BLOG: What Was THAT?
Okay, let's call it like it is... Great teams seize opportunities, they don't lay eggs when those moments come.
No, I'm not saying the Baltimore Ravens' season is over. I'm not saying they won't get to the play-offs for a fourth consecutive season, but I am saying they laid a steamer on the field in Nashville, Tennessee on Sunday afternoon.
Please, don't try to convince me that the Tennessee Titans are better than we thought they were because time will tell that they are not. Please don't try to convince me that Matt Hasselbeck is still a good quarterback because time will tell that he is not as good as the Ravens made him look. What needs to be examined is how a team who demolished the Pittsburgh Steelers one week could look like they were in the "Andrew Luck Sweepstakes."
The Ravens did nothing right in a 26-13 beatdown in the Music City. We may look back on this one and circle it as the day the Baltimore Ravens got a reality check and got back on track, or we can just call it the Music City Meltdown. Either way, it was an awful sight to see.
John Harbaugh can spin this however he wants, but his team lacked focus. That's not what you expect in a championship caliber team. I think everyone needs to pump their brakes on the Superbowl talk and go week-to-week because they have something to prove on Sunday and a full week to get ready for it. This time, take advantage of that preparation time.
No, this isn't a forecast for the future, but it is a reflection on what the team did to prepare for this game. EVERYONE who's responsible for preparation needs to look in the mirror and take ownership. Every player who lines it up needs to take ownership. This is not just "one of those" losses. It's a wake up call. It needs to be treated like a crucial loss. This team was nonchalant about the game on Sunday, they do not need to be nonchalant about the results.
Next Sunday's game at St. Louis against the Rams is very important with the New York Jets coming into town the following week. The Ravens cannot go 1-2 to start the season. The "so-called" easy schedule doesn't look so easy with a 1-2 start.
Yes, this should be an interesting week at 1 Winning Drive. It doesn't matter what John Harbaugh says in front of the camera, it only matters what's done behind closed doors. I expect there to be some intense preparation. Sometimes a loss like this is what a coach needs to get his team's attention.
Rob Long
