Are you always such a sore loser?

If you actually watched the game, you would have seen a Pats defender get called for the same roughing-the-passer penalty that the Baltimore got -- an unintentional hand to the face of the QB. Both were ticky-tack.

As for the other Ravens roughing penalty, if you've paid attention to any football news in the offseason, you just might have heard about a new rule that penalizes previously legal hits at the QB's knees.

True enough but it doesn't matter IF CLAYTON CATCHES THE BALL!

Its sad to lose. But it is embarassing to blame it on officiating. To say that the ref threw a flag because Brady signaled it, is real sad. Hopefully the Sun will realize the embarassment and remedy the situation. Who told the refs to throw a flag on the Patriot D-Lineman that grabbed Flaccos shoulder and was penalized 15 yds for hand to the face? What will be the excuse for the next loss? Perhaps we can blame it on the cheerleaders. I can understand the babies in the lockeroom that thought at 3 weeks, they were going to finish the season undefeated, crying about it, but to post this on the Sun website without anything to support it.... Somebody call the wwhhhhaaaaaaammmbulance!

As much as i hate to blame the refs for a loss (most of the time i do anyways), this one was absurd....These particular refs need to be sent down to Pop Warner to touch up on the rules.

Its extremely hard to beat the Patriots and the Officials but we didn't help our cause out either with the untimely penalties. We will have to do better.
I never was a fan of Chris Carr. He did not impressed me in the pre-season or now. I don't like the way he runs. There are little guys returning kicks in the league that run strong and hard... and then you have Carr. He doesn't even appear to be fast. He runs light and falls like Figurs. We have to get better in this area.

Ray Lewis should be fined for letting Brady score a touchdown on a qb keeper and getting burned for a touchdown by Sammy Morris. He should also stop celebrating after making routine tackles.

The refs are not anywhere as competent as the league's party-line tries to tell us and wants us to believe! Maybe it's because the rules are SO ambiguous and hard to apply uniformly; HOWEVER, these guys have way too much influence over the direction/momentum, and therefore, the outcome, of the game. All those ticky-tac penalties that have no influence on the play should have a "swallow-your-whistle" directive.
I also think these guys should be subjected to psychological testing - there are too many of them who seem to be on power trips!
Finally, more power to RL for venting - he can afford the slap-on-the-wrist fine, and, if more players/coaches spoke up, maybe some influential owners in the good-old-boys club would listen - AND do something.

Actually, all losing teams have "complaints" about the officiating.
The reality is that it was a close game by two very good teams. The Ravens player that went for Brady's knees did it on purpose and should be suspended for one game. but they'll only issue a fine.
The officiating seemed fair and balanced to this observer.

Mike , you're correct, the officating did stink , but if Clayton catches the ball as he's paided to do, the Ravens may go on to score the winning touchdown and the officiating is a non issue. I am a hardcore Ravens fan but I think this loss can only be placed on their own in ability to win a big close game when the game is on the line as in their three losses to Pittsburg last year.

Thank you Mike! I am so happy someone had the guts to say it. This isn't a case of sour grapes- we know how to take a loss, and the responsibility that goes with it. No, this was extremely poor officiating, from whistle to whistle, running the gamut from excessive and inconsistent penalties, to terrible spots seemingly every time the refs touched the ball.

Thank you for having the guts to speak the truth.

cry baby!!!

And the streak goes on. What streak? The one where whenever the Ravens lose it's all because of bad officiating. Never fails. I've yet to hear from any fan that they Ravens were beat fair and square. When they win, it's always because of the Ravens defense or now because of Flacco and the offense. It's never because of bad officiating against the other team. If Clayton can catch the ball, perhaps they win. If the mediocre Domonique Foxworth could actually defend a decent receiver perhaps they win. The constant whine and cry about officiating being the reason for every loss is old and stale. Win with class and lose with class. Then again, no one can ever accuse Ray Lewis of having class. Game is over, you lost, congratulate the winner and move on.

What a bunch of cry-babies. Typical Baltimore.

Typical homefield advantage officiating for another New England team.

But what I'd like to know is why the Ravens did not use Ray Rice more in this game. The Patriots clearly didn't have much of an answer for him, and yet the Ravens went to Clayton on 4th down? I don't get it. Rice looked great the entire game. They should have just kept shoving him down their throats until they showed they could stop him consistently.

Officiating is not the reason that the Ravens lost this game. Stone handed Mark Clayton, possibly. The inability of the defense to adapt to Tom Brady's play, maybe. But not the officiating. Crying about the referees is the saddest thing that a fan can do when their team loses, let alone what a journalist can do.

Forget the refs, get ready for next week.

AMEN!

Sure, you aren't a Ravens homer but you are writing else to complain about nothing other than the officiating. They didn't lose because they blew the opening play of the game or failed to make a completion for the win?

/play violin

I also agree with the previous post, though, in that the Ravens needed to play better to win this game. Too many costly penalties, and turnovers.

I've yet to be impressed with Chris Carr this season. Looking like a waste of money so far.

Do you know what else is embarrassing? When some one watches another person get killed and refuses to speak about it.

Mike, I couldn't agree more, Harbaugh needed 5 challenges per half for this game.

Wahhhhhhhhhhh!

Couldn't agree more with you Mike.
I thought Clayton was interfered with on the end zone lob at the end of the game. He couldn't catch it because the DB was holding one of his arms down. And Mason was interfered with on the play right after that.
I thought the spot on the fake field goal was ridiculous. No way that would have been a first down. We had to blow a challenge timeout just find out it would have been a first down? That should have been a turnover on downs, 3 points off the board.
We made our share of mistakes - namely Clayton's drop, the under throw to Mason on the deep ball in the first half, and too many pass plays in general - and we still we had our chance to win, but the officials really, really blew this one.

Last time I checked, both of the roughing calls that the Ravens were hit with were both text book. The one to the helmet was identical to the one called on Mike Wright of the Pats later in the game. So, I'd like to know the bad call you're referring to.

If you're referring to the illegal contact play and subsequent call on coach Harbaugh, then you also need to take a closer look at the rule book. You might be starting that entry off claiming to not be a homer, but you certainly sound like one. I've seen a lot of bad officiating, but this game (and while there were blown calls - on both sides) doesn't even make the top ten list.

Tom Brady was out all last season with an injury. The NFL can't have him hurt again. No one wants to see players get hurt but this level of protecting the QB is really going to hurt the game...........

Waaaaa!

You lost because Flacco blinked.

Regardless of the officiating, if Mark Clayton hadn't choked it would likely have been a victory.

Keyshawn Johnson may have been a little over the top, but I think he was talking about Clayton in particular.

By the way, did L.J.Smith pull a hamstring coming out of the runway today?. And where was Demetrius Williams {again}

And Dannell Ellerebe was a day late and a dollar short all day. I hope he isn't Harbaugh's answer at OLB.

Sour grapes extend beyond the field. An overly aggressive defense whose "something to prove" mentality has long become a complex draws a ton of flags for being reckless... not a big story. This is what happens when the ravens are playing against a notable offense. they try way too hard to look like they're badass and they get flags. Its not an officiating problem its undisciplined football.

Thank-you.

I know it would take a lot for you to hand out those kinds of comments.

And it was a ton today.

Thank you Mike. Somebody had to say it

OK, although there is no love between us ( Im a Steelers fan) I have to agree with you on the calls.

I also thought that the play where your lineman got badly injured that Joe got hit late.

Joe does look like the real deal.....

Mike I agree. And I also don't believe Brady scored on that QB sneak -- the replay looked to me like he was stopped short.

They can complain about the spots but not the hits. The rulebook is clear: if you touch the QB's helmet you will get flagged. The league put skirts on the QB's and the refs call it accordingly.

To complain about the officiating after a loss like this is a joke. I cannot stand reading articles whining about bad calls. It's part of the game. Sometimes you get the calls and sometimes you don't. By rule the roughing the passer penalties were the correct calls. I don't like it, but the Ravens have nobody to blame but themselves for this tough loss.

At least 2 people make that catch. Mike Preston and Stevie Wonder. What a ralley killer. Of course all the guys give him a pat and say it's ok. SAD at best. What a . Never mind. Like you on the Bruce show.

Sorry to say but both roughing the passer calls were automatic hit to knee and blow to head.

Let's see Wright sacked Flacco and brushed Flacco's head - 15 yd roughing the passer. Baltimore defender brushed Brady's head - 15 yd roughing the passer, Baltimore defender hit Brady in the knees- Gee I think the NFL has a rule about that oh yeah it costs the team 15 yds for roughing the passer. Stop whining, dropped passes and the Ravens' play cost them the game not officiating. Lewis looked real great running away from his tackle of Morris after Morris got the first down. High IQ there.

you cant hit a qb's head or knee.. Flacco got the same call! seriously, get over it. there were plenty of calls to complain about but the roughing the passer is not one of them. They're flakey calls that go in both directions, not just brady's. Brady was getting smashed all day against the jets and I didn't see the Refs giving him special attention. The rules are as clear as day and you cant blame the refs for enforcing them.

