After weeks of scrutiny, the Baltimore Ravens offense finally appeared to have a pulse Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.
In a stunning turn of events, it was the team?s much-heralded defense that broke down, as it gave up over 400 yards in a 23-21 loss before 70,762 fans at M&T Bank Stadium.
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It was the second straight loss for the Ravens (4-2), who head into a bye week.
Ravens head coach Brian Billick did not point fingers after the loss.
“We?ll look at what it was, and where we left ourselves vulnerable,” Billick said.
Ravens defensive players were not so diplomatic.
“Technique, if you?re supposed to do something, do it,” Ravens linebacker Adalius Thomas said. “There wasn?t any communication problem, it was technique across the board.”
Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme picked apart the Baltimore secondary with ease. The eight-year veteran connected on 24-of-39 passes for 365 yards and two touchdowns. Delhomme came up with the most important toss of the day with just 4:15 left and his team clinging to a two-point lead. Delhomme found a wide-open Steve Smith for a 72-yard strike for a game-clinching touchdown.
The score gave the Panthers a 23-14 lead, enough to hold off the Ravens.
Smith torched Ravens cornerback Samari Rolle on the play, running inside on the deep pass as Rolle tried in vain to catch up.
“I was coming from the outside and he caught it, so it?s my fault,” Rolle said.
Smith got the edge on Rolle throughout the day, catching eight passes for 189 yards.
The Ravens heavily criticized offense received a surprising boost from backup quarterback Kyle Boller.
Quarterback Steve McNair was sacked with a little more than two minutes remaining in the first quarter and sustained a concussion. McNair went to a hospital and was released after the game.
Backup Kyle Boller entered the game and was successful. In the fourth quarter, he threw two touchdown passes in the last five minutes to keep his team competitive. Boller was 17-of-31 for 226 yards with three touchdowns and an interception.
“That?s the role as a backup in the NFL,” Boller said. “I just try to get the playmakers the ball and I think I did some good things, but I threw a pick in the red zone again.”
Two of Boller?s touchdown passes went to receiver Mark Clayton. One of those scores gave the Ravens a 7-3 lead in the second quarter. The second came with Baltimore down 16-7 in the fourth quarter. Clayton claimed a tipped pass and went 62 yards for a touchdown, cutting the Panthers lead to 16-14.
Boller also found Todd Heap for a touchdown late in the game to reduce the Panthers lead to 23-21.
For all of the offensive successes, there were players left unhappy.
After a 17-yard run, Ravens running back Jamal Lewis was removed from the game.
“I guess I wasn?t hot enough at that time or whatever,” Lewis said.
