If you were a Ravens fan....

[Pat the Pats Fan]

used to live in Bmore and still have friends and family there. They were ballistic Saturday night and Sunday morning about the ineligible plays. I DVRed the game and I can clearly hear the stadium announcement that "34" is ineligible for several plays. However, Collinsworthless talked right over it each time.....I tried to point it out, but whiners don't want to hear something that disagrees with their viewpoint, even if it is reality.....

 

[RavensPurple]

Ravens fan here. OK, Ravens fans are hurt and disappointed, no doubt. It stings, just like you would feel if the Pats lost. Your team played a great game of catch-up and win. However, we are very proud of how the Ravens played. Except for a bad Flacco/Torrey Smith pass play at the end, Baltimore was in position to win. If I were a Pats fan I would be very worried about your team and not bragging about beating the Ravens. You barely beat a team (in your house) with 18 players on IR (while you had a healthy roster for once), including our number 1 CB out, our number 1 TE out, secondary demolished, and really, no elite WRs on the team. This is what Joe had to work with and no team could ask for more points prior to the start of the game from a QB. Most people on this board thought the Pats were going to destroy the Ravens. Imagine when our FO fixes the secondary and receiver issues. Patriots won because of Tom Brady, no other QB could have done what he did. Your vaunted defense looked terrible against Flacco - and this is a defense we heard was the best in years, therefore Ravens fans were worried. I wish you "luck" against the Colts. They certainly are reviewing what worked for and against your team last Saturday.

 

[Ross12]

If I were a Ravens fan...

... I would kill myself.

 

[Joker]

 

[neuronet]

Your vaunted defense looked terrible against Flacco - and this is a defense we heard was the best in years, therefore Ravens fans were worried.

First half our D was not playing very well. Second half was a different story. Held an excellent offense to one touchdown and a field goal. Pretty happy with that.

But in terms of original post, if I was a Ravens fan I'd be embarassed that we lost because we were so clearly outcoached, and not prepared for adjusting to basic formation changes that literally happen every game, albeit usually in a special teams context. I would be embarassed that my coach whined like a little ***** about it, and pretended he needed to get a penalty called (which hurt the team greatly) rather than do what any mature adult coach would have done: call a freaking time out.

I would think about whether I should talk so much trash before games next time, because I am so butthurt about this loss, and realize that it is better to let the play do the talking next time. I would read from the book of the superior coach, Belichick, who lives by "When you win, say nothing. When you lose, say less."

When you lose, say less.

And with that....a bababooey to you sir.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I thought it was an epic game.
Ravens fans have every reason to still feel good about their team and their QB.
I won't say the same about their coach.

 

[Nunchucks]

Ravens fan here. OK, Ravens fans are hurt and disappointed, no doubt. It stings, just like you would feel if the Pats lost. Your team played a great game of catch-up and win. However, we are very proud of how the Ravens played. Except for a bad Flacco/Torrey Smith pass play at the end, Baltimore was in position to win. If I were a Pats fan I would be very worried about your team and not bragging about beating the Ravens. You barely beat a team (in your house) with 18 players on IR (while you had a healthy roster for once), including our number 1 CB out, our number 1 TE out, secondary demolished, and really, no elite WRs on the team. This is what Joe had to work with and no team could ask for more points prior to the start of the game from a QB. Most people on this board thought the Pats were going to destroy the Ravens. Imagine when our FO fixes the secondary and receiver issues. Patriots won because of Tom Brady, no other QB could have done what he did. Your vaunted defense looked terrible against Flacco - and this is a defense we heard was the best in years, therefore Ravens fans were worried. I wish you "luck" against the Colts. They certainly are reviewing what worked for and against your team last Saturday.

Ravens were a good team in 2014, I certainly was on this board cautioning our more rambunctious members and alerting them to the fact that in the NFL any team can win on any Sunday. We have seen that all throughout the season and the Ravens came out and gave the Patriots all they could handle.

That being said, the Patriots won and the Ravens lost. I hope the Patriots take the humbling experience of having to come back from 2 14 point deficits to beat the Ravens to heart and come out fast and strong against the Colts.

The Colts present a host of different challenges, I look forward to seeing if the Patriots can meet those challenges.

 

[Oswlek]

Except for a bad Flacco/Torrey Smith pass play at the end, Baltimore was in position to win.

Sure, and except for a bad Brady pass at the end of the half, and two sacks that were easily avoidable, NE has a 34-21 lead heading into the fourth quarter and can pretty much coast from there.

Baltimore was a good, but not great, team that I would have preferred to have blown out. At the same time, they appear to be a bad match up for NE for whatever reason, so the fact that they didn't win comfortably isn't that alarming.

But all that ignores the fact that virtually every SB winning team struggled in at least one of their games. Baltimore had a hard time beating a lousy Indy team - Flacco was particularly terrible, needing Boldin to save him from two awful picks - but that didn't impact or predict how well he played in the AFCCG. GB struggled against Caleb Hanie and the Bears in 2010. NY was thoroughly outplayed in SF in 2011. The Patriots could only put up 20 points on a middling 2004 Indy defense, but somehow threw a 40-burger on Pitt's #1 defense the following week - in Pitt!

I'll take your warning under advisement, but it appears to be ignoring not just most of the 2014 season, but scads of NFL history as well.

 

[Mike the Brit]

If I were a Ravens fan I'd be very proud of the way my team came to Foxboro and gave the Patriots everything they could handle.

