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December 3, 2007

FINAL: Pats 27, Ravens 24

BY SHALISE MANZA YOUNG
Journal Sports Writer

BALTIMORE — Baltimore Ravens head coach Brian Billick said last week that last night’s prime time game against the New England Patriots was his team’s Super Bowl. And the Ravens came darn close to pulling off the upset on the grand stage.

But when push came to shove, the Ravens flagged.

As in penalty flags.

Baltimore committed two costly penalties which led to New England’s game-winning touchdown — an eight-yard pass from Tom Brady to Jabar Gaffney, who came down with both feet barely in bounds with 44 seconds to play — as the Patriots kept their perfect season alive with a come-from-behind, 27-24 victory.

“[Brady] made a great throw,’’ said Gaffney. “I was able to get both feet down.’’

The play was reviewed by officials in the press box, but upheld the call.

“I wasn’t nervous at all,’’ said Gaffney of the review. “I knew I had it.”

“I told him, that was the best catch of his career,’’ said Brady. “It was a hell of a time to do it.’’

But as back-and-forth and just zany as the final minutes of the game were, the Ravens very nearly pulled off the improbable win, as Kyle Boller’s Hail Mary with seconds left on the clock was caught by Mark Clayton – but Clayton was gang-tackled at the 3-yard line with time expired.

After the 30- and 40-point victories recorded by New England this season, Bill Belichick insisted that his team still had work to do, though to most observers, it seemed like Belichick was being unreasonable.

But last night, weaknesses were exposed, particularly in the run game, on both sides of the ball.

“I was proud of the way they played when it was all on the line and we had to make some plays,’’ said Belichick. “We made most of them.’’

Even so, people now believe Belichick when he says his team isn’t perfect … even if their record still is.

“There were a lot of things we didn’t do as well as we need to do,’’ he said. “Special teams, we couldn’t stop them on defense at times, offense . . . you name it.’’

As for the Ravens, their game plan was mainly give the ball to Willis McGahee.

And the plan worked.

New England’s defense, which came into the game as the sixth-best in the NFL against the run, could not find an answer for McGahee, who was traded to Baltimore from Buffalo at the beginning of this season.

The Patriots had allowed but one 100-yard rusher this season, the Colts’ Joseph Addai, but McGahee added his name to that short list, with 138 yards on 30 carries and a touchdown. He added four catches for 21 yards.

Many of McGahee’s runs went behind Pro Bowl left tackle Jonathan Ogden, who missed five games earlier this season with a toe injury.

New England handed the ball to Laurence Maroney early on, but the second-year back was making no progress against the Ravens’ run defense. Kevin Faulk had some success, but the biggest rushing gain of the night for New England was from Brady, who picked up 12 yards on a fourth-down play on the Pats’ last possession.

On that play, Samari Rolle was flagged for illegal contact, a five-yard penalty that put New England on the 18. Kevin Faulk picked up five yards on first down, but the Patriots didn’t do anything on second and third downs, and Brady looked to Benjamin Watson in the end zone on fourth down.

But Jermaine Winborne was called for holding, putting the Patriots on the eight-yard line with a fresh set of downs.

On the next play, Brady went to Gaffney on the left edge of the end zone. Gaffney got both feet in, and after review, the catch stood up.

Linebacker Bart Scott was not happy with the play, and was flagged for both a personal foul and for picking up one of the yellow penalty flags and throwing it into the stands. Those two penalties, combined with a five-yard penalty on the PAT, meant Stephen Gostkowski was kicking off from the Baltimore 35-yard line and all but assured the Ravens would have too much distance to travel on their final drive.

“You’ve got to be smarter than that,’’ said Baltimore coach Brian Billick of Scott. “You can’t be a dumb football player.’’

It was a physical night, with a lot of trash talking.

New England began the game in a 4-3 defense, which they had used for stretches this season, particularly in Buffalo two weeks ago. Outside linebacker Rosevelt Colvin was placed on season-ending injured reserve last week, and take advantage of the team’s depth at defensive line was theorized as an option for the Patriots.

However, they did switch back to the 3-4 during the first half.

Boller had been sacked 10 times in Baltimore’s previous two games, and the Ravens had committed 17 turnovers during their losing streak, but there were no such problems last night. Boller was kept upright, and had not turned the ball over, though he had attempted just 14 passes.

The Patriots couldn’t get much going offensively early on. Baltimore committed three penalties on consecutive plays on New England’s first possession, and the Pats had first-and-goal from the one yard line.

But a pass to Benjamin Watson in the back of the end zone was broken up by Ray Lewis, and a handoff to Heath Evans pushed the offense back two yards. Brady went to Watson again on third down, in nearly the same spot, and the tight end dropped the ball.

Stephen Gostkowski made a 21-yard field goal to give New England three points.

Baltimore would go ahead 10-3 on a four-yard touchdown pass from Boller to Derrick Mason and a 29-yard field goal by Matt Stover.

But looking to make progress, New England went to the no-huddle and saw immediate success, completing back-to-back passes for Donte Stallworth. A pass interference call on Chris McAlister on Randy Moss in the end zone gained the Patriots another first down at the one, and on second down, Heath Evans barreled over the line for the tying score.

The score remained that way into halftime, though there was a crazy play at the close of the opening half.

Brady dropped back and looked for Wes Welker, and Welker missed the catch, tipping the ball up into the air. Baltimore’s ball-hawking safety, Ed Reed, plucked the ball out of the air and took off. But around the New England 30, Kevin Faulk hit him and got his helmet on the ball, forcing Reed to fumble.

Watson came up with the ball, giving the Patriots a new set of downs. There were only seconds left in the half though, and Maroney was handed the ball twice to run out the clock.

The Ravens would claim the lead again just after the half, giving the ball to McGahee on six of the eight plays in the drive.

New England answered with a long drive, punctuated by a three-yard pass to Randy Moss for Moss’ 17th touchdown and Brady’s 40th scoring pass of the season.

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