Season in a microcosm....one play

**NCRavensFan** · 12-23-2013, 10:17 AM

As I reflect on one of the most horrific games in team history, it struck me that one play in the game really summarized the whole season at once.

The 4th and 1 from the 4.

It had all the elements of the 2013 Ravens.

Just the fact that we had to be in a 4th down situation there to begin with
A terrible play call
A terrible play call .... following a time out!
A hand off to Ray Rice who can't get a yard and a half.
The O-Line with no push
Futility
Failure

That play defines the 2013 Ravens for me.

**GaTechRavens** · 12-23-2013, 10:18 AM

Why would a team with a winning record be defined by failure?

**NCRavensFan** · 12-23-2013, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by GaTechRavens

Why would a team with a winning record be defined by failure?

Because they have blown a lot of games and should have had this thing wrapped up a long time ago.

**GaTechRavens** · 12-23-2013, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by NCRavensFan

Because they have blown a lot of games and should have had this thing wrapped up a long time ago.

Save that for the Texans. A team with a winning record is not defined by failure. My God, we have spoiled fans...

**alien bird** · 12-23-2013, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by GaTechRavens

Save that for the Texans. A team with a winning record is not defined by failure. My God, we have spoiled fans...

It's all relative. Considering the Harbaugh Era, which includes five straight trips to the playoffs, a 54-26 regular season record prior to this year, a 9-4 playoff record with at least one playoff win every season, three AFC title appearances and a Super Bowl victory, then 8-7 and in danger of missing the playoffs is a relative failure.

**The Excellector** · 12-23-2013, 11:02 AM

As upset as I was yesterday, I have to role with GaTechRavens on this one. Nobody is supposed to be able to lose the amount of players that they lost and still even be in the discussion for a playoff birth. Do you know how many teams would be in a transition year and only go 4-12?

**Derf** · 12-23-2013, 11:02 AM

Then after that play RR jawing with Harbaugh about the play and the National TV audience saw it.

**HotInHere** · 12-23-2013, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by alien bird

It's all relative. Considering the Harbaugh Era, which includes five straight trips to the playoffs, a 54-26 regular season record prior to this year, a 9-4 playoff record with at least one playoff win every season, three AFC title appearances and a Super Bowl victory, then 8-7 and in danger of missing the playoffs is a relative failure.

What else is relative is that these were also all playoff teams a year ago: Texans, Vikings, Redskins, and Falcons. A lot of people had a Texans-Falcons Super Bowl penciled in for this season.

If this is what a "down year" looks like in Baltimore, I'll take it.

**ravenfever_com** · 12-23-2013, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by GaTechRavens

Save that for the Texans. A team with a winning record is not defined by failure. My God, we have spoiled fans...

Word :word Total Agreement ... We have the most spoiled fans in football. We went to the playoff in Flacco and Harbs first 5 years, won the Super Bowl last season and have a winning season with a chance to make the play offs again. Baltimore .... be Thankful we have the RAVENS !!!!!

GO RAVENS !!!!

**Brien Jackson** · 12-23-2013, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by ravenfever_com

Word :word Total Agreement ... We have the most spoiled fans in football. We went to the playoff in Flacco and Harbs first 5 years, won the Super Bowl last season and have a winning season with a chance to make the play offs again. Baltimore .... be Thankful we have the RAVENS !!!!!

GO RAVENS !!!!

Yeah...no. New England just won their 11th division title with Brady. Unless I'm forgetting a year, they've only missed the playoffs once since he became the starter, not counting the year he was hurt and they still went 11-5. Manning and the Colts made the playoffs and won bunches and bunches of games every season but one after his rookie year. There just isn't any reason that you have to expect some sort of cycling down to a non-playoff season (especially in a division with the Browns and a combination of the Bengals front office and a salary cap strapped Steelers), and fans who are upset that a combination of bad coaching and outdated roster building philosophies are costing the team at the margins.

I mean, hell, for as much as you can say they've been to five playoffs, you can also note that they've only won the division twice, and only been seeded in the top 3 once.

**BcRaven** · 12-23-2013, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by GaTechRavens

Save that for the Texans. A team with a winning record is not defined by failure. My God, we have spoiled fans...

Ga, I just started reading this thread, and have to agree with you. Now of course the Ravens could have been better this year, but OMG aren't we lucky to be in the Harbaugh/Flacco era? I feel that 20 years from now we will look onto these seasons are a Golden Age in Ravens history. I feel sorry for those who don't see it because they're losing out on a historic, emotional period that should be admired by Ravens fans... Bc

**JohnBKistler** · 12-23-2013, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by BcRaven

Ga, I just started reading this thread, and have to agree with you. Now of course the Ravens could have been better this year, but OMG aren't we lucky to be in the Harbaugh/Flacco era? I feel that 20 years from now we will look onto these seasons are a Golden Age in Ravens history. I feel sorry for those who don't see it because they're losing out on a historic, emotional period that should be admired by Ravens fans... Bc

Personally...this is where I am at the moment...as painful and disappointing as yesterday's game...you don't get that disappointment and pain without being in the hunt in the first place with a lot on the line...and I am grateful they get one more meaningful game to get into the playoffs.