The quote is from John Harbaugh post game. I have bashed and complained about Joe over the past years but not tonight. He was miraculous in the final 2 minute drive. Pass after pass were on the money. After drops by Torrey and Anquan, he went back to Torrey for the winning touchdown and a 23-20 victory.
It’s incredible that 2 of the key receivers on this team are Torrey and LaQuan Williams, also a Terrapin. This was not one of Torrey’s best nights though like a true warrior he made up for several mistakes with the final catch.
Could this game be a turning point in#5’s career? Can the Ravens avoid a bad performance next week in Seattle–a horrible team? Is Cinci for real? 6-2 at the break with a tremendous amount of football left. We can’t buy those airline tickets to INDY yet!!!But it’s on my mind!!!!!!
The following is from the Pittsburgh Gazette:
Just as they were in their 35-7 win against the Steelers on opening Sunday the Ravens were the better team. The game probably shouldn’t have come down to the final seconds. The Ravens had a 76-yard touchdown run by Ray Rice on the first play called back by a holding penalty. Their kicker, Billy Cundiff, also missed a 40-yard field-goal attempt late in the second quarter, ending his streak of 32 consecutive makes from inside 50 yards.
The Ravens won because they converted 14 of 21 third-down opportunities, including two on the winning drive during which they also got a 10-yard catch by wide receiver Anquan Boldin on a fourth-and-1 play at the Steelers 49. “We were on the field way too much,” Keisel said. “I think we only held them to one three-and-out.”Two, actually, but you get the point.
Steelers fans will tell you their team was robbed. They didn’t like that Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis wasn’t called for a helmet-to-helmet hit that knocked wide receiver Hines Ward out of the game early in the second quarter with concussion-like symptoms. (Look for Lewis to be fined by the NFL this week.) They didn’t like that Steelers safety Ryan Clark was penalized 15 yards for hitting “defenseless” tight end Ed Dickson late in the second quarter, a call that led to a Ravens field goal. (That one was questionable.) And they really didn’t like a pass interference penalty against Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor late in the third quarter that set up a Ravens touchdown. (I didn’t see any interference.)
But the officials didn’t beat the Steelers on this night. The Ravens did. Besides that, when you can’t hold a 20-16 lead in the final two-plus minutes at home when the other team has to go 92 yards, you don’t deserve to win. “That last series, that’s what you want as a defense,” cornerback William Gay said. “But they made plays and we didn’t. They’ve got a great group over there. They showed it tonight.”
Don’t get the wrong idea. Gay wasn’t just handing out credit. He dished out blame, too.
“That was, on my part, the worst drive ever,” he said.
He was beaten on the winning touchdown by Torrey Smith.
As a result, the Ravens own control of the AFC North Division. So the Ravens do with their 6-2 record, which ties them with the Cincinnati Bengals atop the division.
And the Steelers? They are 6-3 and, because of tiebreakers that go the Ravens’ way, would seem to have little chance of winning the division. Their best chance at the playoffs seems to be as a wild card.
The Steelers should be so lucky to get a third crack at the Ravens.
Ryan
I am as hard on our teams as anyone, and I’ve never seen what anyone has against Flacco.
Look at his home stats. Amazing. He has won more games than any other QB since he’s been in the league.
So, if someone can win always, put up those stats at home, it’s only a matter of time before they do it everywhere. Once they get comfortable.
Look at GB. Rodgers has had the same team for 3+ years.
Boldin has been here 1 years and 8 games. EVERYONE else is brand new.
It takes time to gel.
Joe is on pace for his 1st 4000 yard season, despite the Raven’s leading the NFL in drops.
He also has a make shift line that wasn’t here until the week before the season.
To no extend Joe would be a mistake of terrible proportions.
It would take a draft pick away from something else we need to draft a QB. THEN, it takes 2-3 seasons to get that QB up to his peak ability.
So, we would be wasting the careers of Suggs, Ngata, Rice, and anyone else drafted from 04-08.
Let Torry, Laquan, Joe, Ray, Ed, and Dennis stay together and gel, grow, etc.
The defense is going to be solid as long as Ozzie is here because he knows defensive Talent.
If the Offense catches up, as I know it will, we are looking at a dynasty.
· 11/12/2019
Bruce
Ryan—Do I have your permission to post this as a feature not just a comment.
· 11/12/2019
Ryan
Sure
· 11/12/2019