Official Texans vs. Ravens Game Thread, 10/21/2012

[Nconroe]

Yeah, and Ravens offense seems to be doing well.

Rest of A0fC is 3-3 or worse.

[WMH]

If this does happen, can't imagine he's all that effective, but it would be very impressive....

From Schefter:
October 18, 2012: Despite returning to practice only Wednesday from a torn Achilles in April, Ravens LB Terrell Suggs is targeting and expecting to play Sunday versus Houston, according to league sources. Sources said that even Suggs’ family and friends have plans to travel to Houston in anticipation of watching him stage one of the quickest returns from this type of significant injury that any athlete ever has. “Yes, that’s still the plan,” one source texted today. Baltimore still wants to make sure there are no setbacks this week, especially today, when Suggs returns to the training facility after his first day of practice since last season. Plus, Suggs appears to have added weight during his layoff that he may try to shed in coming weeks. Ravens coach John Harbaugh continually has declined to put a timetable on Suggs’ return and many have believed it would be mid November. But more and more it’s looking like there’s a real chance, maybe a better than real chance, that Suggs will make his season debut Sunday

[HPF Bob]

I think the Ravens are desperate after losing two players last week but I can't see putting Thuggs in for more than a few snaps at best. There's no way he's in "playing shape" and putting him out there would probably do more to risk injury than to contribute defensively. However, I could see putting him in for a few snaps just to boost his confidence that he is "back". Anything beyond that would be stupid.

[Keith]

Have to imagine the Ravens just want a new emotional leader out there following the loss of Ray Lewis.

It is strange how similar these two teams are coming into this game. Both loss an important leader at inside linebacker (Lewis and Cushing), both have an ailing top cornerback (Webb and Joseph), both have an ailing defensive tackle (Ngata and Mitchell), and both rely on a dynamic running back to make their offense work in both the running and passing game (Rice and Foster).

That the Ravens have a few former Texans (Vonta Leach, Jacoby Jones, Bernard Pollard) and the Texans just picked up a Raven to backfill Mitchell, not to mention these two teams last met in the playoffs 9 months ago, it makes for a lot of familiarity for Sunday's game.

[HPF Bob]

I sometimes think teams pick up ex-players of other teams just to pick their brains about the opposition or make the opponents change signals if nothing else.

[nunusguy]

Just like us the Ravens are going into their bye week and since this game is already so important for both teams in terms of potential tie-breakers when home-field and all rolls around for the playoffs, why not throw everything and everyone you can at the competition in this game because it's gonna be a long 2 weeks before the next game ?

[Nconroe]

It was interesting to see Jacoby Jones make a 108 yd kick return last week, sure hope our return coverage doesn't let that happen.

I guess Texans will be fired up after the embarrasing result against Green Bay.

And hope JJo is back to normal self in secondary now.