Week 20 NFL Game Recaps
Patriots 23, Ravens 20
Of course, Cundiff shouldn't have been in that position anyway because Joe Flacco threw a game-winning touchdown to Lee Evans two plays earlier. Unfortunately for Baltimore, Evans couldn't hang on to the football, as Sterling Moore, who was on the practice squad earlier in the year, knocked the ball out of his hands. Moore saved the season for Tom Brady, who has now tied John Elway for most Super Bowl appearances (5) and Joe Montana for most playoff victories (16). If Brady wins in two weeks, it's an easy argument to say that he's the best quarterback in NFL history.
Brady will obviously need to play better in the Super Bowl because his defense isn't good enough to carry the team. If Moore doesn't knock the ball out of Evans' hands, the Patriots would have surrendered a game-winning drive to Joe freaking Flacco. That says it all.
Flacco deserves a ton of credit for this near-victory because he was handicapped by Cam Cameron's atrocious play-calling. Cameron decided to run the ball on first down on the opening three drives, putting Flacco in second-and-long each time. The Ravens consequently had to punt on all three occasions.
Cameron's play-calling would improve, but he really screwed up on the penultimate drive of the fourth quarter. He had Ray Rice run a draw on 3rd-and-3 on the New England 30 - a down in which the Ravens couldn't lose yardage no matter what. Rice was tackled three yards behind the line of scrimmage, forcing Baltimore to go for it on 4th-and-6. Flacco would throw incomplete because of pressure.
If I'm Cameron, I'm sending Cundiff a gift basket (and perhaps a suitcase full of money) because if the kicker doesn't whiff on that field goal, Cameron would have been the easy scapegoat.
Ed Dickson, meanwhile, really struggled. He had a big drop and was guilty of a crucial false start in the fourth quarter.
Giants 20, 49ers 17
Seriously, how big was Ginn's knee injury? If he's in the game, the 49ers don't muff a punt and fumble a return in overtime. You really have to feel for Kyle Williams. Unlike Billy Cundiff, Williams' main job isn't returning punts. He was in the game because Ginn was hurt. That doesn't excuse his two crucial mistakes that led to 10 New York points, but if you're comparing Williams to Cundiff, it's no contest. The kicker was more responsible.
Manning went 32-of-58 for 316 yards and two touchdowns. That's an impressive stat line considering the immense pressure he was under. He seldom had time in the pocket and took six sacks (2.5 from Ray McDonald). San Francisco's defense definitely came to play.
As for Alex Smith, he was 12-of-26 for 196 yards and two scores. He made a couple of great throws to Vernon Davis, but two things stick out to me. First, he had an open Kyle Williams downfield for a long touchdown in the second quarter, but overthrew him by about five yards. Second, Smith couldn't convert a third down to save his life. He was 1-of-13 in those situations, with the only positive result coming right at the very end of regulation when the Giants allowed him to complete a pass well short of the end zone.
I don't want you to think that Smith is a lost cause or anything. He made great strides this year, and it wouldn't be fair to dismiss him because of this loss, especially after his late-game heroics versus New Orleans. He deserves a chance with more than one weapon to throw to. Vernon Davis was a monster again (3-112, 2 TDs), but no other Niner receiver or tight end did anything. Michael Crabtree caught one ball for three
My playoff 2011 NFL Power Rankings, will be posted Monday morning.
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Spraynard
01-21-2013
09:31 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx5.49
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After every Ravens playoff win Walt has done nothing but make excuses for why the other team dropped the ball and lost rather than why the Ravens won. Ever think that beating Luck then going on the road to beat Manning and then going on the road again to beat Brady might just mean something else is going on besides the opponents messing up? Give credit where credit is due and stop making excuses.
