Defense was clutch

[leachisabeast]

There were less about 38 seconds left and the Lions were on their own 20. I'd call it a good int and stop, but not clutch because they already blew the lead and we're bailed out on a Justin Tucker semi-miracle.

Hilarious. Because the Lions have never got into FG range with 36 seconds and 3 time outs left. You never see that in the NFL in this day and age.

[ERey]

Joe Flacco, Jacoby Jones and Justin Tucker have been clutch the past 2 weeks. The Defense has been very good for 55 minutes. But to be clutch you have to be the reason your team wins. They need to make a true stop and not make the offense/special teams come up with miracle plays.

Why are we even discussing this? Isn't this obvious? Did any of you arguing for "clutch" not see the Vikings drive the field in 2 or 3 plays each for 2 TDs? Did you not see the Lions score with 2 minutes left to take the lead?

[Haloti92]

Some people here seem to take this fact a little personally for some reason.

No, it is just some people watch enough NFL football to understand that expecting a defense to shut out the opponent is an unrealistic expectation.

And of course the defense did hold the lead, intercepted them in fact, to win the game.

[ERey]

Hilarious. Because the Lions have never got into FG range with 36 seconds and 3 time outs left. You never see that in the NFL in this day and age.

Good Lord. Let's just call Tony Romo "clutch" while we're at it.

[s.r.genovese]

Hilarious. Because the Lions have never got into FG range with 36 seconds and 3 time outs left. You never see that in the NFL in this day and age.

We definitely did not see the Ravens score a TD with 45 seconds left just last week.

Nope. Definitely did NOT see that.

[Haloti92]

I got the Elam pick - I also got the Detroit TD drive to put them in the lead with 2+ minutes to go - that was not CLUTCH. Had that drive had a CLUTCH STOP. It is very likely Joe's, Jacoby's and Tucker's heroics would not have been necessary.

PS - Elam was the only jersey within 10 yard of the throw in any direction.

That was no more "unclutch" than the offense inheriting the ball on the Detroit 34 yard line right before that drive, and proceeding to lose one yard over 3 plays and asking Tucker to kick a 53 yd. FG. Especially considering the quality of Detroit's offense vs. their defense.

If the offense were "clutch" it scores a TD makes it a 9 point game with less than half a quarter left to play.

And of course, had the defense held Detroit to three-and-out like you expect, on the drive where they let up a TD, then all that happens is our offense goes three-and-out and you re-expect the defense to hold again. We don't win the game by forcing Detroit to go three-and-out there. All we do is give you another drive to ignore and another later drive to re-assign as "crucial."

[pslholder96]

The Ravens defense is very good. But "clutch" is not a word I would use to describe them. There have been to many breakdowns in the 4th quarter this year. Chicago, Green Bay, Minnesota, Detroit, Pittsburgh and Cinci to name a few of the top of my head. If the defense just holds in 1 or 2 of those game it's possible the Ravens have 9 or 10 wins.

No one is describing the defense has clutch. What this thread is saying that the defense was clutch in this game.

[pslholder96]

My point precisely in not being 'clutch' - if the game is on the line - a STOP must be made to be clutch.

So when Detroit got the ball back with 38 seconds left and 3 timeouts the game wasn't on the line yet? And since the defense made the necessary stop that wasn't clutch?

[esporter113]

The defense played a fantastic game and deserves all the credit in the world. But damn... you hate that it's always that one drive in the 4th quarter. Then the offense gets one shot to even things up or take the lead with the game coming down to a 3rd and 15 or a 4th and 8 or something.

I guess it goes both ways. You could say that if the offense did a better job throughout the game then the defense wouldn't have to make just one stop in the 4th.

Both units have room to improve.

[leachisabeast]

post lag

[leachisabeast]

We definitely did not see the Ravens score a TD with 45 seconds left just last week.

Nope. Definitely did NOT see that.

:word

[ERey]

Let's look at each game:

Week 1 @ Denver: Was the Defense clutch here? They gave up 7 pass TDs, I'm sure they weren't.
Week 2 vs Cleveland: I guess they were vs Weeden and a cold Cambell off the bench. Can anyone be "clutch" vs Brandon Weeden?
Week 3 vs Houston: The Ravens only blowout game.
Week 4 @ Buffalo: The D played very well. Joe threw 5 ints. Joe wasn't clutch in this game.
Week 5 @ Miami: Miami missed a FG at the end. Can't say the D was clutch here. Lucky, but not clutch.
Week 6 vs Green Bay: The D gives up a 3rd and long and never got the ball back for Joe who was suddenly hot. Not clutch.
Week 7 @ Pittsburgh: Tucker ties the game up for most likely overtime and the D lets Pittsburgh march down the field quickly for a game ending FG. Not clutch.
Week 8 @ Cleveland: Greg Little of all people had 122 receiving yards. Ravens lose. Not clutch.
Week 9 vs Cinci: Ravens D gives up a hail mary with no time left. Not clutch.
Week 10 @ Chicago: Joe drives the offense to tie the game on a Tucker FG. The defense can't hold in overtime giving up a huge 3rd down play. Not clutch.
Week 11 vs Jets: The D smothered the Jets. Good job.
Week 12 vs Pittsburgh: D gives up two 4th quarter TDs, but somehow the Ravens hold on. It's hard to count two 4th quarter TDs as clutch. But they won so let's just say good job.
Week 13 vs Miinnesota: HAHA NO way are we calling them clutch here. Joe, Marlon and Jacoby were clutch.
Week 14 @ Detroit: Sorry, but Tucker was clutch, not the D who gave up another late 4th quarter go ahead TD.

To many 4th quarter melt downs to be considered "clutch". Why won't a description of "very good D" do for some of you?