FOXBOROUGH, Mass. ? Two bookend drops ? and a lot of discontent with the officials ? framed the Baltimore Ravens' disappointment on Sunday.
One, a fumble by kickoff returner Chris Carr on the opening play, led to an early lead for the New England Patriots. The other, a do-or-die pass that clanged through the hands of receiver Mark Clayton in the final minute, led the Ravens (3-1) to the wrong end of a 27-21 defeat and kept them winless in franchise history against the Patriots (3-1).
"We gave a lot to a good team early," Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs said. "We can't give one of the greatest quarterbacks in the league that much to work with because now it's a guessing game with what they're going to do."
The Ravens entered the game with the league's second-ranked offense but failed to get that unit in gear. Their mistakes, such as Clayton's drop and quarterback Joe Flacco's interception at the New England 9-yard line at the end of the first half, doomed them against a Patriots team that made the most of its opportunities.
BOX SCORE: Patriots 27, Ravens 21
Clayton was kicking himself after the game. "Flat-out drop," he said. "It was a perfect ball and Joe put it on the money. To not come up with it is tough. It cost us the game."
But the Ravens defenders weren't pinning the loss on their offense. Linebacker Ray Lewis had sharp criticism for the officials, who flagged Suggs and Haloti Ngata for roughing-the-passer penalties on New England quarterback Tom Brady. Both fouls extended drives that turned into Patriots touchdowns.
"Without totally going off the wall, it is embarrassing to the game," Lewis said. "Brady is good enough to make his own plays, let him make the play. When you have two great teams that are going at it, let them go at it.
"Did (the penalties) win or lose the game? No, but it got them 14 points."
THE HUDDLE: More on the Ravens' concerns
Suggs, who complained that the Patriots received too many calls friendly to the home team, suggested the league is more interested in guarding "some quarterbacks more than others."
"They don't want the quarterbacks getting hurt," he said. "Maybe next year it'll be two-hand touch for the sack because we can't tackle."
The Ravens lost left tackle Jared Gaither to injury when he went down after colliding Flacco in the backfield. Gaither remained on the field for nearly 10 minutes while he was placed on a stretcher and carted off the field. He was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital for X-rays, which were negative.
Brady, who was 21-for-32 for 258 yards and a touchdown pass, and scored his first rushing touchdown since returning from a knee injury that limited him to one game in 2008, defended the roughing calls.
"We're holding the ball," he said. "We're unprotected. You're sitting there defenseless ? They deserve to get flagged."
Flacco may have fallen short in his first matchup against Brady. But the second-year quarterback, who was 27-for-47 with two touchdown passes and the pick, won respect from the Patriots.
"He was very impressive," New England safety Brandon Meriweather said. "He was doing things that I don't see many quarterback doing. For instance, he was controlling the safeties well with his eyes and looking us off and making good reads."
Flacco took no solace in having almost upended Brady and the Patriots. "I'm not looking to play on Tom Brady's level," he said. "I'm looking to play on Joe Flacco's level. The bottom line is they won and we didn't come up when we needed to."
Both teams tried to downplay the significance of the result, but Patriots center Dan Koppen said Baltimore's 3-0 start was no fluke. "They're as good as advertised," he said.
The loss, Lewis said, won't detract the Ravens as they prepare for a showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals (3-1) next week that will determine first place in the AFC North. "We don't drop our heads for nothing," he said. "We weren't looking to go 16-0. So if you're going to take one on the chin, might as well take one early."
Is it too early to think of the same teams matchup up three months from now in the playoffs? Not for Suggs. "They are going to be good and we are going to be good," he said. "Hopefully we get another crack at them
One, a fumble by kickoff returner Chris Carr on the opening play, led to an early lead for the New England Patriots. The other, a do-or-die pass that clanged through the hands of receiver Mark Clayton in the final minute, led the Ravens (3-1) to the wrong end of a 27-21 defeat and kept them winless in franchise history against the Patriots (3-1).
"We gave a lot to a good team early," Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs said. "We can't give one of the greatest quarterbacks in the league that much to work with because now it's a guessing game with what they're going to do."
The Ravens entered the game with the league's second-ranked offense but failed to get that unit in gear. Their mistakes, such as Clayton's drop and quarterback Joe Flacco's interception at the New England 9-yard line at the end of the first half, doomed them against a Patriots team that made the most of its opportunities.
BOX SCORE: Patriots 27, Ravens 21
Clayton was kicking himself after the game. "Flat-out drop," he said. "It was a perfect ball and Joe put it on the money. To not come up with it is tough. It cost us the game."
But the Ravens defenders weren't pinning the loss on their offense. Linebacker Ray Lewis had sharp criticism for the officials, who flagged Suggs and Haloti Ngata for roughing-the-passer penalties on New England quarterback Tom Brady. Both fouls extended drives that turned into Patriots touchdowns.
"Without totally going off the wall, it is embarrassing to the game," Lewis said. "Brady is good enough to make his own plays, let him make the play. When you have two great teams that are going at it, let them go at it.
"Did (the penalties) win or lose the game? No, but it got them 14 points."
THE HUDDLE: More on the Ravens' concerns
Suggs, who complained that the Patriots received too many calls friendly to the home team, suggested the league is more interested in guarding "some quarterbacks more than others."
"They don't want the quarterbacks getting hurt," he said. "Maybe next year it'll be two-hand touch for the sack because we can't tackle."
The Ravens lost left tackle Jared Gaither to injury when he went down after colliding Flacco in the backfield. Gaither remained on the field for nearly 10 minutes while he was placed on a stretcher and carted off the field. He was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital for X-rays, which were negative.
Brady, who was 21-for-32 for 258 yards and a touchdown pass, and scored his first rushing touchdown since returning from a knee injury that limited him to one game in 2008, defended the roughing calls.
"We're holding the ball," he said. "We're unprotected. You're sitting there defenseless ? They deserve to get flagged."
Flacco may have fallen short in his first matchup against Brady. But the second-year quarterback, who was 27-for-47 with two touchdown passes and the pick, won respect from the Patriots.
"He was very impressive," New England safety Brandon Meriweather said. "He was doing things that I don't see many quarterback doing. For instance, he was controlling the safeties well with his eyes and looking us off and making good reads."
Flacco took no solace in having almost upended Brady and the Patriots. "I'm not looking to play on Tom Brady's level," he said. "I'm looking to play on Joe Flacco's level. The bottom line is they won and we didn't come up when we needed to."
Both teams tried to downplay the significance of the result, but Patriots center Dan Koppen said Baltimore's 3-0 start was no fluke. "They're as good as advertised," he said.
The loss, Lewis said, won't detract the Ravens as they prepare for a showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals (3-1) next week that will determine first place in the AFC North. "We don't drop our heads for nothing," he said. "We weren't looking to go 16-0. So if you're going to take one on the chin, might as well take one early."
Is it too early to think of the same teams matchup up three months from now in the playoffs? Not for Suggs. "They are going to be good and we are going to be good," he said. "Hopefully we get another crack at them
