Ravens - Patriots Notes: First Half

> Today's officiating crew, according to ESPN, has called very few roughing the passer penalties this year, which has to be music to Raven Fan ears. Or, well, anyone who doesn't enjoy watching New England QB Tom Brady puling for flags that insult the integrity of the game. That's always fun.

> Conditions in New England are sunny, which means no snow. Considering that the last two games in New England with snow have seen the road teams turtle up into the fetal position, that's another win for Raven Fan.

> New England sends out Wes Welker, on crutches, for the coin flip, and despite his lack of size, the gritty wideout wills his team to a win, allowing the Patriots to take the ball to start the second half. What a gamer that Wes Welker is!

> The very first play from scrimmage sees Ray Rice go 83 yards for a touchdown. Hello, Baltimore! I feel very smart about my choice! It's the longest play of the season for the Ravens, and while the hole was significant, big credit goes to Rice for the raw quicks to make the most of it, let alone outrun the secondary to get to the pylon. His small size helped; not sure there are more than five guys in the league that go to the house on that play. Wow.

> The Patriots respond with a short gain to RB Lawrence Maroney, a bad bubble screen loss to Welker impersonator WR Julian Edelman, and by giving up a tremendous strip and fumble recovery by Ravens DE Terrell Suggs. Baltimore snaps the ball before the refs can call the play an incomplete, Tuck Rule, or unsportsmanline on Suggs. Yes. I'm kidding. Somewhat.

> The Ravens convert a first down on a third and four run by Rice that's even more special, really, than the touchdown run; he makes four guys miss for the first down. On first and goal, Rice almost gets in with a change of direction run. With DT Haloti Ngata in the backfield, it's a quick hitter to power back LaRon McClain, and in 4.5 minutes of game action, it's Ravens 14, Patriots 0. The road team has 100 yards of offense, all of it running the football, and is giving old-school NFL fans and Patriot haters a big stiffie with the running game.

> A short kickoff falls like a grenade and is barely recovered by the Patriots; had the Ravens gotten that, we might have well been on our way to Killshot and Lack of Drama Town. MLB Ray Lewis then overwhelms Maroney to devour Brady (what, no flag?) for a first down sack. RB Kevin Faulk makes the first non-awful play of the game for the home team on a draw that gets the sack yardage back. On third and long, Brady has all day and no one open, and S Ed Reed almost has the pick. A big punt return has Patriot Fan in full boo, or perhaps their servants are doing it for them. But hey, cheer up, Patriots Fan: the Celtics are beating the Raptors, the Red Sox are buying free agents, and you never liked football anyway. And if you go home now, there's no traffic. Come on, go. We won't think any less of you!

> Rice is contained on first, and Ravens QB Joe Flacco's first throw of the game is tipped and nearly picked. An OL is flagged for being downfield -- must have been confused by the use of a passing play -- and the penalty is declined. On third and 10, Flacco has plenty of time, settles for a Rice checkdown, but the RB can't hang on. A big three and out for the Patriot defense there to keep this a game.

> After a middling punt and flag, the Patriots start at their own 14 with a Brady to Faulk checkdown for six yards. Wes Welker is in the owner's box, providing incredible leadership; Faulk responds with a four yard gain and the intial Patriots first down. A Brady rollout to the left on a screen fools no one and gets the QB another hit; what, no flag! IT'S AN OUTRAGE! On second, again under pressure, Brady throws a panicky, terrible pick into an area where there are *no* options, and the Ravens start on the Patriot 25. Seriously, I have no idea what Brady was thinking there.

> The Ravens, wisely keep it on the ground, with RB Willis McGahee getting the carries, and Flacco sneaks for a first down. From play action, Flacco finds McGahee to get it to the three, and with Ngata in the backfield again for power, Rice gets it close on first, and in on second. It's Ravens 21, Patriots 0, and as CBS tells us that the Patriots have been the best first half team, and the Ravens the best second half team... well, um, tell your statistics to shut up. This is just a mauling.

> Short high kickoffs into the sun seem to be a Raven strategy today; a fair catch is made by reserve TE Chris Baker at the 30, though I'm not sure fair catches are legal on kickoffs. After a short run, Brady throws into coverage again, and S Ed Reed collects the tip for a pick. After the usual Raven Shenanigans Lateral, the Ravens start with a goal-to-go situation, and we are entering Confetti Bucket Time.

