Week 13: New England Patriots At Baltimore Ravens

[FearDemTigersWs6]

Hey. Im a Bengals fan. Now before I get run off these boards, I just wanted to say that I wish my team played with even half the heart the Ravens play with week after week. Seriously, despite being division rivals, I am also a FOOTBALL fan in general, and I have always routed for the Ravens when it doesn't effect the Bengals (such as tonights game). I have always thought Ravens fans to be waaaay more mature and welcoming to visiting teams fans (including the Bengals) then either the Browns or the @$$hole fans the Squealers have. Ray Lewis is my favorite player, and the 2000 Ravens were the best defense ever, the '85 Bears are nothing compared to that defense. Ironic I know. But I just wanted to say that your team played their hearts out, and I definitely think you guys got screwed out of a much deserved win over the cheating, classless Patriots. Still, congrats on giving the "Mbutts" a run for their money. Maybe my team can learn a thing or two from you guys.

[Cartoon_Cartooon]

i never even saw the "illegal contact" or "holding" that was called on jamaine winbourne

[Space Bandito1]

Don't fall for the media hype. Several Patriots played with Shawn Taylor. It was a hard fought game played by human beings. Not "evil" boogy men.

[Space Bandito1]

i never even saw the "illegal contact" or "holding" that was called on jamaine winbourne

Saw worse that wasn't called. I'm a Patriots fan and the inconsistency is a killer. A player can get tackled one play - no call. Slapped another - flag. Not sure what the officials see sometimes.

[Slick]

Hey. Im a Bengals fan. Now before I get run off these boards, I just wanted to say that I wish my team played with even half the heart the Ravens play with week after week. Seriously, despite being division rivals, I am also a FOOTBALL fan in general, and I have always routed for the Ravens when it doesn't effect the Bengals (such as tonights game). I have always thought Ravens fans to be waaaay more mature and welcoming to visiting teams fans (including the Bengals) then either the Browns or the @$$hole fans the Squealers have. Ray Lewis is my favorite player, and the 2000 Ravens were the best defense ever, the '85 Bears are nothing compared to that defense. Ironic I know. But I just wanted to say that your team played their hearts out, and I definitely think you guys got screwed out of a much deserved win over the cheating, classless Patriots. Still, congrats on giving the "Mbutts" a run for their money. Maybe my team can learn a thing or two from you guys.

thats 2 bengals fans, im amazed.

but again, thanks.

what you're saying to me is the reason I have cheered for this team ever since it came to Baltimore when I was a kid. Ray's been with us from the start, and from the beginning he's brought an intesnity to this game, a fiery passion that's inspired the players around him to feed off his energy and improve beyond words.

Tough, tough loss.

[Slick]

Saw worse that wasn't called. I'm a Patriots fan and the inconsistency is a killer. A player can get tackled one play - no call. Slapped another - flag. Not sure what the officials see sometimes.

as Jaworsky said

"can't even touch a guy anymore"

[CARavensFan]

I wasn't able to watch the game on TV, but I was watching closely through the online reports and I got to tell you that even without sounds and sights I was jumping all the way to the end. I'm still feeling the pit in the bottom of my stomach to see us get within 3 yards of shattering the Pats dreams and then have the clock run out on us. Especially after being so close to getting the stop and forcing the Pats to take the FG or lose. Hopefully this win will galvanize the Ravens to REALLY take it to the Colts and silence the naysayers who have been ripping us since this 5-game losing slide started.

Additionally, I think that if MacGahee doesn't get honors for the game he played it will show that the entire NFL is pro-Pats, no matter what they might say.

[theFRANCHISE]

The thing that hurts a bit more is, the game wasn't even won by a completely clear-cut TD.

That TD call could've gone either way, as possession is open to interpretation by the referee.

So the Patriots couldn't even win this game without leaving any doubt.

Yes, they won, and yes, that doesn't change the final outcome. But for the Ravens to leave no doubt in ANYONE'S mind that Baltimore football is about PRIDE and PASSION and that this season, despite being forgettable, has not been without moments to be proud of.

I thought I was proud of this team after playing admirably in the Browns game a couple of weeks ago.

Now I'm even more proud of this team after this game.

[n9necount]

Ravens football has meant more to me than almost anything else, ever since coming to our great city from Cleveland...

I look forward to games so much all throughout the week. Wear my jerseys on gameday, read scouting reports, and am so very excited right up through kickoff...

The word that comes to mind is passion. I am passionate about Baltimore football...I love it beyond words.

