Going into Seattle, the Ravens were viewed nationally as the AFC’s best team.  After dropping a game to a team led by Tavaris Jackson, the country will rethink just how powerful this Baltimore team actually is heading down the stretch.

This is the problem with the 2011 Ravens and one that could ultimately define them, coming off big wins they fall flat against opponents that they should bulldoze over. The Ravens lost to the Titans in week two after pounding the Steelers 35-7 in week one, they did the same thing against the Jaguars and nearly dropped a home game to the Cardinals.  After coming back on the road to defeat Pittsburgh, the Ravens hit the snooze button in Seattle and lost 22-17.  Here are my thoughts on this terrible game.

  • David Reed’s bad day – I complimented David Reed last week for being a playmaker.  I ignored the fact that he put the ball on the ground in Pittsburgh, I can’t over look his two fumbles this week.  Oh and please be sure to add his stupid unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on a kickoff.
  • Poor coaching killed the Ravens – I plan on writing about the Ravens piss poor coaching in full detail, but it also deserves a Quick Hits bullet point as well.  Cam Cameron should be fired just for giving Ray Rice the ball five times.  It’s asinine.  Flacco struggled with accuracy and Cam still called 52 passing plays…actually 53, Ray Rice threw one too. John Harbaugh’s decision to challenge Marshawn Lynch’s fumble late in the fourth quarter killed a timeout when the Ravens needed them most.  The Ravens can’t seem to get amped up about easy games, that’s got to fall on Harbs.
  • Hauschka out kicks Cundiff – I should have known it was going to be a bad day when Steven Hauschka matched a franchise record of four field goals in the first half.  The former Ravens kicker booted one more in the second half. Current Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff, who replaced Hauschka, missed two field goals from over fifty yards after kicking a critical 52 yarder last week.  Cundiff went 1 for 3 on the day.
  • Marshawn Lynch shredded the defense – I know this isn’t the Ravens defense of old, but I didn’t expect Marshawn Lynch to pound them like he did.  Lynch carried the ball 32 times for 109 yards and a touchdown.  He was critical is killing the clock in Seattle’s final drive and had no problem busting heads with future hall of famer Ray Lewis.

Losses like this are alarming.  They should not happen and typically don’t to Super Bowl contending teams.  The Ravens need some controversy to wake up against bad opponents.  Ray Rice needs to come out screaming about his lack of involvement and John Harbaugh needs to take accountability for dropping an easy game.