Ravens: Air Flacco
If the Ravens are supposed to be a run-first team, they have an interesting way of showing it. They spent the preseason heavily imbalanced toward the pass -- which was explained away by the fact that they had to audition receivers -- but came out throwing to start today's regular season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Joe Flacco as flinging the ball all over the place, and would have had a touchdown on the first drive if Derrick Mason hadn't bobbled the ball on his way out of the back of the end zone. The Ravens settled for a 44-yard field goal by Steve Houschka, but are giving the impression they will be going up and down the field with some ease today.






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Comments
It's Hauschka.
Posted by: rob in SD | September 13, 2009 2:01 PM
Not looking like a Superbowl team yet.
Posted by: Shaun | September 13, 2009 2:20 PM
Hello, Stover residence.
Yeah, this is Mat.
Oh, Hi, Ozzie.
Sure, I can be there tomorrow morning. Nine OK?
Great, see you then.
Posted by: John Boy | September 13, 2009 2:32 PM
and back in Oriole land, guthrie walks eric hinske then gets beat by Matsui on his 32nd changeup of the inning. The guy just baffles me...
DT might have thought about getting a lefty in to pitch to Matsui, but only 20-20 hindsight might have led to that move.
Posted by: jim66 | September 13, 2009 3:17 PM
@ John Boy - dead on bro .
Posted by: the artist formerly known as jack in hebron | September 13, 2009 3:35 PM
I love Cam Cameron , but ........ 50 pass attempts ????? Not "playing like a Raven."
Posted by: the artist formerly known as jack in hebron | September 13, 2009 3:37 PM
sure missin stover
Posted by: Anonymous | September 13, 2009 4:45 PM
Did anyone else find the commentators extremely annoying today??? I lost count of how many times the one said the Ravens needed to run the ball. Made me want to mute the t.v.
Posted by: Nicole | September 13, 2009 5:05 PM
Air Heap, Air Clayton, Air McGahee, Air Mason!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To Merry Festivus we go and to all a good night!
Posted by: Unitasland | September 13, 2009 5:35 PM
If we beat up on Hauschka everytime he misses a FG, it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy within his own head and he will start missing more than he otherwise would. He shouldn't have to fear that every mistake will cost him his job.
Stover was released because his range was failing quickly. Give the new guy a chance before stoning him from the upper decks everytime he appears on the field.
Posted by: Ben Caplan formerly Fang Guy | September 13, 2009 5:47 PM
I'll take a win, especially when Joe puts up real QB numbers--however, the Ravens had KC on the ropes in the early going, and a few dropped passes, and other miscues cost what could have been a decisive victory.
On the other hand, without the Cardiac Factor, Flacco, Heap, Willis, and Ray may have played, you know, may have played like Billick was still in the house.
Posted by: logiopath | September 13, 2009 6:13 PM
Ravens fans must feel like I feel about Pitt beating Buffalo yesterday--great offense, but we gave up 27 points to Buffalo?? Have a hunch that Steelers run game and Ravens D will be back in form by the time they play each other. Clearly the best teams in the AFC North
Posted by: tph60 | September 13, 2009 6:43 PM
Stover started out slow last year, and everyone wanted to boot him to the curb because he was past his prime. Breath Deep.....
Posted by: Doug M | September 13, 2009 8:02 PM
Without the blocked punt and the interception they only would have scored 10. People keep talking like it was an air show. They threw 43 times. They ran 41 times. Pretty balanced if you ask me. They put up 300 yards in the air and 200 on the ground. Pretty balanced there too. Remember we had the ball for 40 of the 60 minutes of the game. BTW the announcers were pretty annoying. I also think they had a 12 year old running the replay booth. Not to insult 12 year old's.
Posted by: Glenn M | September 13, 2009 8:19 PM
i think announcers keep repeating things because they don't have anything else to talk about. it was a pretty good game. we can't beat up on steve houschka. he isn't mat stover.we just have to get used to the fact that father time takes over and good players like mat stover have to retire.
Posted by: leonard | September 13, 2009 8:38 PM
Dear Fang, Leonard, et al.
Stover would not have missed a 41 yard gimmee. I don't care if he "has to retire" now or not. I hope Steve is the man of the future, but he has huge shoes to fill. Huge expectations to live up to. Let's hope when it comes down to crunch time that he dawns a new age.
Posted by: John Boy | September 13, 2009 9:22 PM
To all of you Hauschka bashers, did you watch the whole game or just the missed field goal? Didn't you happen to notice that almost every kickoff he had was in the end zone or on the line. Stover hadn't done that in years. Those deep kickoffs had way more impact on the game than one missed field goal.
Posted by: Bob F. | September 14, 2009 9:20 AM