10 Times the Baltimore Ravens Shocked Us
The Baltimore Ravens started their NFL season with a regulation 25-9 victory over the Houston Texans at the M&T Bank Stadium. Whilst the result wasn’t anything to write home about, Ravens fans have every right to go into this season with high hopes.
Upsetting the Superbowl odds and coming out of left field to win the Lombardi trophy might be stretching the imagination too far but, come the beginning of 2024 we should be able to look back on this season fondly.
As country music singer and accidental philosopher Frankie Ballard sang in 2014 though, “it’s the bad times that make the good times better.” With that in mind we’re looking back at 5 shocking and heart-breaking moments for the Ravens that should make any potential success this season taste that bit sweeter.
5. 2006 Indianapolis Colts’ Loss
With those wise words from Frankie Ballard still ringing in our ears what better place to start than with the Divisional Round loss to the Colts in 2006? During the regular season the Ravens had been absolutely dominant and boasted one of the best, if not the best, defense in the league.
In almost every defensive metric the Ravens excelled, yet they were undone by Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in the Divisional Round. Remember about the bad times making the good times better?
Well, the very next season the Ravens hired Jim Harbaugh and Joe Flacco who were instrumental in winning the franchise’s second Super Bowl.
(Peyton Manning put paid to the Ravens Super Bowl hopes in this game.)
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4. The 2011 Wide Kick
In 2011 the Baltimore Ravens posted one of the best seasons in their history, racking up 12 regular season wins and setting a record of making it to the playoffs in four consecutive seasons. In the AFC Championship game the Ravens looked like they had the beating of the Patriots at Foxborough.
Trailing by three in the red zone with 30 seconds left to go, Joe Flacco threw to Lee Evans in the end zone who looked destined to take the catch and win the game only to have the ball slapped out of his hands by Sterling Moore.
The Ravens were made to settle for a 32-yard field goal to tie the game but the usually reliable Billy Cundiff hit the kick well wide after being distracted by thinking the game was in the third down rather than the fourth.
3. Those Patriots Again
In January 2015 the Baltimore Ravens travelled to face the New England Patriots once again, this time in the Divisional Round. After a 10-6 regular season in which the franchise scored a record 409 points, they were heavily tipped by many to blow away the Patriots.
Racing into a 14-0 lead at Foxborough the Ravens looked well on their way to banishing their demons of 2011 only to be pegged back to 14-14 by the hosts. Once again the Ravens fought back, racing into another 14-point lead only to squander it at the death and watch on as Tom Brady inspired the Patriots to victory.
(What did the 2014 Ravens have in common with a bad dog walker? They both couldn’t hold on to a lead…)
2. Ray Lewis Murder Trial
We can all deal with the Ravens losing, that’s just part and parcel of following a sports team. What is harder to recover from though is an off-the-field scandal that brings the team into disrepute which is exactly what happened in 1999.
Following a Super Bowl XXXIV party in Atlanta, Ray Lewis and two of his friends got into an altercation with another group of men. Unfortunately, the altercation ended up with the deaths of Jacinth Baker and Richard Lollar by stabbing.
Lewis was later found to have covered for his two friends and obstructed justice, they were sent to prison and he was given 12 months’ probation.
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1. Ray Rice Domestic Abuse
Unfortunately, our final shocking moment is another off-the-field incident, this time involving Ray Rice. In 2014 the three-time Pro Bowl running back and former Super Bowl champion was very much the face of the Baltimore Ravens.
When Rice was accused of domestic violence there was an immediate instinct from some fans to defend the player and dismiss the claims.
Fans that took that stance were made to look foolish when TMZ released CCTV footage of Rice punching his then fiancée Janay Palmer in an elevator and knocking her out before dragging her unconscious body out.
(The shocking footage that brought shame upon Ray Rice and the Baltimore Ravens.)