Thanks for saying what needed to be said. The Ravens found out which team is still the king of the NFL. I hope everyone is glad that the Brady rule worked so well today. The Ravens will be VERY upset and ready to beat down the next opponent so watch out Cincy! Go Ravens

Wow, way to completely leave out the roughing the qb call that went against the patriots for slapping Flacco in the facemask. Ravens fans (and "insiders") seem to complain about the officiating far too much. Accept the loss and move on. You are a playoff team, act like it.

Got hosed? The officials don't make you fumble the first time you touch the ball, and drop a pass the last time you touch the ball.

Mike, I said this on Peter's blog, and I'll say it here too. The officials didn't fumble the opening kickoff or throw an interception in the red zone before halftime. We can't make mistakes like that against teams as good as the Patriots.

Poor officiating is part of the game but this particular officiating crew has screwed the Ravens on numerous occasions. The NFL should allow the coaches to grade officials after each game and they should fire the lowest 10% at the end of the year. Most fans just want to see a game that is officiated fairly with the number of penalties kept to a minimum.

To quote your fellow blogger Ken Murray,
"The Ravens should have no complaint with the penalties. They were valid by the rules: no hitting a quarterback's head, no hitting his knees. Ngata's left hand struck Tom Brady's helmet; whether through force or good acting, Brady went to the ground and had to adjust his helmet. Suggs hit Brady's knee on a pass in the second quarter and that's a no-no this year."

He's right, you and Ray Lewis are wrong.

Good for you Mike. I know the players and coaches aren't allowed to criticize the officials. But the media is allowed There will be some that will say, well the Ravens made mistakes. That's true. But, as I paying customer of the NFL. I demand better officiating.

Take the gloves off, Mke!

Come on...as Bill Parcells used to say, you are what your record says you are. Blame it on the officials, blame it on the league, blame it on conspiracy....but here's the thing, your team just isn't as good as you think. You going to have play mistake free to beat good teams. Maybe you should just go back to the Browns.

I am left to wonder what sort of stats Johnny U would accumulate in today's NFL. Just what is "roughing the passer these days." These "nonsense" calls change games ... NE got some help today ... as usual, the Ravens do not get the calls ... the BIG TIME teams do. This will sound like sour grapes, but we all saw it. That said, Clayton needs to catch that ball. One other player stands out as terrible ... Carr.

that spot where McGahee stretch out and was close to a 1st on a 4th down play was much closer than the spot the refs gave him. Hard to believe all the ticky tack roughing the passers plays, especially the one against Ngata. I feel the leaugue needs to re-evaluate how they protect the QB, this has turned into powder puff games, especially when Tom Brady is playing.

The NFL has their "favorite" teams and the Patsies are one of them. This game was decided before it ever began.

The rules are the rules Suggs took a cheap shot at Brady's knees and the correct call was made. Who cares what Ray Lewis says all his comment should be coming from prison for his involvement in a murder. If Ray the "killer" made a stop on Brady's touchdown run the score would have been different. Read Ken Murrays article for a more accurate account of the game you sorry losers.

It's just amazing to me that poor execution, poor play calling, and a coach that spends most of the game pissing and moaning in between making bad decisions, takes a back seat to crocidile tears about bad refs costing you the game. Tell Ray "I'm old and slow now" Lewis to look in the mirror to start his list of why you lost the game. How about asking your wideouts to hold onto the ball. or asking the coach not to get tagged for 15 yards for mouthing off. please!!!!

i suggest giving brady his own yellow flag to throw at his leisure

For the first time EVER, I agree with Mike Preston. I wouldn't be surprised if the refs don't wear Tom Brady undies when officiating Patsy games.

Habough, keep your cool; let us sound off for you. This was one of the worst officiated games EVER, EVER in the NFL.

Preston is right, the officials should be fined for such horrific calls. Yes, the Ravens lost the game in the end. But, the officials made sure they had had an uphill battle throughout the day.

There's no sense in pointing out the countless plays; I'm sure the Ravens will submit a reel full. However, one play in particular shows a Raven getting clipped in the back right in front of Harbaugh for a NE first down. Harbaugh was quick to point it out to the official who was right there. Call? Against NE? Are you kidding?

The NFL officials need to jump off of the Tommy Boy wagon. Even when Brady when in the locker in the first half to change his diaper, the officials did everything they could to stall the game to ensure he was able to make the change and get back on the field.

How bout' the request for a measurement when there were 2 yards to go for a first. That cost a touch down since it was the equivalent of a time out for NE.

Why does the sun have no updated info on Gaither or Ayanbedejo. The paper is embarrassing. Everyone wants to know how jared is but still no update. I'm betting Ayanbedejo is out for awhile with that injury and he was already our best special teams player and best option playing inside next to ray. But no update. Cmon

Mike you are a biased reporter.The 2 roughing calls were accurately called the first time after the ball had been released,aBaltimore player delivered a blow to the head of Tom Brady.The second roughing call was called on a Baltimore player for going for the knees unabated to the QB,which by the new rule is not allowed!!Open your eyes and take your raven glasses off before writing an article full of holes...

Seriously Mike I think you missed the rule changes this season. You can not hit a QB below the knees.

Officiating has been erratic on roughing the passer this season. Certainly one could say that there were two different standards throughout the nfl this week verse say the last two weeks. To keep it relevant, take Rex's new team, they hit Brady continuously after he delivered the ball, and more often, without calls but not below the knees or to the head.

But Baltimore's roughing the passer came from a hit below the knees and an inadvertent hand to the face. May not have been nearly as "rough" as other hits but it is in the rules.

As a note if a comment like this simply disagreeing with Mike doesn't get posted I call for tampering :-)

What a homer. Roughing the passer call against #99 of the Patriots was as lame as the call against Brady.

Ravens didn't show up to play.

Dude, you are such a homer. Were you sitting at home watching that game, or were you there in person, because you clearly saw a different game than what was played. The refs spots were right on. The gamne wasn't even as close as the score made it seem. The Patriots controlled the game's tempo and earned the win. Nothing the Ravens did on the field could make anyone say they did more than the Patriots did, and that's why they lost. The refs had nothing to do with it. So out down your foam finger and pick up a pen to write about real stories.

Example, Trevor Pryce held clearly by pulled jersey left shoulder pad when Brady scrambled towards the goal line before his 1 yard run. Pryce couldn't even turn his head to follow Brady b/c of the hold. Call the refs the Brady Bunch

Yes Mike, it was terrible officiating. I am wondering if the officials are on the Patriots payroll.

The non-call in the corner of the endzone on the last drive was a joke. Even the announcers failed to talk about it. The defender was NOT looking at the ball and held Clayton's arm. Joke.

I don't always agree with you Mike, but I was noticing that the entire game. I know it's not an excuse, but it is really hard to win a game with the refs are against you... Mark Clayton should have made that catch, and the secondary could have played a little better but it's hard to have fight when nothing seems to be going your way thanks to the officials...

I totally agree with you. Hasn't this same ref hurt us before with some bad calls? Brady has always gotten those calls no matter who he is playing.

Sounds to me like the Ravens are quite simply bad losers. Souds exactly like the post game rants from '07. "Oh, the officials love Brady and thats why we lost." Maybe if Flacco had better protection and you could stop Welker you woulld have won. MAN UP!!!!

I'm just wondering why when Todd Heap got called for that bogus offensive interference call in the '07 season opener against the Bengals, we had to hear the usual cliches about "not letting the officials decide the game." Now that Boller and Billick aren't around to kick anymore, the local media can apparently finally admit that officials make mistakes that cost good teams wins. I wish our local reporters could be as consistent with their criticism as NFL referees are with their officiating.

on slow motion replays when new england had the ball you could see their lineman holding on almost every play, yet I don't remember one call for holding on the offensive line. Also you can't touch the qb's head and if you get pushed towards his legs like suggs was you get a roughing penalty. What a bunch of bs.

This could be the 1st time I've ever felt this way, but Mike, I agree with you 100 percent. It has nothing to do with poor sportsmanship. It has to do with the truth, plain and simple.

amen and amen. kraft has the commish and the refs in his pocket

The officiating is real bad this year. The 49ers CB Spencer was called for unsportmanlike conduct against the Vikings that made no sense and led to a field goal and the niners lost by 3. Another bad call in that game was when Justin Smith inadvertently ran into Favre and was called for roughing the passer. It's a JOKE! QB's are protected to the point of lunacy.

if you dont think that low hit on brady was penalty then see the first patriots game of the year, AT HOME. The refs missed at lease 2 pass interference calls on the ravens. The officials miss calls every game, how long have you been a writer? oh yeah ray lewis said it so it must be true...i mean really, bad spots???

Neither of the roughing calls against the Ravens were even penalties. The play Gaither got hurt on the guy that hit flacco did so two and a half steps after the ball had been thrown. Even on the unsportsmanlike call against the Pats we got hosed because they should have called a facemask on the tackle then marched off the penalty from the line of scrimmage. As it was the refs merely called it after the play and gave that Bozo credit for a sack. Finally on the second challenge, yeah it was a catch; but even Phil Simms said the guy was short. It should have been Ravens ball at the six with plenty of time and a three point margin.

