Daily Dose: Jan. 16 - more dumb sports music videos!

The stars didn't fall on Tennesse last night as the revamped 2000 Baltimore Ravens behind an outstanding perfromance by rookie QB Joe Flacco put an end to the super bowl expectations of the Titans. Albeit a mistake to compare the 2008 Ravens to the 2000 Super Bowl champions. The scheme remains the same as their defense takes center stage, yet the offensive blueprint is much different. The glaring disparity between Trent Dilfer and Joe Flacco is the ceiling for Flacco is not even on the horizon. Trent Dilfer in 2000 had a rating of 76.6 despite being the beneficiary of a ball control offense that consistently dominated the battle for field position and time of possession. They overly relied on the running game behind Jamal Lewis who finished the 2000 season with 1,364 rushing yards. To furthermore cement the distinction between Dilfer and Flacco is the fact that Dilfer trailed Tony Banks in passing yards who finished the season with 1,578 passing yards and 8 td passes. As opposed to Dilfers 1502 and twelve td's. Flacco after seventeen games has compiled 2,971 passing yards and a passer rating of 80.3.
Flacco began the game with obvious jitters. He was off the mark in the first quarter as the Titans D was smothering and disturbing the Ravens offense. Titans not only had the momentum on the defensive side of the ball, Chris Johnson was putting on a show. With his cutback ability and speed to the outside edge he had the powerful Ravens D looking a bit slow on his break to the corner for the games first touchdown. It wasn't untill the 2nd quarter when Flacco gave us a glimpse into the possible future of the Ravens QB. On a 3rd and 13 Flacco avoided the pressure, stepped up, and threw a strike to Mason for the only TD of the night for the Ravens. Flacco continued to face a very stout Titan D that despite the tied score still looked to be in charge on both sides of the ball. It wasn't untill the Titans were backed up to their one yard line when Len Dale White was nearly decapitated by Ray lewis that the tide began to change. Shortly after that Terrel Suggs with the assistance of Ray lewis nearly fracture the spine of Chris Johnson who's minutes dissappeared in the remaining quarters which spelled the demise of the Titans.
The final score of lasts nights game was not the result of Joe Flacco's contributions. When you look at that game as a whole what you'll see is a game that was a throwback to the Butkus era of football. It was brute against brute. The Titans controlled the game throughout and that was obvious with time of possession and total yardage gained. Except it was the contempt that the Ravens deffense had for the Titans offense which wrote the book on this game. When you watched that game and you saw the hit on Lendale White, a bruising beast of a back, get hit so hard your own head snapped back and you said, "DAMN". You were not the only person to say that. It was at that point when the Titans realized what they were up against. Maniacs. A defense that will crush you. Break you physically and mentally. When Chris Johnson was stood up and bent in a way that your wife says,"Oh god I can't watch that."? What do you think the Titans were thinking? I'll tell you what I was thinking, "The Titans are in trouble." It was after that play on Johnson that the offensive strategy had to be placed soley on the shoulders of veteran QB Kerry Collins and the rest of the Titan offense. The rsult of this shift in strategy placed the supporting staff into the structure of the offense. As the three turnovers will show they were unable to fortify themsleves against the imposing Ravens defense. The lone weapon that counteracted the Ravens was sent to the bench with an injury in Johnson. If he would have stayed healthy the outcome of this game would have been different. Johnson was on pace to run right past anyone that attempted to get in his way. When he was removed it was White and his style of running that fell right into the wickets of the Ravens D. You hit the Ravens head on and they will hit you head on with a guillotine. That is exactly what they did.
Given the tight scoring there were numerous attempts to stretch the field against the Titans. Flacco was on the mark on a little less than half. Being comfortable in the pocket and having the poise to go through his routes and hang in there untill he located a mismatch or single coverage which is a compliment to Flacco's mental toughness. With a strong arm and a frame built for the position Flacco did what wass needed and on a few instances more. Which is what he will have to do when he faces the likely opponent in the Steelers next week. Like everyone else though, when looking at a rookie QB, I'm waiting and expecting a physical and mental collapse, ecspecially with the weight tof the NFL playoffs. I thought it would happen Saturday night, I was wrong. If they do face the Steelers I feel comfortable in predicitng that Flacco may just get the beat down that he has been able to dodge throughout the playoffs. If your entertained by a high flying, high scoring football you might want to plan your nap around this game. If what entertains you is players trying legally kill others. Saddle up for what could be a blood path for the offensive side of the ball when the two top defenses in the league match up. Try to recall the hit that Ray Lewis put on Rashard Mendenhaul when he fractured his left shoulder. Mendenhaul looked like he ran into a brick wall. I think the same fate may be possible for either team come next week.