The biggest challenge for the Baltimore Ravens going into the second half of the season will be keeping the momentum they gained this week in Pittsburgh. In week two, after a huge win over the Steelers the Ravens dropped one against the Tennessee Titans. In week seven, after two big home wins against the New York Jets and Houston Texans, the Ravens went on the road and dropped a game to a one-win Jacksonville Jaguars team. This will not do for this team. This Ravens team has way to much talent.
I understand that it is hard to get yourself emotionally charged for these games after playing much more "meaningful" ones in previous weeks. However, this is where the coaching staff needs to step in and make sure the team is not getting overly emotional about some games and not able to match their rivals intensity in others. Let's face it, this year the Ravens are one of the best teams in the NFL and a lot of these sub par teams will be gunning for us when we step into their house. The Titans and Jaguars were pumped for these games like they were the Superbowl and the Ravens just could not match that intensity after playing so many "more important" games in previous weeks.
This is the NFL and any team in the league has enough talent to put it to any other team on any given day. John Harbaugh needs to wait to quote Teddy Roosevelt until we win the Super Bowl because his team is feeding off of his emotions. It is great that these guys want to beat Pittsburgh and the Jets so badly but they really need to be more emotionally stable from week to week. We are only mid way through the season and there is a lot of meaningful football yet to be played. Including a little tournament at the end of the season called the playoffs!
The Seattle Seahawks are not a good football team. however they are an NFL-caliber football team. Just ask the New York Giants. The Seahawks coaching staff is showing their players videos of the Titans and Jaguars games. They are telling their players that this team can be beaten if they can get up for the game and get their crowd behind them. If that happens and the Ravens can't seem to muster the emotion they showed in Pittsburgh this week, it could be another short celebration for Ravens fans.
All that being said, I'm putting my money on our Ravens being ready this week. I think that they should have learned something together this season. They will not take Seattle lightly. They will make the long trip out west and get a win to stay on top in our division. Now we can all become Steeler fans this Sunday and hope that Pittsburgh takes their collective anger out on the Cincinnati Bengals!