Hey Mike, just wondering, where is the grade for coaches in your Grade the Ravens segments. I thought you did it for Billick, and I was looking forward to an "F-" for this week. Doesn't seem to be too much complaining about the huge coaching mistakes before halftime.

At leat Mike Carey wasn't officiating or he would have said Suggs went after Collins with "malice in his heart". What a joke that call was! Where was the call when the Titans defender knocked Flacco to the ground during a penalty?

you are right
can the refs be held accountable at all for their bad calls?

It has nothing to do with the defense. It has everything to do with being the anti-nfl of today. We like to hit and hit and hit and play with swagger. Isnt that how you played in the playground as a kid? You and I both know this is about modell moving to baltimore. Let's just be honest. It's BS. and they need to get over it. That play was the tipping point. It was ridiculous.

I agree with your observation about the Ravens' reputation preceding them. Although it was a bad call, I also thought that play was the closest Suggs got to the quarteback all day. He wants to be paid like a premier pass rusher, but he's not. His sacks this year have been coverage sacks coming 6-7 seconds after the ball is snapped. You never see Suggs just beat an offensive tackle on a pure speed rush, which is what separates the league's elite pass rushers from merely good ones. While I'm sympathetic to Suggs about yesterday's undeserved roughing call, in general I think he should stop talking so much and start worrying more about improving the Ravens' weak pass rush, which was exposed during the rest of that drive by the Titans.

Especially since it was okay for the Titans to toss Flacco to the turf earlier in the game.

Of course it has an impact. If someone was constantly "jawing" at you, wouldn't you be a little quick to pull out the flag?

They should say "Yes, Sir" and "No, Sir," and nicely hand the officials the ball. And when we have a call that goes against us, they should say, "Sorry Sir, won't happen again."

Although the Suggs call was a terrible one, we had far too many un-sportmanlike conduct calls. Still think that Harbaugh should suspend players that committ them. Obviously, the discipline message is not getting through.

You may be right, BUT if that is true, then it is disgraceful conduct by the refs and they should be fired. It should never be forgotten that 71,000 people pay their hard earned money to see a game. They have every right to demand that officials call the game straight down the line, no matter what their personal feelings are. Failure to do that calls into question the intregity of the game.

That call on Suggs was like something seen in the NBA -- a game changer -- didn't an NBA ref end up in prison for making calls on purpose to change games? --- I think it happened in the NFL yesterday and I think they (The NFL) need to meet and talk about it ---- heck we can't even get a call in our own stadium --- how are we ever going to be get one on the road -- I am tired of it -- just like I'm tired of this never ending presidential race going on while the country falls apart -- hell, football is our escape and the ref looked like he came down for the game from Wall Street.

I agree it's so obivious it's laughable. But; the only way to get it to stop is let it wear it's self out by behaving and not self destructiog , the way the "T"'s did in the first hald. Their behavior was petty compared to past Raven's nonsense.

This should be a rebuilding time a time to learn how to not only play together but; do it like grown men.

I think Harbaugh has done this team an injusting throwing words like dynasty around before his house is in order.

Lots of work has to be done with Joe Flacco and the offense. Because they are showing signs of life doeasn't make them even close to good. The bar has been so low in the past awe get a tough down and silly people start saying playoffs.

Not this year but; we can be respectable.

Mike, you say Suggs barely touched the helmet. OK, I agree with you there. However, that statement means contact was made. What is the rule? If you barely break the end zone, you score a touchdown. If you barely make a tackle, it counts. If a field goal barely makes it through the uprights you score 3 pts. barely committing a foul by barely contacting a quarterbacks helmet, incidental or not, I thought is an infraction. Am I wrong?

hey greg, I think he said Suggs barely touched Collins, he never said he touched his helmet. Watch the play and it is true Suggs touched Collins, on the shoulder pad, not the helmet. Refs need to stop calling what they think they see, ONLY what they actually see, just like you need to stop reading what you think you see, only read what you actually see.

Why are the Ravens wearing black thghts??

