I Still Have Faith

Last night was an emotional loss for everyone, players and fans alike. I went to bed feeling sad and frustrated about the way the game played out. This morning I woke up feeling sick, sick that we had to lose to "them" at home. But I have to hand it to the Steelers, they really pulled off an impressive win. It is a hard pill to swallow but I am slowly coming to grips with the fact that the Steelers, not the Ravens, have sole possession of 1st place in the AFC North. I have had annoying Steelers fans that I go to school texting me "Sucks for you!" comments about the loss but I have decided to take the higher road and let it go. I have been growing increasingly optimistic over the past few hours as I think about the remainder of the season and the fact that we are still ALIVE AND WELL in the race to the playoffs. 


Before I get to my reasons for remaining optimistic, I have a few comments about the game to offer. I think that the most obvious mistake the Ravens made last night was their attempt to run the ball so late in the 4th quarter against the NFL's number one rushing defense. Not to mention the fact that we were only sitting on a 4 point lead, not exactly enough of a cushion to take such risky chances. Obviously the choice by Flacco to throw had epic consequences that resulted in the unbelievably upsetting end to the game. I do understand the decision not to take the field goal kick at the end of the game. Either choice had major risks involved so I don't blame Harbaugh for opting against the kick on such a windy night. I think that the defense probably looked the strongest that they have all season. I mean SUGGS?! That guy was a brick wall! Ray Lewis was a definite presence as well and I don't blame him for being so upset  after all the hard work the D-Line put into that game. Time and time again, the defense held up their end of the game as the offense repeatedly committed three-and-outs. Ultimately, there was plenty to criticize on both ends of the field and there was also plenty to be proud of. This was an awesome, engaging game to watch and I think we earned the rights to the title of "Biggest Rivalry in the NFL."


As for why I remain optimistic, I think that we have a better shot at winning the last four games of the season than the Steelers do. First of all, the Steelers definitely sustained a lot of injuries last night. They lost Sepulveda for the remainder of the season with an ACL tear which is definitely not ideal. They also have a the challenge of defeating the Jets, a team that has clearly seen great success this season. The Ravens on the other hand have to defeat the Texans, the Saints, Browns and Bengals. Each of these are very winnable games if we play the kind of football we are capable of playing. We absolutely cannot afford a cheap loss and could totally capitalize on a loss on the Steelers behalf. We definitely have a shot at the playoffs and I think we still have a chance at winning the division if things fall in our favor. 


I am still unbelievably proud of my team for some AWESOME football last night! I'm going to put this loss behind me and get excited for our MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL game against the Texans! The Ravens aren't done yet and I can't wait to see how things shake out in the AFC North after these next 4 games!