I'd look forward to the new season with a fair bit of confidence, knowing that the team had a quarterback, defense and offensive line pretty much in place. I wouldn't be writing the Steelers off and I'd be concerned at how dependent the offense seemed to be on Steve Smith -- who can't go on forever. And I wouldn't be particularly proud of Harbaugh's display of petulance.

But, my goodness, there are worse situations for fans to be in going into the off-season.

 

[RavensPurple]

If I were a Ravens fan I'd be very proud of the way my team came to Foxboro and gave the Patriots everything they could handle.

I'd look forward to the new season with a fair bit of confidence, knowing that the team had a quarterback, defense and offensive line pretty much in place. I wouldn't be writing the Steelers off and I'd be concerned at how dependent the offense seemed to be on Steve Smith -- who can't go on forever. And I wouldn't be particularly proud of Harbaugh's display of petulance.

But, my goodness, there are worse situations for fans to be in going into the off-season.

Lots of good replies here. The Patriots won - fair and square. You play the hand you're dealt. Patriots were missing Gronkowski when we won last playoff - this year we were missing some of our most valuable players. Squealers are never a team to be taken lightly with Big Ben at the helm. Ravens fans hate him and the entire team including that leering coach, but give them respect. I have a feeling though, our major playoff challenge and rivalry will be the Pats (at end of season that is). Ravens are never a great and usually a frustrating regular season team, however, come post season, watch out. The team was built for post-season play. I have absolutely no doubt the Ravens will be Super Bowl contenders with a healthy roster next year.

 

[RavensPurple]

I thought it was an epic game.
Ravens fans have every reason to still feel good about their team and their QB.
I won't say the same about their coach.

It was exactly what a playoff game should be - exciting, gut wrenching, hand wringing, screaming, helluva game.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Ravens fans hate him and the entire team including that leering coach, but give them respect.

You may not like him, but Harbaugh could learn a lesson from Tomlin in how to deal with defeat like a man.

 

[RavensPurple]

You may not like him, but Harbaugh could learn a lesson from Tomlin in how to deal with defeat like a man.

You mean like tripping a kickoff returner (Jacoby Jones) while he's rocketing down the field for a TD....

Every fan base typically takes away what they want to see during and after a game. For Pats fans they saw a whining Harbaugh who appeared to be a sore loser. They also saw a knee to the head of Brady after he was sacked.

Ravens fans saw Brady push the legs of a big guy who is naturally slower to get up than a lighter guy. We saw Brady with his head in his hands on the bench - something we would never see Flacco do. We also saw Brady with his helmet by the head of a ref screaming his lungs out. Any other QB in the league would of had the refs hand them a penalty for getting in their face like that. Just like Harbaugh was penalized at the discretion of the refs for running out on the field.

 

[Mike the Brit]

I have no love for the Steelers or the Ravens but Tomlin acknowledged and accepted defeat with class. Harbaugh did anything but. Everything else in your post is irrelevant.

 

[Raymond]

.......We also saw Brady with his helmet by the head of a ref screaming his lungs out. Any other QB in the league would of had the refs hand them a penalty for getting in their face like that. ...........

You're full of crap. Players get in heated arguments with ref's nearly every game. Name me ONE instance where this has happened and the player was penalized.

I'll wait.

Oh, your coach ran onto the field, hence the penalty.

 

[Joker]

Ravens fans saw Brady push the legs of a big guy who is naturally slower to get up than a lighter guy. .

Please STFU with this garbage you goon. Everyone knows EXACTLY what your D lineman was doing you jerkoff.

 

[IllegalContact]

about as pissed as I was when:

- Champ Bailey returned an INT 100 with the pats primed to take the lead in 2005
- the pats blew an 18 point lead to the colts in 2006
- the pats could not close the book on a 19-0 season in 2007
- the pats could not make the playoffs with an 11-5 record in 2008
- the pats could barely field a team for the ravens in 2009 playoffs
- the pats got spanked by the jets at home after beating them 45-3 and going 14-2
- the pats could not close the book on an SB win in 2011
- the pats could not do anything against the ravens the AFCC in 2012
- the pats could not do anything against the broncos in the AFCC in 2013

that's how pissed they must be

 

[Oswlek]

I initially liked you, RP, but you're heading for the deep end and dangerously close to going off.

Ravens fans saw Brady push the legs of a big guy who is naturally slower to get up than a lighter guy.

Yes, "naturally slower", that was it. Do you think this was the first time Brady was ever sacked by a guy bigger than him?

We saw Brady with his head in his hands on the bench - something we would never see Flacco do.

Which had a serious impact on his play from that point forward, as well as the team's confidence in him, didn't it?

We also saw Brady with his helmet by the head of a ref screaming his lungs out.

Uhhh.... because said slow fat guy had intentionally kneed him in the head, as you yourself just pointed out.

Any other QB in the league would of had the refs hand them a penalty for getting in their face like that.

Yeah.... no.

Just like Harbaugh was penalized at the discretion of the refs for running out on the field.

If by "discretion" you mean every time with every coach, I totally agree.

There are loads of reasons to feel proud of your team that are based in reality. I suggest you stick with those.

 

[PatriotSeven]

Brady and Rodgers no.

Manning, Brees, Roethlisberger and Luck yes. I actually think Luck is on the verge of joining Brady and Rodgers as the elite of the elite.

With his rate of interceptions, I was thinking more like Terry Bradshaw but hey...it's all the same I guess. He'd already be elite if this was the 70's.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

First of all i wouldn't be a ravens fan because i would have jumped off a bridge shorty after and not be thinking. I would pick AZ