That said, I have never been so disappointed and anguished after a loss. I was to the point of tears. NE is a joke, the entire organization is a disgrace to the NFL, and all the media that continuously places itself in Brady and Co. jockstraps make me so fuming mad that it has become difficult to breathe. I am really at a greater loss for words than I've ever been. All I can hope now, is that I can see a victory over the Colts next week. I'll be in Section 139 if anyone else has tickets near there. Hopefully our boys can keep the momentum up and bring all of us in Charm City a much needed win

I was close, and I'm not even a Ravens fans. To me, this game wasn't about the 72 Dolphins record. While that would have been cool and at the same time watching the overrated Patriots lose, I just wanted the U guys to play well, and sure as hell they did. Again, pro football players come and go on your team, teams change faces, College teams live forever. While watching this in my room with friends, my TV room was plastered with McGahee, Wayne, Portis,Lewis, Reed, Sean Taylor, A. Johnson jerseys. Thanks to some rigged refs though, Patriots win again.

Yeah, best team ever. /golfclap

[IlikeNE]

Pats fan here. Congrats to the Ravens. You guys played really well. Hope my finger nails grow back by next week...

[oaklandraiderfan]

Pats fan here. Congrats to the Ravens. You guys played really well. Hope my finger nails grow back by next week...

congratulations on winning rigged Superbowls and proving the NFL is just like the WWE.

Everyone knows it.

[nbkan]

congratulations on winning rigged Superbowls and proving the NFL is just like the WWE.

Everyone knows it.

here here

[oaklandraiderfan]

hanks to some rigged refs though, Patriots win again.

I've always thought the NFL rigged the Pats. Check out the Superbowl 36 logo. It was changed right after 9/11. It's no coincidence the Pats went all the way to win their first that year.

This game only proves it more the NFL wants the Pats to win and will do all that is necessary to make that crap happen.

[FearDemTigersWs6]

thats 2 bengals fans, im amazed.

but again, thanks.

what you're saying to me is the reason I have cheered for this team ever since it came to Baltimore when I was a kid. Ray's been with us from the start, and from the beginning he's brought an intesnity to this game, a fiery passion that's inspired the players around him to feed off his energy and improve beyond words.

Tough, tough loss.

Couldn't have summed up Lewis any better, Slick. What I wouldn't give to have a player like Ray on the Bengals. It's amazing how much intensity and just downright passion he has for this game, and it definitely fires up the rest of the D and the fans. I think that's why he's my favorite player despite being a Bengals fan. Watching him (and to a greater extent Ed Reed and the rest of the Ravens D also) play just gives me something I never get watching my team. But Lewis really is a once in a lifetime player, and easily the best linebacker of all time. It's good to see that many teams fans agree about the whole Patriots-lovefest the NFL is into right now is disgusting. Look, they are a great team, but the Patriots didn't deserve to win this game. The Ravens did.

[nbkan]

Cowboys fan here, feeling your pain. I really wanted to see you guys win this one after getting so close... at the end it really seemed like the refs were going to find a way to give the game to the Pats no matter what you guys did on the field. If you get 3 or 4 shots at 4th down, your chances of making it are pretty good. If nothing else, at least you guys made people remember the phrase 'that's why they play the games'. You can't just assume the outcome, and the Patriots aren't invincible.

If the Pats do manage to have a 'prefect' season, they should still get an asterisk for the Jets game they got caught cheating in, and maybe another one for this game the officials handed them.

I totally agree with that. I am running out of teams that I can believe that can beat them. I would have went ape on the refs like some of the Ravens did. Hell I will paypal what I can to cover his fines. I don't have a whole lot of cash but I understand his pain. I think the guy's name was Scott. Such a tough damn loss.

You guys dominated them. And I had to turn the sound off because I couldn't stand another word of how great the Patriots are.

[oaklandraiderfan]

here here

Seriously, it's been obvious for a while now

The old Superbowl 36 logo:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:SuperBowl36Original.png

After 9/11:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:SuperBowlXXXVI.png

Don't tell me the Pats were going to lose that year with that kind of logo. There was no way. It was rigged.

That's why Belicheat and his associates need cameras now, because they can win without cheating.

The NFL just showed today though the refs that it roots for the Patriots.

[BmoreLAT52]

when i look at the numbers it doesnt even look realistic, we seriously outplayed them..how did we lose..

Passing CP/AT YDS TD INT

T. Brady 18/38 257 2 1

Rushing ATT YDS TD LG

L. Maroney 13 44 0 6

K. Boller 15/23 210 2 1

Rushing ATT YDS TD LG

W. McGahee 30 138 1 18

[Guest maryland1]

The Ravens played a great game and have very much to be proud of. All players gave 110% and played their hearts out in all facets of the game. Kyle Boller did an outstanding job against the best team in the league and deserved to come away with the game ball.

Penalties continue to be a problem that needs to be addressed. The Ravens can't keep giving the opposing team extra yards and first downs.

After listening to Brian Billick tonight, I understand the called timeout on the Patriots 4th/1. But with the defense smothering them during that round of downs, they should have been left alone to play and stop them (as they did).

I also feel that on the next to last possession of the game, at 4th/1, the Ravens should have been agressive and gone for it. I'm sure Billick could have found an appropriate play that would have gotten at least a first down if not more.

