Ravens-Titans Third Quarter Blogging

> Three and out for the Titans after a good kickoff return, and the Ravens are an offensive drive away from taking the lead and making the home team very, very nervous. They'll do it from their own 10 yard line after a hold on a touchbacked punt.

> My first positive feeling ever about Coors Light comes from them reminding me of the Barry Switzer Era. You know, when the Cowboys, for the most part, had widly overtalented teams that didn't win.

> Flacco was 3 of 8 in the first half, which is a neat trick for a road quarterback in a tie game -- especially with no running game, either. Mason makes a great play to move the chains on a short throw from Flacco. It leads to a 3rd and 11 from the gun, where the Ravens narrowly avert disaster as Todd Heap almost has possession before fumbling. The first bad punt of the day from Koch leads to Titan ball at midfield.

> White takes a screen, shakes a tackler and gets it to the Ravens 36. Solid play for White, but it does seem that every time he touches the ball, the Titans are going to win time of possession. On third and seven from Won't Try Bironas Range, Collins hits Scaife to set up a fourth and two. And we have Bironas, on to try it from 46... but first, a challenge from John Harbaugh on the completion, to push the field goal try to 51 yards from 46.

> Acura wants me to buy their car because people get hurt in collisions. Well OK then. Gillete Fusion blades talk to you when they need to be replaced. Um, if your blade is talking to you, you have bigger issues than needing a new shave. Ah, commerce...

> Bironas now on to try from 51, and we presume the wind is helping. He misses it by a few feet to the left, not for distance, but for accuracy. And the Ravens are feeling good about this tie game.

> McClain for a sloppy loss. Flacco tries a deep ball to Clayton that's almost picked by Pro Bowl corner Martin Finnegan. Dierdorf thinks it's a good call by the Ravens, but, in a telling moment, doesn't give them credit for it. Flacco calls time -- well, on the plus side, it'll help the Raven defense, since they aren't going to keep the ball -- and then completes a concession throw to Wilcox to set up the punt. Koch, in something of an upset, puts it in the end zone. The under (33.5 points) is looking very good right now.

> A three and out by the Titans has the Ravens defense looking like their old selves, and after the punt, the third quarter is half over and still tied. Ravens ball at their own 39.

> The Shooter and Ninja children, after much back and forth out of the Man Space, invade and play their handheld games on top of us. It's time to start answering questions about adult commercials for small girls. The answer to these questions will eventually become, "Go back upstairs."

> Lo Neal on a screen gets 7. Ravens look lost before the next play and take another timeout. Bad moments for Flacco here. CBS shows Chris Johnson on the bench and, perhaps, not coming back. That's very telling, really. He's got 100 yards and a touchdown, and if that's it for the day, the road team is looking a lot better.

> McGahee gets the first on an inside run, just their fifth of the day. He gets another six with a crease in the line showing up. Titan Fan is gripping, but a no-gain carry for McGahee is reassuring. The big third and five play is a high incompletion from the gun, with Nick Harper ripping it away from Mason to force the punt. Big play. Koch's punt is fielded at the 16, and we've got 19:33 left in a game that'd be boring, if not for the stakes involved.

> White for 5 with a time-lapse photography fake off a screen. Gage with nifty footwork moves the sticks on a dicey out ball; he now has 101 for the day. White for a yard to the right, and it's really looking to me like a game that Collins will have to win, not manage. Rolle's hurt on a second down incompletion with a hold; Baltimore takes the penalty. Why no ad during his limp-off, CBS? Communists!

> White for 5 on a draw that Johnson might have gotten a lot more out of. On third and 14, you can smell the concession draw coming, and instead, Collins take a shot on a deep incomplete. And then Jim Leonard gets a big return to set up the go-ahead score, taking Craig Hentrich's punt all the way back to the Titans 42.

> Flacco incomplete on first on a deep slant as Kearse is down. Again, CBS refuses to make money, and the Titan injury count is growing. If Kearse returns with that limp, it'll be a testament to their training staff. Flacco throws a duck into double coverage, but only Clayton reacts to the ball properly, and sets up first and goal from the four. And just to add injury to insult, Albert Haynesworth is down, too. If you had the Ravens in this game, you're almost at the point of counting the money right now.

> McClain for a yard to the three, and he limps off. The team that survives this game might not be long for the next round. McGahee for a 4-yard loss on second. That's the end of the third, and CBS finally gives us some commerce. Yay, commerce!