Jerry Coleman: Ravens End At Home With A Dud
After not scoring a touchdown against the Detroit Lions on Monday night football their woes continued as the Patriots shut down the Ravens in a 41-7 rout. They are now 1-7 vs. the Patriots in the regular season suffering their worst loss since John Harbaugh arrived. Both team were undisciplined, accumulating a total of 16 penalties for 141 yards.
John Harbaugh
Which caused someone to ask Terrell Suggs, what went wrong? "I don't know, got to look at the tape… I actually just burned a tape lets move to Cincinnati you know it just didn't feel good," Suggs said. "They played a good game they won they game got to take your hats off to them."
Terrell Suggs
New England started out quick. Scoring on their first possession with a 1-yard run by RB LeGarrette Blount. Blount would finish with 76 rushing yards and two TD's. Then, after an interception by QB Joe Flacco, the Patriots extended their lead to 14-0 in the first half, and would never relinquish it. By halftime, the Ravens faced a 17-0 deficit, which is the biggest since being down to Buffalo 13-0 in week four.
Then the second half began, and it is was much of the same, not being able to execute on offense but the defense still held Patriots QB Tom Brady to only 172 passing yards in the game, his second-fewest total this season. The Ravens defense also limited the New England offense to just a field goal in the third , and was giving the Raven offense as many opportunities as possible. They just were not able to convert. Flacco finished with two interceptions and back-up Tyrod Taylor was intercepted for a pick-six in the final two minutes of the game, adding insult to injury.
If there is a sliver lining… The Ravens still have shot at their sixth consecutive playoff appearance under Harbaugh. This year is different, they no longer control their own destiny and need help. The 8-7 Ravens are on the outside looking in but the players are not getting discouraged about it.
"We are where we are because we earned it, you know if we had won the division and been undefeated right now we'd be there because we earned it… It is on us to take care of business next weekend but it's not a great feeling knowing that you need help," Torrey Smith said.
Torrey Smith
Torrey Smith 2
He was the teams leading wide out in receiving yards with 69 and now has 13 catches of 25-plus yards this season after posting a 42-yarder in the game. With 2 more receptions of 25-plus yards, Smith will break the single-season team record set by WR Michael Jackson (14 in 1996).
The Ravens didn't reach the end zone against the Patriots until there was 9:21 left in the game. They also didn't cross midfield in the first half and managed only seven points on three trips in the red zone. Just barely avoiding their 1st shutout in 11 years.
"I don't know what those scenarios are. I'm not going to worry myself now. We're just going to worry about go getting a win," According to Joe Flacco , who claimed his knee injury was never a factor.
