And just like that, Ole Mo (momentum) is wearing purple, and Raven fans are in off the ledge. A one-game win streak has done wonders for the psyche of Baltimore football fans.
I thought it was a stretch when linebacker Terrell Suggs said the Miami game was a make-or-break deal, but T-Sizzle may have had something there.
A loss to the Dolphins would have extended the skid to four and crushed hopes with it. Instead, Suggs turned in the biggest play of the game with his interception-and-touchdown, and suddenly the sun shines bright on One Winning Drive.
Already our minds are racing ahead; a home win Sunday against the Raiders, then winnable games at Cleveland and at Houston. Hey, a 6-3 record is possible, 5-4 certainly reasonable.
And the what-ifs; that overtime loss in Pittsburgh and that terrible roughing the passer call that cost the Ravens a win over the only undefeated team in the NFL.
With a break or two, the Ravens could be 5-1 – or at least 4-2. And therein lies the beauty of the win at Miami, the glass is now half-full with visions of purple sugarplums dancing in our heads.
A fourth-straight loss would have led to a week of 'What's wrong with the Ravens?' talk and the usual venting by fans and us media types.
Players and coaches may or may not observe our venting, but they're not immune from the emotions that go with the roller coaster ride of an NFL season.
Suggs turned the game around with a defensive touchdown, and the Ravens turned Ole Mo around with a solid team win. Who knows how long happy-time lasts, but in the NFL, you live week to week. For the Ravens and their fans, this week feels a lot better than the last three.
Quick Kicks
- Dallas the football team might have more drama than the old Dallas TV show.
- The only two undefeated NFL head coaches: Jeff Fisher and Jim Haslett.
- Spent Sunday at Lambeau Field – that wasn't the same Peyton Manning the Ravens saw last week. Manning threw two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns (62 and 99 yards). The Packers throttled Manning and his receivers despite missing two starters in their secondary.
- Worth watching this week – St. Louis (can they make it three straight?) at New England and the 5-1 Giants at 5-1 Pittsburgh.
Long-time and respected broadcast journalist Scott Garceau has covered Baltimore sports, including all of its pro football teams, for the last 30 years. Scott, who was the radio voice of Ravens football for the team's first 10 seasons (1996-2005), is a seven-time Maryland Sportscaster of the Year. Garceau is also honored as Baltimore's Pro Football Hall of Fame selector/voter. A native of the Upper Peninsula in Michigan, where he is a member of the area Hall of Fame, Scott has covered the NFL since 1971.
