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How was that again?

Just when I was starting to think that Rich Gannon had improved a great deal as an analyst since we first began to hear him on CBS' Ravens games, he turned in these comments late in today's game:

*With the five-point spread that ended up being the final score and 2:13 left in the game, Gannon said the Bills had to be concerned about how Ravens place-kicker Matt Stover could hurt them. Unless the NFL just added a six-point field goal, I have no idea what Gannon was talking about.

*When the Bills got a pass interference call on the Ravens in the end zone, Gannon said Buffalo was thinking right, throwing it up and letting its receivers make a play. But earlier in the game, he'd said the Bills were handicapped in the red zone because their receivers were too short for those fade routes in the end zone.

# # #

The Ravens scored only two touchdowns, but apparently it's tough to keep track of them. Interviewing defensive coordinator Rex Ryan after the game, MASN's Amber Theoharis asked him how disappointing was it for the Ravens to come away with nothing after Samari Rolle's interception return for a touchdown was negated because he was ruled down. Ryan quickly reminded her that the Ravens had ended up scoring a touchdown after the interception.

Comments

I guess the Ravens weren't the only ones whose heads weren't in the game.

Come on, we lost, who cares if Rich Gannon makes simple mistakes? Personally, I didn't see pass interference on the play. It looked clean as can be. Not sure who you were trying to diss, but we didn't score a TD after Rolle's was called back. Didn't we go 4 and out and score on the following series? In essence both were right.

(Note from RF: The Ravens scored on fourth down in the series that followed Rolle's interception.)

The only things worse than the Ravens' performance in this game was the announcing duo of Harlan and Gannon. In addition to the things noted above, Harlan said the Bills were looking to take the lead when they booted their last field goal. Problem was, they were already up. These guys also have no idea what is going on. With Mike Flynn lying on the turf, Harlan said it was Grubbs. Unless Grubbs turned white during the game, it was pretty obvious it was not him. They also went to break when the Bills challenged the Ravens' defensive TD rather than showing the play. When Ed Reed was injured, they did not show him getting hurt. Harlan called Lynch McGahee on one play. They never discussed what happened to Ogden during the game, and when McGahee was out, it took them 10 minutes to note that he was getting an IV. Bottom line is it is infuriating watching these CBS broadcasts where all they really care about is letting you know their weeknight TV lineup. These guys are horrible, CBS should be embarassed and the NFL should take them to task for their consistently poor performance. About the only positive thing I can say is at least it was in high def for once!

OK, I hope all you Ravens fans are ready for a dismal season like the Orioles..
Unless this so-called good team plays a lot better than this, playoffs are out this year!

The announcing was on par with the Ravens -- poorly prepared and poorly coached.

The network announcers are generally awful (with very few exceptions). They seem to do little if any studying of the teams involved and seem to lose themselves in their own worthless talk for the sake of just saying something.

Unfortunately, the Ravens radio crew is no better (and getting worse, sort of like the team is) and now with HD broadcasts way too delayed to be useful anyway.

I personally watch the game with no sound, because these high-paid beer salesmen really aren't going to tell me anything I can't see for myself.

I wish Sage Steele was back. She was knowledgeable and asked non-Milquetoast, canned questions.

I hate to say this, because I like Billick as the head coach, and i don't see a better option, but the entire Ravens playbook needs to either be burned, or used as an example of what NOT to do in the NFL.

Perhaps the Ravens could hire an offensive coordinator and have him run his own system???

I think Billick has finally reached the end of my rope as head coach of the Ravens. He does not learn from previous mistakes and his arrogance is becomming too much for this team and city. I am not saying he is not a good coach, but he is not a good coach right now. What happened to the team and play calling from last season??? I guess I look at the dreaded Steelers, and I think Cowher leaving them was the best thing for that team. Sometimes a team gets stuck in a rut with the same coaching and play calling. Cowher and Billick are essentially the same coach, in my opinion. They had good teams, got a Super Bowl ring, but over the course of their tenures, they never were "great" coaches. They got the job done year after year with some winning and some losing seasons, but does Billick really have what it takes to get us back to another Super Bowl? And if that answer is no, then why have him as our head coach?? Because when it is all said and done, we are playing to win the Super Bowl, not just going through the motions of another season. And to point back to the Steelers again, look at the turnaround they have had by a new coach breathing new life into the team. I am certainly not saying the Steelers are as good as the Pats or Colts, but they are certainly better than last year. I truly believe that a new coach is the answer, and while Billick should receive a handshake for a great job over the years as he heads out the door, he should be shown the door immediately. And if your next question is who should be the new coach, I am not sure what the answer is there, but who would have thought that Tomlin would have been the choice, let alone even in the running, when he got his head spot...

I get tired of hearing excuses being made for penalties being comitted by our offensive line. Yes, we are starting three rookies, but its not their first year as offensive linemen. They all have years of experience. These penalties are caused due to lack of focus? Aren't these guys professionals? We look like the East Coast Raiders.

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About Ray Frager
Ray Frager joined The Baltimore Sun’s sports department in 1985 and has been an assistant sports editor for more than 15 years. This is his second stint writing a sports media column for The Baltimore Sun. Most sequels aren't as good as the original, but then, the original wasn't all that great either.

Frager, born in 1957, grew up in northern Delaware (graduating from a high school that since has shut down) and received his bachelor's degree in journalism from Rider College in Lawrenceville, N.J. He worked as a reporter and copy editor at The Trenton Times and The Dallas Morning News before coming to Baltimore.

Surprisingly, if you look at his accompanying photo, Frager is married and has a son and daughter. He enjoys playing basketball and has organized pickup games among members of The Baltimore Sun staff for many years, which means they don't get too mad at him for shooting way too much.

He has a good beat and is easy to dance to. I'd give him an 85.
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