Knowing that the critics will likely come out of the woodwork, Ravens head coach Brian Billick was quick to defend his team?s place in the NFL following Monday night?s 13-3 loss at Denver.
“Again, you look around the league, this whole world is about this week,” Billick said Tuesday. “We have some teams that are 2-2 or 2-3 that just won a game and they are on top of the world right now. I wouldn?t trade my 4-1 for it, but I know they feel a lot better than I do right now.”
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Billick said he does not buy into the theory of losses acting as a wake-up call.
“It all comes down to execution,” Billick said. “You don?t get that many sure-fire end-zone shots. You can occasionally manufacture fades or angles. Most of your red-zone-efficient teams are ones that catch the ball underneath and can get it in.”
Receiver Derrick Mason, often the team?s sharpest critic, did not disappoint yesterday.
“Our offense is not playing, plain and simple,” Mason said. “It was evident in game one, game two, game three, game four and very evident in game five. It?s very, very disappointing, and whoever tries to sugarcoat it, they don?t need to be in this locker room ? coaches included.”
Billick said he had not heard Mason?s comments and said they were likely the result of post-loss frustration.
“I don?t know what they were,” Billick said. “Quite frankly, I don?t really care right now. Right after the game is an emotional time, and we?ll deal with it going forward.”
Billick standing by Jamal Lewis: Through the team?s first five games, running back Jamal Lewis has been inconsistent, at best. Once one of the league?s premier rushers, Lewis has struggled, carrying the ball 88 times for 311 yards. Since opening the season with a touchdown against the Buccaneers in the team?s first series, he has not scored since.
Three years removed from being the NFL offensive player of the year, Lewis is 21st in the NFL in rushing. But it does not appear at this point that he is in danger of losing his starting job to little-used Mike Anderson and Musa Smith. Each has fewer than 20 carries this season.
“We have a lot of confidence in all of our backs,” Billick said. “He?s running hard, and he had some good, tough yards.”
