Everything that led to one of the Ravens? worst losses in M&T Bank Stadium history on Sunday night against the Colts had been on display since the season began.
Injuries and turnovers played a major factor in Baltimore?s 44-20 loss in a game in which the Ravens again embarrassed themselves on national television.
The Ravens (4-9) are now 0-4 in nationally televised games and have been outscored, 136-71, after yielding the most points in a home game since Coach Brian Billick took over in 1999. Overall, the Ravens are mired in a franchise-worst seven-game losing streak, making the team?s preseason Super Bowl aspirations seem like a distant memory just a year after they went 13-3 and won the AFC North title. Should the Ravens go winless the rest of the season, they would tie the franchise?s worst record (4-12) set in their inaugural season in 1996.
“All we know to do is goback to work,” Billick said. “I wish there was a better answer than that, but I don?t have it.”
Entering Sunday?s game, the Ravens already were at a distinct disadvantage as they were without several key players, including cornerbacks Samari Rolle and Chris McAlister and tight end Todd Heap. Derrick Martin started in place of Rolle, Corey Ivy started in place of McAlister and Daniel Wilcox filled in for Heap.
Those losses were compounded by five turnovers, which the Colts converted into 21 points. For the season, the Ravens have committed 35 turnovers, which has led to 117 points.
“You can?t turn the ball over,” left tackle Jonathan Ogden said. “We?re not good enough offensively that we can do that. We?re not good enough to do that to our defense. That?s just the way we are right now. We just never really got anything going.”
Now, the Ravens must find a way to regroup and salvage something positive during the final three weeks of the season, beginning Sunday at winless Miami (0-13), which is coming off a 38-17 loss at Buffalo.
Baltimore finishes the regular season with games at the NFC West Division-champion Seattle Seahawks (Dec. 23) and home against the AFC North Division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers (Dec. 30), as the Ravens will try to win at least one divisional game this year.
“We just have to keep playing,” Ravens linebacker Bart Scott said. “We?re not going to quit. You don?t want to be the team on Miami?s record saying the only team they beat was the Ravens.”
