So it appears that the Baltimore Ravens are up to their old tricks. Or, rather, their old sloppy game of football. From top-down and bottom-up, the Ravens have made bad decisions over the course of the season, and particularly during Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings, that have been rather costly. The front office failed to make a move on resigning Matt Stover, and now he's off in Indianapolis, playing for "the dolts." Worse still, we signed David Tyree last week, when we really need a cornerback. Any cornerback. Our secondary's performances are difficult to watch. The Ravens really should be kicking themselves, literally, this week, after the secondary failed, again, (Mike Preston of The Baltimore Sun gave the unit an "F,") and Steve Houschka missed the game winning field goal from 44 yards out with 0:02 remaining on the clock. Houschka may be younger, fresher, stronger, and even generally more consistent than Stover is in his old age, but Stover had the experience and knowledge to make a game winning kick in a must-win game played in a dome. There is no doubt that Stover is a "clutch" player, as much as Adam Vinateri during the Patriots' Lombardi Trophy reign or as David Ortiz was for the Red Sox in the 2004 ALCS. Stover was also, surely, the quiet leader of the team. While more outspoken players like Ray, Ed Reed, and Bart Scott certainly got most of the limelight for their inspirational roles, I think Stover played a key role as a cornerstone for the team, a solidly dependable old-timer. Matt Stover, who came with the Browns team when it became the Baltimore Ravens, more than anyone, save perhaps Jonathon Ogden, was the face of the franchise. And incidentally, it seems that the Ravens are suffering from a poorly-timed identity crisis. Until the fourth quarter, offensive production was nearly as miserable as was watching the Ravens defense collapse repeatedly. Derrick Mason dropped passes that were probably just as crucial as the drops Mark Clayton made in previous games. McGahee's production was nonexistent, and Le'Ron McClain did not make big plays. In fact, McClain has yet to have a big game this season, something that is much needed and long overdue. Ray Rice continued to churn, but with a weak offensive line, there is not much he can do. Since Jared Gaither's injury, first round draft pick Michael Oher has moved across the field to play tackle. I don't know if this move, or the relatively tame Minnesota crowd was the reason for his problems, but regardless, Oher was called for numerous costly false starts. If the stars, Reed, McClain, and Oher, aren't producing, what are we to expect from rookies and less skilled players?
More bad news: it looks like Samari Rolle is not coming back any time soon. So for now, the Ravens will have to work with their oh so promising cornerbacks. Talk show hosts and fans are off speculating about whether Baltimore should acquire T.O. I love T.O., unlike most people, so it pains me to say this is one problem that T.O. cannot solve. Unless he has a hidden talent for playing excellent pass coverage. (I'm sure he already plays better than Frank Walker, though.) So the Ravens go into the bye week strapped to a slowly deflating balloon.
But there was something eerily familiar about the Ravens game this past Sunday. Coming up just short because they dug their hole too deep. Too little, too late. Settling for field goals (although missing them is a relatively new, and rather troubling, trend.) Ray Lewis playing the secondary better than the actual safeties and cornerbacks. We won't even talk about Joe Flacco. Conservative play calling. Unimaginative play calling. Bad attitudes and worse penalties. The Ravens have forgotten who they were on their way to being, and unless they wake up from this amnesia, John Harbaugh & Co. will be watching round one of the playoffs from their couches, and Baltimore fans may not even bother turning on the TV.
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