Sunday, December 27, 2009
Post-Baltimore thoughts II
by Dale Lolley
[url="http://nflfromthesidelines.blogspot.com/2009/12/post-baltimore-thoughts-ii.html"]http://nflfromthesidelines.blogspot.com ... ts-ii.html[/url]
I'm sure people in Baltimore will be complaining about 11 penalties for 113 yards the Ravens were assessed in their 23-20 loss to the Steelers Sunday, but honestly, there wasn't one that when reviewed wasn't an actual penalty.
The Ravens lost their composure quite a bit in this one.
There was no reason for Terrell Suggs to block anyone in the back on Domonique Foxworth's interception return for a touchdown. But he did it.
There was really no reason for Kelley "I celebrate every catch like a jackass because I've apparently never had one before" Washington to hold Deshea Townsend like a 12-year-old at a middle school dance during a Willis McGahee touchdown run. But he did it.
And there was no reason for ONiel Cousins to go all WWE on LaMarr Woodley right in front of an official five seconds after Joe Flacco had released the football to draw a penalty that moved the Ravens out of field goal range. But, again, he did it.
They were stupid penalties by what is apparently, a stupid team.
But they seem to be the norm for the Ravens, who have been penalized 110 times this season compared to just 83 for their opponents.
All you need to know about how those things are treated on that team is that when Haloti Ngata – who is a great player – was penalized 15 yards in the third quarter for a late hit on a punt that moved the Ravens back to their own 35 instead of getting the ball at the 50, he was all smiles and getting props from his teammates on the bench.
© That said, the Ravens are likely going to the playoffs and the Steelers aren't. That's what losing games to the likes of the Browns, Raiders and Chiefs will do.
The Ravens traditionally beat up on weak teams and lose to the better ones. That hasn't changed this season, which is why they'll probably beat up on the Raiders next week to clinch a spot in the postseason.
© Indianapolis head coach Jim Caldwell probably got himself taken off some Christmas card lists Sunday with his decision to bench his starters – most notably Peyton Manning – with just a 15-10 lead against the Jets.
I'm sure Steelers fans are ticked off by that decision, but I refer back to the aforementioned losses to Cleveland, Kansas City and Oakland.
© Rashard Mendenhall has great talent. What he does not seem to have is great vision. And that spin move is something this coaching staff has to spend the offseason getting him to take out of his bag of tricks.
That stuff might work in high school. It might work in college. But all it's going to do in the NFL is get you tackled - if you don't fumble.
© Willie Parker is showing he still has something left in the tank. He came very close to breaking free for long touchdown on one of his only two carries.
© Pittsburgh's run defense has now given up 171 yards rushing to the Browns and 175 to the Ravens in their past three games. The Steelers only gave up 60 yards rushing to Green Bay, but that was more because the Packers only ran the ball 12 times.
There's more to that than this team just missing Aaron Smith and Troy Polamalu.
The defense is so concerned about getting burned through the air that it is giving up yards on the ground in bunches.
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Originally Posted by SteelAbility
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