Letdown with a capital 'L'
The Baltimore Sun had it right with this morning's "Titanic Letdown" headline on the front of the sports section, no matter what John Harbaugh says.
The Ravens played with nowhere near the intensity they needed to beat the Tennessee Titans Sunday, and the result was an ugly 26-13 loss.
Harbaugh arrogantly dismissed the idea last week that his team could suffer any sort of letdown against the Titans after their emotional win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1. And the Ravens' coach upbraided a reporter who brought up the subject by saying: "I'm embarrassed for you when you even say that. There's no such thing as that in the National Football League."
Oh yes there is.
Teams suffer letdowns in all sports. It's human nature. Athletes get sky-high to play certain teams, especially when they recognize an enormous challenge in front of them. And they come out emotionally flat to play other teams, often when they think they'll just breeze to a win.
Obviously, there's tremendous parity in the NFL. And pro football players understand that the old line about on any given Sunday, any team can beat any other team is not just empty talk. But that doesn't mean teams can't have emotional letdowns on any given Sunday, either.
The Ravens looked unfocused and out of sync -- even listless -- on their very first offensive series against the Titans, and they looked the same way at the end of the game. When a team is trailing late in the game and the offense shows no sense of urgency as it breaks the huddle and saunters to the line of scrimmage, you've got a problem if you're the head coach.
Call it what you want, John Harbaugh. But for most of us who watched that ugly performance by the Ravens in Nashville yesterday, it sure looked like a letdown.
Comments
Kevin lets be honest harbaugh is always arragant but he doesn't have the right to be because he is a sub par coach who wins despite himself. He is so out of his element as a head coach it's laughable.His in game descisions are always questionable, his clock management is horrible, lets face it he has very good position coaches that for the most part coach this team. Anybody thinks different is dylusional.When you win like bill b, bill parcells then you can be arragant but he is that way all the time. He has a chip on his shoulder for what ever reason.
Posted by: blancione | September 19, 2011 12:51 PM
Flacco is my hero
Posted by: Bill Johnson | September 19, 2011 12:59 PM
I totally agree, Kevin. This was a complete, team-wide letdown--coaches to players to waterboys. I am not sure why Harbaugh is so defensive on that point. The alternative--that the Ravens brought all of the same fire, intensity, focus and motivation as they had against Pittsburgh and still were utterly outplayed in every phase of the game--makes an even more troubling statement about the Ravens.
Posted by: willycee | September 19, 2011 2:12 PM
That was a pathetic performance by the Ravens. Flacco said he thought he was a top 5 QB, Top 5's try to win the game and not mope to the line. ELITE teams don't have this kind of meltdown. I like Flacco and Harbaugh, but the showing yesterday is the fault of the coaches and the players, I hope this loss humble's them and they realize that they have to perform every game, not just against the big boys, So now everybody knows we have no corners again this year, and we can't put the Ravens in the category of New ENgland, Green Bay, etc. we are not an elite team,and won't be this year.
Posted by: ibleedpurple | September 19, 2011 3:26 PM
One of the hallmarks of the harbaugh era is that the ravens beat the teams that they are supposed to beat. That didn't happen with the titans, as they were universal favorites to win.
Posted by: murtuza habeeb | September 19, 2011 4:38 PM
Right on, Willycee, that about says it all.
And blancione, may I suggest a remedial english composition course for you, perhaps something on the middle school level? I'm sure one is offered in your area. Check at your local community college; maybe there's a course on spelling and punctuation too.
Posted by: JimmyU | September 19, 2011 7:02 PM
it's been said before and merits saying again -- harbaugh is little more than a cheerleader coach. any other head coach would have made himself accountable by saying: "i'm all too aware that letdowns can occur, but i'm determined not to let that happen to my team. no matter who we play, whether we win or lose, the players know i will not settle for anything less than full intensity performance week-in and week-out."
Posted by: gordonlee | September 19, 2011 10:49 PM
To me it was just a failed attempt at reverse psychology; too many times you hear about letdowns and they happen. Maybe Harbs was trying to say they don't exist in an effort to prevent it. But like I said, that failed, miserably.
Let's all hope the Ravens laid their one egg for the season in Week 2 and play up to their full potential like they did in Week One the rest of the year all the way to and including the Super Bowl!
Posted by: Macadmia | September 20, 2011 8:08 PM
Oh jeeze, one loss and people are already talking about Harbaugh not being competent. Talk about a tough gig.
Posted by: CBP | September 20, 2011 8:25 PM