Unsung and Unloved - the Heroes of the Ravens game in 2007

[spacecrime]

What about Bart Scott and his throwing of the yellow flag?

Without Bart we are 15-1

 

[mayoclinic]

Without Bart we are 15-1

True. But perhaps we would have still ended up 18-1 if that had happened.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

On the false start call, can the Ravens decline the penalty in that situation?

No. False start is, by definition, assumed to happen before the snap, and therefore cannot be declined.

 

[flynismo]

I loved what I saw watching last night, Ngata being the beast that he is inside vs Koppen, and us controlling Wilfork while McGahee racked up 139 yds a lot if them between the tackles.

If we do that on Sunday it will be a long day for the Pats.

We had so many stupid penalties giving you guys yards and a few personal fouls that absolutely killed us.

Under Harbaugh that does not happen.

That's a big if.

Besides, we can't blame penalties or "The Timeout" (<-- I'm copyrighting that ) for losing that game. We should never have given up so many points in the first place.

I dont know about you guys, but that game is easily in my top 3 favorites of all time.

 

[FirstAndGoal]

Jr Seau was all over the place in that game. I was really impressed. I forgot who 55 (knowing Willie was gone) was and kept seeing him in the middle of things. It took me a few minutes to realize it was Jr. He had a great game.

 

[Bill B.]

That was Kevin Faulk.

Here's another: on the same fourth-and-one after Brady was stood up during Tubby Wrecks' premature timeout call, Heath Evans lost a yard. But that play ALSO was nullified because Russ Hochstein was flagged for a false start, making it fourth-and-six. On the ensuing fourth-and-six, Brady scrambled for a first down. So, we have a rare example of a team eventually winning because of a false-start call against them. Ironically, Hochstein probably jumped early because of crowd noise, so Ravens fans can blame themselves for losing that game.

I was at that game by the way. Great experience being there. Ravens fans were devastated afterward.

The thing about that play is if Hochstein did not false start, the defender would not have been in the backfield to make the play. The defender came through the hole that was created when Russ pulled too early. No false start and Evans probably would have gotten the first down.

 

[jmt57]

On the false start call, can the Ravens decline the penalty in that situation?

No, because the play is whistled dead as soon as the false start is committed. It's not like penalties when a flag is thrown and the play continues. Instead it is similar to a delay of game penalty; the whistle blows and play immediately stops at that point.

 

[H8R]

Kyle Boller was the PATS best asset, man that kid was bad!

 

[mayoclinic]

Still one of the most nail biting games i have ever seen.. Easily top 5 pats games ever seen

Speaking of top 5 Pats games, all the hyperbole about how big and strong and tough the Ravens are at every position reminds me of the 2006 AFC playoff game against San Diego, one off my all time favorites. We were clearly overmatched physically - they were bigger, stronger, and faster than we were, and threatened to blow us out of the water in the first half. Men against boys. They had gone 14-2 and were the dominant team in the NFL during the regular season, and had that SB look to them.

Except that we held tough. Kept it close. Then used experience and took advantage of opportunities in the 2nd half. Which team won the game? The boys, not the men. We wanted it more, which was shown most clearly when Troy Brown won a tug-o-war for the ball.

I'll be curious to see how ou "boys" do against the big bad "men" of Baltimore on Sunday.

 

[Bill B.]

Speaking of top 5 Pats games, all the hyperbole about how big and strong and tough the Ravens are at every position reminds me of the 2006 AFC playoff game against San Diego, one off my all time favorites. We were clearly overmatched physically - they were bigger, stronger, and faster than we were, and threatened to blow us out of the water in the first half. Men against boys. They had gone 14-2 and were the dominant team in the NFL during the regular season, and had that SB look to them.

Except that we held tough. Kept it close. Then used experience and took advantage of opportunities in the 2nd half. Which team won the game? The boys, not the men. We wanted it more, which was shown most clearly when Troy Brown won a tug-o-war for the ball.

I'll be curious to see how ou "boys" do against the big bad "men" of Baltimore on Sunday.

Strange that you use the "men against boys" analogy. Against San Diego, I think the biggest factor in the game was the maturity of the Patriots versus the immaturity of the Chargers.

