JimmyCrackCorn

Fresh off of a sound beating from their division rivals, the Ravens returned to Baltimore to lick their wounds. But, instead of preparing for this week’s upcoming game against Cincinnati, the men of Purple are staging a verbal campaign to downplay the loss to Pittsburgh in front of a national audience on Monday Night Football. Head coach Brian Billick addressed the media yesterday to support his players in the cause. “After a loss like that, the easy thing to do would be to compliment the Steelers, go back to work and get ready for your next opponent. Not us, no sir. We’re going to strike back with words – a war of words, if you will. Words that are stupid and downright offensive.” That would be the first signs of offense on a team that rarely reaches the end zone. But when it comes to offensive ingenuity, you cannot question Billick’s motives.

Defensive leader Ray Lewis concocted the idea in the locker room following the loss. “When you lose as badly as we did, you’ve got to fight back with your mouth, not your actions. Hit me in the face and I’ll tell you I didn’t feel it. Hang 35 points on our defense in one half and I’ll say you can’t score 70. We’re going to take (expletive) talking to a whole new level.” After suffering defeats against all AFC North opponents on the road, Lewis insists that it will be a different story when the games are played at M&T Bank stadium in Baltimore. The weather, start times and even time zone changes are all reasons for the Ravens poor play throughout the first half of the season. “When you have to play a game four hours away, at night, in the rain, the day after you turn the clocks back, that (expletive) affects you, man. When we play in our house, it sure as (expletive) ain’t gonna be raining, and it ain’t gonna be no night game.” When asked if this was the first time Baltimore had played in the rain, Lewis responded, “definitely.” Lewis went on to note that their stingy run defense held running back Willie Parker in check for the entire night. “38-7 don’t mean nothing. 42 yards rushing is what I’m talkin’ about,” referring to Parker’s season-low rushing total. “(Expletive) fast Willie Parker, more like (Expletive) slow Willie Parker,” a sweaty Lewis giggled.

Trevor Pryce upped the ante for the two teams’ rematch in December. “Aint no way James Harrison gets 10 sacks and 5 turnovers against us next time. I double-dog dare him.” Pryce later denied knowing that James Harrison even played for Pittsburgh. “James who? I don’t know no James Harrison.” Offensive lineman Jonathan Ogden took another angle on the reason for Ravens 4 turnovers, suggesting that the balls were greased down when the Ravens were on offense. “I didn’t actually touch the ball, but it looked slippery.” When asked if the ball could have been wet from the rain, Ogden replied, “No,” before ending the interview.

Bart Scott, one of the victims of Hines Ward’s devastating blocks, claims that Ward got lucky on the hit and confirmed that he would, in fact, attempt to kill the Steelers wide receiver when the teams play a their December 30th rematch. “C’mon down here and see if you make it out alive,” Scott threatened. “I’ve been talking to Ray about it, and we’re pretty sure that it’s the best way to shut him up,” referring to the all-pro receiver. When asked about a possible suspension from the league for attempted murder, Scott replied that he is scheduled to meet with Lewis’ attorneys and he’s confident of an acquittal. “It’s the last game of the season, what are they gonna do, suspend me from the pro bowl?” Scott joked. It’s hard to doubt Scott’s ambitions. After all, Baltimore is known as Murder Capital, USA.

No one from the Ravens offense could be reached for comment. Willis McGahee and Steve “Air” McNair are recovering from concussions, but both still had enough sense to keep quiet.

Is this a case of senility settling in on an aging team with diminishing talent, or a cerebral game of verbal possum? Baltimore might be 4-4 and 0-3 in the AFC North, but with a new game plan, this team could go very far into January, even if it is only in their minds.

bdutton

Baltimore is a very bad team this year. After all, the DID lose to the Bills.

thewarden86

Actually, here are the real sour grapes:

Reeling Ravens left bitter


By Joe Starkey
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Win or lose, it is never dull inside the Baltimore Ravens' locker room.
That was especially true Monday night, in the wake of the team's worst defeat under ninth-year coach Brian Billick.

