Ravens Soar to the Super Bowl....Patriots Hope Both Teams Lose. Here is a Final Season Recap

Initial reaction…

Well, to say the Patriots walked right into a hungry and feeding Raven’s nest is both an understatement and the most cliché line of 2013.

If you are not now, get prepared for the following from New England nation:

1)     Brady sucks and we want a new QB

2)     We want a new head coach because of his arrogant press conferences

3)     Wes Welker will never make the big catch

4)    Bernard Pollard is some Greek Demi-God sent down to take out the Titan Patriots

5)     The NFL is definitely a secret mob that longed for this Superbowl matchup of the Harbaugh brothers and therefore…this game was fixed. Commence #BroBowl2013

6)     …let me keep thinking here.

Anyway, the above is all false. The end.

Now, moving on to the game. The Patriots would love to have the second half of this game back. Tom Brady’s day wasn’t horrible, but some of his decisions were more than questionable.

For example, with roughly 25 seconds left on the clock before half time, 1 timeout and 1st and goal, the Patriots had 3 shots to score a touchdown. On their first snap, the Ravens flush Brady out of the pocket. But instead of throwing it away, he dives a few yards forward. Roughly twenty seconds roll off the clock and the Patriots kick a field goal.

Little did we know, that was the most excitement the Patriot's offense would give fans at Gillette Stadium last night.

The Ravens then adjusted.

And they adjusted well. With the Patriots leading 13-7 in the third quarter, Wes Welker dropped what would have been a first down at the Patriots 34-yard line. New England failed to convert, and on their next possession, the Ravens scored a touchdown and never looked back.

Baltimore scored 21 unanswered points in the second half and the Patriot’s offense failed to threaten until the fourth quarter when they opted to go for it on fourth down instead of kick a field goal.  

The Raven forced the turnovers and never turned the ball over. And although the Patriot’s defense played the deep ball—and played it very well—they were burned underneath, giving up long, methodical drives that resulted in, more often than not, Raven's touchdowns.

Running back Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce ran around the Patriot’s large defensive line and linebackers and New England failed, many times, to helm them back into the middle of the field. Although Rice was mostly a non-playmaker, he and Price helped extend scoring drives.

So anyways, enough with this depressing eulogy. The Ravens were those cops who heard your party two blocks away and ended your celebration early. The night is over. However, remember, you still have your guest’s numbers.

And although they might have left (and taking their dip and chips), you'll text them, apologize for the short evening, and inform them that they are welcome into your humble abode soon enough for the NFL DRAFT.

#Patriots #StillBetterThanYou #3Rings