You are so right. Just look at the stats where the two teams are about even on first downs (Bal 24, NE 25)-- except the Pats got 4 of theirs on penalties. The NFL needs to let the boys play, or else the QB's will start play-acting for calls like in the NBA.

You gotta love the way Flacco ran the 2 minute drill even though they lost. We have been looking for that for a decade, maybe since Johnny U.

sorry ray your team lost the game..stop being a cry baby...every time we beat you ...u cry ..sorry ray..

Mike,

I usually don't agree with much of what you write, but there are some times I see your stuff has merit. This is one instance of that. I can't understand like Ray said how they can penalize these guys for playing football when that is what they are paid to do. I also can't understand how the hit on Flacco which drove him into Gaither after he released the ball, and caused a potentially serious injury, was a non-call, if Brady can point and get calls. Unbelievable, and there were other calls that were bad, but the unevenness on QBs is something that irks me, especially since one led to an injury.d

Given that it was clear that the hits were in fact made, and knowing that those hits are against the rules, then the only thing people can be complaining about is that the refs flagged those penalties instead of ignoring them. Did you feel the same way about the roughing call made against Wright when he hit Flacco?

It seems to me that the last time New England beat the Ravens, in 2007, Lewis and the local Baltimore media also cried about the officiating. This is becoming a pattern.

Mike, your a homer!
If your going to be critical of the officials. You should mention the poor calls on both sides of the ball. The league is over protecting all QBs not just Brady.

for the Patriots, playing the refs is all part of the game. Using every possible advantage for a win is their mantra.

Just like 'drawing' fouls in basketball or flopping in soccer, you're watching the future of the NFL.

every game there are some questions about officiating by one team or the other. the ravens gave up an interception, didn't run the ball enough, and dropped an easy pass on 4th down. the officials didn't determine the game outcome.

hey jason, do you have glasses? if you do you must not having been wearing them. when they called roughing the passer on the pats, the guy was grabbing flacco by the facemask. that is blatant

the one against ngata, he was clearly going for the ball and was pushed.

suggs fell/tripped into brady. he didnt try to take him out. lets be real if these wanted to rough brady it would be a lot worse that bs. for 15 yards ngata could probably decapitate him with a real blow to the head.

its a shame that officiating had to decide and ruin yet another good game.
sometimes i really feel that this league is fixed. certain teams seem to get all the calls when it counts.

To some of the comments made on this blog that suggest the Ravens are "crying", turn your TVs on!! Every national pre-game, half-time, and post-game show alluded to the fact that the officiating was awful and favoritism is showed to Tom Brady. Rodney Harrison even called out Brady directly and suggested he take off his skirt. The calls were bad. The league needs to change. This is football.

Mike, I completely agree. This is at least the second time that the Ravens have lost to the Patriots in a game that featured questionable officiating. It's bad enough that umpires always rule in favor of the Red Sox at Fenway for fear of retribution frokm fans. Now, apparently, the New England bias has infected the NFL as well.

Some of these calls were prompted by the players. If the officials can't make their own calls let them find other employment.

Thank you, Mike. So glad this wasn't another segment about lacking discipline or losing focus or other media blather when the NFL decides to throw, I mean blow one....the players and coaches get fined, but we have no excuse to stand for it. In no level of football do you see the better team consistantly lose, unless you tune into the NFL every Sunday. They demand control. Boston's market, a healthy Brady and a competitive Patriots team (on national tv) is more important than a fair game. It means more dollars and more interest for the league. At least they shouldn't care about Cincy....

Do ref's actually get fined for missed bad calls?

Gee, good thing you're not a homer!
The one officiating mistake I saw was suggs not getting thrown out of the game for going after brady's knees. he should be suspended for the season. That's the cheapest of all cheap shots. The ravens never get better because you people always blame someone else for their mistakes.

Mike, I agree. I don't know what game some of these people were watching but the Ravens got screwed on many more calls than NE. The McGahee spot at midfield, the one on 4th down at the 6, the defensive pass interference call that also had a following 15 yd bench unsportsmanlike. The call on Suggs roughing Brady was a call based on the rules but he barely touched him and it looked like he tried everything NOT to hit him below the knees. What benefit does Suggs have for crippling another player? Get real. The rules now protect the QB so much it makes the game a joke. The one on Flacco was a bit different because Wright's hands were under his facemask. If his hand hit the side of Flacco's helmet instead, it would be a BS call too.

I wonder if everyone would be moaning about officiating if #89 actually catches a wide open pass that hits him between the numbers on 4th down???

I admit that I didn't think either of the two roughing calls on Balt were blatant. But I am to believe that the rules have changed (and for good reason).

However, I did make one prediction and it came true seconds after I uttered the words: the unsportsmanlike conduct call on the Balt bench. The city of Baltimore must hang it's head in shame for this jack who coaches the team.

This clown probably didn't watch the game if he thought Suggs was going after Brady's precious knees. He was tripped up and his momentum was taking him to the ground. Falling into Brady does not equal diving for his knees! And Ngata went to strip his throwing arm. That was not a blow to the head! The Flacco roughing call, the guy obviously shoved/punched Flacco in the face mask. You saw Flacco's head jar backwards after the hit. The difference between our QB's is that ours doesn't play to the officials. But Jah doesn't sleep. What goes around, comes around.

.... gotta love it, a 2nd yr coach mouthing off like he has won a hand full of superbowls and crying, over a penalty from what looked like a straight out attempt to get Bradys knees by Suggs. The Ravens are a good team no need for that cry baby stuff excuses are for losers!

Cry, Cry,Cry,.....Ray Lewis ...Be a MAN...Stop Crying.......The Refs made calls on both teams......So stop Crying......You have a good team ......Ravens lost because they couldn,t finish......Good teams learn to finish games.......learn from it.

the late hits on Joe Flacco were absolutly flagrant on several occassions and did not even get a look, if you breathed out instead of in when you passed Brady you would draw a flag, totally disgraceful, and as usual not one thing will be done about it! This rule of not being able to critisize the officils is also a major joke, if there feet were held to the fire in public maybe they would at least be a little better than they are!!!

Having been an official for many years, I can tell you officials don't win or lose games. Of course they make mistakes, who doesn't? Coaches and players alike make the mistakes that win or lose games. Carr's fumble, Clayton's drops, Flacco's interception, Cameron's decision to not pound the Pats with the running game. There are the answers. The Ravens did themselves in this time. Hopefully, they'll stop shooting themselves in the foot.

Not a homer? Do you ever go back and read the crap you post during a game? An early poster was right: You don't understand the new rules. YOUR team, homer, was simply outplayed. You should be focusing on discipline, etc. If you knew anything about football, you'd be trying to explain how the aging defensive stars are slowing and hurting the team and how the young QB is still a long way from arriving; his late-game red zone performances show that. Most of all, you have an obligation to critique the poor play-calling. It all starts with coaching, and the Ravens have a C+ staff, top to bottom, at best.

Mark W...umps fear retribution from Sox fans? Now retribution from Pats fans? What they heck are you talking about? If the officials are afraid of a little booing, then they shouldn't be on the field. Just another public pout from a frustrated Baltimore fan. Pathetic...

Great teams win in spite of poor officiating.... i wish our fan base would stop using this as an excuse for our losses, but we still should have won the game.

Maybe one of the reasons Baltimore was the victim of so many harsh calls was because the coaching staff on the sidelines including the HEAD COACH would not stop cursing at the refs. They are human. I have never seen an unsportsmenlike call against a coach. He cost us!! Stop complaining.

I love it when the paranoid fringe show up. Its all a conspiracy! The Pats were probably spying all the time and knew when to call the refs on Sugg.( in their secret microscopic earphones that Bill gave them before the game)

Check it out at ESPN.

Bad "spots" - no youre not a homer...especially on the 4th and 1 that the Pats stuffed - he he should have missed the 1st down only by a yard - not two yards. homer

The Patriots played better. They should have scored more but Brady is just beginning to get his feet wet. Ravens D gave up 27 points(two rushing TD's)...the Pats D gave up 14. Patriots win so stop the crying. You have NEVER beaten us.

Remember when you play the Pats you play two teams, the Pats and the Zebras. They get so many wrong/bad calls their way they get too use to it. Look how many times when their receivers miss the ball they are waving their arms wanting pass interference. Each time a opposing receiver catches a ball all their D backs standing around waving their arms trying to sway the ref into an incomplete call. Belichick is a cheater and has built a team of cheaters.

Was the worst officiating game I ever saw, Nope, but to beat the the Pats you have to beat two teams.

Mike,

The officiating was bad for both teams. That's not why the Ravens lost. The personal foul on Mike Wright was egregious, too. Weak people blame the officiating when their team loses. Be better than that.

Are you Pat fans serious? #99 Puts a hand up Flacco's face mask and that is more bs the Ngata's arm glancing Brady's helmet? or Sugg's falling after bring pushed from behind? Give me a break, no Ravens fan or anyone else is saying the ref's cost the game, just that the head/below the knee rules are vague and bais towards qbs. Also the rules state that intent and "FORCE" need to be shown for it to be called. Brady's backpedal and fall after ngata was pretty funny but the hop and skip after suggs fell next to him with a point and yell to the officals was the cake. Next time he should just put a yellow flag on his belt and throw it himself when some one is near him.

btw, ngata's call was even more interesting when u see the pat's lineman blocking him pushed his arm down into brady's head since they were up trying to block his throw.

