Wow, what can you say now? Talk about getting the monkey off of our backs! We just put up 33 on the 7th ranked defense of the Dallas Cowboys and when our backs were against the wall and it looked like once again we were going to fold in the fourth quarter, we silenced the crowd, including a bunch of old time Cowboy stars in a big, big way!

Easily the biggest win of the season and maybe one of the biggest regular season road victories in the Ravens history! I am so stoked about this victory that I can't sleep if I tried. So many great things to say about this team, especially the offense. We all knew the defense would be tough and we kept them pretty much out of the end zone other than the first quarter TD off of Flacco's fumble until the fourth quarter was half over.

Tony Romo looked bewildered and like a deer frozen in headlights! TO never got untracked and if not for Witten, they might have lost even worse. All we heard was how great their defense had been playing and how challenged our offense was. Fans over at Blogging the Boys thought we might not even score against them. Here at the Beatdown, we were worried that our FG's would not be enough because we were missing the TD opportunities in the Red Zone. We still have Red Zone issues, so we decided to score from well outside the 20 yard line.

McGahee and McClain's TD runs were so incredible that not once, but twice we ran for long TD's when our backs were pushed up against the wall after Dallas tried to make a game of it late in the fourth quarter. Twice, the Ravens offensive line opened huge gashes in the supposedly unpenetratable Dallas defense and the game was over. Don't lie to me, both times we kept looking at the clock and prayed that the defense was not going into their prevent mode, rushing only three and sitting back until we lost another close one. I couldn't have handled another last minute meltdown. Thankfully, we responded in a huge way that sealed the deal.

Who do we look at for the key to victory? Cam Cameron called a masterful game. Derrick Mason proved he was a warrior and left it all out on the field. Who else stepped up? Punter Sam Koch kicked the hell out of the ball all night and ran like a fullback on that fake punt. Who else, I could go on all night but I won't. I'll have to leave that to another post, and you all can debate that here under the comments. I'm too fried to write any more and will post again in the morning.

Great, great win for a incredible season that will continue into January. Can you believe it? Do YOU believe in miracles? YES!

Just taking a break from all things Ravens to wish everyone (yes, even the ,...gulp,...Cleveland fans, even though they don't have as much to be thankful for) a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. The kids are home from school, eating and now drinking everything in the house, having tons of friends over to mess up the basement and parking all over the lawn, knocking down driveway lights, leaving the doors open and lights on all over the house throughout the entire night, spilling beer on the carpet, smelling the house up with their blunts and who knows what else, and.....oh wait, get a grip, Rexx. Uhhh....nevermind (<---has issues).

Anyway,...the Ravens probably have a practice this morning then off to their homes to enjoy a festive meal and watch some Thursday football, as there are three games for us to enjoy, although only one involving an AFC team. I heard yesterday from former Dallas Cowboys GM Gil Brandt on Sirius NFL Network, that the reason the Lions and Cowboys are always playing on Thanksgiving is that when the league started this, they were the only teams who agreed to play at this point of the week and have been schedued as such ever since. However, I'd like to see more rivalry games that might have a higher interest level than some of these one-sided affairs. Of course, perhaps the NFL is thinking that they can put the Lions on every Thanksgiving even if they suck because it's the only game on and we have no other choice. Hmmm,...pretty smart thinking, those NFL brainiacs!

So, to stay up to date with my weekly selections, here are my Picks & Pans for the Thanksgiving Games:

Teneessee over Detroit: Wow, wouldn't it stir up a lot if the Lions pulled the upset and won their first game today? The Titans would also have lost their second in a row and now the Indianapolis Colts would start frothing at their mouths! However, something tells me that ain't gonna happen, as the Titans will be ready and angry to take out the frustration of losing their first game on the hapless Lions. Expect some big days out of the Titans RB's and enough from QB Kerry Collins to satisfy their passing attack. Meanwhile, the Detroit braintrust is probably focusing on whom to take with their first pick of the 2009 NFL Draft than what to do with this team the rest of the 2008 season!

Dallas over Seattle: To be honest with you, I actually think this game will be closer than the point spread suggests (-12.5). The Seahawks have had QB Matt Hasselbeck back for a couple of weeks now and Dallas' pass defense is nothing to write home about. At the same time, Tony Romo is back and appears to once again be in sync with TO, as evidenced by last week's connections between the two. Dallas is on a mission to get in the playoffs while the Seattle players are auditioning for next year. I expect a high scoring game with Dallas scoring more than Seattle.

Philadelphia over Arizona: Yes, that is correct. Despite the Eagles horrible performances the past two weeks in tying the Cincinnati Bengals and getting blown out by our Baltimore Ravens (yea!), the Eagles are now home and have defended their home turf pretty well this season. I expect a big bounce back game from Donovan McNabb, to quiet his naysayers (that will never happen) and continue the controversy of what to do with him once the season is completed (hint: 'da Bears!). The Cardinals have a great passing attack but the Eagles defense has played well in their two recent defeats. I expect both teams to put up the points but the Eagles pass rush and secondary makes the difference as they collect more turnovers than the Cardinals and edge Arizona in what is my Upset Special Pick of the Day.

(NOTE: I'll make my Picks & Pans of the rest of this weekend's game on Saturday and the Ravens-Bengals game on Sunday.)

With a playoff spot at stake, the Ravens travel into the home of what used to be called "America's Team" to take on the NFC East 2007 Champion Dallas Cowboys. While the Cowboys may no longer be the unanimous choice for the moniker of "America's Team," they are still one of the most popular and certainly one of the better teams in the NFL. However, they play in what also might be the toughest division in the league, which should either keep them sharp for their out of conference games, or wear them down due to the brawls.

Depending on where you stand, this is either a benefit or danger to the Ravens. Regardless of which, don't expect the Ravens to waltz into Dallas and emerge with a victory over a very good Cowboys team. The Ravens may have still be a contender for the Wild Card positions, but they ain't ready to roll with the big boys on the road, as their modest four game winning streak comes to a screeching halt.

The Cowboys have way too many weapons, although I still don't see this game as a blowout. Dallas might have TO, Romo, Marion Barber, Jason Witten plus others on offense, but they still haven't played a defense like the Ravens, who just won't roll over and quit. At the same time, the 'boys should be able to put enough points on the board with this offense to keep the Ravens from making it a close game.

Offensively, the Ravens will have to rely on short passes and the running game, while at some point way too early for this offense, be forced to go to the pass in order to try to keep up with the Cowboys on the scoreboard. Unfortunately, that is where the game gets out of hand, as the Ravens are still not a good enough offense, much less passing team to rely on the arm of Troy Smith (or Flacco, or even Boller) to play catch up.

After a bruising loss to a tough, athletic and veteran Dallas squad, the Ravens will limp home still in playoff contention. Their hopes of playing in the post season now rest on a win against a real tough Jacksonville team while also having to rely on other teams' losing in order to squeak into the playoffs.

Cowboys: 27  Ravens: 13

Season Record:  9-6