ESPN: Ravens didn't win. Broncos lost, and gave them the game.

[Slidemaster]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2012...ltimore-ravens

Even as I was reading this, my girlfriend (who knows literally nothing about football, other than what a linebacker is because she thinks Ray Lewis is hot and asked about him), said "wow, it's pretty insulting that this writer is giving the Ravens zero credit for doing anything right. Even if the Broncos made mistakes, the Ravens still had to take advantage of them."

She's completely right. On top of that, the Ravens' special teams play was TERRIBLE, and they've been their most consistent unit all year. It's not like the Ravens just accidentally won the game here.

Just another example of the "experts" getting their foot shoved into their own mouths, and doing everything they can to save face. Pathetic.

[cprenegade]

Ravens made more plays when needed and overcame a special teams unit that was horrible. The only thing I would agree on as far as the Bronco's giving the Ravens the game was the call on third and 7 to run the ball. First down throw from Manning ends the game for the Broncos. Other than that, Ravens made more plays than Denver and that's why they move on.

[Tootsie]

Ravens made more plays when needed and overcame a special teams unit that was horrible. The only thing I would agree on as far as the Bronco's giving the Ravens the game was the call on third and 7 to run the ball. First down throw from Manning ends the game for the Broncos. Other than that, Ravens made more plays than Denver and that's why they move on.

If he throws an incompletion they get blasted for not running the clock down.

[ivanbalt]

The "experts" are just crying because they don't get to see Manning v Brady.

[can you hear me now!]

running the ball was the right call given the situation,,,Ravens had no time outs, a punt puts them deep in their own territory, the Broncos did (at least statistically) have the 2nd best defense in the league....a DB and Safety guessed wrong (and as Ravens fans we know how that works).....Joe still had to get the ball there and Jones had to catch it...

some ESPN statistic said the Broncos at that point had a 97.2 percent chance of winning before that play....

the national media will be suicidal by 830 tonight when its SF-Sea and Ravens - Hous in the championship games.....

[Flu]

The Ravens gave their own gifts. They gave the Broncos a 90 yard punt return for a touchdown and a 104 yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The special teams for Baltimore has been a good unit all year long without many lapses. Yet this time they allow not 1 but 2 run backs for touchdowns. That was gifts if I ever saw one.

[NCBirdfan]

running the ball was the right call given the situation,,,Ravens had no time outs, a punt puts them deep in their own territory, the Broncos did (at least statistically) have the 2nd best defense in the league....a DB and Safety guessed wrong (and as Ravens fans we know how that works).....Joe still had to get the ball there and Jones had to catch it...

some ESPN statistic said the Broncos at that point had a 97.2 percent chance of winning before that play....

the national media will be suicidal by 830 tonight when its SF-Sea and Ravens - Hous in the championship games.....

I agree. I would have made that call too. A coach has to expect his defense won't let a receiver run right by them (especially with 30 seconds left). There is no way the DBs play that close to the line. There should have been at least one (more likely two) playing deeo centerfield. That way, even if the receiver catches the ball he would be tackled before scoring, the clock would run out and the game would be over.

No, Fox did not make a bad decision on the run. The bad decision was the DC's alignment against a quarterback that has burned the defense on the long ball all day.

Of course, something not mentioned enough: Flacco's pass was perfectly thrown between the defenders and right in Jacoby's hands. Jacoby could have easily dropped it too, aka Lee Evans.

[NCBirdfan]

The "experts" are just crying because they don't get to see Manning v Brady.

ESPN is trying to save face. That is why the network's "experts" are making all kinds of excuses. They did the same with the Orioles this year. It's quite embarrassing frankly.

[Tollbooth Willie]

the national media will be suicidal by 830 tonight when its SF-Sea and Ravens - Hous in the championship games.....

Man, I hope so. A national media mass suicide would be almost as awesome as the Ravens win last night.

[Oriole Dave]

The Ravens kick and punt coverage teams nearly gave the game to the Broncos. The Ravens offense and defense outplayed the Broncos.

[DkBlue]

I agree. I would have made that call too. A coach has to expect his defense won't let a receiver run right by them (especially with 30 seconds left). There is no way the DBs play that close to the line. There should have been at least one (more likely two) playing deeo centerfield. That way, even if the receiver catches the ball he would be tackled before scoring, the clock would run out and the game would be over.

No, Fox did not make a bad decision on the run. The bad decision was the DC's alignment against a quarterback that has burned the defense on the long ball all day.

