Rob Long: Heartbreak
The Baltimore Ravens' season ended on a missed 32-yard field goal by Billy Cundiff. Players battle for over 59 minutes only to see kicker miss a field goal. That REALLY stinks.
I'm not going to sit here and bash Billy Cundiff, but that is considered a "chip shot" in the NFL. A gimme if you will. Speaking of a gimme, Lee Evans had a gimme as well but he dropped it in the back of the endzone. Yeah, Sterling Moore made a play on the ball but just like Cundiff, that's a play you'd expect Evans to make, but he didn't.
The Ravens played a good game on Sunday, but not a perfect game, which many thought it would take to defeat the New England Patriots. There were plays to be made but they left them on the field.
This team has the entire off season to contemplate on this one. There are no games next week that will help fans like me get over this bitter taste. You just have to deal with it all off-season. You have to watch the Super Bowl wondering what would have happened if Evans had caught that pass. You will watch that game wondering what would have happened if Cundiff hadn't missed it. That's life as a Ravens fan for now.
It a shame because I REALLY like this team. I saw a lot of character with them throughout the year. My hat goes off to John Harbaugh for the job that he did throughout the season. He's a heck of a coach. For now, my heart is broken, thinking about what could have been.
Rob Long
