loss of QB Carson Palmer to an arm injury that for some unknown reason, he's still trying to come back from and play this season. However, something tells me that their record might not be much different even if he was still lining up under center. Current Bengals QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is running for his life behind an awful offensive line and might just get his head knocked off this week against the Ravens. Hopefully, we'll take this game as seriously as the ones coming up and not overlook Cincinnati as the Bengals destroyed us in their crib last season and even though we beat them opening day this year, we still owe them big time for sweeping us last year.

Let's take them one at a time and take care of business this Sunday at Cincy and then come home to prepare to show the entire league why this team is one to be reckoned with as we've gotten literally zero respect from the so-called "experts" who rank us the lowest of any team with a 7-4 record in their Power Rankings. We will get that chance when we play on national TV next Sunday night at home against our hated neighbors to the south, the Washington Redskins. First the Redskins need to get their second beating of this season from the New York Giants. Then they can come here for us to start their bruising all over again on December 7th.

Bring it on!

The Baltimore Ravens defense shut out the high scoring Philadelphia Eagles offense and came away with a 36-7 Baltimore Beatdown yesterday at M&T Bank Stadium. The Eagles, who had been averaging over 26 points per game, scored their only points on a 100 yard kickoff return in the second quarter. The Ravens defense finished their impressive shutout with four interceptions and one fumble recovery, including Ed Reed's NFL Record 108 yard interception return for a TD in the fourth quarter with the Eagles sitting on the Ravens one yard line. The Eagles finished with 206 total yards, many of them on the drive that culminated in Reed's pick six.

Eagles QB Donovan McNabb finished 8-18 for 59 yards, one fumble and two interceptions and a QB rating of 13.2 (not a typo!). He was pulled for the second half in favor of Kevin Kolb, who didn't fare any better, going 10-23 for 73 yards and two interceptions. Brian Westbrook played despite his injuries, and had only 39 yards on 14 carries, good for less than 3 yards/carry. The Eagles only kept it from a total shutout by virtue of the kickoff return that my daughter's boyfriend called just before kickoff as we sat in the stands yesterday at the stadium. He won't be coming to games with us any more.

While the Ravens offense looked less than acceptable in the first half, give the Eagles defense some due credit. They are a top ten defense and stifled us for the entire first half and most of the second as well. The 53 yard TD pass from Joe Flacco to Mark Clayton was a great timing pattern and missed coverage by the Eagles. Flacco finished 12-26 for 183 yards and two TD's. More importantly was that he went another game without throwing an interception, which has been a trend in the Ravens past five victories. Le'Ron McClain ran for 88 yards but 28 of them came in the last couple of minutes of the game, when the outcome was no longer in doubt. Willis McGahee was held to eight yards on seven carries and Ray Rice had seven yards on eight carries. The scoring chances either came by way of the pick six or the great field position the defense gave to the offense by way of their five takeaways.

Don't read anything negative into this week's game, on offense or even defense. To say the Eagles have been playing poorly the past couple of weeks is an understatement. Managing a total of 20 points in visits to Cincinnati and Baltimore is certainly not indicative of a playoff contender, of which it appears the Eagles are not. However, holding them scoreless on offense is still a tough task in the NFL. The offense had its issues but never gave up and finally found their breaking point and made the big play. That is the mark of a good team. Finding a way to win is the difference between the pretenders and contenders in the NFL. The Ravens are definitely in the contenders group at this point and should have the ability to stay as one for the rest of the season.

Next up for the Ravens is a visit to Cincinnati and a rematch of the Ravens opening day 17-10 victory. Baltimore better not take this game lightly, as we all saw what can happen in this crazy league as the horrible Oakland Raiders went into Denver and blew out the AFC West leaders. Thus, if the Ravens don't show up, their playoff chances could be dealt a severe blow. However, if they do continue their winning ways and take care of business in Cincy, then they come up for a tough two game stretch that will define their season, with games against their hated neighbor, the Washington Redskins, and their hated division rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers. A sweep of those two will be a great Christmas present to the fans and set us up for a great finish to what has become a wonderfully surprising and successful 2008 season.

Post your comments and opinions throughout the Ravens-Eagles game today in the Open Thread on this post. Unfortunately, I will not be able to join you as I will be in my seats at the game, freezing my butt off and enjoying every minute of it!

If the Ravens, or the Eagles for that matter, want to stay in the hunt for the playoffs, this is a must-win game as both teams trail in their divisions, although the Ravens are the only one who actually has a chance of winning their division title, while the Eagles only chance appears to make it through the Wild Card.

