Ngata's play left the Ravens in possession with 7:15 left and 74 yards from the end zone. Without verbalizing it, the Ravens' new-look offense dug down to put the game away. They were able to run out the clock.
"We just didn't want to send the defense back on the field after they stopped [the Bengals] on fourth down," right tackle Adam Terry said. "We didn't say that in the huddle, but we all knew it. Maybe it was mental telepathy."
The defense noticed.
"Awesome," Ngata said when asked about the game-ending drive. "It hasn't been like that for a while here."
All summer, Harbaugh preached team and togetherness, and yesterday the Ravens put it all together.
"I don't think you all understand how much hard work and effort we put into this in the offseason," said center Jason Brown, whose biggest block of the day sprung Flacco on a 38-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. "All of this coming together in the first game is a beautiful thing. And it's just the beginning."
As well as the day had gone, Harbaugh conceded "it could have gone better," but he also recognized the importance of getting an opening-day win.
"I'm appreciative of [team owner] Steve Bisciotti and [general manager] Ozzie Newsome and the rest of the Ravens organization for giving a no-name a chance to be a head coach in this league," Harbaugh said. "We've got a long way to go as a football team ... but this is a good start."
Happy fans
The Ravens' fans got what they came for, too. Russ Hewitt, 53 and a retired policeman from Pasadena, wore a cape of crushed purple velvet and a makeshift crown of purple in support of the new regime.
"I think coach Harbaugh will be a breath of fresh air," Hewitt said. "He's going to put some energy back in the team that is needed. I love coach [Brian] Billick, and I'm not disparaging him. But any organization occasionally needs someone to shake things up."
Cedric Crawley, a program analyst from Catonsville, said he was "hopeful" about the new course the Ravens were taking. He also thinks it was necessary.
"I thought our training camps were too easy, too soft," Crawley said. "I think you play the way you practice and it showed up."
It showed up big yesterday, when the Ravens made a new start.
