The Baltimore Ravens picked a fine time for their only penalty-free game of the season in their 20-13 win over the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round of the 2012 NFL playoffs. Zero transgressions that normally draw the ire of the guys in the zebra stripes means that there were no positive plays that were called back on all three sides of the ball.
Offensively, defensively and on Special Teams, the Ravens did not commit a foul, at least not in the eyes of the guys whose opinions matter the most. The Texans only drew three penalties themselves, but for the only time in 2011-12, Baltimore played a perfect game within the rules and under the watchful eyes of the men who are entrusted in representing the league's rule books.
Many times throughout the season, the Ravens have had big plays negated by the throwing of the yellow flags. For example, in the second game with the Pittsburgh Steelers, RB Ray Rice took the game's opening handoff for a long TD run, only to have a "phantom" holding penalty by rookie WR Torrey Smith negate it and bring it back, taking a sure seven points off the board.
Not seeing RT Michael Oher have a false start, QB Joe Flacco unable to get the play off in time, or one of our defensive backs "accidentally" make contact beyond the permitted five yards, was an unusual sight, and should not be taken for granted knowing all too well what penalties have done to many a game in the Ravens season.
The players and coaching staff deserves a ton of congratulations for maintaining the poise of playing in such a pressure-packed environment that come along with a post season berth and one should know without a doubt that along with the rest of the factors that went into the Ravens victory, the lack of a single penalty was a huge contribution to this win.