The cold weather may affect the fans in the stands, but should not make any difference to the players, unless there is enough of a breeze to affect the kicking game or the flight of the ball. However, the weather reports I've seen are expecting a high of 40 degrees with winds around 5-10 mph, so the weather should not be a factor in this game. The main factor that will determine the outcome will be which team makes the most critical mistakes. Both teams put strong defenses out on the gridiron that can capitalize on their opponents turnovers. The Eagles possess the better offense, although you wouldn't have known it by the result of their most recent game, a 13-all tie at Cincinnati last Sunday. At the same time, while the Ravens were averaging around 35 points per game during their four game winning streak, that all came to a screeching halt when they could only manage ten in their 30-10 loss last week to the NY Giants. So while another tie game is always a possibility, something has to give when they meet today in Baltimore.

The Baltimore Ravens have the third best home field winning percentage in the entire NFL since the 2000 season. Do not underestimate the difference this makes to the Ravens, as well as the disadvantage the Eagles face on the road, as witnessed by last week's embarassment against the Bengals. The Ravens regularly score around 10 more points per game at home than they do on the road, although they have won three of six this year as visitors and just finished a stretch where they played five of six on the road. Now they return home to M&T Bank Stadium, where they will be happy to play four of their final six there the rest of the season. If they can sweep the remainder of their home schedule and split the other two on the road, they should be in fine shape to make the post season. If not, then all bets are off, as the playoff race will be hotly contested, with a bunch of teams in line to fight for the two Wild Card slots. Therefore, this game is key if they want to stay on track for meaningful games in December and postseason play in January.

A win for the Ravens will all but eliminate the Eagles from post season consideration as they will drop to the basement of the NFC East. Thus, the Eagles will be playing as hard as the Ravens to stay in contention. The Ravens need to play their type of game, running the ball effectively behind their makeshift offensive line, which has been a pleasant surprise so far, but is severely limited by injuries. If they are able to sustain their rushing success, be it through Willis McGahee, Le'Ron McClain or even rookie Ray Rice, that will take the pressure off of rookie QB Joe Flacco, to carry the team on his arm. In the Ravens victories, Flacco has had great success throwing the ball when needed, as the defenses have been stacking the line and he has come through in a way that has made his progress a lot more advanced than anyone would have thought. His arm is as strong as anyone's in the league and he has limited his turnovers in our wins, but has thrown costly interceptions in our losses. To have to rely on him to move the ball against a tough Philly defense would not be the recipe the Ravens are looking for Sunday. However, with an effective running game Sunday, Flacco can complement the rushing attack with passes that will impress the Eagles players as much as they will frustrate them.

Defensively, the Ravens need to shut down the running game, with or without Brian Westbrook, who will be a gametime decision. Either way, the Eagles will need to pass the ball effectively in order to beat the Ravens. There is no Brandon Jacobs on the Eagles, so they will not be able to run the ball like the Giants did last week. Expect Donovan McNabb to put the ball up at least 40 times, and if so, I expect at least two picks that should give us the short fields and some easy points on the board. The pass rush needs to either sack him, hit him, or harass him enough to make him run for his life and pay the price for leaving the pocket. Our defensive secondary needs to step up and blanket his two deep threats, Hank Baskett and DeSean Jackson, while not letting the Eagles tight ends or running backs get open in those short, underneath slants that have plagued the Ravens this season.

I fully expect a solid defensive effort and a typical Ravens ball control, timeclock consuming offense as we win not only the time of possession battle, but the turnover battle as well. We should stay solid on Special Teams, and could break the game open with some good returns, while limiting the Eagles at the same time. If we win those battles, then we will win the war as well. McNabb will probably put up big numbers, but the Ravens Red Zone defense will stiffen up and limit the scoring enough to let our offense win the game. Look for a low scoring game that ends up looking closer than the game actually is. I am predicting that the Ravens will take a decent lead into the latter stages of the game, with the Eagles scoring to make it close at the end. However, another turnover will seal the deal and the Ravens will run out the clock to win and move to 7-4, and stay within striking distance of the Pittsburgh Steelers, making their December 14th rematch here in Baltimore look even more like the divsion title deciding game.

Ravens:  20-13

...the Cincinnati Bengals had a slim chance of beating the Steelers last night and even less once it was announced that Chad Ocho Cinco wasn't playing.

...Roethlisberger seems to always get out of what looks to about be a sack, only to make a completion at a key point in the game.

...I guess that's part of the reason they've been able to pull out games even when he doesn't play so well.

...that's the mark of a good team, as I've always said you don't have to be good to win, just good enough (see Trent Dilfer, circa 2000-01).

...I can see the future, as we will be either tied or right on the Steelers' heels when our December 14th 1pm game is moved to prime time by the NFL.

...I hate the late games, as it makes for a long night and we don't exactly tear it up on national TV.

...I think this time it will be different, as we just lost in OT in a game we could have won earlier in the season and we are a better team now.

