Ravens receiver Derrick Mason sat at his locker deep in M&T Bank Stadium following Sunday?s last-minute 16-13 win over the San Diego Chargers and pondered how his team was viewed by the rest of the world.
“Well, all the experts said we were the worst 3-0 team in the NFL because the teams we beat had no wins,” Mason said. “Now, we beat the team that was being called the best 2-0 team, so maybe we will get some respect. We aren?t expecting it, but it would be nice.”
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Mason didn?t quite get his wish. The 4-0 Ravens will be underdogs for the third time in five games. On Tuesday, they were listed by Las Vegas oddsmakers as four-point underdogs heading into Monday?s road game against the Denver Broncos (2-1).
“I honestly don?t pay attention to what the experts say,” tight end Todd Heap said. “If we sat around and listened to [them], then we probably wouldn?t get very far, so I can?t pay attention to that.”
Still, the Ravens realize they are getting little respect. The Rodney Dangerfield of NFL teams keeps rolling along, hoping that someone will notice that it is one of just three undefeated teams remaining, along with Chicago and Indianapolis.
What is it that makes oddsmakers so cautious about the Ravens? Their first two games featured dominant blowouts. Perhaps it has been the last two weeks, where the Ravens? offensive engine wheezed and puttered for three quarters before coming to life for late-game heroics against Cleveland and San Diego.
While is has become a sports cliche for teams to use underdog status as a rallying cry, the Ravens are embracing it. The team has long played up the role, dating back to the franchise?s arrival from Cleveland in 1996. At that point, the town was vilified for taking the cherished Browns from Cleveland.
The “us-against-the-world” mentality has worked for the Ravens so far this season.
“Well, of course,” linebacker Bart Scott said. “Whenever you?re disrespected, you want anything you can build on.”
Preseason expectations were mixed for the team, and head coach Brian Billick expressed cautious optimism following a 6-10 performance last season. Still, there were some pundits who penciled in the team in for a playoff run, perhaps a Super Bowl, with the addition of quarterback Steve McNair.
Baltimore opened on the road as underdogs at Tampa Bay and walked away with a 27-0 victory. Just last week, the Ravens were a three-point underdog at home against the Chargers and came away with that margin in victory.
Billick said he is preparing his team for a few extra passengers on the bandwagon.
“I will make sure the team understands that they are going to jump off just as quick, as soon as you lose, so [they shouldn?t] get too comfortable with it,” Billick said.
