Billick's news conference
Under siege from a barrage of criticism from media and fans, Ravens coach Brian Billick elaborated on his decision to send in kicker Matt Stover instead of trying to get into the end zone on fourth-and-goal from the Dolphins' 1-yard line with 12 seconds left and the Ravens trailing, 16-13.
Billick said had he given the signal to go for it, the Dolphins -- and especially, defensive coordinator Dom Capers -- would have stuck everyone on the line of scrimmage to dissuade the Ravens from giving the ball to running back Willis McGahee.
“I know this: Had we gone for it, if they could have snuck a 12th man onto the field, all 12 would have been up in the gaps and sold out totally for the run," Billick said. "That’s from our analysis. I guarantee it – knowing Dom Capers – that that’s exactly what they would have done."
With that in mind, Billick continued, the next step would have been to send in a play-action call with the hope that rookie quarterback Troy Smith could avoid an incompletion or interception.
"So a play-action pass would have been good because their calculation would have been, ‘Maybe it’s a bad pass, maybe we get it tipped, maybe it’s blocked or maybe it’s dropped,’" Billick said. "Had we done that after what we had done to get down there and any of those things had happened, I can imagine what the critique would have been today about the play call. So in a very short, heated time, the comment was, ‘You know what? We’ve worked hard to get it to this point. We have confidence. We’ll go ahead and kick it.’ Should we have gone for it? Yeah, certainly, we could have. And they wanted to, and I certainly understood that.”
Other notes:
*In addition to predicting a healthy Kyle Boller for Sunday's contest against the Seattle Seahawks, Billick said he is optimistic that linebacker Ray Lewis will be able to play despite a dislocated finger on his left hand. "Ray’s finger [is] very uncomfortable," Billick said. "But there again, come Wednesday, they think they can do enough things to splint it up and take care of it that he should be available on Sunday.”
*While Matt Stover accepted the blame for hooking the 44-yard field-goal attempt wide left in overtime, CBS analyst and former quarterback Rich Gannon seemed to place the blame on long snapper Matt Katula for a high snap. Billick declined to take a side on the matter.
"The mantra is that always every good kick, every bad kick has three parts – the snap, the hold and the kick," Billick said. "And any one of the three could be the reason. Matt would take the heat on himself. I don’t know if it was a bad snap or not.”
*Billick said while it wasn't clear whether tight end Todd Heap (hamstring) and cornerback Samari Rolle (shoulder) would be able to play Sunday, it was clear that going on injured reserve was not an option for either player.
"Until we put them on IR, we’re obviously hoping that there’s some opportunity to play," Billick said. "They want to. We’ve had those discussions with them. ‘Look, we’re at the point in the season. Do you just want to go on IR?’ Neither one of them are at that point. They want to play these last two games. So right now, that’s where we’ll proceed, and hopefully, both will be available this week. But we won’t know until we get into the week.”
*Offensive coordinator Rick Neuheisel was reportedly interviewed by UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero on Friday for the Bruins' vacant head-coaching position. Billick endorsed Neuheisel, saying, "You would certainly think an alumnus, someone with Rick’s caliber or his credentials and what he has done. But to comment on what the selection process is on colleges across the country is hard to understand. Again, being an alumnus, you would think that and his record would weigh heavily in their decision.”
Mike Preston has been with The Baltimore Sun since 1983. Prior to becoming a columnist in 2000, he covered the Ravens for four years. Preston is a native of Essex and a graduate of Towson State University, where he played football. 
Jamison Hensley covers the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun. 
Comments
Memo to Billick: "No guts, no glory"! What a loser!
Posted by: The "Armchair" QB | December 17, 2007 4:47 PM
Not playing Smith at this point is inexecusable in my opinion. While I do not want the Ravens to lose Sunday so they get a better draft pick, I could honestly care less whether they win or not (although I think there is no chance that this team will go accross the country and win a game considering their road record over the past few years). I would rather see Smith in a full game against a playoff calibre team. Why not? You know what you have with Boller. He'll complete just over 50 percent of his passes for 150 -200 yards with one td, one or two interceptions and he'll be sacked 4 to 5 times. Nothing against Kyle, but I've seen enough of that. Any Ravens fan (or coach!!) that thinks this team has a chance in '08 with Boller at QB is smoking something.
Posted by: frox | December 17, 2007 4:51 PM
For one if BB would have any BALL it would of been a QB sneak not even a half of a yard .I bet a million dollar Troy smith would of made it .One more thing Troy Smith is ready the only preson that don't see that is BB !
BB need to GO ! ! !
Posted by: John | December 17, 2007 4:56 PM
And therein lies the problem. Had the Dolphins "sold out totally for the run", a decent QB would find one of the wide-open receivers. Or if you go with a 3-wide / 4-wide set, they CAN'T sell out for the run in such grand fashion. Or if you have any confidence in your center, you QB sneak for HALF A YARD. Spread out the defense and run the ball. Other teams do it. If you don't like the coverage, audible to play action and hope a TE can get open.