> The Patriots defense gets a three and out, leading to a short Billy Cundiff field goal, and it's 24-0 Ravens -- and they've done it with Flacco doing very little, really. Ah, the joys of turnovers and dominant running backs. But on the bright side, it's 29-26 Celtics!

> A dropped pass, a Faulk catch for a first, another near pick, and a delay of game, and Patriots Fan is in Full Voiced Displeasure. It's like Brady isn't white! The first quarter ends with Faulk getting mauled on a bubble screen, and boy and howdy, it's nice to laugh again after that Cowboy game. Thank you, Ravens!

> The second quarter begins with a give-up run to Faulk, who can't get away from pressure, but the Patriots get a break on the punt, and the play should be challenged but isn't. Huge mistake by the Ravens' coaching staff there. Faulk gets nine yards on first, and just misses it on second as the head ref seems happy about things. IT'S AN OUTRAGE AGAINST THE PATRIOTS! RB Fred Taylor gets the first -- yes, they've officially had enough of Maroney -- but Ngata eats him on the next play. On second, Brady looks really tentative in the pocket, and could have ran for the touchdown before throwing it out of the end zone. On third with all day, Brady finally finds Edelman for a touchdown, and a game might happen here after all. Ravens 24, Patriots 7.

> The ensuing kickoff - because all kickoffs are ensuing -- is aided by a face mask as CBS shows Faulk berating his teammates on the sideline. If only he were more like Welker, that would work better! From the 39, it's Rice for four yards, then another five on a delay as he makes a man miss. On third, the back shakes off initial contact get the first, and it really looks like the Ravens are trying to avoid Flacco making a big mistake... which he does on the next play, on play action trying to force it to TE Todd Heap. That's the way to let a team back in it, Ravens.

> Short pass, Faulk run, and it's a big third and two from the Patriots 44. Brady can't connect with Faulk, and the Ravens defense gets the three and out they need as CBS points fingers at Brady, WR Randy Moss, and the less than potent Patriots OL. After a middling punt, the Ravens will start inside their own 20.

> Rice for 2 yards, then Fossil MLB Junior Seau takes down McClain for a loss on a screen. Flacco just looks scared as hell; he's 2 of 6 for 9 yards and a pick. On third and 12, it's Rice on a draw for a little, and somewhere, Trent Dilfer is making comeback noises. Edelman makes a Welker-esque punt return of Pure Grittiness to set the Patriots up in Ravens territory. In a story that's less funny now then it was a half hour ago, the Celtics are up 9 at the half. Damn Celtics.

> From the gun on first, Brady finds Edelman for five yards, and CBS runs a montage of Moss jogging. Shocking! On second, Brady backpedals and dumps it; he's now 7 for 16 for 32 yards. On third, he dumps it again under pressure, but the Ravens were offsides, and that's a big first down to keep the drive alive; CB Dominique Foxworth with the mistake. Faulk for a couple, and he now has 8 carries for 37 yards. You can put Maroney's face on a milk carton. On second, give the devil his due; it's Lewis again with the stop of Faulk for a loss. A long third down shows Brady only having eyes for Faulk, but it comes back on a Moss pick; Foxworth flopped and Moss didn't seem to notice that the man was there. Odd. Brady takes a check down to Faulk for no real offensive value, and Belichick settles for a punt from the Ravens 37. A good containment punt checks up at the Ravens 4 yard line, and you have to think that the Ravens are dreaming of a first down and halftime.

> McClain on a quick hitter for four, and that's the two minute warning. McGahee gets another four on second as the Ravens OL tries to win this by their own damn selves, and that's the first Patriot time out. With Ngata in again, McGahee blasts through for a first, and the Ravens are playing a game from the 1930s -- and well. McGahee gets eight yards on two runs, but the second one ends out of bounds for Minor Drama; on third and two, he gets the first again, and I'm wondering how well the Patriots DL will hold up in the second half. Welcome to the new decade, where the running game decides everything! The Ravens take a knee to end the half up 24-7. Back in a bit.