[Blogs] At First Glance: AFC Championship

[WeCanDoAllThings52]

You look back at this game and you have to point this one at the special teams. Im sorry for Joe because he ball so hard. The defense came up in the clutch in the end. But Sam Koch wasn't hitting it right like he usually does, gave them good field position too much. The coverage corps (even though they got the fumble) allowed Edelman to return kickoffs to an average of the 36 yard line. I think that was being shadowed last year when Cundiff was getting touchbacks on like every kickoff. But Cundiff didn't come up in the clutch this time...

But to all the Flacco haters SHUT UP! He was the BETTER QB today and he WILL lead us to the promise land!

[Purple&Black]

this is becoming a recurring theme...we are always the better team and yet game on the line and players start making mistakes. we just dont have the clutch factor

[RavenArmor]

Wonder what the analysts will say now about Flacco?

[NSU98]

[quote name='rmcjacket23' timestamp='1327276301' post='965475']
1. No problem with going for it on 4th down. If you saw Cundiff's numbers from 50 , no intelligent person chooses to kick.

2. I don't totally blame Lee Evans for the dropped pass... I thought it was a great play by the defender.

3. A lot of missed opportunities on offense, most will go unnoticed.

4. I can't help but question what would have happened if Joe ran for the 1st on 3rd and 1 at the end. He still has a timeout in his pocket, and would have had at least 2 shots and the endzone.

5. Cam's playcalling was better than I expected, but his ridiculous draw on 3rd and 3 was terrible. I still hope he is fired.
[/quote]

So you really think it was a great play by the DB on Lee Evans or did he get relaxed and didn't finish the play? It seems to me by watching the replays he caught the ball and had a chance to secure it tightly before the DB got to him. Look like he got relaxed to me.

[rmcjacket23]

As far as why Cundiff over Graham?

Let's just say that there are multiple teams with worse kickers than us, and they didn't want Shayne Graham either. There's a reason why a kicker is on the waiver wire, and it's not because he is good.

[Jayda101]

Kickers most important job is to win a game on the line. it's more of a mental job. and since cundiff can't make clutch kicks release him. he had a terrible year anyways. And even though i didn't think playcalling was that bad this game Cam Cameron Sucks!! release him to. I want to say sorry for Ed Reed and Ray lewis. this was your alls year and you should have won but you can't play offense and defense. Great job to Joe Flacco. You played Great! way to shut people up. FIRE CAM CAMERON AND BILLY CUNDIFF

[iluvpurple]

My first glance... Something needs to change, obviously, and getting very tired of watching them lose in the playoffs EVERY year. Can point a bunch of fingers, but ultimately, they just did NOT want this bad enough. I'm so disappointed. Well, signing off till next season,and maybe we can do this again next year and NOT make it to the SB again next year. (sorry, just really, really p.o.'d) Thankfully Nascar starts in 3 weeks.

[rmcjacket23]

NSU,

I said I don't totally blame Evans. I still think he needs to catch that ball, but it's not like he was uncontested.

I totally acknowledged that it's a catch he needs to make, I'm just not putting all the blame on him or Cundiff.

[Couch jumper]

Probably gona' take awhile to get this ice pick out of my ear. Dickson, you need to focus, missed catch and a penalty,hurt alot, you need to focus. Lee, you just needed to complete the play. Billy, if they still love you, I will too. Flacco, awesome. All you guys, awesome. I don't like it when we don't have football. Ray, please come back.

[birdland blitz]

Flacco was incredible. Evans really should have had the last touchdown pass, but he had a great game, before that. At least somebody had to knock it out, Cundiff didn't need any help to piss off all of Baltimore.

[PurplePeopleEater74]

I'm mad at Evans for dropping the ball but calling for his release is not warranted. He helped this game with some good catches to keep our dreams alive. But he def deserves to be heckled. One the other hand. Billy must go. You have missed waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to many this year and this one is unforgetable. If you can't be darn near 100% inside the 40, you should go back to playing HS ball.
So in my conclusion....They win as a team and lose as a team, and as a team you should leave Billy in NE.

[Jayda101]

THUMBS UP TO FIRE CAM CAMERON.

