AP News, January 14th, 2007
Not long from now, the Baltimore Ravens will reflect on the 2007 season and recognize they finished with the best record in franchise history. They will remember fielding the top-ranked defense in the NFL and bouncing back from a 6-10 season to earn the No. 2 seed in the AFC.
None of that was of any consolation following their one-and-out performance in the playoffs.
"We're disappointed," coach Brian Billick said after the Ravens' 15-6 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. "At some point _ not now _ we'll look back and appreciate the year, learn from that and use it to go forward next year."
The Ravens (13-4) thought this season was going to be special. They entered the playoffs with nine wins in 10 games and were coming off a first-round bye that left them fresh and eager to play.
Once they got back on the field, however, they reverted to the form they displayed in 2005. Baltimore couldn't move the football, committed four turnovers and had its title hopes buried under a barrage of Adam Vinatieri field goals.
The Ravens' theme for the playoffs was, "It's Time To Hunt."
It turned out to be, "It's Time to Punt."
"This is the worst day of the year, every year, when you play your last game," tight end Todd Heap said. "I really think we have a special group of guys. We just weren't able to get the job done today."
At the end of the season a year ago, the Ravens had plenty of holes to fill. General manager Ozzie Newsome did an excellent job of plugging the gaps via the draft, free agency and with the best trade in Ravens history: a fourth-round draft pick for quarterback Steve McNair.
The additions of McNair, Trevor Pryce, Haloti Ngata, Dawan Landry, Mike Anderson and Corey Ivy proved pivotal in transforming the Ravens from a last-place team into AFC North champions.
But it wasn't enough to get Baltimore into the Super Bowl.
"It hurts a lot," linebacker Bart Scott said. "Whenever you foster all your dreams, something you work for all season, of course it's going to hurt. Only one team feels good at the end of the year."
It won't be the Ravens, whose 13-3 record proved meaningless in the postseason.
"If you don't win the Super Bowl, it all means nothing," said wide receiver Derrick Mason, who had two catches against the Colts. "I don't care if you went 15-1, 16-0. If you can't win a playoff game, all that you've done during the regular season means nothing. That's what people will remember. What did you do in the playoffs?"
What's important now for the Ravens is what will they do next year?
All-Pro linebacker Adalius Thomas is expected to test free agency, and he could be joined by three other starters: tackle Tony Pashos, running back Jamal Lewis and fullback Ovie Mughelli.
"I love the Ravens. I've been here from the start and don't know anything else," Lewis said. "Whether I'm here or not, I think the Ravens will be all right."
With or without Lewis, the Ravens will return with designs on finishing what they started this season.
In the locker room Saturday, safety Ed Reed gathered the players and told them that 2006 was the beginning of something great.
"He said we can only get better next year," Heap said.
"The bottom line is what we did as a defense, nobody expected that," linebacker Ray Lewis said. "What we did, winning the AFC North, nobody expected that. So to say that the window is closing (is wrong). I think the window is just opening for the things we're trying to do."
Last offseason, Ray Lewis complained about the Ravens' lack of beef on the defensive line and rarely spoke enthusiastically of Billick's leadership. As he prepared to walk out of M&T Bank Stadium for the final time until August, the team's defensive leader had no complaints.
"First and foremost, I take my hat off to my boss because we had a great year. We made a great run of it," Lewis said. "The bottom line is we've got a lot to keep our heads up about. We've got a lot of young guys and a lot of vets. This taste will not sit well in their mouths."