Of course, something not mentioned enough: Flacco's pass was perfectly thrown between the defenders and right in Jacoby's hands. Jacoby could have easily dropped it too, aka Lee Evans.

It was a great win for you guys and a great game to watch. In my mind the heroes were the offensive line that allowed Flacco and Rice to make plays.

They were outstanding against a good defense. Flacco made the big plays when called upon.

I disagree about the 3rd down call and actually all three downs. When you have the premier quarterback in the game you do not put the result in the hands of an undrafted running back who had just failed the play before. That is a headscratcher.

[HAIL2BNG]

I don't see where they're wrong. The game tying td was an interception ball and the final interception was all on Manning. Sometimes you have to accept that you got a gift and move on.

[OriginalColtsFan]

The "experts" are just crying because they don't get to see Manning v Brady.

^^^This.

(Although an argument CAN be made that Fox played not to lose and it cost him the game. (In fact, I made that argument myself. But it in NO WAY diminishes the Ravens victory. It's just ESPN crying that THEIR pick didn't win. Oh well.)

[AFKAR7]

The "experts" are just crying because they don't get to see Manning v Brady.

And so is the rest of the country too because it's the Ravens. This is not a well liked team outside of Baltimore.

I wish some of you guys could have been with me yesterday. My in-laws renewed their vows yesterday down in Waldorf. I had to watch the game at the hotel bar surrounded by Washington fans. I know most of them were trying to be nice but you could see that they were not happy about how the game played out. One of my wife's cousin husband goes ar far as blaming the Ravens for what happened to Griffin and really now hates the Ravens. it was sooooooo sweet. LOL

[ivanbalt]

^^^This.

(Although an argument CAN be made that Fox played not to lose and it cost him the game. (In fact, I made that argument myself. But it in NO WAY diminishes the Ravens victory. It's just ESPN crying that THEIR pick didn't win. Oh well.)

Berman picked us to win. And that's it.

[AttackPlanR]

What I fail to still understand is why no stories that I've come across has mentioned the Bronco's record as it relates to their schedule this year. Their 3 losses in the regular season were all to playoff teams. All of their wins were for the most part against losing teams, including 2 against The Chiefs and 2 against The Raiders, and one each against the likes of Carolina, Cleveland and Tampa.

The Broncos deserved to be in the playoffs, but they were relatively untested.

[codefool]

ESPN has just been declining overall in thier coverage. It's to the point where I very rarley watch ESPN for any news or visit thier site.

From thier so called objective observers putting on a cheerleading dress for Peyton and Brady, thier constant running down of Tim Tebow over worthless things, then calling RG3 a cornball, and Merrel Hodges rants I just really can't stand them.

They are to be increasingly irrelevant for NFL coverage, and Monday Night Football has been a dumping ground of crappy matchups unless they accidently luck into a good one.

And on a off note, I know the is a little bit late, but I'd like to tell Dan Diedorff to STFU. Your bias was really showing and blatently so in the forth quater in overtime. And I love to see Cowher eat crow everytime the Ravens win.

[Far from home]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2012...ltimore-ravens

Even as I was reading this, my girlfriend (who knows literally nothing about football, other than what a linebacker is because she thinks Ray Lewis is hot and asked about him), said "wow, it's pretty insulting that this writer is giving the Ravens zero credit for doing anything right. Even if the Broncos made mistakes, the Ravens still had to take advantage of them."

She's completely right. On top of that, the Ravens' special teams play was TERRIBLE, and they've been their most consistent unit all year. It's not like the Ravens just accidentally won the game here.

Just another example of the "experts" getting their foot shoved into their own mouths, and doing everything they can to save face. Pathetic.

I'm surprised Ashley Fox hasn't resigned. What a ridiculous story she wrote.

[Far from home]

I don't see where they're wrong. The game tying td was an interception ball and the final interception was all on Manning. Sometimes you have to accept that you got a gift and move on.

...and they wouldn't have been in it if the Ravens hadn't blown their kickoff coverage in the game twice against Holliday.
The punt return replays clearly showed that the coverage team overplayed the runner to the right, and he didn't have to do anything but run forward.
The kickoff, the Ravens again got out of their lanes.
If those two plays hadn't happened, they wouldn't have even gone to overtime.

The fact is, the Ravens beat the Broncos. Flacco had a great game. Both Rays had a great game.
Peyton didn't. The Broncos defense didn't.

[Eastside Terp]

ravens kept it close with the 10 point favorite and forced the errors ......

they forced the broncos to blink ......