In the far corner, defensive linemen laughed as they swapped Willie Parker anecdotes. They weren't real impressed with Fast Willie, who was held to 42 yards on 23 carries in a 38-7 victory.

Defensive end Trevor Pryce finally turned toward the showers and said, to no one in particular, "Willie (expletive) Parker. What a fraud."


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Some players could not bring themselves to credit the Steelers, who'd held them to five first downs and 104 total yards.
And how about Ben Roethlisberger throwing five touchdown passes in the first half and finishing with a perfect passer rating of 158.3?

"When you give somebody that many opportunities, anybody can make a play," linebacker Ray Lewis said, referring to his team's four first-half turnovers. "Now, come see us in Baltimore."

The rematch is Dec. 30 in the regular-season finale. Question is, will it mean anything to a Ravens team that looks older than Walter Cronkite and has dropped to 4-4, including 0-3 in the AFC North?

Somebody asked left tackle Jonathan Ogden -- he has to be older than Cronkite -- if the Steelers did anything different with linebacker James Harrison, who went Lawrence Taylor-crazy with nine tackles, 3 1/2 sacks, six quarterback hurries, three forced fumbles, one recovered fumble, an interception and a partridge in a pear tree (or least Ed Reed on a platter).

Ogden made a face so bitter you'd have thought he swallowed a case of lemons. "No," he said, before cutting off further inquiries.

Pryce called Roethlisberger's precision passes "luck" and said, "Whatever their game plan was, it didn't work."

You know it's not your night, Pryce said, "when a little 5-9 linebacker (Harrison actually is listed at 6 feet) gets four sacks. That will never happen again in his life. He knows that."

Harrison didn't seem overly pleased when that quote was relayed to him.

"Who is Trevor Pryce?" he said.

Reporter: "A defensive end for the Ravens."

Harrison: "He's entitled to his opinion. ... What did he do?"

Well, besides ring up zero tackles, Pryce failed to wrap up Roethlisberger on one of those lucky touchdown passes.

The only Ravens players who sounded semi-rational were linebacker Bart Scott and quarterback Steve McNair.

"They had a great game plan, went after our young guys," said Scott, referring to backup cornerbacks who were forced to start. "Ben was seeing the initial rush, getting out of the pocket and making plays. All the credit goes to them. They were the better team today."

That said, Scott was livid with Hines Ward, who laid out Scott and Reed with mammoth hits.

"He was being who he is, taking his shots," Scott said. "Next time it happens, I'll find him and make sure I take the most violent shot I can take. We'll see them again, and I'll play violent. I'll play all the way to the edges of the rules."

Watching these Ravens, you have to wonder if they'll return next season in anything resembling their current form. Billick, Lewis, Ogden, McNair. It's beginning to feel as if time is running out on this group.

Baltimore hasn't won a playoff game since 2001, for goodness sakes, a year before the AFC North was formed.

"The season's not over, but we are a team in crisis right now," Scott admitted. "There's no denying that."

OtisCampbell

You do know this is a Patriots site, right? Maybe you guys ought to lay this stuff on a Ravens site, where somebody might actually get worked up about it. In fact, I think it's your obligation. Go start some trouble.

thewarden86

I also know that this is the "Visiting Locker Room."
Do you think I didn't post this right smack in the middle of the Ravens Fans "we love our Rat-Birds" forum???

OtisCampbell

Good work then

DisgruntledTunaFan

Not to mention too Balt was playing without their 2 corners-ANYONE would have torched them.

BTW-McNair IS officially washed-up. He can no longer see the field well.

thewarden86

Why thank you.

You don't happen to live at Otis and be stationed on the Campbell do you?
My best friend/neighbor was Chief on the Campbell. I actually have a few Campbell t-shirts.

thewarden86

And that's just what they did. The Steelers did exactly what they should have done: Torched them in the first half and ground down the clock in the second. I don't see the Steelers flaunting that. I see the Ravens poo-pooing it.

I hear ya on McNair. I like him, but maybe it's time to be a mentor.

OtisCampbell

You're welcome. No, I live in a small town in North Carolina