Well. We were certain this was going to be the test of Flaco and the Ravens. It felt it was good officiating. Clear calls. Players pointing out the calls prior to the ref making the call. They knew what was at stake heading into NE's home and they lost. Better luck next week.

I agree with you in part, Mike. There were several ticky tack roughing the passer calls in this game, but that is how the game is called now. Hitting the QB below the knees is a new rule this year (you should know this) and it will get called every time. Although the Ravens did get hit with some other questionable calls, it can’t be overlooked that Mike Wright’s roughing call for inadvertently brushing Flacco’s helmet took away what could have been a critical play for the Pat’s defense as well. Did he contact the QB’s head? Yes. Does this constitute roughing the passer by the traditional standards of tackle football? Absolutely not, but that is the rule now. And it is getting called both ways like this league wide.

I don’t think this is a case of the refs blowing calls per se; this is more a case of the league mandating bad rules and the officials calling them as they are instructed. It takes away from the game for all fans, even those of teams who are the beneficiaries of the calls. Maybe the league can have a two tiered roughing the passer penalty similar to how they once called the facemasks. The standard 15 year unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for legitimate roughing calls and a lesser five yard penalty for touching the quarterback. When it gets to the point that a suggestion like this is made only half sarcastically, there is a problem.

"It's bad enough that umpires always rule in favor of the Red Sox at Fenway for fear of retribution from fans." Crying to the extreme! You watch the Red Sox instead of your lame baseball team?

The officiating was bad on both sides. Quit your crying. You lost the game because of Carr's fumble, a wide receiver who can't catch a ball when he is wide open and the pass hits him in the numbers, and the lack of running the ball. THAT'S WHY YOU LOST, get over it and quit using the officiating as an excuse. The officials do not make the rules, the NFL does, they are only enforce them. The Ravens are lacking in defensive backs, special teams, and a legit number one receiver, not one that does a dance after he gets a first down (Washington). Until they improve in these areas they will not be the cream of the crop. And no I am not a patriots fan, my team is 0-4.

Ray Lewis should not be fined for criticizing the officiating.
He should be fined for letting Brady beat him for a touchdown on a quarterback keeper and for getting burned for another touchdown by Sammy Morris. He should also stop celebrating after making routime tackles.

Obviously the Rules Committee needs to set some rules for themselves. They have taken the game away from the players and put it squarely on the shoulders of the referees. It is a travesty to see so many games decided by the interpretation of the rules of football. On any given play a “hold” occurs. On any given play a receiver is “bumped” beyond the five. Intentional grounding, ground can’t cause a fumble, knee down, roughing the passer (or in Peyton or Brady’s case, just glancing at the Passer) no wedge formations, what a bunch of BS. It’s high time to give the game back to the teams on the field not the idiots in stripes who are interpreting the rules!

Oh and don’t get me going about the Challenge and Review process. It does nothing more than slow the game down, waste two minutes of my life that I’ll never recover and yet again, allow the referees to control the game! Scrap it, it sucks!

Well since I completely agree with Mike and most people about the terrible officiating, I do not think it was just roughing the passer…yes it was a huge deal but not the only. How about the Pats first td where Brady didn’t cross the plain!! When you watch the replay down the sideline…its pretty clear. Could they have got it in on 4th down? Maybe but we don’t know. Or how about the intentional grounding….what the hell???? Flacco was way out of the pocket and threw past the line of scrimmage…come on. There was another instance where Brady was being rushed and threw the ball away with NO receiver within 10 yards of the ball and he was still in the pocket…where was that call? HOW MANY times do we see clips of coaches yelling in the ears of the officials and WE GET CALLED FOR UNSPORTSMAN LIKE CONDUCT?!?!?! Lastly how about the spot on that fake FG, just about every angle showed he was short of the first, but refs seemed to ignore that. I guess they don’t like being booed. Bottom line this game was called completely one sided, I guess they must protect the model in the New England, I call bs all over this game.

I wasn't surprised to see Ray crybabying since he does it every loss. And, Mike, you're a homer.

I was glad to see the online poll, though, in which Balt Sun fans picked the officiating third as the cause of the loss, after Clayton's drop (duh!) and Brady's throwing. The fans know the loss was the drop and getting stuffed on fourth down and Brady beating the blitz for the last touchdown. (If the Ravens won, credit would have gone to stopping Pats in the red zone that last trip.)

The calls went both ways. The rules need to be clarified, but they've been called consistently. The fourth down spot was right. Could the problem be that Rice and McGahee got stuffed two runs in a row?

Hey unclealfie... you're a tool. First, the Ravens *are* better, so you're obviously a Steelers apologist in disguise. Second, Suggs was blocked into Brady. Third, you neglected to mention the New England DB blatantly undercutting Mason on the TD pass, reaching out with his arm to take Mason's legs out causing him to get hurt. If Derrick gets flipped another quarter turn, he breaks his neck and could have been paralyzed. If you want to call people out, then call out the right people, not just the ones you don't like. Moron.

Fitt Stim...of all coaches to pick on you are going to tell baltimore to "hang their head in shame at their coach?" If i recall, our coach has never been caught blatantly cheating. I agree that harbaugh's action were not pleasurable, however, baltimore should hang their head in shame?? I'd re-phrase that if i were you

I dont think Ray was crying about the game like everyone on this blog and the media keep saying. He never said the Refs made BAD calls. He simply is saying that the NEW rules are not conducive to the physical game of football. "let the teams play" says Ray. If he came out and said "the officiating made mistakes" that owuld be another story. He is just lobbying, just as players from NE probably did after the game where brady got his leg injured. That's how these rules change over time. Anybody agree with me on this? Any one outside Bmore agree.. or is Ray's rep just that bad that no one gives a great player the benefit of the doubt. I dont think chronic cry babies acheive what he has.

It's interesting to hear the Pats fans talk about the Ravens being crybabies. Brady is the biggest crybaby in sports. After Suggs slides by him he - in a mugshot that would do Jeter credit on an inside pitch - went weeping to an obliging zebra. And since when do the refs have to allow a measurement (euphemism for a no-charged time-out) when the ball is clearly 1 1/2 yards short with time expiring. No, Belicheck and Brady played the refs like a chorus of violins. Hope we play them again away from the ref-sensitive confines of Foxboro.

Too bad Ray Lewis couldn't have stopped Brady going in for a TD when the play came right at him. Why the heck was Lewis celebrating when Sammy Morris picked up a first down near the goal line. Did he think NE needed to get in the end zone, DUH?

What irks Baltimore fans is the call against Suggs for "roughing" Brady was not going to be made until Brady turned around and demanded it from the official. Watching the replay you can see the official standing right there and when Suggs came near to Brady's leg, the official did not reach for the flag. The official only reached for the flag after Brady did his little act and turned to the official and demanded the flag. Then, after the flag was thrown, Brady laughed.

The officials, however, did not lose this game for the Ravens. If Clayton catches the pass that was right to him, the Ravens could have won. If Cameron had run the ball more, the Ravens could have won. If Ed Reed would actually tackle, the Ravens could have won. If Daniel Ellerbee had not been terrible, the Ravens could have won. The Ravens been themselves in this one.

Right on Mike. Brady not only smiled but danced around while laughing. There were many bad calls and spots, but there was a block in the back by a Patriot that everyone in the stadium saw and the refs ignored. The Ravens showed the guts of lions while shooting themselves in the foot time after time. Still great game. Looking forward to next week.

I would suggest watching the game again to all the "Pro Grady" folks within this thread. You will then see that the two extremely questionably roughing the passer for Brady were ridiculous. In the meantime, real roughing the passer situations happened against Flacco and these happened to be "unnoticed". There were other positive factors on both sides but one can't minimize these effects of those two calls along with the one against Harbaugh. Because of these calls and their timing, the Patriots ended up with 14 additional points. Without them, the results of the game would have been different,and almost were.

I have heard yuo say countless times that you can't leave the game in the officials hands. I am surprised that now that Billick is not the head coach, you acknowledge that bad calls can cost us games. If Lewis and Reed woould have complained like they did after a Billick los, you would have written that Billick lost control of his teams. I heard one reporter this morning discussing how emotional Harbaugh was after the game and that he lost his composure. The reporter would not say what he did exactly but I am sure you witnessed it. Why don't you tell us what happened? You never used to hold back such "vital" information. Why are you so protective of the Ravens' coaching staff all of a sudden?

Mike - what's more embarrassing is that The Ravens apparently can't lose a game without crying about it and blaming everyone but themselves...poor sportsmanship over there...those calls might not be what their idea of football is, but they're not the rules committee and the calls were by the book...stop whining and be accountable for your losses, Ravens...

Cry babies, homer, What a bunch of bull. We got hosed. Pure and simple. They were not the best team. We should have beat them. And regardless of all the bad calls, if we held on to the pass we probably would have beat them. A high schooler would have caught that ball.

