Pointless Exercises

In 2006, when the Ravens acquired the late Steve McNair, I boldly proclaimed that the team would go 13-3 with "Air" McNair, winning the division in the process. Given that the team was a worse-than-it-sounds 6-10 the year before, I'd say it was my finest prophetic moment.

In the spirit of such pointless exercises, here are my game-by-game predictions for this year's Ravens squad:

Week 1: Ravens at Broncos - LOSS
Week 2: Ravens at Raiders - WIN
Week 3: Ravens vs. Bengals - WIN
Week 4: Ravens at Steelers - LOSS
Week 5: Ravens vs. Browns - WIN
Week 6: Ravens at 49ers - WIN
Week 7: Ravens at Cardinals - LOSS
Week 8: Ravens vs. Chargers - WIN
Week 9: BYE
Week 10: Ravens vs. Jaguars - WIN
Week 11: Ravens vs. Rams - LOSS
Week 12: Ravens at Browns - WIN
Week 13: Ravens at Dolphins - LOSS
Week 14: Ravens vs. Seahawks - LOSS
Week 15: Ravens vs. Chiefs - WIN
Week 16: Ravens vs. Steelers - LOSS
Week 17: Ravens at Bengals - WIN

Final record: 9-7

Do I think the Ravens will make the playoffs with such a record? Perhaps. If my prediction comes true and Pittsburgh sweeps Baltimore, I believe it will be tough. On the bright side, this forecast will almost certainly be inaccurate by season's end.

Can the Ravens Defense Stop the Patriots?

The Ravens secondary has been the weak part of the team since the beginning of the season.  The pass rush (and by extension, the run defense) has masked some of the back end's deficiencies... but defending the Patriots' fourth ranked offense (by DVOA) will pose a sizable challenge.  New England certainly has a number of offensive weapons, but can the Ravens offer enough resistance to give their offense a chance to win?  I went back to the tape to find some answers.