Is it a penalty when a defensive player pats the quarterback on the head after a good play? They should look at this rule and go the way of the face mask penalty. If there is incidental contact without force, no penalty.

they put the QB's in dresses in the nfl years ago. barely may still be contact but its ridiculouse. football is supposed to be a rough tough sport but theyve made the qb's out to be sissies and it started in the early nineties.
having said that, the Ravens werent supposed to win the game. the nfl is a money machine, and the league will do nothing about bad call. every close game there is a call/ non call or 3 that directly impact the games outcome because the team thats supposed to win must win. think about who owns the casinos in vegas- the mob. who sets the odd.. the casinos in Vegas noqw run by... the mophia. its common knowledge. how do you think the mob went legit? now they have the ref's and possibly league in there back pockets to control the gambling. thats how they all make their money, and untilo all the naieve sports fans realize that, THEN I FEEL BAD FOR YOU ALL. THE NBA PROVED MY POINT LAST YEAR! the mophia and ref's already know who will be playing in the super bowl this year and next. cut and dry closed case!

Greg you are correct. It is always, "Rules as written". So ANY contact is a violation. However, I would not have made that call, and I am a Titans fan. The Ref still is the judge of when to apply the rule.

Greg:

Yes you are wrong. The rule states that if the defender makes a blow to the QB's head, intentional or not, its a penalty. The league words these types of penalties like that to leave open the referee's ability to use that all encompassing "incidental contact" call that you see every week. Its why some pass interference calls are not called because there was only "incidental contact". In regular and slow motion you can't call what Suggs did anything but "incidental contact". That call should never have been made.

how else do you explain such blatently obviouse calls and especially all the obviouse penelties/non penelties that get called that makes everyoone watching scratch there heads week in and week. we aLL SEE IT- REFSA CANT POSSIBLY BE THAT STUPID, BLIND, OR MISTAKE PRONE!

Of course our reputation precedes us in a game.However,I wish our guys would swagger up to the refs a little more often and ask how their families are doing,how're they feeling,talk about the weather,something to take any edge off before a game.Pat 'em on the back(no butts),give them water,whatever;it can make things a little better for them in the long run.

THEY NEED TO GO BACK ABOUT 30 YEARS, WHEN QB'S WERE REAL MEN. THEN SUGGS COULD REALLY HAVE KILLED COLLINS FOR REAL, INSTEAD OF SLAPPING HIM ON THE SHOULDER PAD. THE REFS HAVE WAY TOOOO MUCH POWER AND NEED TO BE DEALT WITH ACCORDINGLY. IN FACT MAYBE THEY SHOULD RE THINK WHO IS OFFICIATING THE GAMES. MAYBE THE NFL NEEDS TO GET A TOTALLY NEW CREW FOR NEXT YEAR. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THEY ARE ALWAYS VOCAL POINTS OF THE GAME WHEN THEY SHOULDN'T BE THE TALK OF THE GAME. THE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO MAKE SUCH GAME CHANGING CALLS, AND IF THEY DO MAYBE THE REFS CALLS SHOULD BE UNDER SOMESORT OF BOOTH REVIEW CONSTANTLY!

It has nothing to do with if it really happened that way or not, Its only how the referee sees it that matters. Its just part of the game if it's not reveiwable. Take it as part of the game and just move on. The Ravens players should.

"the Ravens werent supposed to win the game. the nfl is a money machine, and the league will do nothing about bad call. every close game there is a call/ non call or 3 that directly impact the games outcome because the team thats supposed to win must win. think about who owns the casinos in vegas- the mob. who sets the odd.. the casinos in Vegas noqw run by... the mophia. its common knowledge. how do you think the mob went legit? now they have the ref's and possibly league in there back pockets to control the gambling. thats how they all make their money, and untilo all the naieve sports fans realize that, THEN I FEEL BAD FOR YOU ALL. THE NBA PROVED MY POINT LAST YEAR! the mophia and ref's already know who will be playing in the super bowl this year and next. cut and dry closed case!"

agreed. this happens too much to be a coincidence.

I agree, the call was terrible and should not have been made. Just like the non-call where Albert Haynesworth took Joe Flacco down to the turf in the first half. The whistle had obviously been blown and the only one that continued the play was Haynesworth, off-sides was the only call.

I think the refs need to be full time refs. They need to practice during the week just like players. They should study all the plays that are sent to the NFL for review so they can see the difference of what is or isn't a penalty. Too many times the NFL agrees with the team that a certain play was or wasn't a penalty but nothing is done for the wrong call being made, even if it means a team not making the playoffs because of it. How can the refs call a "SLIGHT" tap on the helmet a personal foul, when noone heard the whistle but, NOT call a personal foul when Flacco is THROWN VIOLENTLY (in front of the same ref) to the ground when everyone heard the offsides whistle. The reason?????? The refs are "yes men" thats why. They do what the NFL SAYS to do. Just like the NFL snubbing us with a franchise. It was OK for Indy to steal our team but when we play by the NFL RULES and we offer the best package (including expansion cities' offers) we're told to build a museum. We didn't steal the Browns, Modell moved them. The Colts snuck out in the middle of the night. The NFL still has it out for us and we all see the results.