...our improvement is mainly due to the additional experience that Joe Flacco has gotten each game, and he is much better at home (other than the Titans game).

...the Eagles are a dangerous team and can score as well as most teams.

...they can also implode even better than most teams, as evidenced by their embarassing OT tie at Cincinnati.

...I couldn't care less whether or not Donovan McNabb knows the OT rule, as long as the coach knows it.

...trust me, the fact McNabb didn't know the rule had nothing to do with the OT tie.

...perhaps McNabb's three interceptions and one fumble contributed to the tie?

...if he has three more interceptions this Sunday against the Ravens, the Eagles will limp home at 5-5-1 and virtually out of the NFC playoff race.

...if the Ravens beat the Eagles, then go on the road and do the same to the Bengals, then I say they return home the following week to host the Redskins and continue their winning ways.

...I'm still not impressed with the Redskins, despite their staying in the playoff race.

...while Clinton Portis is having a great season, he won't be running against us, as he's no Brandon Jacobs.

...without a running game, the 'skins can't rely on Jason Campbell to pass them to victory.

...defensively, the Redskins' pass rush is virtually nonexistent and Joe Flacco will calmly stand tall in the pocket until he finds an open receiver.

...the fans will go crazy to see us beat our neighbors to the south, who we need to remember, did all they could to prevent us from getting an NFL franchise the years before we landed the Ravens.

...we will be focusing on the Eagles this Sunday and we will rebound behind the great fans at M&T Bank Stadium to defend our home turf.

This week the Baltimore Ravens play at home, where they're 3-1 in 2008 and are glad to know that four of their remaining six games are in the cozy confines of M&T Bank Stadium. The Eagles are 2-2-1 on the road, but only have a short drive down I-95 to get to Baltimore. What do the Ravens need to do to end the weekend back on the beginning of another winning streak at 7-4 and stay within striking distance of the AFC North leading Pittsburgh Steelers. I'm writing this with the intention that the Steelers win over the Bengals tonight on Thursday Night Football.

The Ravens will be facing their third top ten offensive team in a row this week. Houston was ranked fourth when we played them (they rank 5th now), the Giants rank fourth now and the Eagles are sixth. However, the Eagels high ranking is mainly because of their proficient passing game. They pass so much more than they run, in fact, more than any other team in the league. Therefore, while their rushing game, even with Brian Westbrook, only ranks 26th in the league, their passing attack comes in as 4th and their scoring is 6th in the league, averaging just over 26 points a game. However, they only were able to manage a meager 13 points last week in the first tie in the NFL in eight years at Cincinnati last Sunday.

That game frustrated most Eagles fans, who are as rabid as any in the NFL. Believe me, as I know when my son and I went up to Philly dring their Super Bowl run to sell those rubber wristband for charity before the game. Their parking lots were filled with serious tailgaters, who come in RV's and set up tents wrapped in Saran Wrap with generators, heaters, carpet, sofas and even televisions set up so they can sit and wach the games without even going into the stadium! Did I also mention that they were a loud, foul mouthed group of loyal fans that really know how to party, no matter what the weather is? Did I also mention that their police grabbed my son and I and took all our wristbands because they said I couldn't sell them in the parking lots? Finally, did  mention that I called the Mayor's office who tried to get them back for me and found out they had "disappeared" and no one knew what I was talking about? Hmmmm,...but that is another story for another day, and not related to this post, so I do digress.

Back to the main point. The Eagles are a pass happy team, as McNabb has never thrown less than 33 passes a game, has thrown over 40 three times, including a season high 58 (no, not a typo) against the Bengals last week. Can you believe he threw 58 times for 339 yards and only put up 13 points? Of course, part of the reason is that he had 30 incompletions, which also included three interceptions. If the Ravens can get him to throw three picks, I promised you we will put more than 13 points on the board and walk out of the stadium as winners. For the season, McNabb is completing 59% of his passes with 14 TD's and 8 INT's, for a QB rating of just over 84. Not bad numbers, but without the benefit of a solid running game, it makes it tough for the team to win just based on his arm.

The Ravens need to watch out for the big play as it looks like his favorite receivers are rookie DeSean Jackson (42 catches) and Hank Baskett (3 TDs). Baskett is also lucky enough to have snared former Hugh Hefner girl, Kendra Wilkerson, as they are engaged to be married. Westbrook has caught 32 passes out of the backfield but has only rushed for 500 yards, although he does have 5 rushing TD's to go along with his 2 TD receptions. Obviously, he is still a huge threat and we will have to make sure he doesn't get the ball out in open space on short slant routes and screen plays. He probably won't be able to run the ball effectively against the Ravens defense, despite what the Giants did last week to what used to be the #1 rushing defense in the league, but has not fallen to only #3.