 

[mayoclinic]

Strange that you use the "men against boys" analogy. Against San Diego, I think the biggest factor in the game was the maturity of the Patriots versus the immaturity of the Chargers.

Yes, it was. Funny "coincidence".

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Maroney is #1 for me in that game. The 43 yard catch and run seemed to swing things in our favor. Sanders' pick was a gift.

I loved that exchange between Rodney and Billick. For an offensive guru, he led some awful offenses in his time there. Then the year he leaves they finally have the brains to draft a good QB and they appears fine now.

 

[BradyManny]

True. But perhaps we would have still ended up 18-1 if that had happened.

As long as we win one more ring in the next several years, I will say that will have been worth it. 16-0 is an accomplishment equaling a SB ring in my eyes, and the sting associated with losing SB42 will go away if and when we hoist the Lombardi again.

 

[BradyManny]

Thoughts from re-watching the game on NFL Network:

- This game looked a lot like the Week 2 Jets game of this year, not just for the obvious reason (Rex Ryan D), but also b/c of the way the offense was stalled at times. Missed opportunities (dropped TD passes by Watson on the first drive & Moss later in the game, penalties moving them out of FG range in the 4th) prevented this game from looking like the rest of the '07 games.

- The Ravens CBs were mauling our wideouts at the line - just like the Jets were, and getting away with a lot past the 5 yard mark. The refs, for their credit, called it a lot. But it's the old Bad Boys vs. Jordan philosophy - hack the hell out of them b/c they can't call it every play. (And Ravens fans call us cheaters ) Welker was getting fed up, and at one point just absolutely wrecked one of the Ravens safeties on a running play just as the play finished. Nice stuff, Wes.

- I stand by my assertion that the sportsmanship on the Ravens at the end of the game was the worst I've seen in my lifetime, and that includes children & adolescent sports in which there is probably at least one outburst a game. Seriously, what a joke. They were really hamming it up back there, even Ed Reed was a drama queen.

- We ran the ball a lot more than I remembered and it makes me think we might run more tomorrow as well. We had decent success against it, not overwhelming, but it helped get the offense moving again.

 

[Tunescribe]

The thing about that play is if Hochstein did not false start, the defender would not have been in the backfield to make the play. The defender came through the hole that was created when Russ pulled too early. No false start and Evans probably would have gotten the first down.

Are you sure about that? I thought Hochstein was playing on the right and the play got stacked up on the left side.

 

[Bill B.]

Are you sure about that? I thought Hochstein was playing on the right and the play got stacked up on the left side.

Yes, I remember because it was discussed after the game. Hochstein pulled early and the defender came in the hole and slid across to make the tackle.

 

[patsox23]

3) Linebacker Eric Alexander who stopped Mark Clayton at the 3 yard line after Clayton had snagged a hail-mary from Kyle Boller.

Watched this game earlier today. How WILDY unacceptable is it that the D gave up that hail mary at the end. Just absolutely awful. Knock the F-ing ball DOWN.

 

[PatriotsInGA]

Watched this game earlier today. How WILDY unacceptable is it that the D gave up that hail mary at the end. Just absolutely awful. Knock the F-ing ball DOWN.

I was yelling that the entire last play. But they couldn't. If Alexander wasn't there I would've thrown my tv out the window.

 

[Baltimorefan06]

- I stand by my assertion that the sportsmanship on the Ravens at the end of the game was the worst I've seen in my lifetime, and that includes children & adolescent sports in which there is probably at least one outburst a game. Seriously, what a joke. They were really hamming it up back there, even Ed Reed was a drama queen.

By that point, Billick had no control over the players, Ryan continued to encourage that kind of "passion," and we just didn't have anything to lose in general as our 13-3 campaign in 2006 was followed up with a horrible 2007.

 

[mayoclinic]

By that point, Billick had no control over the players, Ryan continued to encourage that kind of "passion," and we just didn't have anything to lose in general as our 13-3 campaign in 2006 was followed up with a horrible 2007.

It was more than Billick having no control over the players. He was blowing taunting kisses at Rodney Harrison during the game, for crissake. That's not losing control of the asylum, that's joining the inmates. Discipline has to start at the top. That's what Harbaugh has brought - that and consistency.