We play Baltimore in Baltimore.
We can't beat Baltimore anywhere, so who knows how that will turn out
I know this isn't really the thread, and I should just wait for this one in a week, but I still wanted to address this just because I don't understand it. Until the '08 season when we played Baltimore twice of course (regular season and playoffs), we were 5-2 against the guys...and that wasn't just when they were "getting off the ground" in the mid-90's. We only played them once then (1997) and won. Otherwise, all of those games were against pretty good Baltimore teams, including an early season win against the eventual 2000 SB champion team. Hell, we nearly beat them at the end of the regular season in '04 with that terrible 4-12 team led by Jim Bates at that point, right before we hired Saban.
I just don't think we matched up well with that '08 Baltimore team at all, but even then the games weren't as lopsided as the scores would indicate, particularly the regular season game (go back and look at the stats). Since then, I think we've gotten stouter and more experienced where we need to on the defensive line, even with Odrick being pretty much done for the season. As for the o-line that didn't do well against them those games, I'm not sure that we're as good at run blocking as has already been discussed in separate threads, but I definitely think we'd damn good at pass protection now, even including the TE's and RB's (Ricky's been stoning some people). So, I think that will really help us against them this season.
Plus, Baltimore's defense just hasn't been that impressive to me so far this season, #8 defense overall statistically or not. Besides the Jets game to begin the season and Denver who can't run on freakin'
anybody, other teams have run on Baltimore, including Cinci, the Browns, and NE, whose rushing offense didn't impress me against us even though we had half of our d-lineman out that game as well as Crowder. They've been holding up better than I had expected on passing defense, especially with Reed out (who is now back) but that has started to erode some these past two games against the Patsies and the Bills. So, we'll see.....I was worried at first since it's a road game, but if we keep playing like we have been, then I don't think that will be as big an issue as I had originally thought, though I do think Baltimore is a tough place to play. What will hurt the most, I believe, and might turn the tide in their favor is that they're coming off of a bye while we'll be going into a back-to-back road game. I was pissed when I noticed that on the schedule several weeks ago.
Sorry, wasn't trying to derail the original topic, just felt I had a lot to comment on there. As far as the original topic, I don't *predict* anymore, but I certainly hope we pull this one out because a) we obviously need to and b) I want to witness my first Dolphins' victory in person! Headin' up to Cincinnati tomorrow afternoon.....
Author