The patriots game last year, the titans game this sunday and countless other games... the ravens have gotten the short end of the stick with officiating and its cost us every game... I AM NO CONSPIRACY THEORIST BUT THIS IS BECOMING BLACK AND WHITE AFTER THE PAST FEW YEARS... its safe to assume the NFL hates the ravens... and i hate saying that but its obvious folks

This is all just whining, thinking that the Ravens are singled out. Nonsense. There have been far more egregious calls against other teams, calls that really meant something. Cutler's "incomplete pass" in Denver against SD, Polamula's "no interception" against Manning in the AFC championship, etc. The Ravens aren't singled out. They are just feeling sorry for themselves and avoiding taking responsibility. Grow up.

Rick, lets look at these incidents... w/o the Bettis fumble/big Ben tackle colt's win. and SD just lost to Miami running a college offense. Calls like these change Seasons not just games. the refs have been showing out since that detroit 22 penalities game. Gotta Love Em'.

While Suggs isn't the most disciplined player at all, he was innocent on that call. If his hand touched the helmet than it just barely grazed it and shouldn't have been called but I don't even see that on the replays. This was an awful call and it was part o the reason that cost us the game, not the full one though.

Hey Rick,just wondering where you are from and why it's ok for The SD fans to complain and the Colts fans to complain,but not our fans.Obviously you're from someplace else or a fan of somebody like the Foreskins or something.Because you're sure no Ravens fan.Find another blog jacka**.I guess you thought the Ravens-Patriots game last year was well-officiated too,huh?

there are bigger concerns than the refs.
I liked the dismissal of Billick and the giring of the younger Harbaugh. But I am concerned about the coach's decisions and lack of them.
His refusal to challenge the missed TD in the first quarter of the Steelers game, and the subsequent shut down of the offense in the last 2 minutes after gaining momentum by scoring on a long TD march, and stopping the Steelers cold on the next series, was gutless to me.
Then in the tItans game, he goes very conservative throughout, and continues to run McGahee who is eassily stoppable, instead of McClain who appears to be unstoppable.
McClain is the most reliable back now, and yet he is getting limited play, when he appears to be a very capabale work horse.
Give McClain the ball, reminds me of a younger Bettis.

These calls against the Ravens are startin to get ridiculous. I might be more inclined to let the call go if the refs had made the same call when Haynesworth freakin plowed the center over and threw Flacco on the ground. And what did we get for that...OFFSIDES!?! I wonder if they woulda made the same call if Flacco came up injured, I doubt it. As much as I hate to say it, the NFL clearly hates the Ravens organization. You would never see a call like this against the Patriots, the Colts or hell, you don't even see it against teams that suck like the Rams or the Raiders. This is just freakin insane

How about just cutting out the swagger, the show off, the celebration, the bs, and just play football, smash mouth, hard hitting football. Get up off the ground and hit them again. I fail to see the relevance of getting up and pounding your chest in victory when the previous play were for 7, 10, 20, 17 yards etc. The next play is for 3 yards and we pound our chests. Play football and pound your chest when you win. Stop injuring your soft selves from all the chest pounding. Wait until you win and then pound yourselves. Just win. Just win. That's how teams like the steelers do it. Win first then pound your chests. I love you guys. I am a ravens fan to the end. Born and raised in Baltimore. I live in Steeler country so I get so embarassed when we lose for stupid, undisciplined, boneheaded plays that cost us the game. To hell with the referees. Stay strong and hit, hit and hit and shut up, shut up, play football damnit, play football damnit. You guys are great. I am impressed so far. You should be 4-0. People around here are even talking about it. What the hell are you waiting for. You have been better than any team you have faced so far. I watch every game. It wasn't even close. You dominated. I mean completely dominated. Do it damnit, just do it, what are you waiting for. Do it for yourselves. You are one of the best teams out there. Get past the problem.

Can't wait until this Sunday in Indy - look for flags, whistles, horns and bells if anyone gets within shouting distance of Manning.