Game Balls

[thundercleetz]

I know this is your topic dc, but I am so overwhelmed with excitement right now that I cannot wait. I just want to say that I was not expecting to win this game. In fact, I was seriously contemplating making a topic last night saying how good of a season this has been and how proud we should be of this team, despite the ups and downs. Obviously looking back I am glad I did not make that topic. Anyways, on to the gameballs!

 

- Ray Lewis: 13 tackles, 1 sack, 2 QB hits. This was not one of those Ray performances of old where he made those 13 tackles on plays of amazing athleticism where you say: "man, how did he do that?" Ray was a wizard out there on defense. The defense started and ended with Ray this afternoon. Ray's pre-snap calls were on point, he knew exactly where every play was going, knew exactly where Brady was going with the ball every time, and was around the ball the whole game. Simply put, Ray outplayed Brady in a game of chess and had his guys lined up where they were supposed to be. Ray's secret to beating father time is by outsmarting him.

 

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4814129

 

- Dominique Foxworth: Does anyone want to criticize Ozzie for signing Foxworth now? Yes, Moss was hurt out there, but a hurt Moss is still better than 90% of the receivers in this league. Not only was Foxworth solid in the passing game, his tackling was sound. He was on the receivers' hip making the hit as soon as the ball was caught, and he delivered some big tackles coming up in the running game. Most importantly, Foxworth did not let up any big play, but at the same time was able to keep the game in front of him not letting up those longer intermediate passes. We needed Foxworth to step up and he did. Dwan Landry, Frank Walker, and Chris Carr played very well as well.

 

- The offensive line and the runningbacks (throw Ngata in there as well): We dominated the line of scrimmage and were unstoppable inside the ten. You know you are having a good day when everyone in the stadium knows where the ball was going, but the defense can still not stop the run. We had four TDs within the four yard-line, and a should-have-been two-point conversion by running it straight into the heart of the defense. Ngata and Chester really add an extra push coming in on that goal-line package. The “Gaither-effect” was huge in this game. When we have Gaither on the left and Oher on the right, there is so much flexibility when it comes to our blocking personnel. We did not have Gaither for the Colts game, but we will next week and this is a different offensive line when Gaither is in the lineup. Everyone along the line played great and McClain was plowing away as well!

 

- The defensive line: Not only did they shutdown the Patriots run game making them one-dimensional, but they got a very consistent pass rush on Brady. As said best: “Ngata is two guys in one uniform.” He demanded a double, sometimes triple, team on every play. He was causing hell for the Pats offensive line. Suggs played containment very well, the Pats had no runs to the outside. He also came up big on the pass rush and commanded his share of double teams opening up opportunities for other guys. Big games for Edwards (7 tackles, 1 sack) and Ellerbe (6 tackles), who held a dangerous Kevin Faulk to only 37-yards receiving. Ellerbe stepped up big time in one of the biggest areas where he is criticized the most, in pass coverage.

[GrubberRaven]

Totally in shock over this game...worried about Joe, but wow. That was dominance.

 

Loved that game.

[thundercleetz]

One more game ball:

 

All those Ravens fans that made your voice heard at Foxborough!!

 

"It felt like we were playing an away game, that’s what it felt like," said sixth-year Patriot Vince Wilfork. "Even if we’d moved on from here, we probably would’ve played two away games, back-to-back. I’m telling you, for all this team’s done in the past … I don’t understand it.

"I was surprised there were that many Ravens (fans)," said coach John Harbaugh. "There were thousands of Ravens fans all along the end zone and over the top of the tunnel. It just overwhelms you when you see that. You see that sea of purple, and the looks on their faces, you just had to go over and be a part of it. Baltimore's got the best fans in the National Football League."

[vmax]

One more game ball:

 

All those Ravens fans that made your voice heard at Foxborough!!

 

 

Amen cleetz...

 

That was after another interesting moment, this one coming prior to the game, when during the national anthem, Baltimore's trademark "O!" shout was audible.

 

Let's just say that the Patriots players took note of this, took note of all the empty seats and the trouble the team had sellling tickets this week, and most of all noticed the booing that started just minutes into the game. By game's end, there weren't many fans left to boo, and most of those that remained were wearing Raven colors anyway.

 

"It felt like we were playing an away game, that’s what it felt like," said sixth-year Patriot Vince Wilfork. "Even if we’d moved on from here, we probably would’ve played two away games, back-to-back. I’m telling you, for all this team’s done in the past … I don’t understand it.

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/extra_points/2010/01/ravens_fans_rai.html

[geo]

One more game ball:

 

All those Ravens fans that made your voice heard at Foxborough!!

 

five more game balls.

 

1. Harbs for the first Q, for taking full control, and win the battle of penalties and turnovers.

1a Mattison, we still have a top five D, and when its playoffs its always seems to be even better.

1b Ozzie for getting this crew.

2. Sugar Ray for being the best field general ever and always being young and hungry.

2a and Ray fucking Rice and double Mac for making this easy.

3. OL and DL, At ESPN they had actually Pats OL+DL rated better than ours? Lalalalal. This was murder.

4. Secondary.. oh btw ED is now six picks for six playoffsgame, and last time he met Peyaton he had only two picks, should have had three.. hmm Sugar Ray. And what about Frank the Tank, Chris Carr, Fox and Landry.

5. Matt Katula, for silence.

 

Note: Joe Flacco 10/34 yds. And Brady 154-22 sackyds -95 interceptions yards = 42/37 yds.. less by one yard!