Putting pressure on McNabb is what makes him throw the interceptions. Hes been sacked 15 times, so we should be able to harass him, get some sacks, but more importantly, force him into throwing into coverage for costly interceptions that we can turn into short fields and easy points. Once we put the Eagles in a hole and a come- from-behind mode, they will abandon the run and we can pin our ears back and put the heat on.

Offensively, we will need to establish the ground game so our passing game can be successful. While the Eagles rank 7th overall on defense, they come in at 11th against the run as well as the past. However, playing at home, we have been able to run against everyone other than Tennessee and should be able to be successful with our three headed group effort. Joe Flacco has shown improvement and is not down after the loss last weekend. That unflappable demeanor and poise in the pocket will get the job done against the Eagles, as he will pass just enough to open up the run and vice versa. Ball control and time of possession are the Ravens trademarks and if the Eagles are forced to pass, that will continue to tip the scales in the Ravens favor on both stats. Long time consuming drives combined with costly interceptions is the recipe for success against the Eagles.

That is exactly how the Ravens will beat the Eagles.

The Baltimore Ravens sit at 6-4, with six games left in the 2008 season. Four of those six are at home, which is a huge advantage for this team. What needs to happen for the Ravens to be reasonably assured of making the playoffs? Most people would agree that the AFC North will probably not have a Wild Card slot, so it comes down to either the Ravens or Steelers taking the division title. The tough news is that it looks like the magic number for wins necessary to win the division is eleven. The good news is that 11-5 should not only win the AFC North, but will probably earn the winner a first round bye in the playoffs as well, and at least one home playoff game. I'm figuring this because the Titans will end up with the #1 seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs and the winner of the AFC West (most likely Denver) will probably have a 10-6 or even a 9-7 record (I wouldn't be surprised if they still win the division going 8-8!). That leaves the AFC North and East to fight for the second seed and the other first round bye. The Jets and Pats, along with the surprising Dolphins, are fighting each other for that division crown and my guess is that they will beat each other up enough to end up with the winner finishing at 10-6 and the Wild Card at 10-6 as well, though losing the title on a tie breaker.

So what do the Ravens need to do game by game to finish as the AFC North champs? If they are at 6-4 now, then they need to go 5-1 down the stretch to end up at 11-5. Sounds like a daunting task, but not if you look at it game by game. Here is the Ravens remaining schedule:

Nov. 23 - Eagles (home)

Nov. 30 - Bengals (away)

Dec. 7 - Redskins (home)

Dec. 14 - Steelers (home)

Dec. 20 - Cowboys (away)

Dec. 28 - Jaguars (home)

First things first, the Ravens need to start right by defending their home turf this weekend by defeating the Philadelphia Eagles. Next they go on the road to Cincinnati for a rematch of the Ravens opening day 17-10 victory. That should be looked at as a winable game. The next two home games are critical, as our hated neighbors from DC come to M&T Bank Stadium for the first time ever and us Baltimoreans would like nothing better than sending the 'skins back down Interstate 95 with their tails between their legs. We must absolutely win the revenge rematch with the Steelers, as if everything holds true up to that point, the Pittsburgh game will essentially be for the division title. Coming into the Steelers rematch, the Ravens will have won three in a row to stand at 9-4. During the same stretch the Steelers will host the Bengals, visit New England, and host the Cowboys. The Steelers can reasonably expect to win the first and last of those three, and lose at the Patriots. Therefore, we would go into the game tied with them in the AFC North. A win would place us at 10-4, with the Steelers one game behind at 9-5. The next two games find the Ravens at Dallas and finish up hosting Jacksonville. The good news is that we can afford to split those two games, as winning at Dallas will be a tough one because the Cowboys will be fighting for their playoff lives and this game will close out the Cowboys stadium, as they move into a billion dollar new home in 2009. The better news is that the Steelers finish up at Tennessee, who should be able to put a beat down on the Steelers, and then they host the Browns. If we split our last two, we finish at 11-5 and the Steelers do the same to finish at 10-6. Perhaps the Steelers do actually make the playoffs as a Wild Card, but winning three post season games in a row on the road is an unlikely task. If When the Ravens finish the season as division champs and earn a first round bye, we host at least one playoff game and if the Titans are upset, then we might actually even host the AFC Championship Game!

Yeah, yeah, go on and say I'm dreaming because of what happened last week in New Jersey. That was against the best team in the league on their home turf. Put us in our own crib and I'll take on all challengers. Right now, all I want is for us to do what we do best this Sunday. Play smash mouth football, take away Brian Westbrook's ability to trun the ball and then force Donovan McNabb into making the same mistakes he made last weekend in Cincinnati. That's all, not too much to ask for or expect this Sunday. I sure as hell will be there in my seats carrying a big stick and screaming like a banshee (thank you very much for that line, Brian Billick!)