They are saying it’s best to “act such as you’ve been there earlier than.” Effectively, this model of the Baltimore Ravens, and any version of the Detroit Lions, hadn’t — so that they acted as such. The Chiefs and the 49ers have, and it confirmed.
For the Lions and Ravens, and all of their followers, it’s going to harm for a really very long time. It’s presupposed to when it signifies that a lot, however particularly whenever you play such a giant function in your individual demise.
“I’m not pissed off in any respect,” Lamar Jackson mentioned after the sport. “I’m indignant about dropping. We’re a recreation away from the Tremendous Bowl. We’ve been ready all this time, all these moments, for alternative like this and we fell quick. However I really feel like our workforce, we’re going to construct this offseason, going to get proper, get higher, grind and attempt to be on this place once more — however on the opposite aspect of victory.”
See, that’s the factor about Jackson and the Ravens beneath his watch — an excessive amount of speaking, not sufficient execution.
“Day by day I take into consideration the Tremendous Bowl,” Jackson mentioned in 2020. “It’s been on my thoughts for the reason that first recreation of the season. Once I acquired drafted, I informed Baltimore that’s what I used to be gonna do. I wanna be just like the (Tom) Brady of my period.”
Quotes like this come again to hang-out you whenever you’re about to win your second MVP and nonetheless haven’t made it to a Tremendous Bowl, and whenever you had your greatest likelihood to this point, you misplaced to the man who’s already on his solution to being the “Brady of your period.”
What we noticed on Sunday in Baltimore wasn’t only a Kansas Metropolis workforce that was lifeless set on making it to the Usher live performance, however a Ravens workforce that simply flat-out choked. The offense that regarded so unstoppable was pedestrian in opposition to the Chiefs’ underrated protection. Jackson threw an idiotic interception and misplaced a fumble. Huge receiver Zay Flowers made a number of silly and emotional choices, as he fumbled into the top zone, acquired a expensive unsportsmanlike penalty for taunting (whereas dropping), and minimize his hand on the bench after slamming it in frustration.
Per week in the past, the Ravens had been the No. 1 contender. On Sunday, they regarded like frauds. However they weren’t the one ones.
One of many Detroit Lions’ claims to fame/infamy is that they had been the primary workforce to go 0-16 and are one of many few NFL franchises which have by no means made a Tremendous Bowl. They had been so shut on Sunday as underdogs on the street, up massive. After which, they blew it.
“We’re not going out like this,” San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan mentioned about his workforce’s mentality at halftime. “Guys didn’t need as we speak to be the final day. We put ourselves in a gap. They performed prefer it within the second half and we had been in a position to get the ball to bounce the proper manner, and we made up for what we did within the first half.”
Detroit tied the document for the most important blown lead in an NFC title recreation, as they gave up a 17-point lead. All 17 of these factors had been scored in an eight-minute span throughout the third quarter. The Lions acquired smacked within the mouth popping out of the locker room, and Dan Campbell’s choice to go for it on fourth down — twice — when he was in area aim vary got here again to chunk him.
“It’s simple hindsight. I get it. I get that, however I don’t remorse these choices, and it’s exhausting,” mentioned the Lions head coach, who has a historical past of being overly aggressive in these conditions. “It’s exhausting as a result of we didn’t come by, and it wasn’t in a position to work out, however I don’t. And I perceive the scrutiny I’ll get — that’s a part of the gig — however it simply didn’t work out.”
If soccer was blackjack, Campbell is the type of man who might have two kings and nonetheless inform the supplier to “Hit me!” And in some unspecified time in the future, we have now to marvel if he’s attempting to win video games or show a degree. One reply appears extra apparent than the opposite.
The NFL virtually had a storybook ending on their fingers, because the Lions and Chiefs opened the season, and had been on monitor for a rematch within the finale — till the “identical ole Lions” confirmed up within the second half. And now we’ll be pressured to cope with much more Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce protection as a result of Baltimore and Detroit couldn’t get it carried out, as we’re now getting a replay of Tremendous Bowl 54. At the very least the halftime present acquired upgraded.