What kind of column would you be writing had Suggs dirty attempt at Brady's knees actually landed? If Harbaugh had spent as much time focused on his team as he did ont he referees, they might have won this thing. No one likes to lose, but the Ravenjs and their beat writers are coming off as a bunch of crybabies on this Monday morning. I wish Clayon had caught the ball so we woudln't ahve to listen to you all.

C'mon. This was the first real team we played and we made a bunch of mental errors. We got beat and the refs were making calls based off the rules. Those rules may be suspect but not the calls. I hate that when we lose we can't seem to "Man" up and move in. There is no conspiracy.

Are the roughing the passer calls bad calls when it is Brady and good calls when it is Flacco hit? I'm trying to figure out this conspiracy theory. Didn't The Ravens have the ball down to about the 15 yard line at the end of the game? Was Mark Clayton secretly working for the conspiracy?

How many times could (should) the Patriots have been flagged for roughing the passer on Flacco? If we are playing by the same rules... which clearly on Sunday the officials were not... Like Harbaugh said on National TV and got flaged for "that was a B_llsh_t call and you know it." Either way... its the NFL and you can not drop a prefect pass and expect to win. I live in New England and now have to endure the pain of listening to everyone laugh at me.

Even with the awful calls its hard to blame them for anything other than making me shout some four letter words at the tv. Carr's fumble and Flacco's pick (looked like a miscommunication more than a bad pass) to end the half are what did us in. If those 2 things don't happen Clayton never gets a chance to drop the 4th down pass because we would have been kicking the game winning field goal.

I did like that CBS had the mic way too close to Harbaugh after an awful call. Hope no kids heard that. It does annoy me that Belichick can say anything he wants to the refs, but John tell them whats left after a bull goes #2 and we get flagged.

Its still nice knowing that even with everything that went wrong we were only 20 yards away from winning that game. Next time we will.

Go Ravens.

the patriots (vince wilfork) got hosed on a BS roughing the passer call in week one. He hit the QB around the waist and slid down around the knees as the QB moved backwards. the problem is not the refs it is how the rule is written

and to all the people who say Mike Preston is just saying this because he covers the Ravens....obviously you don't read his work all the time...he is the most unbiased (and at times very negative) against the Ravens...so go back to your fragile qbs aid and lick his wounds for getting tapped on the head and kness

A hit to the head of the qb is a penalty. A hit at the knees is a penalty. If it's said that even the announcers agreed the spot on the fake field goal was wrong then mention that Simms agreed they were penalties. This officiating crew called the most penalties in 2007 and 2008. This year they are on pace to be 2nd. The pats said they knew it would be called tight. The pats have been called for this penalty too (at home) this year. The ravens choked. Simple as that.

After reading these posts, I'm surprised so many Ravens' fans are whining about officiating. I am ALSO a Raven fan, and the only call I truly felt that was questionable was the one that Harbaugh was complaining about (illegal contact on Wes Welker). That Harbaugh got an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was a little strange too, but let's face it. The Patriots didn't beat the Ravens- the Ravens beat themselves with costly turnovers and dropped passes. It was still a very intense game and close to the end. I enjoyed the entertainment aspect of it. Hope the Ravens get another shot at them. Brady needs to get smacked around (legally) so he stops coaxing the officials into callling penalties.

With officiating calls (made or not made) having very significant effects on the outcome of games, isn't it time that we all demand that the NFL disclose its referee evaluations. And while we're about it, let's demand that those evaluations be made by an independent professional panel, not someone owned lock, stock and barrel by the league office. As fans, we are worthy of an independent, honest, open, and publicly disclosed evaluation of the officials. It's time to end the secrecy.

Brady needed those official's help to beat the Ravens

Lewis is right, but...the refs didn't decide the game. If Clayton holds onto the ball, the refs are an afterthought. If Flacco isn't intercepted at the 11 yard line, the refs are an afterthought. If the defense stopped nickle and dime plays from adding up into something bigger, the refs are an afterthought. A truly GREAT team will not be vulnerable to the refs, because a truly great team takes control of the game AWAY from the refs.

officiating was biased.
here is your proof:
watch the entire fourth quarter of the patriots vs. jets game. brady took several shots that were worthy of a penalty but since the league didn't mind the jets turning the corner on them they get the win. how many raven's games [pats in particular] and big losses happen to coincide with poor officiating.
amazing.
i stand by this statement now and til the end of the year: the ravens may play fantastic, they may have a stellar record, but at the end of the year they will not win a superbowl unless EVERYthing flows their way. its NOT in the league's plans. let's see how amny more times this happens this season. SAD.

some cheese with that whine sir? still have not won a game in Foxborough, and never will..go play golf with your other great team the ohhhs...

I am a Denver fan but I have to say that watching the Ravens/Patriots game yesterday was disturbing. Here are two good teams but clearly the officiating all goes for New England. Since when does the quarterback tell the ref when to throw a flag. Guess it only works in New England. Baltimore had some serious mistakes yesterday but one has to wonder how the game would have turned out if the calls were fair to both teams.

Let's get the facts straight real quick about this sport:

1. This is football and quarterbacks are athletes so why are they so protected to the point if you are blocked into them it is a penalty? Such as yesterday on Suggs' penalty.

2.Did anyone else see Tom Brady during the whole game asking for penalties after plays and then the referees then throw the flag after the play?

3.Even if I am wrong about this whole entire penalty thing, isn't the league all about sportsmanship? I mean Tom Brady at the end of the game didn't even shake Flacco's hand after the game but proceeded to walk into the locker room with the referees. Even the most cocky quarterback in the NFL, Philip Rivers, shook Flacco's hand at the end of the game.

4.To anyone calling Mike a homer, you obviously never read any of his work because when the Ravens play bad he lets us know about it.

5.Has anyone ever heard Ray Lewis, the most spirited leader in the entire NFL, which can not be argued in anyway, complain about the referees? I think maybe one other time he criticized them in, wouldn't you know it, 2 years ago against the Patriots! If he was complaining you know something was up in the game and the NFL will look at this game all week and we will see what happens.

Cry me a river you bunch of babies. Two seasons ago you were crying then when the pats beat you. Look....the Ravens had 2 roughing the passer penalties and the Pats had one. You can't hit the QB in the face and you cannot go after his knees, which Suggs was absolutely doing. The Ravens will not win a thing because they are cry babies and do not respond well when things don't go there way. We saw that two years ago when Bart Scott almost beat up the ref and then through a flag into the stands. Ravens fans shold be embarrassed by there team's attitude and there teams defense

Ok, while I agree that the game is protecting QBs to much, how can you blame the officials in a game enforcing the RULES that the league makes? It is not the officials fault that the rules are in place for hitting the head of the QB or hitting @ the knees. Don't blame the guy who's job it is to enforce.

As for calling for a penalty, have any people ever watched EVERY WR in the league turn and try to get an official to throw a flag on EVERY single pass play? It's what is done. When the replay is show of Winter going for his flag, it is in SLOW MOTION. These guys need to reach for their flag and throw it, meaning it is going to always look like the flag is late in slow motion. Winter would have made that call if Brady never turned around.

As far as the spots, we see something on TV that shows only 1 side of the field, we don't see where the knee went down. it is not where the ball ends up at the end of the play it is where it was when the knee when down. Personally I thought that they waited WAY to long to call Brady in on his TD. Make that call right away when the knee goes down or momentum is stopped.

For Baltimore to cry about the officials after the game is like the little boy who does not get his way taking his ball and going home. Ray Lewis should be ashamed. If anyone deserved to be flagged it was him when he tried to hit Brady after he gave him self up with a slide. Take your losses like men, and don't try to blame anyone but yourselves. Baltimore Lost, deal with it.

Mike, usually enjoy reading your pieces, but I have to disagree with you. The bottom line is that we did not win because we allowed them to make 3rd down conversions, and we let them run it against us in the red zone. We dropped a sure catch in the last minute of play. Our Ravens need to perform in the clutch to win championships.

Addressing the specific point of the officiating, the word is out that the league is protecting QBs now. I don't think it's specific to Brady, I've been seeing horrible calls all season in every game for roughing the passer. To say that Suggs "went after Brady's knees" is of course an exaggeration, but he did make contact beneath the knee and got flagged. It's up to us to adjust to the changing game of the NFL in order to stay competitive, even if we don't like the direction the game is going.

ok, last time....Wilfork getting flagged week 1 against Bills, FOR HITTING EDWARDS IN THE HIP-continues a dead drive and leads to a score...flash forward to yesterday's game, where BAL was outplayed throughout, and you'll see an incidental hand to the face (no mask, no hard blow, just the hand/helmet happened to be in same space, same time) on Flacco, 3rd down--would've been a sack/killed drive, but instead lead to your only Offensive TD at that point...THAT pis*ed me off, but we got the same call the other way, so don't cry like it only happens to you, cuz' it ain't true

and Brady left the field not with his teammates, but with the zebras. Sharp-eyed hubby caught that one. No wonder European football leagues laugh at us!
Clayton STILL should have made the catch though, and we would be 4 and 0 now.

