Covered head to toe in purple, 70,000-plus screaming Baltimore Ravens fans were hoping to provide a rude welcome for the visiting IndianapolisColts, who came to town Saturday for an AFC divisional playoff game.
Gathering around barbeques and coolers hours before game time, the Ravens? faithful were ecstatic about their chance to dish out some payback to the franchise that left them alone in the cold on a snowy night in 1984. Fired up for their hometown team, the fans made the outside of M&T Bank Stadium just as hostile as the inside would be a few hours later.
“This is the Super Bowl of Baltimore,” declared Mike DeCarlo, a 45-year-old from Dundalk in front of the Johnny Unitas statute. “This is payback. They did us an injustice 23 years ago.”
But history gave Indianapolis the nod Saturday. Despite the rabid crowd and thousands of waving towels, the Colts prevailed, 15-6. In a game marked by stout defense, sloppy offense, turnovers and missed opportunities, the choppy affair left Ravens fans in a stunned, angry daze as they left a stadium.
“Billick is terrible. He should be fired,” demanded Glen Burnie resident Jim Gillis, referring to Ravens head coach Brian Billick. “Our offense was the worst I?ve seen.”
Some fans hurried out of the stadium, racing to their cars to get away from the game. Others gathered in packs, yelling directions to the nearest bar. The angriest ones hurled insults at passing Colts fans, not wanting to admit that the season had come to an end against such a bitter rival. Still, there were some smiles after the game.
“I?m going to go back to the hotel and watch the other game,” smirked Brian Schott, a 46-year-old Colts fan who flew in from Indianapolis. “Then, I?m going to go out and try to find some other Colts fans to meet up with.”
Most of the frustration seemed to be directed toward Billick and the lack of execution by the offense. In a game with no touchdowns, the Ravens? fans were sure they had an edge with the NFL?s No. 1-ranked defense. Many felt like the offense let everyone down.
“We should have won,” lamented Tom Mullen, a 55-year old resident of Lithscomb. “Poor offensive play. They were never aggressive the whole game.”
While for diehard backers it might be too soon to put the season into perspective, others took the season in stride.
“If you would have told me in August that we would go 13-3 and had a week bye,” said Tim Hurley, a 38-year old resident of Parkville, “I would have been thrilled and taken it.”
Part of Examiner’s Ravens post-game coverage.