Big C
01-21-2013
08:45 pm
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I hate to say I told you so, but I did tell you so. The Patriots offense is such a gimmicky, tricky-dicky system that thrives on mistakes and mis alignment. I knew the 2nd half was going to be a problem for the Patriots when they threw every razzle-dazzle play in the book at the Ravens in the 1st half. Plus they aren't build for the physical game the Ravens were going to play. You're damn right Brady quit, he threw that ball away and still got hit. If he'd have kept running, not only would Ngata have stopped him short (uhh he's way faster than Brady) but I promise his night would have ended right there. But this was going to happen. The Ravens have a lot of Talent and the Patriots have a lot of tricks and play in a weak division.
Josh
01-21-2013
05:53 pm
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Even if Brady had gotten the 4 yards, Haloti would have made him pay for it. They were still behind, and they wouldn't be able to come back anyway with a flattened Brady.
Ridley
01-21-2013
04:28 pm
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Ridley lowered his head to deliver the hit/run over Pollard, though....
Zach
01-21-2013
03:09 pm
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The patriots got a few lucky calls
The hit on pitta over the middle: if that wasnt a hit on a defenseless receiver then I don't know what is, if that was Bernard pollard instead of mayo there would have been 9 flag on the field. Ed Reed also got hit on a fair catch and there was no call there. But we're on to the Super Bowl Go ravens! Ps Walt that was a very short recap in which you talked about what the patriots Didnt do rather than what the ravens did do.
f**ing retards
01-21-2013
12:11 pm
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I'm mad because walter is horrible but I comment every week on every single one of his awful articles. I only come to this site to make fun of walter because I have nothing better to do with my life. I hate his analysis and he has nothing good to say...yet here I am...ebonnnnyyyyy and ivooorrryyyyy
AMD
01-21-2013
10:53 am
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Give the Ravens defense the credit it deserves Walter. They beat Manning and Brady on the road in consecutive playoff games. Admittedly this is not the dominant Ravens defense we have seen much of the past decade, but they still got it done when it mattered most.
New England averaged 35 points a game. Baltimore SHUT THEM OUT at home in the second half.
Run-DMG
01-21-2013
10:06 am
xxx.xxx.xxx4.11
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It's time to trade Peytom Branning. He completely melts down come playoff time nowadays.
Sampetra
01-21-2013
09:58 am
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@ Run-DMG
There was nothing dirty about the hit on Ridley. Hard hit? Yes. Dirty? No.
Run-DMG
01-21-2013
09:39 am
xxx.xxx.xxx4.11
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Pollard needs to be suspended before he ends someone's career or kills them. He's not a monster; he's a dirty punk.
Sherm13
01-21-2013
08:52 am
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On what planet is Patrick Ching's injury considered "key"?
He is terrible, a penalty machine on special teams an is behind Gregory and Wilson on the depth chart. Chung will be gone anyway after the season and has been completely useless this year.
Jimmy the Duke
01-21-2013
03:29 am
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So I wonder what the over-under is going to be on the number of times analysts say "Harbowl" over the next two weeks? even if it is 4 million Id still bet on over...
Adam C
01-20-2013
11:46 pm
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That NFC Championship was mostly due to the 49ers defense not Colin Kaepernick.
Walter's Ravens Patriots Recap
01-20-2013
11:31 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx1.43
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The Ravens are clearly the worst team in football. Look at all the things that had to happen for them to win.
-- The officiating sucked. The Patriots were flagged for 4 penalties. If it was called properly the Ravens would have had 190 yards worth. -- The instant replay was also flawed. Clearly the Patriots never really turned the ball over, these should have been overturned. -- The weather was clearly a factor. Tom Brady was clearly out of his element. -- 2 of Baltimore's 3 touchdowns should not have counted because I bet on New England, but Vegas rigged the game anyway. -- Finally, aliens changed the outcome by using mind control on Bill Belichick. Basically the Ravens suck and should have lost about 48-2. Next week they will lose by at least that much.
Stupid Articles
01-14-2013
11:26 pm
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Ravens-Broncos analysis summary - Officiating went ravens way (boy, who didn't expect that from Walt), Flacco's big day was only because of Bailey (he is not the only DB on the field you know)
^ More BS excuses from "I bet against the ravens again" Walt |
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