Ravens Loss Just Depressing

BALTIMORE, Maryland September 8, 2014 - Chykie Brown played better than most thought he would. Of course, wouldn't you know that the weak-armed Andy Dalton benefitted when Brown was barely beaten by all-pro receiver A.J. Green late in the final period and almost immediately after the Ravens, down 15-0 until well into the third quarter (and in reality, the score was misleading: if the Bengals hadn't twice sent Dalton on runs up the middle on third downs inside the Raven five-yard-line, who knows how lopsided the score would've been?) finally grabbed the lead with under five-minutes left to play.

Cincinatti is the defending division champ, yet their defense collapsed in the middle of the third quarter, and didn't recover until the Ravens tried to make a second desperate drive at the end of the game. The Ravens got on the board for the first time in the game when 3rd-string RB Justin Forsett ran 13 yards after Joe Flacco marched the Ravens down the field. Then the Bengals went three and out and Flacco marched them again, this time settling for a field goal. When the Bengals again came up empty on offense, Flacco scrambled and then heaved a long pass to a wide open Steve Smith, who was then caught from behind by that mild-mannered Bengal DB, Pacman Jones. With the ref screened, however, Smith grabbed Jones' facemask and flung him out of the way, and he then waltzed into the endzone to give the Ravens the lead.

Usually, you just flip off those who say losses can do you good. But this one, at least, will force the Ravens to confront their problems. Had they won, some of them would've been forgotten. The defense was a typical Ravens defense in these latter days: bend and bend and bend, but do not break, and give the offense a chance to win. They almost took that to extremes Sunday, giving Cincinatti five first half field goals. But Baltimore blocked a sixth attempt in the second half, and, when the Ravens grabbed the lead, it looked like all would end well. The offense, on the other hand, and some of the coaching decisions, looked like throwbacks to last season. I did not agree even slightly with the decision to bench Pierce. The fumble was the first one the man had ever lost in his three seasons here. Harbaugh didn't bench Smith or Jones when they got the dropsies, but Pierce was yanked for the remainder of the game. Not right, not right at all. But both Pierce and Joe Flacco stood tall after the game and accepted blame for their errors. What about the decision not to trade or draft a defensive back? What about the decision to keep Ladarius Webb inactive although he worked out well before the game? Where was Marlon Brown?

I coached a lot of teams that played effectively for 90% of the game or match, but had trouble getting focused at the start. The trick was to get them focused at the outset. But these were kids. Harbaugh's lads are said to be professionals. I think he needs to treat them as such. Don't get down on your knees in front of the press at Pierce's locker after the game. Instead, tell ALL of the backs BEFORE the game, "do not fumble, or I will take you out and you will not go back in