Wahh Wahh Wahh Wahh...Wahh Wahh Wahh...Wahh Wahh...Boo hoo boo hoo

If nobody else has the courage to say it, I will......
Joe Flacco needs to seriously improve his left-handed throwing ability. He is terrible.
Old Balt Colt fan

to "unclealfie", "timsmith", and "mike", you d-bags need to do us all a favor and quit scouring RAVENS MESSAGE BOARDS looking for opportunities to leave your idiotic and partisan comments. i will *assume* you bozos are NE fans, in which case i say: HAVE FUN FINISHING 10-6 THIS YEAR. it took you guys a pair of BS calls to eek out a victory against a clearly superior team; YOU know it, and WE know it. furthermore, someone should tell Brady to take his b@lls out of Giselle's designer purse. as a man, he should be embarrassed that those calls were even made in his favor. the league was basically saying, "it's okay. we know you're a pansy, and we'll protect you."

Why is no one talking about the catch the NE running back made on that 10 yard out route that was reviewed???? That ball blatantly hit the ground!

First off, you can make comments about poor officiating without being a "cry baby". And there were plenty of bad calls against the Ravens in this game to comment about. You can't even come near Brady without drawing a flag. Did it lose the game? Maybe - maybe not. But what definitely cost this game for the Ravens was not running the ball enough, chewing up the clock, wearing down the Pats defense and keeping Brady and company off of the field. Ravens do not have the weopons to get into a shooting match with the Pats.

Mike, I completely agree with you. Those would not be roughing the passers against anybody, but the Patriots.

The worst part was hearing Simms and Gumbel talk about what great calls they were.

Still, as far as the game, the Ravens played very poorly and tried to beat themselves, and at the end, they still should've won. Something good to take out of it.

1) Actually, Flacco got face jammed (open hand punched kung fu style) then as the play went to the ground another player tried to rip his head off - thinking it was the ball. Those weren't glances of a helmet - they were punches and attempts to decapitate.

2) Suggs stumbled to the ground near Brady's knee and Brady had a cry-baby fit mid-field jumping up and down and pointing at the fact that Suggs had fallen near him. That wasn't tackling the QB at the knees. That was a player falling near the ref's and the NFL's old precious cargo - Brady's ego.

3) Then the third unspoken freebie first down = the illegal contact where the receiver pushed off our defender, our defender's (Carr I think) hands came up in defense of himself, Brady missed the receiver, and the flag was thrown on the guy who got pushed and stopped in his tracks... By the homer ref helping do the spotting. Nice job refs.

The Brady rules... this league is turning into a joke when players can't fall near you, when glances of the helmet are considered similar to attempted decapitations, when Brady's tears mean more than logic, when homer spots seem acceptable and when offensive illegal contact that anyone with a pair of eyes can see only gets called AFTER the pass is dropped.

It is time to reward, Clayton, trade him to the Raiders for an 6th Round Draft Pick or for the Raiders Ball Boy...

It is time to reward, Clayton, trade him to the Raiders for an 6th Round Draft Pick or for the Raiders Ball Boy...

According to the rulebook, those 2 calls WERE roughing the passer against the Ravens. No question.
Having stated that, I think the NFL should also change the rulebook to demand QBs wear miniskirts and to call the play dead when a defensive player just touches the QB instead of hitting him and tackling him. That should protect the little dearies just dandy.
The most egregious call was the pass interference against Carr in the 3rd quarter.No holding of the receiver at all. The BUMP was made before the receiver made his cut to the sideline to go to the ball.I do not blame Harbaugh at all for going ballistic on that horsecrap call.
The Ravens didn't make the big plays and lost. The offense showed a lot of poise, resiliency and character, especially in the last drive. A BIG difference from years past.
'Nuff said-focus on the Bengals.

Bottom line.....Make catches
(Clayton) and cover someone (Foxworth)

OMG, the Ravens lose... it MUST BE THE OFFICIATING!!!

We're to good to get beat by the Pats, it must not be our fault!

Clayton really did catch that pass and scored a TD but the officials made it look like he dropped it instead!

We didn't fumble on the opening drive, the officials wrongly gave the ball to the Pats!

Brady didn't score, I stopped him short and drove him back to the other goalline!

I didn't see anyone murder anyone!

WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

I'm Ray Lewis, and I approve this whine.

Lewis went off in the locker room for about five minutes after the game about the officiating.

"I haven't seen officiating that bad since the Fulton County District Attorney in 2000."

The Ravens lost due to Harbaugh's retarded behavior (what the hell was going on with the 4th quarter challenge?) and their receiver's inability to catch an on-the-numbers pass.

I am sure everyone complaining about these calls were besides themselves the game the Ravens and Seahawks played a few years back. Remember the extra timeout the Ravens received by the refs not starting the clock? Also there was a very bad pass interference call on the Seahawks too that helped you win the game. I am sure that everyone here, complaining about the refs, did so then too.

Three points:
1. The rules on roughing the passer may be frustrating (infuriating) to fans and defensive players, but they were correctly applied on the 3 calls yesterday. The brush across Flacco's chin was just silly.
2. Having read Ray's comments (haven't seen the interview, yet) I thnik he was complaining about the rules not the officials. That distinction might save him a fine.
3. Ravens got jobbed repeatedly. The Gaither injury play was a late hit on Flacco and would have been a penalty under the old rules. Brady's scramble to set up the first TD was assisted by obvious holding on Trevor Pryce. The list goes on and on.
Ravens still neede to play better than they did to win.

"i suggest giving brady his own yellow flag to throw at his leisure"

Beautiful!

The problem with the roughing-the-passer penalties was not how they were called. It's the rules in place that force the officials to call them. QBs have been hit below the knees for decades, but it wasn't until the league's golden boy Tom Brady was injured that the rule was put into place. Why wasn't anything done when Carson Palmer was taken out in the first quarter of the playoff game against the Steelers a few years ago?

The two calls from this game that I think the officials got wrong were the spot on the fake field goal attempt and the no-call in the end zone on the long pass to Clayton on the final drive. Clayton only got one hand on the ball because the defender was holding his other arm.

Even so, I think it says something about this Ravens them that they still had a chance to win after not playing anywhere close to their best and having a couple potentially game-changing calls not go their way.

I remember the good old days when QB's were actually supposed to be football players too, not whimps we whine every time they get hit.

Brady and Manning both get more calls than they should because they both complain so much and both will fold up like cheap pup tents rather than take a hit.

Favre is the last remaining QB/football player.

I have said it many times....NFL officiating affects the outcomes of too many games because most teams are closely matched.

In a sport where so much money is wagered, both legally and illegally, the NFL has to do a better job with its on-field officials.

Brady getting knocked out for the season so early last year upset the betting...I can't help but believe that was behind the rules 'enforcement'.

I am shocked about all these sore loser Ravens players. When the Pats played the Jets there where alot of questionable calls. But you no what? Not one Patriot nor coach
ever opened there mouth about it.They took the lose as good sports. They took the loss with class and congratulated the other team. That to me is the mark of a champion, somthing that obvoiusly this Ravens team is not. What an embarassment to the Baltimore area and fans!

Funny how the Booston trolls come out only after a win

The rules and officiating have become sissified and ridiculous with respect to protecting the QB. But why focus on that. There were 3 clips by Patriot defenders near the point of attack that went uncalled. There was egregious holding by the Pats O-Line on almost every passing play that went uncalled. Blatant pass interference in the end zone clearly holding the Ravens receiver's arm. How do you miss that? Oh, and the one roughing call on the Pats defender for hitting Flacco in the head... that shouldn't have been called either because it is a sissy rule. But after he did it, he gets up and jumps around and pushes a Raven player in the back. What a punk... There should be a penalty called on that for being a jack-ass. With a decent game plan and cleaning up the mistakes, the Ravens should have won easily even with the crappy officiating. I sure hope the Ravens get another chance to play the Patsies in the post-season.

There is a sign in the PATS locker room. It says Do Your Job. No more, no less. When the PATS loose a close game, you will never hear them blame the refs. They will always say, "the other team played better. We need to play better in order to win." This constant whining by the Ravens about the "bad calls" is ridiculous. I put this poor attitude squarely on the coach. The entire Ravens team from coaches to players should own up to their level of play and admit it simply wasn't good enough.

not whining at all.
i respect a good winner as much as everyone else. what i don't like is when a game [in any sport] is taken away from the players. the jets beat the pats, but got away with murder- including a pass interference on the last play of the game.
creedit pats. they won. period. unofficially.
the pats played smarter and the ravens had a chance to win it in ESPN classic fashion. to many teams get 'ref'd' into wins or losses. who doesn't stop watching a game when refs make terrible and somewhat biased calls. sports wasn't like this years ago. what the heck happened?
last year the steelers got away with murder in large part during last years superbowl and the ravens got 'ref'd' whe they got bumped by the colts when mcnair was here.
ravens colts playoff game 07: anyone with a game tape look at jarrett johnson get held 5 yards away from what would have been the most vicious sack of the year [even worse than the bart scott ben rothlisberger connection]. refs let an obvious hold slip [with several others] just to protect precious peyton. game over.
football is football, but call the game the way its supposed to be. we'll respect the true champion regardless.

