There are many ways to skin a cat

[perrykemp]

Originally Posted by AdamJT13

Regular-season performance can't win you a Super Bowl, it can only you into the playoffs. Look at what the Ravens did once they got into the playoffs, and you'll understand why they won it all.

I definitely agree with that. Very similar to the 2011 Giants who had, what, the 32nd ranked running game in the NFL and a very poorly rated defense.

Once they got into the regular season they put all that behind them.

[Rack Bauer]

Originally Posted by AdamJT13

Regular-season performance can't win you a Super Bowl, it can only you into the playoffs. Look at what the Ravens did once they got into the playoffs, and you'll understand why they won it all.

I think the biggest reason they won in the regular season and playoffs is turnovers. THey didn't commit many (2nd best in the league) and they created quite a bit of them (11th in the NFL).

Not sure what the playoffs looked like but I know Flacco didn't throw any picks (Rice put it on the ground way too much though).

[KB1122]

Exception.

By the end of the decade, there will be about 6 quarterbacks who are Hall of Fame candidates and they will account for about 8 or 9 of the championships. Just like every decade.

[punchnjudy]

Originally Posted by Rack Bauer

I think the biggest reason they won in the regular season and playoffs is turnovers. THey didn't commit many (2nd best in the league) and they created quite a bit of them (11th in the NFL).

Not sure what the playoffs looked like but I know Flacco didn't throw any picks (Rice put it on the ground way too much though).

Yeah, if Flacco had thrown a pick against Denver or SF, it could have very well been the difference in the game. I kept waiting for him to crack, but he never did.

[Wahoo Cowboy]

Originally Posted by hairic

No, passer rating is still strongly correlated.

Baltimore postseason passer rating:

Defense: 72.4 (best of 12 playoff teams)
Offense: 114.7 (best of 12 playoff teams)

Bingo!

He's never lit it up in the regular season, but since 2010, Joe Flacco has one playoff game with a passer rating under 95 (@PIT, 2010). This playoffs, it was never below 106.3 with zero interceptions.

This isn't meant to be a commentary on the Cowboys. But the biggest difference between the Ravens and the teams they faced was QB play.

[Hoofbite]

One thing I think the season numbers fail to acknowledge is that the Ravens played well above those numbers in almost every aspect in the postseason.

They got hot.

I think their defense had multiple takeaways in each game. 10 through the postseason, I believe.

Flacco was top notch all throughout the playoffs.

73/126, 1140 Yards, 11 TDs, QBR: 117 (about, used some online calculator)


Similar story for the Giants last year. I think there's definitely different means to get to the playoffs but once you are there I think the team who's peaking at the right time is the one who is going to come out on top.

[perrykemp]

The Ravens even, to a certain extent, went against the grain on the "team playing best at the end of the regular season" is the most likely to go on a tear in the playoffs theory.

They lost 4 of their last 5 and fired their OC.... not exactly the definition of "on a roll".

[lostar2009]

Originally Posted by ABQcowboyJR

I see great O-lines and D-lines on the 9ers and Ravens.

Romo vs Flacco

Romo sack 36 times
Flacco sack 35 times

Romo qbr 90.5 comp% 65.6 TD 28
Flacco qbr 87.7 comp% 59.7 TD 22

The main difference ???
Romo 19 ints 3 Fumbles
Flacco 10 ints 4 fumbles

Its hard to win games if someone on the team is always turning the ball over.

[Clove]

They had great QB play and great coaching through-out the post season.

[nake]

Ravens don't have GM Jerry Jones.

[Blitzen32]

Ravens dodged a bullet by not getting Garrett. Harbaugh has won more playoff games than Jimmy Johnson in his first 5 seasons. Garrett can't even make the playoffs.

The one constant with all these Super Bowl teams is SOLID coaching.

[theogt]

Time and again it's about being just good enough to get into the playoffs, them getting hot when you're there. Little rhyme or reason to it beyond that.

[theogt]

Originally Posted by lostar2009

Romo vs Flacco

Romo sack 36 times
Flacco sack 35 times

Romo qbr 90.5 comp% 65.6 TD 28
Flacco qbr 87.7 comp% 59.7 TD 22

The main difference ???
Romo 19 ints 3 Fumbles
Flacco 10 ints 4 fumbles

Its hard to win games if someone on the team is always turning the ball over.

Not that this post deserves a response, but Romo threw for a lot more passes, and those extra passes are tough ones because it meant he was playing from behind.

[jnday]

Originally Posted by lostar2009

Romo vs Flacco

Romo sack 36 times
Flacco sack 35 times

Romo qbr 90.5 comp% 65.6 TD 28
Flacco qbr 87.7 comp% 59.7 TD 22

The main difference ???
Romo 19 ints 3 Fumbles
Flacco 10 ints 4 fumbles

Its hard to win games if someone on the team is always turning the ball over.

The oline is more than pass ptotection. The running game helped Flacco.

[Royal Laegotti]

What this Ravens team had that put them over the top was team comradery. They rallied around the idea of Ray's last game. They loved playing together as a team and had fun. They've been saying this the entire post season. It's the intangible factor, the 'X factor'. Somehow it elevates the play of the entire team. When this kind of thing comes together it's more valuable than talent or a system of plays or a style of play.