Sunday is still as sickening now as it was now - with it still being as inexplicable - but to do a bit of Tuesday Night Quarterbacking for an alternative perspective:

I give you the following:
December 18, 2011.
December 12, 2010.
December 27, 2009.
December 21, 2008.
December 16, 2007.
December 10, 2006.

What's that you say? Dates? Who cares?

December 10, 2006: This team had their division with a win as their nearest challenge was some three games behind. They'd barely lost all year. Then they got ripped to pieces by a mediocre divisional opponent - and it's not like the weather was a factor. 44-17. Ouch.

December 16, 2007: Prime time television, the lights were on. They were at home playing a team that were having a meh season. They had lost the division the week before, but a wildcard was far from ascertained. Their opponent came in with nothing to lose and promptly delivered a withering loss.

December 14, 2008: They had clinched the division the week before, but seeding was very much up for grabs. Another team came into their house also looking for the same position. They were beaten before they even started and were down by 28 at halftime. The following week, even with being on the road, they were demolished by a 2nd string QB by 40 points.

December 27, 2009: The perfect season chance had ended the week before to a decent team, though at home. Okay. Homefield was not guaranteed and they had a beaten team, a divisional opponent, come into their home to play. The game looked to be in their grasp at halftime, controlling. They let it slip and ended up losing in overtime and all of a sudden, homefield was far from guaranteed.

December 10, 2010: Playing on the road to a 2-10 team that had basically been this team's doormat for years and years. Yes, the QB was taken out in the first half, but still they couldn't overcome, as they fell to a team that was going nowhere, totalling a single field goal.

December 18, 2011: Just overcame a bad losing streak with a good win on the road and looking to continue momentum against a team that had not much going for it. Even at home! Even with revenge at stake after losing on opening day! Did they win? No, they fell and gave the other team their biggest win of the season.

What do all of these teams have in common? They went to the Superbowl. 2006 Colts, 2007 Giants, 2008 Cardinals, 2009 Saints, 2010 Packers, 2011 Giants. All but one of those won the Lombardi with the exception of the Cardinals - the only team here whose bad December loss did not come to a divisional opponent. All these teams still had some thing to play for, some more than others. Some of these teams still had losses left in them, but they found away to turn around when it mattered.

Yes, the Ravens have flaws. We can debate, as most have, the exact root of those flaws, etc. However, looking at history, bad losses happy to even the most successful teams, to the worst of teams at critical junctures of the season. Even at home.

What matters is how they responded. They got their shit together. Can the Ravens? You betcha. Will they? We'll find out. Maybe it's a fool's hope, but history says Sunday wasn't the end.

An aside point:

The last five NFC champions, of which four teams hoisted the Lombardi, all played the Redskins:

2007: Giants - NYG 24 @ Was 17; Was 22 @ NYG 10.
2008: Cardinals - ARI 17 @ Was 24.
2009: Saints - NO 33 @ Was 30 [OT]
2010: Packers - GB 13 @ Was 16 [OT]
2011: Giants - NYG 14 @ Was 28; NYG 10 @ Was 23.

Quite interesting considering how bad the Redskins have been in stretches. So, maybe if we struggle, it's an omen - who knows.