The Baltimore Ravens were so very close tonight but as Tony Kornheiser said just before the Patriots scored the winning touchdown, there was a tragic inevitability about their loss.
No matter how well Willis McGahee ran, no matter how much Kyle Boller defied expectations and no matter how late into the blustery evening they led New England, the Ravens never quite put to rest the sneaking suspicion that they would find a way to have the whole thing blow up in their face.
There was Ed Reed's fumbled interception near the end of the first half and Boller's interception at the Patriot 1 that ended a drive that could have put the game away in the third. There were the 11 penalties and the timeout called from the sideline on fourth and one just before stopping the Patriots short of the first.
There was the Patriot false start on the ensuing snap which negated another stuffing and the holding by Jamaine Winborne on fourth down in the end zone to give the Pats another chance. There were the two unsportsmanlike calls on Bart Scott on the winning touchdown which allowed the Patriots to get a touchback rather than deal with Yamon Figurs, who had broken a couple of swell returns earlier in the proceedings.
And then, finally, the catch by Mark Clayton of a Hail Mary two yards short of the end zone.
Oh yeah, there was Tom Brady with the ball in his hands of a winnable game with less than two minutes to play and driving toward their end zone, too.
Tragic Inevitability could be the title of the NFL Films video of the Baltimore Ravens 2007 season. As for the Patriots video, Undefeated remains the clubhouse favorite.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
12-04-2007 @ 12:40AM
rk said...
If Clayton would have gotten into the end zone, the real tragedy would have been the lack of offensive pass interference against Mason, who knocked one man over and completely mugged another while the ball was in the air.
Reply
12-04-2007 @ 12:46AM
primrod said...
Wow, I almost don't know what to write, what I just witnessed was the Pats pulling off a miraculous victory. I am a big fan of the Pats and this game floored me. The range of emotions that I experienced through out the game almost made me curl up into the fetal position, yet I could not stop my eyes from watching one of the most dramatic games that I've ever seen.
This game had it all (for Baltimore fans and Pats haters) almost like a fu*king Disney movie except the bad guys won. The kids cry of foul play and ask their parents "why?" but unfortunately their parents have no answers for them. Just like no team so far this year has had an answer for the Pats. Sweet dreams, haters.
Reply
12-04-2007 @ 1:51AM
scully said...
NE had their worst numbers of the year. Along with four highly questionable officiating calls...not to mention an awful time out called in from the sidelines, and they managed to squeak by. But hey, it's all in the win, right? That seems to be all that counts. Two TD passes is hardly perfect...let's make that 1 1/2...due to an "interference" call.
It was an exciting game however...even by the skin of NE's teeth.
Reply
12-04-2007 @ 12:52AM
Brian said...
I'm am sooooo sick and tired about hearing how the Patriots ARE going to go undefeated.....Has the season ended yet ? Hell no...It doesn't end for another three weeks and Pats fans out there you have a tough one this week agaisnt Pittsburgh so I hope your ready cuz I have a feeling that after that game your dream season will be over....Oh yeah and By the way Gaffney got away with one tonight....There was no way in hell that was a catch....YOU GUYS SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply
12-04-2007 @ 12:59AM
raven said...
New England Officials 27 RAVENS 24
Nothing else needs to be said
Reply
12-04-2007 @ 1:02AM
sue said...
what a game! I am not a pats fan,but I really enjoyed this game. The patriots showed just how professional they really are. (Some luck was involved, as in any game) Would like to see the steelers beat them next week, but I don't think they have a chance.
Reply
12-04-2007 @ 6:02AM
ravenfan said...
New England Officials 27 Ravens 24
Nothing else needs to be said.
Couldn't let that undefeated season go to a last place team it just would not look right.
Reply
12-04-2007 @ 1:28AM
Rick said...
I'm not so sure the 4-8 ravens are not as atheletically talented as the pats. The pats are better today because of coaching and not letting setbacks or tense situations take them out of their game. (their receivers were getting mugged all night, the refs had to call that last holding or the game would have been a joke)
Reply
12-04-2007 @ 1:29AM
sue said...
Do you think the pats are undefeatable after tonights game?
Reply
12-04-2007 @ 6:53AM
eddie b. said...