CHE

[Slick]

when i look at the numbers it doesnt even look realistic, we seriously outplayed them..how did we lose..

Passing CP/AT YDS TD INT

T. Brady 18/38 257 2 1

Rushing ATT YDS TD LG

L. Maroney 13 44 0 6

K. Boller 15/23 210 2 1

Rushing ATT YDS TD LG

W. McGahee 30 138 1 18

it should've been...

K. Boller 15/23 213 3 1

if only...

[Ravens#1!]

doesnt it feel like the pats did this on purpose??? that they got our hopes up when they knew all along they could beat us easily!?!?!

I don't think so...

player have so much pride that they won't let themselves drop balls in public television.

Ravens played true "down the throat football"

We rushed more then 120 yards with a young line?

Without Pryce or Heap?

Passed the ball with Kyle Boller?

We deserve the win because we outplayed them for 55 minutes.

The touchdown pass in the last minutes was a fuzzy call.

We won this "Superbowl"

Ravens are the best team in the NFL.

The season didn't show it but Monday night did.

[Ravens#1!]

Bart Scott melting down

The "Mad Backer" was unveiled.

The "true Ravens" were unveiled.

The "overated Patriots" were unveiled.

What is in the dark, will come out in the light.

[Slick]

id be pretty pissed at the refs if I was Bart too.

this was an emotional game from the very beginning. and its a damn shame that after all the blood sweat and tears the pats are still flyin high on the gravy train.

[stl boy]

Titans fan here and let me say I haven't rooted that hard for another team in a long time. You guys played your asses off tonight and deserved to win. Those refs were horrible tonight......

[RayLewisIsGod]

They gave Gaffney two extra yards (he was about 2 yards out when he actually had possession) so why not give clayton the two yards at the end of the game? Has to work both ways, but it doesn't, because its NFL refs. End of story. Way to go patriots, if you win out, you still get no respect. Big asterisk.

[Madcow]

Well... Needless to say I am not a big fan of the Raven even tho Reed is awesome and Ray is classless.

But I did want to see them win the game and think they should have.

That last TD was not possesed as he was going out of bounds.

[bjgdal]

This hurts. A lot.

I'm proud of our boys and what they did, but this really hurts.

Literally one yard shy of doing what 93% of the nation said couldn't be done.

I guess 93% of the nation was right!

[Boarder]

congratulations on winning rigged Superbowls and proving the NFL is just like the WWE.

Everyone knows it.

Wow. You sound pretty bitter. Was the NFL rigging the Raiders Super Bowls? Was the Colts win rigged? How about the Steelers? or the Ravens? Or the Bucs? Or do you just think the NFL only rigs the pats? Long live the tuck rule!

[Boarder]

The "true Ravens" were unveiled.

The "overated Patriots" were unveiled.

The Patriots "rating" is due to the fact they are unbeaten. 12-0 rates them as #1. This isn't the BCS. The real Ravens? The "real" Ravens just dropped their sixth game in a row. Or were all their losses rigged? Count on the "real" Ravens dropping to Indy too.

[CARavensFan]

In no way would I suggest that everything is "rigged" I think the NFL is a real competition between very talented players, but if you watch the highlights of the game and see the calls the refs gave New England during their final drive you can see where the Pats drive was literally saved by the officating crew. The Ravens made mistakes in the game that let the Pats get close, but it was the refs that let them punch it in. I think that the refs, being human beings, are subject to being bias too allowing them to "tilled" the calls in their own eyes.

Rof example on the false start on the Pats at the end the flag for the penelty didn't come out until the first Raven hit Evans and it was obvious to everyone that it was going to be a turn over. Basically what this game proved is that you can see penelties in any situation if you are looking for the reason to find them.

Something else I noticed while watching the replays of Mark Clayton's nearly game-winning catch at the end, Derrick Mason was shoved before the ball was near him at least 4 seconds before anyone had the chance to catch it, thus keeping him from jumping up to contest the ball, it sure looked like there was some PI there, but apparently many refs will only make that call if the player doesn't come up with ball.

And besides the game was over by then so the refs were thinking, "Game Over who cares if the Pats squeeked it out and they might have fouled to keep the win?" Mason even asks the ref about the call and he shakes his head and then trots off without another look.

[thecitythatreeds]

The "real" ravens are the 13 and 3 team of last year. This year has been plagued with injuries and this is the first game in a while that our d has been 98% healthy. They got pressure without Pryce, Boller had an outstanding game (congratulations Boller 105.3 QB rating to Brady's 76.3), and McGahee had yet another 100 + yard game to put him at 1,048 rushing yards on the season. As the great Vince Lombardi once said, "In great attempts it is even glorious to fail." Yes, the TD call was questionable, but look how amazing this 4-8 team played tonight against the best team in the NFL. Come on guys, the Ravens are back with avengeance and are fired up. I would not be surprised to see them win out just to prove how unstoppable they are when they are healthy.

GO RAVENS!!!!!