TMQ shows the dangers of 10,000-word columns

[ctpatsfan77]

Sometimes, you can lose your train of thought . . . in the course of a single paragraph!

After the game, several Ravens complained that the officials -- who called 13 penalties against Baltimore, four against New England -- favored the Patriots. Losing teams often claim that the officials favored the winners; was there favoritism here? The defensive holding on fourth down with 55 seconds remaining was inarguable; the officials had to flag it. Ravens nickelback Jamaine Winborne theatrically removed his helmet after the call, and the officials could have flagged him for that, but they did not. But after Jabar Gaffney caught the touchdown pass that put the Flying Elvii in the lead with 44 seconds left, the zebras flagged Ravens linebacker Bart Scott twice for unsportsmanlike conduct -- once when he said something to an official and a second time when he picked up the flag and hurled it into the crowd. This was a stupid, stupid move. The very rare double-unsportsmanlike conduct penalty essentially awarded the game to New England; adding the encroachment penalty on the PAT, the Patriots kicked off from the Baltimore 35, drilling an easy touchback and preventing Baltimore's strong return game from creating good field position for the Ravens' final drive. The officials are not unaware of New England's record, and the widespread belief -- regardless whether this belief is grounded in fact -- is that the league wants the Patriots to finish undefeated. Excessively penalizing Baltimore in the final minute, in a manner that strongly aided New England, was at best a lapse by the officiating crew and at worst strange.

Wait . . . so they weren't calling every penalty they could have called, but they were excessively penalizing Baltimore?

As someone else once wrote, no man in history has been paid more to be incorrect about so many different things. :bricks:

 

[SVN]

for a change some +ve stuff as well which is all i read for my information

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/071204

These things said, Baltimore has itself to blame for the loss -- or perhaps, New England has its superior line play to credit for the win. Leading 24-17, the Ravens took possession at the Patriots' 26 early in the fourth quarter. Two runs netted 1 yard, as the New England defensive line outplayed the Baltimore offensive line, then Kyle Boller threw a crazy interception. Jonathan Ogden is a perennial Pro Bowler based on his reputation alone; both of the runs in this series were behind him, and in both cases, he briefly brushed his man, then straightened up and watched the play. The Baltimore defense then held New England to a field goal -- now it's Ravens 24, Patriots 20 with 8:41 remaining and Baltimore took possession on its 28. Two runs gained 1 yard -- again Ogden brushed his man, then watched -- and a pass fell incomplete, leading to a punt. The Baltimore defense held, and with 5:21 remaining, the Ravens again took possession on their 28. Three plays gained 9 yards, and Brian Billick ordered a punt on fourth-and-1, handing the ball back to the league's best offense.

Yes, it would have taken moxie to go for it on fourth-and-1 from your own 37 with 3:41 remaining, but one single yard here would have won the game -- and the blame-shifting strategy Baltimore coaches chose instead lost the game. Baltimore did not make a first down in the fourth quarter till its last-gasp drive, when the Patriots' defense was retreating. Had the Ravens gained even one first down on their three fourth-quarter possessions when they had the lead, victory was likely. The key was that the New England front seven completely outplayed the Baltimore offensive line in the fourth quarter.

Plus, add in that Baltimore was outcoached in this game, which has happened a lot this season. In the high-pressure final two minutes, three Ravens (Scott, Rolle and Winborne) lost their cool, while no Patriot lost his cool; that's good coaching by New England and bad coaching by Baltimore. Not only did Baltimore defensive coordinator Ryan call the strange timeout that erased what would have been the game-winning down, but New England moved 73 yards in 15 plays on its final drive, and on 12 of those 15 plays, Baltimore rushed only three. Three-man rushes can work if they are a change-up tactic; if you rush three for down after down, a good quarterback like Brady will eat your defense for lunch. In effect, the Ravens went into the prevent defense at the 3:30 mark, and it's well-established that the only thing the prevent defense prevents is punts. This bad tactical decision by Ryan was doubly vexing because New England's touchdown to tie the score at 17 in the third quarter also came against a three-man rush, so it's not as though the look was working.

 

[vyrago]

Sometimes, you can lose your train of thought . . . in the course of a single paragraph!



Wait . . . so they weren't calling every penalty they could have called, but they were excessively penalizing Baltimore?

As someone else once wrote, no man in history has been paid more to be incorrect about so many different things. :bricks:

Seen that world's dumbest dog YouTube, the dog whose front end and back end seem unacquainted with each other?

I believe TMQ is the guy who owns and trains him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4YTiCs4XTs