Although it was not the best refereed game I agree that is not what cost the Ravens the game.Getting away from the running game enabled the Patriots to win the time of [possesion battle.Also the opening fick-off fumble threw momentum immediately to the Patriots.

Do you want to know what is embarassing? Jumping up in celebration and heading towards the sideline after stopping Sammy Morris from getting a touchdown on fourth down, only to find out that he got an easy first down on the play. Way to know the situation Ray Lewis!

My question is why hasn't ANYONE mentioned the LATE HIT when Gaither got carried off on the strecher. Flacco had clearly gotten rid of the ball and then here comes Wilfork (if I'm not mistaken) up the middle and hits Flacco LATE. No flag on the play, but the worst thing about it was that Gaither had to be taken to a local hospital. It was CLEARLY a late hit and to see Suggs get called for his "roughing the passer" was an ABSOLUTE JOKE!!!

To the posters who think we in Baltimore are using the poor officiating as an excuse, you are wrong. There is a poll question asking fans why the Ravens lost and poor officiating was voted 3rd, AFTER Mark Clayton's drop (1) and defense allowing Brady to drive (2). That being said, officials like athletes such as Clayton are paid well for a reason...to do their job. I will make one point about the roughing QB calls. Rules in the NFL are subject to the official's discretion. Roughing the QB is just like pass interference...it is a judgment call. You could make the argument that roughing the QB (just like offensive holding or defensive pass interference) technically occurs way more often than it is called if you consider "grazing" the helmet of a QB to be technically a penalty. However, I do not believe the NFL execs who created the rule did so without expecting the officials to make a correct JUDGMENT call. Did Suggs and Ngata make contact with Brady's "private parts?" Yes! But were those 2 plays worthy of a PERSONAL FOUL? In comparable plays, would that have been called pass interference or offensive holding? Absolutely not. Decisively striking the knee or helmet of an NFL QB is and should be a 15 yard penalty. Grazing, whiffing, and love tapping a PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE is not. In the words of Ray Lewis, it is embarrassing. Perhaps we need a rule like the "running into the punter" 5-yard non-automatic penalty for close calls on our coveted golden boys.

YOU ARE WHO WE THOUGHT YOU WERE. LOSERS!!!! 3 SORRY TEAMS ..VICTORIES 1 GOOD TEAM ...LOST. GO STEELERS!!!!

I like the commenters who applaud Preston for having the "guts" to "tell the truth" about the officiating causing the loss.

Whoa. Whining about the officiating takes guts? I think that for a reporter, calling out a player who drops a pass that my four year old could have handled would take guts. Sitting in the corner crying about the officials? That doesn't take guts. That takes nothing.

Glad I live up here in Boston, where our sportswriters, though sometimes maddeningly incompetent, have at least grown a pair.

But of course, Preston et al must be frustrated to be covering sports in the Baltimore/DC area -- after all, the good teams are the Ravens, and the umm, well, umm ....

The officiating was bad…….but wasn’t that expected? The Patriots at home…Bill/Tom and the gang are going to get all the close calls. The Ravens had a chance to win it at the end, Clayton had a bad day. Not to mention they could gain a yard on two plays the series before. They had their chances, they played well and if they play like this all season they’ll go 11-5/12-4 and be primed for a postseason run. I don't want them to be the best team October, the best teams in October and September are home watching the teams that peak in December in the Super Bowl.

The good news is that now the Bagels have to come to Baltimore to play a bunch of focused pissed off Ravens!

FYI
The Stealers looked pretty good but the D still let up in 4th. Those two games next month are going to epic battles!

The Brady knees call was ugly. It wasn't necessarily because it wasn't a foul - within the strictest possible interpretation, of course, it was. But Suggs barely hit him. He obviously let up on the play and barely hit Brady's knees. If they were calling that consistently, there would be 30 of them called each game. Making it more embarrassing was the fact that the ref only awarded it when Brady protested. I don't think there's some big conspiracy theory though - I just think refs are fallible, there's a heightened sense of awareness about it, and there's a lot of attention focused on Brady. I think it was a case of getting carried away in the minute.

The biggest hash the officials made in the game was the faked field goal. They were completely and utterly confused. You could see they didn't make a proper spot, because they didn't think it would matter, and it was totally evident they realized they were in trouble. The review of the play was a joke, as it was clear from any angle the player did not make the first down, but it would have just stunk too bad to have changed the spot on a replay after completely failing to make a proper spot in the first place.

I agree with that call being BS against the QB "hit". There's no way that Mike Wright should have been called for that. The refs are always called that crap for Flacco!

Anyone that can defend or say bad play calling is part of the game is a freaking hypocrite. These are the same people that represent everything wrong about this country. That calling was horrible. its always horrible when the patriots play. They are the dirtiest team in the league PERIOD. And why because there the Patriots. They wear red white and blue. hmmm are those colors familar. It started back some years ago when everyone got "patriotic" because of other reasons. It became a sin to beat the patriots. and when there talent couldnt get it done they blatenly cheated and use video tape. This is discusting and its discustin how anyone can stand up for them and pretend there more then what they are. CHEATERS!!!!!

It's unfortunate that the referees are becoming such a huge part of so many games this year. With that said I'm glad they are overly strict right now with the QB's. Over time it will change the way the defenders play and the hits that result in the most injuries will fade away. It has been attrocious though - the change from this year to all other years. The Patriots were victims too in an earlier game getting 2 -15 yarders that cost them the game. I believe it was Wilfork that had the same basic thing happen to him.

Rodney “blow-kisses-at-me” Harrison said it best on ESPN: “Tom Brady needs to stop wearing skirts, put on some pants, and start playing football!”y

No matter if the officiating is sub-par or not, the home team will always say the losing visiting team is whiners, even when the majority of the national media pionts out that the officiating was 'inconsistent.' Was the fake FG a 1st down? No. Did that call result in points? Yes. Flat out - officials gave a 3-point swing, which meant Ravens had to drive for TD instead of FG. COst the game? No. Impact the game? without a doubt. Did the penalties on Pats' 3rd downs result is sustained drives and more points? Yes. The best example of the day was when Welker hit a defender, they called Defensive pass interference. When Mason hit a defender, it was offensive pass interference. And what about the guy riding Clayton into the endzone, never turning to look at the ball? Yes, it may seem like whining, but fact is that there were a lot of reasons to raise an eyebrow in this one. To top it all off, having to listen to Phil "The Pats are great and here's why" Simms call the game was brutal. Not anti Baltimore, but def pro Pats. Like when Summerall and Brookshire used to call Cowboys games way back when...

OMG!!!
Why do we cry after every loss.
I agree with the Raven Haters on this one. WE ARE A BUNCH OF CRY BABIES!!! I wish we would have some class when we lose. Yes there were bad calls made. Every weekend, every game against every team there are bad calls made. We need to get over it. If we played better or made a couple more plays the bad calls wouldn't have mattered. But, we put ourselves in the situation where a bad call really, really hurts.

Ray Lewis - try to be a professional and have some class. I get sick of seeing you cry to the media after losses.

Ravens Fans - It's a shame we can't win with class and lose with class. Shame on you!!!

Ravens Haters - Shuddup!

As a steelers fan, I will first of all say, great game between two great teams.

As for the call..horrible!

The call went totally agains the "spirit of the rule", which is to keep 300 pound linemen from diving at QB's legs. Having said that, sugge wasnt even trying to make a taclke... he was falling down. The NFL expect 300 pound linemen to stop of a dime. They expect linemen, who typically end up on the ground anyway to stand up to a prone position before pursuing the quarterback.

You cant touch them below the waist or above the shoulders. In fact this weekend, one defensive player got called for hitting "the neck".

Not to mention the fact that brady was barely touched.

For all those who think the officials didn't hose the Ravens on some calls because the Pats got called on one play when the Pats player touched Flacco's face mask...they didn't even call it "roughing" as they did with Brady...they called it "Illegal Hands to the Face" which is only 5 yards...totally bogus. He was touched on the face mask by TWO Pats players and then he had his shoulder jerked back while on the ground after the play was over. But I guess the officials didn't see that...and Flacco is too classy to lobby for phantom penalties.

Players get paid to block, run the right route and catch the ball.

Refs get paid to make the correct call.

Tuesday the Ravens will be looking at film to try to correct their mistakes. I hope the officals and the NFL will be taking some sort of corrective measures for the refs.

Patriots fans....please post your pathetic comments in the Globe or on ESPN.com. (Extra Special Patriot Network) :)

So, even when tom jackson on espn later that night says suggs was pushed into brady, apparently that doesnt mean anything.

Tough loss. I think it's obvious that the babysitting of Quarterbacks is bad thing for the NFL. In my opinion, if you have the ball you are fair game, no special protection whatsoever. Have the grapes to step into your throws in traffic, or don't. I guess the league likes more scoring, but these wanton rule changes are undermining the integrity of football. How much longer before the QB's are untouchable and wear flags? I agree with the helmet rule, but for heavens sakes, this below the knee rule is a steaming crock of poo!

