Next up on the list of problems was the three divisional games to kick off the 2014-2015 season. The home opener in week 1 vs the Bengals was an offensive snooze fest in the first half but heated up in the 3rd and climaxed in the 4th when Steve Smith Sr. made the first of many impact performances in his first season with the squad, an 80 yard catch and run capped off with a controversial face mask move to take the lead. An unanswered 17 point run was snuffed out by an equally impressive 77 yard A.J. Green touchdown, a heartbreaking loss to begin their tumultuous ride. The next two divisional games were nothing short of exciting. Baltimore laid a beating on longtime rival Pittsburgh in a Thursday night game filled with plenty of Front-7 pressure, a common theme the Defense would have throughout and the week 3 tilt was a slobberknocker, resulting in a 23-21 win for the Ravens. In a situation where most teams would collapse, this team took the challenge and ran with it. They accepted the toughest schedule they’ve seen in seasons with open arms, albeit losses did come at horrible times for them.
Once the midpoint of the season arrived, the injuries began to spread like wildfire. Jimmy Smith went down with a season ending foot sprain in week 8 and as if someone had put a wicked curse on the entire secondary, six more cornerbacks ended up on IR soon after. A stat that eventually would be the nail in the coffin come playoff time. Signing off practice squads and picking up other teams unwanted debris was just not the answer to the woes brought on by the plethora of man games lost. Surrendering big yardage gains on numerous 3rd and longs was ultimately their Achilles heel and eventual demise.
With the Ray Rice saga finally in the rear view mirror, The Ravens had a chance to make the playoffs a reality, a miracle considering the odds. Squaring off against the Houston Texans and their 3rd string quarterback, RavensNation was in the drivers seat. Little did they know the effect that phenom J.J. Watt would have on them, strategizing a plan to single block the monster almost every snap gave the Houston defense just enough swagger to boost their team to a victory. Ravens coaches produced a game plan based around the fact a practice squad quarterback was starting, possibly the worst thing you can do on any given Sunday. Although they had help come the final week and did squeak out a second win against the AFC north cardiac kids, Cleveland Browns. They hobbled into their postseason attempt running on fumes and pure adrenaline.
In my honest opinion, if they draw anyone outside of the AFC North division first round, they can basically back that U-Haul up by the time playoffs start. The secondary was stretched much too thin and would have been in way over their heads, figuratively and literally with any pass orientated team, Cue the Patriots. Coming into the divisional round playoff matchup, the weekend some call the most exciting in football. The Ravens held onto the fact they shut down a rather potent pass attack in Pittsburgh the week prior, minus the absence of star RB LeVeon Bell. Entering the game Joe Flacco was riding a streak nearly unheard of, 16 TDs without an interception. This looming record came to a sudden halt when Devin McCourty and Duron Harmon both picked off Joe Cool, ending his unbelievable January efforts and most importantly the Baltimore Ravens hectic and somewhat misconstrued season. The lack of secondary kept Tom Brady and crew alive in the darkest of times, blowing 14 point leads twice in the contest.
*click below*
