@the-gipper said:

@purplepantywaste said:

Belle being out surely impacted the Steelers and benefited us. There's no denying that.

But in a way it evened the playing field as they had 3 players on IR to our 19.

I see only 3 real players on the IR list for you: Smith, Brown, Pitta.

There's many more, as a elaborate below...Brown isn't even a vital player, shows how much you really know about the Ravens current squad.

Ricky Wagner, starting RT; Jah Reid, Wagners back up; Jimmy smith, number 1 corner; Asa Jackson #3 corner Danny gorer #4 corner (keep going eventually we got down the Melvin from the practice squad and a bunch of converted safeties playing corner.) Dennis Pitta, starting TE; Lorenzo Taliaferro, #2 running back; and Terrence Brooks, starting safety. Everyone else I'll concede aren't vital players but the list I just gave you is 8 vital starters are vital back ups that are now replaced with guys who wouldn't be on the roster otherwise, plus 2 more defensive backs that were depth that we also lost. so 10 total important players, 5 starters. Plus, while not on IR, we were without Monroe our starting left tackle.

We won without out starting tackles, starting corner, starting tight end, and our 2nd Cb on the depth chart (keep in mind our second best CB came from playing on the practice squad a month ago to starting due to the massive amount of injuries at the position) got hurt and missed a significant portion of the game.

So injuries certainly impact the games...and impact both sides, as hardly any team this time of year is healthy.

Would you rather go into a game missing your top rb or missing both your starting tackles?

The Browns have gone into game missing that and more....tell us: which games did Keith Wenning play QB for you?

Completely irrelevant to my point...and to my question which you didn't answer.

Keep in mind both their replacements are rookies, on drafted in the 4th round one completely undrafted.

Yea, nice try. I mean, I see all those IR players and gotta believe some kind of stashing was going on.

We played you all with out top 2 QBs out, three of our 6 rotating D Linemen out. Our FS out, our Center out. One of our starting WRs out.

Your edge was that Flacco still played....and we had our version of Keith Wenning.

Somehow we went from talking about the ravens vs. Steelers to Ravens vs. Browns.

The injuries to qb obviously were killer for you. Lucky we have Flacco who's never missed a game.

The other injuries only slightly tilt to your favor in my mind.

Top Wr washed with losing Pitta.

Center out washes with being with one tackle, then being without both.

Starting safety washes with starting corner

You had many injuries to DL, where we had only one and a suspension to Ngata, but that's still in your favor as we have tremendous depth at that position.

So only a slight advantage to you.

But against the Steelers I'd say playing without your starting tackles and starting TE is worse than being without your top RB.

@the-gipper said:

Here are various observations that I will make about this past weekends playoff games:

A. Injuries Matter. Anyone that says that "injuries is no excuse" is really an idiot Because whether or not injuries are an excuse, they are an explanation. Do you think it mattered that the Cardinals had their first and second string QBs out of action? Do you think it mattered that the Bengals didn't have AJ Green and Jermaine Gresham? Do you think it mattered that the Steelers didn't have Leveon Bell?

Fuck yes it mattered...and quite possibly explained why those teams lost.

G. I hate that I now have no team really to pull for in these playoffs except for the perhaps the Carolina Panthers. Fuck Baltimore/Denver/New England/Indy/Dallas/GB/Seattle. At this point I am down to wanting the Panthers to win it (maybe it is only fair since my high school was the Panthers). If not them, then perhaps I would like to see Seattle win so as to be considered the start of a dynasty.

Belle being out surely impacted the Steelers and benefited us. There's no denying that.

But in a way it evened the playing field as they had 3 players on IR to our 19.

We won without out starting tackles, starting corner, starting tight end, and our 2nd Cb on the depth chart (keep in mind our second best CB came from playing on the practice squad a month ago to starting due to the massive amount of injuries at the position) got hurt and missed a significant portion of the game.

So injuries certainly impact the games...and impact both sides, as hardly any team this time of year is healthy.

Would you rather go into a game missing your top rb or missing both your starting tackles?

Keep in mind both their replacements are rookies, on drafted in the 4th round one completely undrafted.

@the-cysko-kid said:

I Hope you guys beat the steelers then get demolished by anyone else.

