Ravens 2010 Schedule Analysis & Predictions
By Joe Barnes
The NFL’s schedules were released last night at 7 PM EST, and with them comes a lot of discussion and speculation. Some teams get favorable games, like playing at Miami in January, and some get very unfavorable games, like coming to Baltimore at any time in the year to get blown out. But in all seriousness, the release of the schedule is a big deal. I think it’s silly that they release it during the week of the draft, but I don’t have the power to make these decisions.
Highlighted by an opening game on Monday Night Football at the Jets’ new stadium against Rex Ryan and a visit from the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints, the Ravens’ 2010 schedule is a doozie. With 4 nationally televised games, the Ravens will be under the NFL’s microscope, and will hopefully perform with their schedule.
Click “Continue Reading” to see Joe’s predictions and opinions about the Ravens’ newly-released 2010 schedule.
Let’s start with a few general things we notice about the schedule.
- Like I mentioned, 4 nationally televised games. The Ravens are known for not winning their primetime games, but recently they’ve had success and if they do lose, never go down without a fight. At least two nationally primtime games against the Steelers I can remember off the top of my head in the last 3 years were decided by less than a score.
- The start of the season has been talked up as very difficult and possibly the hardest stretch of the team’s season. By “start” I mean the first four games. In all honesty, though, the Ravens have an extremely legitimate chance to go 4-0 in those games. They can definitely handle the Jets, the Bengals are always hit-or-miss, the Browns are…the Browns, and the Steelers will be without Fat Ben.
- Week 13 and 14 are weeks to watch. In Week 13, the Ravens play the Saints in Baltimore on Sunday Night Football. A big, emotional game there may exhaust them, and then they have to do a bit of the same the next game, which will be Monday Night Football in Houston. If Coach Harbaugh does not get the team’s mind right after what is sure to be a competitive game against the Saints, the Texans will be a big challenge on national TV, even being 8 days later.
- Weeks 4, 5 and 6 are such intense games (at Steelers, at Patriots, home vs Broncos), so I like the games following them. Home against the Bills, a bye week, home against the Dolphins, and then two warm-weather games in Atlanta and Charlotte (Panthers), is a nice four-game stretch, where if the Ravens drop more than one, it will be a huge surprise to me.
Now for my predictions. I didn’t do scores or anything, just wins and losses. My prediction: an 11-5 record.
- WINS: @Jets, vs Browns, @Steelers, vs Broncos, vs Bills, vs Dolphins, @Falcons, @Panthers, vs Bucs, vs Steelers, @Browns
- LOSSES: @Bengals, @Patriots, @Texans, vs Saints, vs Bengals
So there you have it. Feel free to post your own predictions and thoughts about mine.