Ironically, the last time a Baltimore Ravens' loss hurt this much the next day was the 2006 playoff loss to this same Baltimore Colts' team. That game was extremely similar as the Ravens could only muster field goals rather than getting the ball into the end zone. All too familiar was the late red zone interception that sealed the win for the Colts and sent home optimistic Ravens fans with the same notion that their season was over.
While there are still six games left in the 2009 season, the Ravens would have to go undefeated for a chance to make the playoffs at this point. Playoffs! Playoffs? Wha, you're talking about playoffs!? To add to the misery, I said all week that I'd prefer to get blown out by the Colts than to lose on a Matt Stover field goal, so what ended up being the difference? A Matt Stover field goal after our new kicker, Billy Cundiff, go the loudest ovation for just a field goal in Ravens history, but despite hitting five field goals, still missed a chip shot that might have made a difference in the game's outcome.
Isn't it interesting how the oddsmakers knew exactly what they were doing when they opened up the betting line with the Ravens a one point favorite? Enough money was put on the Colts to move the line to Indy -1.5, and look what happens, they win the game by two points. Hmmm...something might smell a bit fishy if you were a wagering man.
But we digress from the task at hand, which is bashing the playcalling and even more so, the lack of execution. No one would be complaining about what plays were called if the players did their jobs on the field and executed them successfully. How does our quarterback look so good at the beginning of the season that not only are we talking about going to the Super Bowl, but our QB is also headed to the Pro Bowl. Now the team has not scored a first half offensive touchdown in the first half of a NFL game since week four against the New England Patriots. That's a streak of six games, and we've only scored two offensive TD's in the past three game in total. Not only is that definitely not a Super Bowl team, it certainly isn't a Pro Bowl QB either.
Say what you want about how good Joe Flacco is, give him a pass if you want for only being a second year player or blme it all on the lack of wide receivers or the playcalling. However, the kid has just not gotten it done, looks like he is regressing and has had a huge hand in some of these losses that have the levels of frustration amongst the fans at a boiling point with our most hated opponents getting ready to come into our house for what was supposed to be the battle for the division lead in the AFC North.
Flacco's interception while we were on the doorstep of scoring the go ahead touchdown was thrown right smack dab into the heart of the Colts' defense. He tried to throw it to Derrick Mason, who was not only covered, he was double or perhaps even triple teamed at the time. All day, Mason had scholled the Colts injury-depleted secondary with outside moves and when I saw him lined up outside I was like, "good, make a fake inside and Flacco will hit you in the front corner of the end zone fo rthe TD." In slow motion, I saw him cut across the middle and started shouting "nooooo..." and the interception came just as I expected. that's now three red zone interceptions in games that the Ravens have lost by less than seven points by the second year Flacco (including Cincinnati, New England)
Ironically, every team in the AFC North went down to defeat yesterday and a win over Indy would have came at a great time, as both us and the Steelers would be meeting next week at 6-4, with the Bengals only a game ahead of us at 7-3. ut alas, that is not to be the case, as the Ravens sit at .500 and with Pittsburgh coming in at 6-4, the battle is now to just see which team finishes in second and third place in the AFC North.
I know there have been a lot of comments posted here on The Beatdown, and hopefully you'll continue to vent more at the bottom of this post as well. Leave your thoughts, advice and frustrations to "add company to my misery!"