At first I was disappointed that Todd Heap was inactive for today’s game against his former team, the Ravens, but then I came to the conclusion that being sidelined with a hamstring injury was fitting for his return to Baltimore.  Nothing against Todd, he’s proven he’s a good dude, but the guy was always plagued by injuries during his tenure here.

All joking aside, this game was atrocious.  If you’re a Ravens fan that says a ‘win is a win’ or somehow found heroics in this comeback than this post isn’t for you.  This may be the only time that I tell you to click away from something I’ve written. Although we have lots of other great content for you right here on BSR.

For thirty minutes the Ravens embarrassed themselves again.  They let a weak NFC team push them around and made boneheaded mistakes that put them in a 24-6 hole at the halfway point.  Did they squeak out a win?  Yeah.  But it’s nothing to be proud of after the 12-7 snooze fest loss they performed in Jacksonville on Monday Night Football just a week ago.  If you’re not sick of my poor attitude yet, here are my thoughts on the Baltimore Ravens 30-27 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

  • There’s Ray Rice – At least Cam Cameron remembered to use his best offensive weapon this week.  Last week Rice only touched the ball eight times as the Ravens offense fell flat against the Jaguars defense.  This week he had seven in the first quarter.  That’s more like it.  Rice finished the day with three touchdowns and was the glue that held the Ravens offense together while they struggled in the first half and made proper adjustments in the second.  Give Rice the ball and good things happen.
  • The line still sucks – There’s nothing nice I can say about the Ravens offensive line.  Joe Flacco seems to take a beating any time he drops back more than two steps, which is a problem in a league defined by the pass.  Mix in a few dumb penalties and you have yourself an offensive implosion.  That was the first half.  Ben Grubbs, if you’re out there, get healthy my friend.
  • Anquan Boldin with a chip on his shoulder – Q put on a clinic for the Ravens in the second half.  He finished the day with seven catches for 145 yards, including an amazing one handed grab along the sideline.  He should have had a touchdown in the first half, but Flacco went wacko and threw the ball to a Cardinals defender instead.  It was nice to see Boldin making some nasty catches along the Cardinals sideline, I’m sure he came ready to play today.
  • Suggs looked solid – On a defense that couldn’t seem to make up for the offense’s numerous mistakes during the first half, Terrell Suggs stood apart.  He registered a game leading nine tackles, four assisted and a sack.  Suggs, like Boldin, probably also had extra motivation being an Arizona native.  He recently told Sports Illustrated’s Peter King that he was disappointed when the Cardinals passed on drafting him back in 2003, but that he couldn’t be happier playing for the Ravens.
  • Ravens won’t beat the Steelers like this – As far as I’m concerned Steelers Week has already begun.  I don’t want to talk about the garbage play I’ve seen the past two weeks anymore than you want to read it.  But I will say that if the Ravens make half the mistakes they made today next week in Pittsburgh, against a team that just beat the Patriots, they’ll get the snot beat out of them.
I have to mention that during the first half of this game I couldn’t help but feel like LOST’s John Locke when he refused to push the button in the hatch.  “I was wrong…” about how good this Ravens team really is.  Sorry if you’re not a LOST nerd like me.

And yeah, I know, this was Ravens biggest come from behind victory of all time.  But the glaring detail I see in that statistic is that they dug themselves in a 21 point hole.