I'd also like to point out how casually analysts just gloss over our win to trash the Browns "performance." It's CRAZY to me that this is the Ravens norm. I know how last year went, but it still doesn't feel right yet. He's 20-3 as a starter. This is so damn hard to adjust from the grind it out games against teams we should dominate.
I mean I get the point though.
1. A lot of analysts expected us to blow out the Browns, and we did.
2. A lot of people liked the Browns as a much improved team this year (including myself and I'm still not sold it won't happen). And they didn't look the part on Sunday.
Its hard to really praise the Ravens that much after this one, because we basically did what we should have done. I think the media could be focusing more on the idea that we destroyed Cleveland without playing that well and with Lamar and the entire offense not really running the ball that well, but it is fair to question how much of that is related to Baker and the Browns just playing so poorly.
If you're the Browns, it was a barometer game for you. Its still early and we'll see them later in the year, but it was a litmus test to see if you've really improved off the inconsistencies of last year. And that answer, after week 1 at least, looks like an obvious no.
Ravens have 3-4 barometer games on their schedule this year. Week 3 is the obvious one, and I for one can't wait to play the Steelers twice, and I hope both teams are healthy when we do.
We haven't seen MVP Lamar vs Big Ben-led Steelers yet. Last year we got Hodges/Rudolph or whoever in the first meeting, and we played backups in the finale.
If Pittsburgh is going to be this resurgent team with Ben back, and their defense being a juggernaut that some think it will be, I want to see them prove it twice this year against this offense.