[SinisterRaven]

keep lee what are u for real for u what dont blame lee for the drop are u for real he had it all he had to do was hold it cundiff i dont blame u i blame the people that keep u get some new wr to put in there with t.smith

[SinisterRaven]

o and start pitta

[ravne05]

All Im asking for Steve to sell this team to somebody who understands football.

[ravensfan216]

utter disappointment. i just cant get the thoughts out of my mind that we may never get this close to a superbowl ever again with ray lewis and especially ed reed. its hard. but we have a bright future ahead of us with jimmy smith, torrey smith, and all our other young players. cant wait to see what the offseason holds for us.

[BloodyKnuckles27]

I cant believe this happened I cant believe its all over not like this! I am so hurt right now. Cundiff needs to go!

[JIVE1000]

Last week they were not that good looking and they won. This week they looked great and lost. A strange ending to a strange season. No explanation as to why they lost any of the 4 during the regular season. If they won any of those games they'd have had home field advantage today. Lack of consistency all year long and during today's game is the best synopsis I can come up with. Next year should be a barn burner though.

[No.20alltheway]

Something that can't go without mentioning is rookies in this game:

1. Torrey Smith, need I say more?

2. Laquan Williams, huge play on special teams

3. Jimmy Smith and frankly the whole of our young secondary

In Oz I trust. More players this draft, and you know what, if Ray Lewis retires (as huge as that would be) I cant wait to shut up all the doubters and play awsum D with our young guys.

[PurplePeopleEater74]

O, I ranted on the bad but forgot to say....Way to go Joe. You had a heck of a great game.

[bioLarzen]

For those who are calling for big changes: if Evans holds on to that ball that was in his hands, we're in the Super Bowl now.

Doesn't sound like a franchise that's in need of fundamental changes to me.

As soon as the hatred towards Cundiff goes away, let's ask ourselves: replace him - with whom? If there's a better kicker then why not. But if there isn't? Anyone who says Graham - if he's a good kicker, why doesn't he have a team?

bio

[RavenArmor]

I'm not one to just say fire Lee Evans, but for real he made the most critical, important catch in Ravens history, only for it to be the most critical, important drop in Ravens history.

[JIVE1000]

Cundiff is not a guy I'd want watching my back in a dangerous situation. He's not to be trusted again. The Ravens need to draft or trade up for a reliable kicker. Lee Evans speaks for himself. His season was somewhat less than stellar.

[RavensFanInLosAngeles]

it feels like a huge part of me just died

[chuckw]

Baltimore we have a QB. Enough said. Lets get him some damn help!

[birdland blitz]

The bottom line is that if you can't make a 32 yard field goal, you have no business being in the NFL. Maybe it shouldn't have come to that, but it did and Cundiff proved incompetent. I've seen high school kickers hit 32 yarders, it's pathetic that he can miss that badly

[JIVE1000]

Flacco, Torrey Smith and Boldin were just plain excellent today. The defense never needs accolades from us. They were very much up to this game today. Others played with less reliability. Rice never got a really big opening today. The line was a lot less than protective of Flacco. Our defense had some trouble getting to Brady, though. So I think protecting Flacco can be done. Those are things to work on during the off season. Until next year thanks for the thrills this year and see you in the fall. We still love you and you can come home:)

[ravne05]

Should have never released Mason but Harbaugh has proved he makes horrible mistakes like Cundiff our guy thats our guy.This guy should be fired monday morning along with Cam Cameron.

[Axayacatl]

The Ravens were the better team this time around, at least for about 59 minutes, letting that TD pass be stripped off and missing that FG... Ravens should've won this game... Heart-breaking loss.

Anyway, hat off to Joe Cool, Boldin, Pitta, Williams, all Defense. Rice was stopped but never quit fighting. Ravens always ball so hard!!

I'm sad but so proud of this team! Go Ravens.

[Ravensdog]

Great effort by the Ravens. Tough, heartbreaking loss. Hope the 9ers or Giants pound the CRAP out of the Patriots in the SB b/c they didn't deserve to win the game. Ravens beat themselves. A tragedy!!!!!!!