odd game today...boring?

**Galen Sevinne** · 10-10-2010, 08:50 PM

Did anyone else find today's game boring? I was definitely pumped this morning to go but it all seemd so flat. Was there ever a moment where you thought Denver might win? The opening drive seemed easy that when the Ravens didn't score, I was like "whatever they're score next time". A couple more good drives and the Ravens are up 14-0. Flacco looked really sharp and guys were open everywhere. Denver showed no ability to score. The crowd was dead. Somewhere in the 2nd Qtr Flacco went into a funk and I think he went like 10 straight incomplete passes before finally completing one.

The crowd again was dead. My voice is completely intact for the first time is probably a decade after a home game. People around me were talking about anything but the game. It just seemed so routine..get the win and go home. There was never that anxious moment...the moment where I was pissed. The touchdowns were 1 yard dives into a crowd of people where you had to look to the refs to see if they scored.

The more I think about it I think this game was the feared "let down" game. We just played a team that has no heart and had no fight. Flacco had his moments but was mostly unimpressive, the defense had its moments but still gave up the long plays that we haven't seen happen yet this year. Truly the most discussed element in my row today was how Cundiff is practically kicking the ball out of the endzone every kick which was probably the most remarkable thing about today's game.

Again, I think this was the feared "post-Steelers" let down game that we should have lost but that Denver just always looks like a J.V. team when they come to Baltimore. Any other team and we might have lost today. In some ways, this might be a good thing in that even during an emotionally flat game, the Ravens still roll. Maybe we are this good? Maybe it was just me but that game today was really boring?

Just wondering if anyone else had that experience.

**RavenScallywag** · 10-10-2010, 08:57 PM

We started fast, but then we were stale after our first 3 drives, and I was nervous Orton could break one at any time. But our D kept holding up, so we were fine, save for two drives where they found Lloyd for scores.

I can see how this was a "boring" game. No big runs, lots of grind it out, slow down the game football.

**corvuscorax** · 10-10-2010, 09:02 PM

I was at home, not at the game, but the Ravens did not seem flat, or like they "were going thru the motions" to me. They issued a good beat-down of a team that could not hang with them. Th majority of Orton's passing yards were while the donks were in catch-up or desperation mode, and I never expected us to shut down the top rated passing game in the league. Contain them, yeah we did that early, which was all we needed.

Bottom line, I feel we got control of the game fairly early, and did what was needed to make sure Denver was not gonna come back on us.

Sometimes meeting expectations can come across as boring I suppose, but I'll take this win any day at all.

**NCRAVEN** · 10-10-2010, 09:24 PM

There were a couple of times today where me and the people I was watching the game with would say, what are the announcers talking about? So the answer would be yeah it did not have our full attention.

**Rza52** · 10-10-2010, 09:27 PM

I definitely had the same exact experience. I'm a very objective fan and I told everyone all week we would spank Denver. It was all setting up too perfectly after the win @ Pittsburgh. No way Orton pwnes the Ravens D and things have to click with these guys eventually. This game might have been the lock of the week in the NFL.

The one thing I didn't see that we're overdue for is the defensive turnovers. I expect to see at least two picks against NE.

**DVGN** · 10-10-2010, 09:32 PM

Yeah, it was a boring, generally non-competitive game. The Broncos are a mediocre-to-bad team whose number we seem to have and who we played at home.

All the ingredients for one-sided contest, which is exactly what we got.

The only truly entertaining one-sided games are the cathartic revenge beatdowns of once-feared foes, like the 2006 Steelers thrashings and last year's win at Foxboro.

This was not one of those. The Broncos don't really command my malice, and as such, I can't really thrill in their defeat.

It didn't help that last week's two-minute drill heroics are so fresh in the memory. They offer a pretty tall high water mark of excitement not nearly matched by anything that happened today.

Originally Posted by DVGN

The worst thing about following a perennial contender are the fans who seem to achieve an emotional tolerance for normal winning and can only be satisfied when every opponent is blown to microscopic dust.

Yes, I did just quote myself, but it's relevant.

We're too used to winning.

We expect to win and just winning against an average opponent isn't as enthralling as it would be for somebody in Oakland or St. Louis.

We have some of the best players in the NFL in Haloti and Ray, so when the offense only manages to mostly dominate rather than batter the opponent into a quivering, demoralized blob, the average fan just kind of shrugs and thinks "Joe Flacco's not really all that."

