HEY DIDDLE DIDDLE...DID HE REALLY MAKE IT??
I've seen message boards on various sites and still photos from chargers fans trying to prove that Ray Rice didn't and couldn't have made it on his famous 4th and 29 play. I'd like to put their doubts and allegations to rest. I've read statements to the effect of "how in the world could the ball be spotted at the 33 and a half yard line when his knee was down just in front of the 35?!?!" The answer to that is quite simple. First, the ball wasn't spotted at the 33 and a half. They ref said it would be verbally, but then proceeded to spot the ball just inches in front of the 34. Beyond that, there was a discrepancy as to where Rice had to be in order to get a first down. Lil' Ray did not need to make it past the 34 to get to a first down as was originally indicated by the unofficial yellow line on TV. Part of the reason that everything took so incredibly long was because the officials had to correct the point from which they needed to measure. Then there are blurry still frames that people have pulled up where they claim Ray's knee was down. It's tough to tell at what point the knee actually makes contact with the ground in those pictures in the way that it was tough to tell if Santonio Holmes second foot was touching the turf or just touching the back of his other foot in the 2009 Superbowl against the Cardinals. One has to assume that Gene Steratore has better angles and crisper views than an incredibly blurry picture by CBS.
Even if you refuse to believe my points, as I'm sure some of you will, there is the matter of there not being enough conclusive evidence to overturn a call on the field. The referees watched the tape ad nauseum, moved the ball back just about an entire yard, determined where exactly it was that they needed to measure from, and then had the crew pull the chains taught... The result was a clear first down. If you still believe that the corrected spot was incorrect, please consider that the play which led to the Chargers' final field goal was clearly bogus, and thus, the game could have been tied at 10 or the Ravens could have gotten the ball back and been given a chance to win in regulation. The call on the field was that Bernard Pollard "led with his helmet" on a hit to a receiver on the sidelines. That receiver was not even close to catching the ball, and more importantly, Bernard Pollard hit the receiver in the middle of his torso--and led with his shoulder. So if Chargers fans want to whine about the refs giving the Ravens a chance to tie the game, consider that the Chargers' final points in regulation came as the result of a penalty that didn't even approach being possibly legitimate.
Ray Rice's play was deemed a first down after careful judgement and deliberation by the crew of referees. They had every angle on the play, and corrected the initial erroneous spot. Regardless of the spot correction, Ray still had enough for a first down because of the careful determination of the spot from which they measured with the chains. This was the play of the season for the Ravens and one that will live in Ravens history as one of the greatest moments in one of the most miraculous comebacks this organization has ever managed.
STEELERS WEEK COUNTDOWN: WILL BEN PLAY?
The Ravens very well may have lost in Pittsburgh had the Steelers been led by a healthy Ben Roethlisberger. Though, to be fair, injuries are a part of the game and football is not a game of what-ifs, it's a game of what IS. In this case, Ben was injured as were many players on both teams. Instead of thinking of Big Ben's injured state is a fluke or extenuating circumstances, fans should start to come to grips with the fact that Ben Roethlisberger is rather likely to be seriously injured on any given season. The fact that the Ravens have played against Ben's back-ups 5 times during the 9 seasons he has been in the league and then 3 times during the last 4 years should indicate that the Steelers simply can't count on their quarterback staying healthy with the amount of protection they give him and his style of play.
Ben is known across the league as being just about the toughest quarterback out there for his will and ability to play through serious injuries. Ben has played with a broken foot, a broken nose (thank Haloti Ngata for that bear paw swipe), and even played almost all of last season with a broken thumb on his throwing hand. One can't help but wonder if his insistance on toughing it out and playing through incredible pain (or sometimes getting numbed up at halftime by the doctors) only makes him more prone to ultimately missing games. I can't say I like Ben as I am still convinced he is a sexual predator and he is the leader of the team that I loathe with all of my heart. I do recognize, however, that he is undoubtedly an elite quarterback and when he's healthy he's absolutely dangerous (watch out, ladies! haha just kidding...but not really).
My respect for Ben's quarterbacking skill is exactly why I'd like to see the Ravens play against him in this weekend's upcoming game in Baltimore. The thing that made last season so incredibly thrilling was that the Ravens absolutely dominated the Steelers at home to open up the season, and then Flacco put the team on his back and methodically drove down the field to connect with Torrey Smith on one of the most exciting scoring plays of 2011. Those games felt satisfying because the Ravens finally beat and swept the Steelers with Big Ben AND Troy Polamalu playing. No more excuses, just winning in Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
I don't think there are many fans of either team who wouldn't want to see the Ravens play Ben Roethlisberger. Maybe some Ravens fans would prefer an easier win, but if the Ravens can beat the Patriots in Baltimore, I'm more than confident they'll beat the Steelers in Baltimore. Aside of Ben, the Steelers are incredibly banged up at this point. They've lost tons of offensive linemen and are about to start a rookie offensive lineman (David DeCastro) who has never played a regular season NFL snap against a Ravens pass rush that has looked rather fierce in the last couple of weeks.
The question remains: will big Ben play? Ben has yet to practice, and I actually believe his coaching staff might even prefer him sit this one out as he could use another week to get back to form rather than risking reinjury in a game that the Steelers aren't likely to win with the way the Ravens have played at home this year. With that said, I would be heartbroken if Ben doesn't play. I live for the Ravens-Steelers rivalry--it's one of those things that I think about all year long.
I typically tell myself before the beginning of each season that I won't be too disappointed if the Ravens don't make it to or win the Superbowl as long as they beat the Steelers. I was, of course, heartbroken when the Ravens missed a Superbowl appearance because Lee Evans failed to hold onto the ball and Billy Cundiff effectively cut himself from the team. With that said, I soon looked back on the 2011 regular season with pride for my city, pride for my team, and pride in the greatest academic institution of football in the NFL...BALL SO HARD UNIVERSITY! Let's hope Big Ben is ready to go this weekend because beating the Steelers wouldn't be the same without him. I would rather the Ravens win a 23-20 squeaker against a full Steelers squad led by our most hated villain (now that Hines Ward is retired) than an absolute blowout against Charlie Batch--wouldn't you? Time to get hyped, Baltimore! AS ALWAYS GO RAVENS!!!
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