Unfortunately the Ravens don't have confidence in EITHER ONE of their quarterbacks to pull off something you see a dozen other QBs do EVERY WEEK.
Posted by: Eric | December 17, 2007 5:41 PM
Has anything changed about Billick's status as head coach? Any murmurings about a Bisciotti recantation? What do you think will happen in regards to the head-coaching situation? My fingers are crossed tightly.
Posted by: Mike | December 17, 2007 5:48 PM
Billeck's now in Damm if you do Damm if you don't territory. No matter what he did if the end result was a loss he was wrong, if the Ravens had won then he would have just been lucky.
Tough season - ITS OVER. Let's take a close look at Boller and Smith and let the kids play and get experience. These next 2 games are not worth more injured players.
Posted by: grey32 | December 17, 2007 6:09 PM
I'm gettin tired of Brian billick of saying Kyle Boller need a oppurtunity to grow he's been in the league for five years how much growing can there be.
If the owner don't put fire under billick telling him to start playing to win and not to lose or the next best thing fire him, there won't be alot of people comin to the games next season.
Posted by: D.T | December 17, 2007 7:21 PM
Why are we stuck with the two worst owners in sports. Peter Angelos & now, Steve Bishotti. They are both "Baltimore guys" and yet they both suck. How embarrasing. Perhaps Baltimore needs non-Baltimore owners to have any chance of winning or at this point, respectable franchises. They have no vision. We miss you Art Modell.
Posted by: DROSE | December 17, 2007 7:29 PM
What ever happened to some ole fashioned, you know what's coming let's just line up and find out who's better. Man on man. This is football right? Stop overthinking it.
Posted by: Cesar | December 17, 2007 8:07 PM
They are simply the worst football team in the NFL. Outcoached by everyone, poor second string players, a QB crisis, a roster of talent on disability. Everything that could go wrong, has gone wrong for them.
As the eternal optimist, there is always next year.
Wishing all the diehard fans and writers at the Baltimore Sun a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Posted by: Evan | December 17, 2007 8:10 PM
Billick can not win with you clown's(oh sorry fans) If he had gone for It and they had not scored you would want him fired and he did what he did go to overtime and you still give him grief. Fire Billick he has only had 3 losing season's In 9years 2 afc north titles and 1 super bowl ring go ahead and fire him and bring In someone else and turn the Ravens Into the Baltimore colts the last 10years that they were here one of the worst franchise's In all of pro sports. The Ravens were 13-3 last year with an afc north title not 3-13 that Is why he will be back next season. Becareful what you wish for It Is not as bad as It seems.
Posted by: Donta Barrett | December 17, 2007 8:27 PM
Has Billick ever heard of 'over the top'?
They should have practiced for that scenario all year long.
What his is saying...finally...is that he does not trust his offensive line, his QB or his receivers.New England has a package for just such a situation and they employ a few defensive guys...how about Ngata at tight end next to Ogden?
I'm not condemning the call. Under normal circumstances its the right one. Madden kicked a FG under similar circumstances in the 1976 playoff game here against the Colts.
But Billick's team was 4-9, had shown no ability to move the ball in the second half (other than that drive against a less aggressive scheme) and almost no ability to stop Miami's passing game.
A gutsy, confident coach goes for it.
Billick is neither and his team wasn't prepared and hadn't practiced such a thing. So Billick lacks confidence, lacks guts and isn't prepared...not the virtures of a successful coach.
And for those who seem to think the Ravens are an elite organization...think again.If they lose out on the last 2 games, the franchise will have had 6 winning seasons, 6 losing seasons, 1 Super Bowl and a 95-96-1 mark since they arrived from Cleveland...that's at best mediocre, not elite.
Posted by: Ed D | December 17, 2007 8:42 PM
Get rid of this pompous windbag Mr. B. BB wouldn't know how to make a correect call if he fell over it. There are too many good head coaches and leaders out there right now. Bet any of you can think of at least two. The Ravens should have made the play-offs had it not been for BB. When is this ownership going to wake up? I thought this lack of caring for the fans was an Angelos "thing." BB can talk his way around anything he feels might put him in a negative light. That's his forte, but it's not what he has been collecting millions to do lo these many years.