Man, I'd be fine with getting squashed in the divisional so long as we beat the Steelers. I'd rather beat the Steelers in the playoffs every year for eternity than see us win another superbowl. Though I'm fine with both happening as well...

@the-gipper said:

@purplepantywaste said:

If the steelers won another Superbowl, that'd give them one more piece of ammo for their obnoxious fans "well we've won more championships than anybody."

Winning another Super Bowl would only give Pittsburgh a little over half of the number of championships that we have won here in NEOhio.

True but Buttsburgh fans don't count non Superbowl Championships

@the-gipper said:

@purplepantywaste said:

Because the Ravens have absolutely no injuries that they've overcome...please.

Are they working on their 3rd string QB? Did your All Pro Center go down for the year? Did your Pro Bowl Nose Tackle get injured? (does losing a guy to substance about count....if so we can count the best WR in the game last year being out for 10 games). Your Pro Bowl Free Safety? Your best LB? I am sure I have not finished.

With out our best corner in Jimmy Smith and every good corner we had, our two tackles, four games without Ngata, lost Pitta, lost every viable member of our secondary not named Web, but he didn't play for the first 6 weeks and didn't play well until very recently, we didn't have Will Hill for the first 10 games and he and Webb are the only members of the secondary with any credentials, down to two running backs, and we lost Owen Daniels for several weeks while being without Pitta for the whole year.

We've been relying on at TE, Crocket Gilmore, Supernaw, at CB Danny Gorrer (who then also get injured), Asa Jackson (served a 6 game or so suspension and then game back for two games and got injured), Elam who's a second year safety playing nickel back, some guy hamed Rashaan Melvin playing #2 corner now that we've gone through 4-5 or more healthy corners and safeties for the year.

Our secondary is so thin that if it was paper it would break by just blowing on it.

AFC Championships they have won seeing as they've made it to the Superbowl a few times...

But thanks for the history.

Bengals won those AFC Championship game twice.

Honestly, that was a steal of a Christmas present.

yes, but the bomb to Smith was the momentum changer and set up the skinny post.

2 for 3 over all, 0 for 1 when it mattered the most.

Idk what you mean by this exactly...can you please elaborate?

Opal said that he admired Tomlin and the Steelers because he was such a "football guy". I questioned that because I don't believe Tomlin is any more of a football guy than anyone else.....and I mentioned Tomlin and Lewis.

But FYI for you and for Opal....the real "football guy" that gives the Steelers their edge and has now for a decade is Dick LeBeau. He has been more valuable to the Steelers than any string of HCs that have come and gone in the AFCN over the years.

@the-gipper said:

I will go for the teams that went the longest without winning. That is why the Bengals winning would be OK by me. I might even be sympathetic to the Steelers and Ravens in about 50 years if they do not win. Call me then. I will be 113 years old.

I'll hold you to it if I'm still kicking

@mudfly said:

I have a genuine distaste for all the teams in our division.....but if I have to watch one win, which I have for 30 years now, Id go with Pittspuke.....at least Im kind of used to them winning....

Then Baltimore....but only cause I hate the Bengals most....what a chump team they are and always have been.....

and their helmets suck too

If the steelers won another Superbowl, that'd give them one more piece of ammo for their obnoxious fans "well we've won more championships than anybody."

@the-gipper said:

We will root for the meatwagon so that whomever the Ravens or Steelers meet in the next round they do so with a teams depleted with injuries. If the Browns have to continue to play with third string rookies due to injuries why not these two teams. Even in a playoff game.

Because the Ravens have absolutely no injuries that they've overcome...please.

@the-gipper said:

The Bengals have never won a championship since their creation in 1968.....which by the way is after the "SuperBowl era". They didn't exist in the non Super Bowl era. They came closest in 1981 and 1988 when they faced the 49ers in the Super Bowl. Both games were fairly close losses.

No team from Cincinnati/SW Ohio has ever won a pro football championship.

On the contrary, teams from Cleveland and NE Ohio have won 13 pro football championships.....tied with Green Bay for most by any city/region. (FYI, Baltimore area has 5: 3 by the Colts, 2 by Ravens)

Here is your history lesson for the day.

AFC Championships they have won seeing as they've made it to the Superbowl a few times...

But thanks for the history.

@the-gipper said:

@tml1138 said:

Unfortunately Gip, the Ravens and Steelers play each other first playoff wild card round.