The problem is expectations. They're too high and only protracted losing will fix them.

**RavNMadMan** · 10-10-2010, 09:35 PM

I was at home, friends used my tix this game. At home it's obviously quieter but I really like drinking beer (that didn't cost $7 each) and being able to go to the bathroom on commercials and not miss anything. If folks at the game felt it was "boring" perhaps thats due to a lack of drama in the game. What I mean is there were none of the usual suspects (questionable calls by officials, untimely penalties, turnovers etc). It looked to me like the Ravens (other than an uninspired 2nd Qtr) basically took control of the game and never relinquished it. We won and I think this was our strongest showing yet even though against an inferior opponent.

**AirFlacco** · 10-10-2010, 09:52 PM

Interesting question Galen. This is the first Ravens game I missed since they came here. Even
when I had surgery in the hospital I didn't miss a game.

I was up in PA on family business and forgot to set the dvr but it doesn't sound like
I missed much according to the game thread.

Stan White said on radio score should be 21-0 before Rice scored his first TD of the season
in the 2d qtr.

Sounded to me like Ravens took the day off or at least the 2d qtr but it was another
300 yd meaningless effort for Orton.

**NC Raven** · 10-10-2010, 09:52 PM

I was happy with it. The games so far have been pure stress, so it was fun to watch the team play comfortably, with a lead.

**Sirdowski** · 10-10-2010, 10:10 PM

I agree, is this what Colts fans feel like every sunday... Nice break for the blood pressure though.

**ravensfan1996** · 10-10-2010, 10:19 PM

I had the totally opposite thought about today. I thought the Browns game was completly boring and the crowd totally out of it. Today i thought the "O" of the national anthem was one of the loudest ive heard, and we got loud on D from the very begining of the game.

I think watching our offense march up and down the field is exciting not boring. Just my opinion, i had a great time watching the game today.

**Mike B** · 10-10-2010, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by Galen Sevinne

Did anyone else find today's game boring? I was definitely pumped this morning to go but it all seemd so flat. Was there ever a moment where you thought Denver might win? The opening drive seemed easy that when the Ravens didn't score, I was like "whatever they're score next time". A couple more good drives and the Ravens are up 14-0. Flacco looked really sharp and guys were open everywhere. Denver showed no ability to score. The crowd was dead. Somewhere in the 2nd Qtr Flacco went into a funk and I think he went like 10 straight incomplete passes before finally completing one.

The crowd again was dead. My voice is completely intact for the first time is probably a decade after a home game. People around me were talking about anything but the game. It just seemed so routine..get the win and go home. There was never that anxious moment...the moment where I was pissed. The touchdowns were 1 yard dives into a crowd of people where you had to look to the refs to see if they scored.

The more I think about it I think this game was the feared "let down" game. We just played a team that has no heart and had no fight. Flacco had his moments but was mostly unimpressive, the defense had its moments but still gave up the long plays that we haven't seen happen yet this year. Truly the most discussed element in my row today was how Cundiff is practically kicking the ball out of the endzone every kick which was probably the most remarkable thing about today's game.

Again, I think this was the feared "post-Steelers" let down game that we should have lost but that Denver just always looks like a J.V. team when they come to Baltimore. Any other team and we might have lost today. In some ways, this might be a good thing in that even during an emotionally flat game, the Ravens still roll. Maybe we are this good? Maybe it was just me but that game today was really boring?

Just wondering if anyone else had that experience.

I do not have much voice left but I never do after a home game. I think it was a very business like game. Denver started with 8 in the box, our recievers and Joe burned them, they switched to defend the pass, we were a little slow to adjust and then just ran the ball down their throats.

To call Joe ineffective is to me a little unfair in that we hardly threw in the second half. It reminded me a little of New England last year in the playoffs.
We got control and played close to the vest.

As for the D, a lot of empty yards for Denver and Landry screwed up letting Lloyd get behind him in 3rd and long. The last TD was a garbage time TD that Zibby was late getting over to help Wilson who had good coverage but good throw, great catch. The playmaker returns in 2 weeks and he covers more ground so that should help.

Bottom line, the Ravens are real good, not at their best today but way to much for an average at best Denver team.

I really think we are a pass rusher from being a complete team.