The euphoria was palpable inside the Ravens? locker room following their last-minute 15-14 win over the Cleveland Browns Sunday. For the first time since the team moved from Cleveland a decade ago, it can boast a 3-0 record.
Players up and down the roster enthusiastically talked about how the team matured.
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“To win a game like that, you grow up,” linebacker Ray Lewis said. “You grow up very fast.”
Lewis spoke passionately following the game, saying that his team?s comeback against the Browns should elicit pats on the back. But a few questions seem appropriate to temper the enthusiasm: Why does a team loaded with former Pro Bowl players ? albeit with 11 rookies on the roster ? need a last-minute field goal to beat the winless Browns? And how much stock can the Ravens put in their three wins, considering all of them have come against winless teams?
The Ravens? first three opponents ? the Buccaneers, Raiders and the Browns ? are a combined 0-8 so far this season. A case could be made that these were all games that the Ravens should have won. Regardless, the team is getting a needed confidence boost as its schedule difficulty increases.
During the next few weeks, games against the San Diego Chargers, Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints and Cincinnati Bengals should provide the Ravens a good barometer for their abilities.
Following the Ravens? win over AFC North rival Cleveland, head coach Brian Billick elevated his opponent in esteem.
“To play the way they did, they deserve a great deal of credit,” Billick said of the Browns. “It does not feel that way for them now, but they deserve it. If anybody does not understand how difficult it is to win a game in the National Football League, this game should remind them of that.”
Up until the Browns game, the Ravens? biggest question marks were on the offensive end. The offense struggled inside the 20-yard line, while the defense caused numerous turnovers. Against the Browns, the offense still did not find a rhythm until the second half.
Receiver Derrick Mason helped bail quarterback Steve McNair out of several jams in Cleveland, catching seven passes for 132 yards. He said the team still has a long way to go before it can consider itself a contender.
“We know we?re better than what we played the last three weeks,” Mason said. “To give this team anything above a C-plus would be kind of hard, but there?s still a lot of room for improvement.”
Lewis said the team learned it could play through adversity.
“All we have is each other, and if we can understand that concept, we?re in every game,” he said. “Every game is not going to be pretty.”