Ergo, my rooting interest being in the meatwagon.

This part I hated the most with Steelers winning last night, because now there has to be a winner to make it to the divisional round. And if I were a betting man...I'd have to go all in on Steelers in this matchup.

Actually, worse was San Diego choking. If the Chargers had won the Ravens win over the Browns still would have not put them into the playoffs.

Honestly, that was a steal of a Christmas present.

@tiamat63 said:

Actually the skinny post for the TD was against Skrine. The moon ball to Smith, yeah... against Haden. I mean, statistically if you throw enough of those fuckers up there, you're bound to come down with one of them. Haden was 2 for 3 on the day, not bad.

yes, but the bomb to Smith was the momentum changer and set up the skinny post.

2 for 3 over all, 0 for 1 when it mattered the most.

He's 0 for 2 this year at the end of games in clutch moments.

@the-gipper said:

FRAK!! Tomlin is no more of a football guy than Lewis or Harbaugh.

Idk what you mean by this exactly...can you please elaborate?

@tml1138 said:

They've not won before...and they are the other Ohio team. But that's not saying much. The rest below them have won recently or for those from Dallas on down I simply dislike the teams and anytime they struggle I'm happy with that. Personally I wish Cincinnati wasn't in our division, or the AFC at all, but that's another story.

Yeah, I can understand that.

Well the Bengals won an AFC Championship before, not sure if they ever won anything before the Superbowl era. But I understand your rationale.

@tml1138 said:

That being said, I guess my list right now off the top of my head would go like this:

Detroit

Arizona

Carolina

Cincinnati

Indianapolis

Green Bay

Seattle

The remaining teams I simply don’t want to see get anywhere, but if I had to list them:

Dallas / New England Tie

Denver

Baltimore

Pittsburgh

Well at least the Ravens aren't dead last on the list...lol.

Though curious as to why Cincy is so high on the list...I know they haven't won anything in a while but they don't have much better history with the Browns than the Steelers or Ravens yet they're at the bottom of your list.

@bbedward said:

Piss off. Why would we "root" for either team?

But I'm rooting for the Panthers.

And it's not an unthinkable idea to root for a teams in your division. You have every right not to, but the idea isn't preposterous, I know many Steelers fans who root for the Ravens and vice versa when their own team is out and done.

@tml1138 said:

I'll pull for the team whose had the longest championship drought....which means Pittsburgh and your team are at the bottom of the list. Actually I make an exception for those two teams. If they never won another it'd be too soon.

Fair enough, not a bad way to pick a team. So, in this tears 12 teams is that the Panthers since they never won one?

@bbedward said:

Piss off. Why would we "root" for either team?

But I'm rooting for the Panthers.

Ok. A simple no would have been fine.

My only reservation against rooting for the Panthers if the Ravens lose is the fact they're a sub 500 team in the playoffs.

First off, I'm not here to rub anything in.

The Browns were a much improved team this year. At one point you guys were 7-4 at the top of the division. And that was with without Gordon and with Hoyer starting.

That probably doesn't make many of you feel better, but it's true. The Browns are now a team I dread facing. I actually predicted you guys to win this one, and for a while it looked like I was gonna be correct.

Although much has changed from week 3 till now, both games were eerily similar.

The Browns basically controlled both games for the majority of the 4 quarters of play. Then at the end Flacco and the offense stepped up to steal the game away late. And both game winning/defining plays were made against the Browns top All Pro Corner Joe Hayden.

Anyways, good game, good season.

Now, I'm curious. Who is everybody here rooting for this Saturday, Ravens or Steelers? Or is it one of those games where you just don't root for either team?

Is there a team any of you are pulling for in the playoffs? My father has always rooted for the North winner if the Ravens weren't in it anymore. I usually root for an NFC team, usually the Packers.

@oldbrownsfan said:

The Ravens looked terrible last week losing to a Texans team who were starting their fourth string quarterback. I won't predict because my Browns bias keeps me from being objective. Just saying the Ravens looked horrible last week in a must win game.

Basically how I'm thinking. Ravens were exposed

I honestly feel like the Browns are gonna play spoiler here. We lost possibly both our starting tackles, we're reeling and we aren't even guaranteed the playoffs if we win. Browns win 20-16

@tour2ma said:

Admit it... you own at least one apocalypse survival kit, don't you?

