I sent this to my buddy today.
So looking back to 2012, these are 2 different teams all together. The Ravens that yr, were a better team. Just a few things......
Perfect breakdown. I applaud your analysis.
NE Defense: Francis, Wilfork, Deiderick, Nink. Now it's Branch, Wilfork, Silega, Jones. Talib went out in the 1st quarter. Dennard and Arrington were our CB with Gregory and DMC back at S. No Chandler, Hightower was a rookie. No Collins, or the depth we have now in Ayers, Casillas. Spikes could not cover, and we had to use White or some other scrub. Revis and Browner with an improved Chung and DMC should make a huge difference, I think it ws DMC 1st yr at S? Now we have Ryan, Butler who can fill in over a guy like Cole??? Was he not picked up mid season?
NE Offense: Branch, Aiken, Loyd, Welker. NO GRONK!!!!!. People are forgetting about LaFell, which is fine with me. He can exploit those CB and S fine. Ill take a HEALTHY Gronk, Edelman, LaFell, Wright, Tyms, Dola over a WR who was over this hill (Branch), and one who never fought for a ball (Loyd). Now the OL is kind of the same, Conn at LG and Stork at C. However this is where the problem lies for me. Solder vs Suggs, Volly vs Dumerville. If they can't stop those 2, we are in trouble. Can't let Bady get hit. Short passing game, screen plays will be big this week.
Ravens are not the same team. No Lewis, Reed, Pollard, Kruger, Ellerbee, Rice, Bolden. Pitta is out, ****son is gone. So we should be able to cover Crocket and Daniels. I also think their OL is no where near what it was then. I think are def is very well equipt to handdle what Balt has on offense.
These are two very, very different teams. I think NE is much better. BUT.....it will come down to Solder vs Suggs, and Volly vs Dumerville. McDanials better not get cute either and get away from the run. We don't need 200yrd and 3 TD, but we need to keep Balt honest for play action. I think the screen game with Wright and Vereen are going to be big parts this week.
In saying this, I still think this game can go either way. We can lose by 7, or win by 17. We have stopped much better offenses this yr, but that does not matter. It's Baltimore, they have nothing to lose again. Flacco can toss the ball all he wants, its not Arrington and Dennard on the outside anymore. Defense wins games, and I think they have to win this one.