Derrick Mason said he needs a break.
“Right now, football?s not fun,” the frustrated Ravens receiver said Sunday following a 23-21 loss to the Carolina Panthers.
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The emotional veteran is getting his wish, as the Ravens have a bye this weekend and will have a week away from the practice field, as well.
“I get to go home and forget about football for a week because that?s what I should do ? forget about football,” Mason said.
After two straight losses, the Ravens are still 4-2 and sitting on top of the AFC North, yet frustrations spilled over after Sunday?s game. Such is life in the NFL, where a 16-game schedule makes every loss sting intensely.
Baltimore?s locker room was a sullen place Sunday. Players realized they had a week to stew over the loss before regrouping next Monday to began preparations for an Oct. 29 game at New Orleans (5-1).
“It?s tough whenever you have to go down and think about a loss for two weeks,” linebacker Bart Scott said. “You know, you almost want to come back and wish you didn?t have a bye, so you can go [into] a bye week on a winning note … [and] enjoy your bye week.”
Players will go their separate ways during the break. Mason, who did not have a catch in the Carolina game, said he wanted to spend more time with his family, in hopes that his children would make him laugh.
Mason?s offensive teammates had mixed feelings heading into a week off. Some, perhaps through their youthful exuberance, were more upbeat even while saying the right things.
“It was tough,” receiver Mark Clayton said. “After coming off a loss, you want to come back, going into a bye week, and get [a win], and we weren?t able to do that. It was a hard-fought game, and we just weren?t able to come out on top.”
Clayton had reason to feel good about his performance against Carolina. He caught five passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns. Both of his scores came from quarterback Kyle Boller, a man who goes into the bye week not knowing if he will play again this season. Boller replaced injured starter Steve McNair in the first quarter and played well at times, throwing for three touchdowns.
“It?s great to have the opportunity today and get a chance to play,” Boller said.
Conversely, many players on the defense, which gave up more than 400 yards to the Panthers, said the layoff could make the burn deeper.
“There?s nothing you can do,” linebacker Adalius Thomas said. “You can?t correct what we did do during the bye week. You just have to go back and get fresh and ready for New Orleans. We felt we were good on the defense. We didn?t do nothing today, period.”