Yup... AKA Roger originally fucked up by failing to see that "America" might think this was a big deal.

What's the sentiment in BLT? Re-sign or No-way?

No way, although we do wish him and his wife well and we'll always appreciate everything he's done for us on and off the field before this scandal happened.

Maybe if the running game was bad there'd be more talk about re-signing him, but even then our owner in on record saying the only way Ray will ever return to the ravens would be as an assistant or coach

The key is he was punished twice for the same transgression, and the jury deemed that based on the witness testimonies that rice had been upfront and honest about what happened, therefore the sections suspension was unjust. If ray rice had been indefinitely suspended from the get go he would still be suspended now

@the-gipper said:

Priceless

Can't wait to see Baltimore...if you include the Baltimore Colts history along with the Ravens it's almost as bad, like drafting Elway for him not to play

@the-gipper said:

@purplepantywaste said:

A drink made out Ravens fans?

Soylent Green was not a drink, it was food. Soylent Purple could be food made of Ravens and Vikings and Magics fans.

Though it's less demeaning then Purpe Panty Waste, I think my odds of getting my original name back or any less embarrassing names are slim. I simply choose to look at the name as a term of endearment.

I will try to exert what influence I can......come on Z.....call this guy Soylent Purple......or do you view that as not sufficiently derogatory?

I know, but Soylent Purple is the nutritious drink that goes with your Soylant green.

Haha, I would have to make an avatar to go with that if he does change it.

@the-gipper said:

@purplepantywaste said:

Yes but the defense has been stellar, keeping you guys in most of your games. Also great receivers turning lots of little short passes into big gains.

It's gonna have plenty of meaning, even if not for us directly, for the wildcard picture for other teams I'm sure it'll have an effect.

Well, if both the Browns and Ravens lose all their games before that one, it will likely have little meaning. I am sure you are right though...there are lke 9 teams vying for 4 playoff spots....so it will have some meaning to someone.

I'd assume I wasn't otherwise I'd have kicked the can 6 years ago.

So, instead of PurplePantyWaste, Z can change your name to "Soylent Purple".

A drink made out Ravens fans?

Though it's less demeaning then Purpe Panty Waste, I think my odds of getting my original name back or any less embarrassing names are slim. I simply choose to look at the name as a term of endearment.

@the-gipper said:

I'm well aware of that , see Trent Dilfer. Hoyer could find himself with a ring come Feb for all we know. I didn't mean to imply Hoyer is no good, I've defended him a lot on these forums as a more than serviceable qb, probably top 15. He's tough as nails and he's pretty clutch, usually careful with the ball and doesn't lose you many games. But all phases gotta be working well for Hoyer to succeed,

That is clearly not true if you have seen the Browns games since Mack went down. The run game has been atrocious at times, special teams have contributed nothing, yet the Browns still have won.

and it the particular matchup us him against our front seven I see Hoyer struggling. Hoyer sort of reminds me of a Chad Pennington or Kurt Warner, though not nearly as accurate as those two. My only beef is with people acting like they're gonna come rolling into Baltimore and just hand us a loss. They might win but they're gonns have to pry it out of our cold dead hands.

I am not one that said the Browns would come in and roll....it is way to premature to even think about that game. It may have no meaning or it may have all the meaning in the world, there are too many games in between to worry about.

And you sir, are not Charlton Heston.

Yes but the defense has been stellar, keeping you guys in most of your games. Also great receivers turning lots of little short passes into big gains.

It's gonna have plenty of meaning, even if not for us directly, for the wildcard picture for other teams I'm sure it'll have an effect.

I'd assume I wasn't otherwise I'd have kicked the can 6 years ago.

@columbusking said:

According to ESPN,

Kruger has more combined tackles then Dumerville, granted Dumerville has more sacks.

Kruger also has more pass defended then Dumerville.

Kruger also has more tackles for loss.

On another note, Clevfan4life, mentioned the Browns Oline didn't like playing against him.

Well I would say the Browns had fun playing against him, even though they lost, because Dumerville did not record one stat against the Browns.

Yes doom had a slow start to the year. And if Kruger didn't have more tackles and pass defenses I'd be worried cause all doom is for us is a pass rusher