Sunday, December 9, 2007

Ravens Report-Week 14

The Ravens lost to the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football, 27-24. The first points of the game were on a 21-yard field goal from Pats K Stephen Gostkowski. The Ravens then got the lead on a 4-yard touchdown pass from QB Kyle Boller to WR Derrick Mason. After a field goal from Ravens K Matt Stover, Pats FB Heath Evans ran for a 1-yard touchdown to tie the game up at halftime. The Ravens then got the lead back on a 17-yard run by from RB Willis McGahee. The Pats then tied it up at 17 on a 4-yard pass from QB Tom Brady to WR Randy Moss. The Ravens then got the lead back with a 1-yard touchdown pass from Boller to backup TE Daniel Wilcox to make the score 24-17. The Pats then made it a 4 point game on a 38-yard field goal. Then the game got interesting. On a fourth and one that would have ended the game, Tom Brady tried to run for a first down but was stopped. As the Ravens started to celebrate, they found out that Defensive Coordinator Rex Ryan had called a timeout just before the snap. This gave the Patriots another chance to get a first down and try to take the lead. The second time around, the Ravens were not able to stop them. The Patriots got a first down. Later on in the drive, there was another fourth down and a chance for the Ravens to finally end the game and give the Pats their first loss of the season. The pass was incomplete, but the referee called a holding penalty and the Pats got another first down. Ravens LB Bart Scott was so angry, he threw the flag into the stands. This resulted in a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Then Tom Brady found WR Jabar Gaffney in the back of the endzone to give the Pats the lead, 27-24. Due to all the penalties, Pats K Stephen Gostkowski kicked the Ravens 35 yard line and the ball went out of the endzone. With just a few seconds left on the clock, Kyle Boller chucked up a Hail Mary pass toward the endzone, which was caught by WR Mark Clayton. Unfortunately, he was tacked at the 2 yard line to end the game.

Next Sunday night, the Ravens face the 10-2 Indianapolis Colts. In last year’s divisional playoffs, the Colts beat the Ravens 15-6 in Baltimore. The Ravens fans will be especially loud due to the fact that former Colts owner Bob Irsay moved the then Baltimore Colts to Indianapolis in 1984. The Colts are led by star QB Peyton Manning. The other offensive threats for the Colts include RB Joseph Addai, WR Reggie Wayne and TE Dallas Clark. On the Defensive side of the ball, the Colts are led by S Bob Sanders. After the Ravens close loss to the Pats last week, the Ravens and their fans are very hyped about Sunday night’s game in Baltimore. Even though the fans are hyped, I predict the Colts winning, 34-21.

Suggestion: The Ravens need to play with the same intensity as they did last Monday night to have any chance at beating the Colts. If they have any emotional letdown, the Colts will take advantage.

Key Matchups for Colts vs. Ravens

Ravens LB Ray Lewis vs. Colts RB Joseph Addai Edge: Addai

Ravens S Ed Reed vs. Colts QB Peyton Manning Edge: Manning

Ravens CB Samari Rolle vs. Colts WR Reggie Wayne Edge: Wayne

Ravens QB Kyle Boller vs. Colts S Bob Sanders Edge: Sanders

Ravens LT Jonathan Ogden vs. Colts LE Robert Mathis Edge: Ogden

Ravens WR Derrick Mason vs. Colts CB Kelvin Hayden Edge: Mason

Injury Report

Ravens

Player- Injury- Status

DT Justin Bannan- Knee- OUT

CB Chris McAlister- Knee- QST

WR Demetrius Williams- Ankle- OUT

FB Justin Green- Thigh- PRB

TE Todd Heap- Thigh- QST

CB Samari Rolle- Shoulder- QST

S Gerome Sapp- Thigh- QST

RB Cory Ross- Head- PRB

LB Bart Scott- Hand- PRB

LB Gary Stills- Knee- PRB

TE Daniel Wilcox- Hip- PRB

FB La’Ron McClain- Illness- PRB

Colts

Player- Injury- Status

LB Gary Brackett- Hip- QST

DT Raheem Brock- Rib- OUT

T Ryan Diem- Knee- QST

T Charlie Johnson- TEAM DECISION

RB Kenton Keith- Illness- PRB

DE Robert Mathis- TEAM DECISION

WR Marvin Harrison- Knee- QST

DB Tim Jennings- TEAM DECISION

DB Bob Sanders- TEAM DECISION

AFC North Standings

Team- W- L- GB

Steelers- 9- 3- 0.0

Browns- 7- 5- 2.0

Ravens- 4- 8- 5.0

Bengals- 4- 8- 5.0

AFC North Outlook: The Bengals and Ravens have both been eliminated from Division contention. The Browns play the 3-9 Jets in New York. The Steelers play the 12-0 Patriots in New England and the Bengals play the 3-9 Rams in Cincinnati.

That’s it for this week’s of my Ravens Report. See you next week, let’s go kick the Colts’ butts!

1 comment:

UnkaSteve said...

The late-fourth quarter play and behavior of the Ravens - players and coaching staff - has been much discussed and will continue to be looked at as indicative of much of what is wrong with this season's team UnkaStevein terms of play and discipline. BUT... bless their purple hearts they came to play! For the first time this season everyone brought his A-game to the field. Turns out we have a quarterback and we have an offensive line. And when the defense is on they are on. And then of course there's Mcgahee. Lord, there is Mcgahee. I would have loved it if we'd won, but finally and as importantly the game was fun to watch. Of my, yes it was fun to watch.