Less than a week ago, after the Ravens came back to win in overtime that included an incredible 4th-and-29 conversion, coach John Harbaugh’s words were being echoed all around locker room.
The Ravens are special. Their defense had overcome injuries to Ray Lewis, Lardarius Webb, Jimmy Smith and a host of others. They had no business winning 16-13 in overtime at the San Diego Chargers, but they did.
“Louisiana is where our eyes are. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t,” safety Bernard Polalrd admitted, alluding to where the Super Bowl will be played in the Superdome on Feb. 3.
The Ravens (9-3) were on the verge of clinching the AFC North with five games left in the regular season and had a 10-point lead on the depleted Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5) on Sunday.
That quickly changed when third-string quarterback Charlie Batch led the Steelers to a 23-20 victory as Shaun Suisham made a 42-yard field goal when time expired.
The Ravens still have a two-game lead in the division and barring an epic collapse claim that crown again. But the remaining schedule isn’t easy.
They’re at the Washington Redskins next week and have home games vs. Denver Broncos and New York Giants and a season-finale at the Cincinnati Bengals who still could be playing for a postseason spot.
“It sucks to let this thing go. We’re all still trying to figure out how, why,” Pollard said. “Humble pie is on us and nobody likes to eat that. … We should’ve stepped on their throat and choked them out when we had the chance and we just did not do that.”