I hope the Baltimore Ravens are listening to a little Johnny Cash right now becuase all they have done since last night’s game Cry, Cry, Cry. The Baltimore-New England game was great is so many ways, but the most fanastic thing about it was the way in which the Ravens imploded like a 10 year old kid in Toys-R-Us being told he can’t get the toy he wants. The Ravens blame the refs for losing the game for them. That’s just poor excuse making. Here’s the case…

1. The refs didn’t throw a costly interception late in the game- Kyle Boller did. I believe they were in field goal range, yet Boller forced an underthrown ball into the Patriots hands. I bet he underthrew the ball by 7-10 yards.

2. The refs didn’t fumble an interception return that would have put the Ravens in great field goal range- Ed Reed did. Reed was holding the ball away from his body rather than protecting it. The Patriots made a great play to knock the ball loose.

3. The refs got the time out correct on 4th and 1.

4. Ben Watson was held heading into the end zone.

5. The Ravens are the 2nd most penalized team in the NFL…so these penalties are not out of their character.

The Ravens were the only ones guilty of the meltdown. Not the refs. Had the Ravens held it together, they would have pulled off a massive upset.

As much as the Ravens were whining, Tom Brady was barking at the refs quite abit as well. The bottom line is, I think, is that the refs have more respect for Tom Brady than for Ray Lewis/Ed Reed/Samari Rolle. While the Ravens, especially the defense, have enjoyed a bad boy attitude, for them to become an elite team again they will have to reign in their emotions and actions to earn the respect of the refs and the league. Chucking a refs penalty flag or throwing helmets is not going to do it.