Baltimore got dicked by the ref's. The nfl wants to help n.e. make it undefeated. that is why pro football sucks. the ravens got screwed on the last 4th down call. that stinks
Reply
12-04-2007 @ 7:24AM
Jason said...
The tragedy was the terrible penalty that was called against the Ravens in the end zone. Don't call it a questionable call. That was NOT pass interference. That referee deserved to have his flag thrown in the stands. It was one of the worst calls I've seen on a critical play in NFL history. He cost the Ravens the game. NEW ENGLAND 12-0 with a capital asteriks, asteriks.
Reply
12-04-2007 @ 7:24AM
Don said...
Hey there football fans. Are you feeling down and out. Well,take some good advice because you are out there in the hundreds of thousands. I'm talking about you guys who are supporting a losing team. I live in Detroit and the Lions are giving me serious heartburn. If you,like me,need a pick me up,start making the Patriots the team you support. Boy, it does wonders for your depression.
Reply
12-04-2007 @ 8:18AM
idk said...
i think that baltimore should have one, the last touchdown for the pats wasnt evena touchdown. he never had full control, the refs screwed baltimore so if i was bart scot i would have thrown the refs flag too.
i hate the patrioats but after last night i hope the go undefeated and the dolphins go winless then the dolphins beat the patriots.....that would be wonderfull!!
Reply
12-04-2007 @ 8:24AM
Bill said...
Ravens could have had 6 more penalties. A street gang approach to football absent football fundamentals, tackling and holding receivers in the secondary, and just trying to mug.
If Pats are going to lose at least lose to a team playing football.
Bill
Reply
12-04-2007 @ 9:33AM
Diana Montgomery said...
I would like to say that football is no fun to watch anymore since teams have to play against the refs. who is getting the payoff? neither team is my team but i still would like to see fairness. that is supposed to be what the refs are for...not anymore...First, seattle had to lose against the refs...now, baltimore...at least i know who the true winner is.
Reply
12-04-2007 @ 9:33AM
Lparmee1 said...
You're right Bill. So let's be honest here, the timeout wasn't New England's fault blame the ravens sideline. OK so I've cleared that up for you idiots. Second, watch the tape over and over you'll see it was a holding penalty on Ben Watson before, during, and after he was in the endzone. The ravens guy was all over Watson like a rash. End of the day the ravens could have been called for alot more. Watch the game again, be objective, be objective, be objective, and you'll probably see at least 3 more plays that the ravens should have been penalized for. The only one's that screwed the ravens was the ravens.
Reply
12-04-2007 @ 9:54AM
Bill said...
The holding call on Watson was on Bart Scott--not the guy they called it on....right call, wrong player.
Ravens play intimidation mug ball on defense. On a consistent basis I don't see any team in the league playing over the rules line like those guys do. I'm surprised they only had 13 penalties--could have been 20. They're undisciplined as Billick seems to let Lewis and the gang personalities control the show.
IMO, they'd win the championship if there were no rules in football.
Bill
Reply
12-04-2007 @ 10:35AM
kat said...
Brians comments about the NE Patriots are said out of jealousy, can u say sour grapes? Patriots best team ever, can't take it away from then, and can't deny it it, so piehole shut Brian Sourgrapes
Reply
12-04-2007 @ 11:06AM
James said...
oh please now the NFL is doing New England a favor becasue it wants them to go undefeated? some people are jsut crazy,,this is the first game in a long time where Pats were on the plus side of bad calls,,they are usually the ones getting shafted,,Raven should have kept running the ball, they would have won...Pats Defense really kicket it into gear, they got pissed and stopped them every drive,,woke the sleeping giant,,lets hope they dont fall asleep again,,this is very good news for pats fans
Reply
12-04-2007 @ 11:16AM
creamer313 said...
Its really sad to me that fans of football in generally can't watch these games objectively. Go back and watch it again. The Ravens were clobbering our recievers all day long and hardly anything was called on them for it. They should have had alot more penalties then they did and all of you here would see that if you were so hell bent on hating the Patriots so much! The refs didn't hand them anything... thats not to say they didn't get lucky.. they were very lucky on that time out call... and the holding call was one of the first good calls of the day (even if it was on the wrong guy, they were all over Watson there)
Reply