Posted by: marylandcat2 | December 17, 2007 9:04 PM
BB is a useless loser. I want to puke
Posted by: nick | December 17, 2007 9:27 PM
BB is the worst coach in the league, hands down. I've been wanting them to put in Troy for at least a month now. Troy Smith has all the tools necessary to be a phenomenal starter in the NFL, BUT HE NEEDS A LEGITIMATE CHANCE TO DO IT!!!! What the hell is BB thinking not putting him in. If we win, all we're doing is hurting ourselves come draft time. We have nothing to lose. PUT IN TROY SMITH NOW!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Jimbo the Clown | December 17, 2007 10:09 PM
Billick's reasoning for not going for it on 4th and a foot show exactly why he's a bad coach and obviously doesn't realize it. It also explains most of his strange play calls this year. It seems that Billick tries to out-think the opposing team as opposed to trusting his players. Instead of trusting that Willis McGahee or Troy Smith can run the ball in against a stacked line (I'm fairly sure either could move the ball a foot) he tries to out think and call play action, but there's too much risk in any pass on the goal line so he goes against it and kicks. This explains why he frequently calls pass plays on 3rd and 1, because he's trying to outthink the defense. He seems to think that if he calls a play that the opposing team doesn't expect he's going to have it work. Instead he frequently sees it fail because it's not a logical play call. It's the same reason he'll call pass plays with the lead instead of running out the clock. The opposing team expects Billick to run so he must call a pass. He's letting the opposing defense dictate the offensive strategy...
Posted by: Kyle Grantham | December 17, 2007 10:19 PM
Billick says Kyle Boller gives us the best chance to win this week against the Seahawks.
Funny, the Ravens haven't won a game since he took over for McNair.
Billick just propose to Boller already.
Posted by: Jon | December 17, 2007 10:26 PM
Folks are quick to be critical. Momentum certainly was in Ravens favor. Cuts both ways. Sure could mean we may jam it in. But fins putting it together for one play saves their season. Kicking the field goal and taking the momentum to overtime may be the smart patient route. Mr. Reliable missed. 3 parts to a kick one part erred. Who knows.
You tell me you have a choice: one play to jam it in from 3/4 yard or have Stover kick a 44 yard field goal for the win. Tell me what is your choice. You may have an opinion, but I doubt, in a vacuum, that you are going to call the person an idiot for making the other choice. Those of you who are criticizing Billick for the call on 4th down. This is what it boils down to. Billick's decision got us to this point. You make the call.
Posted by: mps | December 17, 2007 10:29 PM
When you have the longest current losing streak after having lost to the team that previously had the longest losing streak, then you ARE currently the worst ream in the NFL. Against a gassed 0-13 defense, BB demonstrates no confidence in the offense; the defense, who makes Cleo (Who?) Lemon look like Dan Marino, has no confidence in BB. BB has LOST THE TEAM. He needs to GO. NOW. As Jim Rome says, Billick has gone gfrom utless to retarded, Is this what we deserve?
Posted by: Rick | December 17, 2007 10:37 PM
I predict the Ravens first round pick will be someone whose last name is "Long."
Posted by: Doug | December 17, 2007 10:54 PM
what a waste next year will be. I hope steve bisciotti is happy that he will be getting his moneys worth by paying billick next year but at the same time watching the team suffer.
Posted by: Jared | December 18, 2007 3:17 AM
“I know this: Had we gone for it, if they could have snuck a 12th man onto the field, all 12 would have been up in the gaps and sold out totally for the run,"
Bull, in that case, you tell the ref and you would have probably gotten a first down!
Posted by: BB hater | December 18, 2007 8:49 AM
Everyone wants to bash Billick for everything. If I remember correctly the Ravens tied the game, then took the opening drive of OT down the field and got into field goal range. While I will say Billick made some mistakes early in the year by not committing to the run against some of the lesser teams on the schedule, lately his play calling has not been the issue. It has been a lack of execution by the players. Had Stover not shanked the field goal the Ravens would have won. Had the Ravens not held the Patriots TE on fourth down the Ravens would have won. Had Heap not dropped a TD pass against Cincy in week 1 the Ravens would have went to OT in that game. A majority of the blame for this season has to go to the players for not performing.
Posted by: Rick | December 18, 2007 8:57 AM
Again. I can't wait to see our savior Kyle Boller continue to mess up another year in Baltimore. but remember he has allot of potential and will be great quarterback (maybe a coach but not a player)
The ravens should pack up and move we already have one crappy team the o's
Posted by: Derek | December 18, 2007 10:04 AM
Brian Billick: Paralysis by analysis
Posted by: Steve | December 18, 2007 11:04 AM
Troy Smith should have started and played the entire Miami game as well as playing the rest of the year. This does not mean that we would have won the Miami game. However, we are out of the playoffs so let's analyze our inventory. McNair is on IR so his season is over. You know what you have with Kyle Boller. Let's see if Troy Smith can play in the NFL under full game conditions with the opposition game planning for him. He has had the entire year to get acclimated to the speed and complexity of the game. If Troy fails, then you know that drafting a QB will be necessary in April. I would hate to draft a high pick QB when we may have a quality one already on the roster. We have other positions to draft top flight players for. Remember, Troy played in one of the toughest conferences in football and was so successful that he won the Heisman.
Posted by: GimmeRick | December 18, 2007 12:18 PM