Couldn't agree more, as the officiating seems to get worse each year! One would think that a billion dollar/year business could do better..... That being said, the Ravens still had a chance to win if Clayton had held onto either the TD pass he dropped in the endzone or the 1st down pass he dropped to end the game!

The roughing the passer calls are pussifying the league.

Going into this era where the QB is essentially being propped up by the "booker" aka NFL, you can't even compare Brady to Johnny U. Johnny U played against the likes of the toughest players Deacon Jones. Just imagine getting hit by him for a span of years.

The NFL didn't prop Johnny U up. He did it all by himself.

Brittle Brady's out a year. The "booker" loses one of his prize fighters, panics, and now the QB, like Rodney Harrison said yesterday, wears a skirt.

Bottomline, is this the kind of football I want to watch?

Hell no. The NFL needs to find balance with these rules, and at this point, they are taking the game of football in the wrong direction.

Ha! Ha! Ha!
It's a new season, but it's just not the NFL without the Ladies in Lavender crying about a referee/league conspiracy theory.

It took 4 weeks but they cry babies from Baltimore are back.

All is right in the world!

You cry babies will always be a 2nd tier team until you show some class. If you act like a professional organization, then you'll get treated like a professional organization. If you act like a cry baby, well then, they make you live in that cesspool called Baltimore.
Cry Baby, Cry!!!!

Apparently many of those who are responding to this blog did not see the game or are from out-of-state or both. The refs, (I hate to even have to use the word "official" as they are anything but that) had two sets of rules for this game - one for the Ravens and one for the "Hometeam." There should DEFINITELY be a review from an impartial individual, and fines should be levied for the biased reffereeing. The NFL does not need a "REFGATE" scandal.

I love the Steelers, but agree that the Refs took this one. Bad day for the NFL.

Refs are human and fallible but is seems not accountable. When they suck they should sent down to high school JV. so boys take it out on cincy. you can probably bring aluminum bats."no(b)lady rules"

The refs are being forced to enforce bad rules. They did blow the first down on the fake field goal attempt though.

Let's not complain too much though. You start to feel like a Steelers fan when you blame the refs for losing. Which you can count on everytime. The Steelers never actually lose. The refs just make bad calls or miss them.

I am a Washington fan, but it is not sourgrapes when you state an obvious fact. if you sneeze on some quarterbacks in the NFL you will get penalized. DeMarcus Russell got decapitated no call, David Garrard got smashed no call, Byron Leftwhich didn't play yesterday but he got Hit every which way but loose no call, and guy inadvertantly hit Brady in the mask 15 yard penalty another guy falls by his knee and Brady act like a little snot-rag and gets the penalty. Ray was right it is embarrassing too see stuff like that.

Wow! When did the NFL become so full of whiners and what iff'ers. This whole if it weren't for the refs we would have won is pretty immature. Trying to convince ourselves that the Ravens lost because of no fault of their own won't help them get better and make it to the Superbowl.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its better to remain silent and look stupid than to speak and remove all doubt!!!!! I have thought Ray Lewis was the biggest crybaby on the face of the earth for many years now, but he has met his match in YOU, MIKE!!!!!!

Openning Kickoff fummle, field goal, yeah officiating iffy, but if not for that we have a field goal to tie at end at worst

to grapes,
when is the last time a Pat's fan had class, i've spent almost 5 years living in RI listen to cry baby Pats fans the whole time there, all fans are the same anywhere. if you had class you would just shut up and let the Ravens fan vent. admit and suck it up. no fan admits that the reason their team didn't win is because the other team played better. yeah we lost, i can take it. the team just didn't make the plays that they had too, when they needed too. 1 more thing if you don't like reading about cry baby ravens fans, then stay off the ravens site and stick to your own cry baby pats fans.

The officiating was uneven. Pass interference calls and roughing the passer calls that did not go both ways (i.e. the no call when Gaither was injured). Big ups to Trent Dilfer! "They forget that quartbacks wear shoulder pads." Despite the officiating, the team was still in position to win. Mark Clayton..., please prove Keyshawn wrong and be the "playmaker" you promised to be when drafted. Let's see those hands.

Holy moly.. I have NEVER heard fans complain so much about SPOTS of the football! Wow... Baltimore fans have blamed everyone but their own players for this loss. That sort of hubris will haunt you in playoff time.

The D of this team is not as good as you think. They can play with teh big boys, but lack a few small things to take them to the top of the heao in the NFL. Deal with it instead of complaining about spotting the football. Wow...

I thought that this was one of the better game that I've seen in a long time. Both teams evenly matched and leaving everything on the field. The calls that I saw were all good with the exception of the fourth down pass play. Help me out here. I thought that the Pats should have given up the ball on downs. I've listen to Lewis long enough. To me he is the man "child". Every time I see him on the tube he's crying about something. To bad, he's a real good player.

Where was the roughing call on the Patriots when they drove Flacco into the ground long after he had already gotten rid of the ball (on the same play that Gaither was injured). That was against the rules also, but why was it not called by the Refs?

There were at least 4 other times I saw that Flacco was illegaly hit or driven into the ground after he had gotten rid of the ball that were not called.

Where were the calls on the Patriots offensive linemen who were deliberately holding all game?

The officiating in this game was terrible, and it was definitely in favor of New England.

Looking at all the players, coaches and refs wearing some pink yesterday in support of Breast Cancer Awareness.

It gave me an idea, that I will send to the league.

I understand this Tom Brady "guy" missed most of the season last year because of an injury. Since he is their golden "boy", the league does not want to lose him again.So they give preferential treatment to the "guy" and go out of their way to protect him.

So here is my Idea.Tom Brady should have to wear an ALL pink uniform.
Since the league treats him like a woman he should have to dress like one.
This way all the defenders will see the "guy" dressed in all pink, and know that they are not allowed to touch him.

Problem solved, and if that doesn't work I guess they could also add a pink tutu to his outfit.

How did officials cost the Ravens the game if they enforced the rules. You cannot hit the QB in the head or below the knees which happened. Other teams adjust to the new rules instead of complaining about them. They are there to protect Flacco as well as Brady. And Mike Wright of the Patriots was called for the same ticky tack touch of the head so it works both ways. The challenges by Baltimore were not given because the calls on the field were correct. Look at the replays. I never hear the Patriots blaming the officiating after a loss, they move on to the next game which I guess is what makes them winners.

IF the guy caught the ball it would've been a 1st down with 32 seconds and a timeout left. IN NO WAY does that guarantee a win. Try to run and a fumble could ruin your day. Try to pass and an incompletion spoils it, or worse, a PICK. They would've had simply another CHANCE to TRY to win, but if the Pats held strong, which they CAN DO, you'd have lost anyway.
ALSO, The Pats get called for "roughing the passer" too. ALL the time in fact. IN that game even. So STOP whining! The Pats aren't held in any high regard.
Bill Polian had the rules changed AGAINST the Pats when Ty Law ruled Mannings receivers. That's were the no contact after 5 yards became STRICTLY enforced. Polian complained after continuous beatings in big playoff games.
The Pats aren't given any special favors. They do get lucky at times. Like in 07 when the Ravens SHOULD have defeated them and RUINED the only 16-0 season ever with that stop on 4th down to win the game, ONLY to find out the Ravens BENCH called timeout prior to the snap! Who's fault was that loss ?!?!
PS. If not for a LUCKY strip sack which was recovered in the end zone & wound up giving the Ravens 7 points, the game wouldn't have even been close

living out here in california but a die hard ravens fan (born in baltimore and lived there til i was 12) i was glued to my phone following the game but didn't get to see the highlights until late. originally, i just thought that clayton was the only reason we lost the game, and some people may say he is. but i see what you're talking about now after having watch trent dilfer on espn show three separate distinct clips about the roughing the passer call. the two hits on tom brady did not look intentional in the slightest, while the massive hit that joe flacco took was blatently roughing the passer, he got hit from both sides and driven into the ground. i know tom brady is the league's golden boy, with the supermodel wife etc etc, but there was no way his two hits merited 15 yd roughing the passer calls. the league needs to think ahead, when two teams like the ravens and the pats, arguably in the top 3 teams in the afc, send a top notch officiating crew so that stuff like this doesn't happen again. and while ray lewis should not have run his mouth after the game, this isn't the first time the officiating has been in question, once is an accident, twice is a pattern. i hope the league looks at this before the playoffs to keep the integrity of the game intact.

Complaining about officiating is part of the game - all teams have fans who complain. To all the haters who are saying we are cry babies show me proof that your teams have no fans which complain about officiating. Why should we not complain if it was a bad call or bad non-call, especially if it is game changing. This not simply sour grapes - even the national sports media has raised the issue - the roughing the passer calls on
Brady were highly suspect - for example (and this is not the only instance) an analyst on the Monday Night Footbal preshow indicated that the calls on Brady did nothing to protect the QB where as there was hits on Flacco as well as other QBs that could have seriously injured the QB but were noncalls.

Love the Ravens, love the coach, love my Joe...Cam let the running backs play...would like to see some new receivers with big hands and new young legs...officating not good...we were in Brady's house afterall...we will see them again...you Ravens haters...----off...and just for the record Ray was right...