This is where Ozzie Newsome earns his pay. Every team suffers from injuries, although the Ravens have had more than their share the last two years. But are the back-ups servicable players in the NFL? The secondary was not last year and that started all whole implosion. Will the same thing happen with the O-line? Good coaches and good talent evaluators can overcome injuries. Bellichek and the Patriots are hanging tough with a lot of injuries. Let see if Harbaugh can keep the Ravens together.

i attended the game in person...

Flacco is going to be a star, he made some very good decisions. He looked through all his reads.

He has a great arm. It was extremely windy on the field.

4 plays sum up the game:

1. jacobs run at the start. he should have been brought down, then reverses field for big run

2. Stover's blocked FG was HUGE! it took away 3 points and gave them the ball inside their 25 yard line. 10 point swing.

3. The Ravens completely dominated the second half until Mason's unfortunate drop that led to a pick for a TD. Giant fans were starting to worry, the Ravens were back in the game. Fluke play. Mason is a true pro.

4. Game was over when Bradshaw broke for 75 yard run. Give fabian Washington credit for not giving up on the play.

I keep hearing how the giant ran all over the Ravens - bottomline, they had 3 runs for over 125+ yards. Jacobs was hit very hard several times and didnt return to the game.

The Ravens need to sign a nice free agent WR, CB, and draft more O line and D line help for depth. This team is for real. Next year, they could win the Superbowl.

The Ravens really miss Dwan Landry and Chris Mcalister on run support, and Ed Reed is not a force coming up to the line of scrimmage as he used to be. Willis Macgahee literally stole the money from the Ravens and I think they should activate Marcus mason from the practice squad for Sunday.

Where's Heap?

If one or two of the tackles definitely have to sit for an extended period, can't Ozzie entice J.O. to fill in here and there? Other PRO football players have temporarily come back out of retirement to help their teams get over the hump when they had a chance at the postseason.

Doesn't sound good for Gaither, at least this week, this could hurt them down the stretch but I'm still saying they'll be fine. It would be nice for them to draft a little more depth on the O-line this coming year, still they've been pretty solid this year.

Mya:

Those are exceptional observations. I will alter one of your statements. however. It's more likely that Brandon Jacobs got hurt running over Ravens' defenders as opposed to being hit by them. He ran over Reed once and made the all-pro look like a rag doll trying to hold on. He gave another Raven a shoulder into the chess near the goal line, and I'm sure he will spend the week in the suana trying to recover

At one point, even Ray Lewis was going for the ball as opposed to making physical tackles. Ray looked less than the stellar LB when he whiffed a tackle in the middle of the line. Some will say he overran the play. I say Ray wanted no part of that back coming at him. Ray never misses that kind of opportunity. This team was intimidated early and was eventually dominated by a more physical team, more powerful team.

Firstater,

I don't believe the Ravens were so much intimidated as over-eager. It seemed they were so amped up they overpursued a lot, missed a lot of tackles and got out of it early. I wil give them credit for coming back .

If Mason's deflection was the backbreaker. Stover's missed field goal was the almost a bad. That was a 10 point swing; the Ravens lost 3 and then gave up 7.

How much longer do we have to put up with Stover's misses and blocked kicks? The block was kicked so low it almost hit an offensive lineman in the butt! He is so pathetic and we're already wasting an extra roster spot because he can't kick off anymore. Why not let the kid take over FGs and kickoffs?

Ebe,
You're right that teams suffer injuries. But you are glossing over the severity of the situation when you suggest this is a test of Ozzie's ability to have decent back-ups in the wings.

When Adam Terry went down on the right side, his back up was Willie Anderson. Good move by Ozzie. If both Terry and Anderson are out, the next man on the depth chart is Marshal Yanda. A great choice by Ozzie and his staff in the third round out of Iowa a couple years ago. Except, ooops, Yanda is on IR. That leave David Hale, fourth on the depth chart and a 4th round pick out of Weber State. David may be a player someday, but not a guy you select to be your starting right tackle under any circumstances.

On the left side, Ogden retired, and they were ready for it. Ozzie had plucked Jared Gaither out of the supplemental draft, which cost the team only a fifth round pick. Adam Terry is his back up. If Terry can't go, the last man on the depth chart on that side is O'Neil Cousins, another rookie and another project.

It took three years for Chris Chester to go from "bust" to playing very well at right guard this year.

If third-string, late round rookies are your starting tackles on both sides, you're in trouble, and it's unfair to expect otherwise.

easywriter-
I saw a couple things I wanted to respond to- but your post took the cake- criticizing Stover??? r u serious? He has been unbelievably reliable for us for so long that we easily forget how many teams suffer missed kicks (and blocks) EVERY WEEK! The problem is right now we are still getting to the point where we can overcome it. We ALMOST did come back until the pick 6- but come on man. You need to give Stover a break. Yes it hurts whenever a kick is missed- much less blocked- but of all people making mistake (missed tackles, penalties)- to call out Stover is just plain cheap.

I'll also comment on the "intimidation" comment... I highly doubt the Ravens were intimidated. They may have been stunned and somewhat shell shocked- and therefore even more aggressive than they were already in pursuit- but to say they were intimidated is a farce. As has been pointed out, the Ravens regrouped and did begin to stop the run. Just erasing the 76 yard run suddenly puts the Giants rushing totals in a much more bearable state.
This was a game on the road- against a great team who is also playing extremely well, in very tough conditions, and with some horrible breaks on top of the fallible run defense. The fact that we had a chance in the 3rd quarter tells me more than the final score or rushing stats do.

The injuries are the only thing that will do us in- just funny how it rarely gets brought up. Yet when commentators talk about the Steelers and patriots- it's always "Wow the way they keep playing at a high level with all of their injuries..."

We just need to hope McNabb takes another week before bouncing back for one of his signature all-pro games.

One last thing on Giants game, Mya got it right on the money but the ravens knew j acobs was going to hit the heart of Rav D and bang I was stopped by his own teamate because of the ravens push, he then bounced outside for 36 yards.
Ball game. I agree With Coach Harbough. three plays, not 20 points.