NASHVILLE, TENN. - As soon as the game ended, the phone call was made to the travel agent to book the Super Bowl reservations in Tampa. Oh, the Ravens are going to the Big Show.
There is still one game remaining, the AFC championship game, but that's no problem. You see, the Ravens are living right. Even when they are outplayed, they win. They are lucky, and at this point in the season, it's better to be lucky than it is to be good.
The Ravens played most of the second half of yesterday's game without their best pass rusher, Terrell Suggs, and top cornerback, Samari Rolle, and they still won. The Tennessee Titans had almost twice as many yards and double the scoring opportunities, and the Ravens still won.
You've got to believe now. You've got to believe when Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco throws up what is really a Hail Mary pass to Mark Clayton, and two Titans defensive players who are in excellent position fall down, and Clayton makes a 37-yard reception down to the Titans' 4.
You've got to believe when Ravens tight end Todd Heap seems to make a catch, fumbles and the Titans recover, but the play is nullified because it is ruled an incomplete pass.
There were just a lot of crazy things that happened, such as Titans running back LenDale White fumbling at the Ravens' 17 late in the first half and tight end Alge Crumpler fumbling at the Ravens' 6 near the midway point of the fourth quarter.
Did Flacco get that 23-yard pass to Heap off on the last drive on time, or did the referees just forget to check the clock? And how about the Titans coming up inches short on their next-to-last possession on the last third-down play or Rob Bironas missing that 51-yard field-goal attempt in the third quarter with the wind at his back?
Can you say Al Del Greco?
We've all been here before, right in this stadium in January 2001 when the Ravens were en route to winning the Super Bowl. Back then, the Titans were also favored to win. The only thing missing this time was the Brian Billick post-game banshee speech.
But when strange things happen like yesterday, teams don't lose. When a team gift-wraps you three turnovers at home, everything will go your way. We've seen this act before. Book the Super Bowl tickets.
Turning point
The turning point of the game occurred late in the first half when Titans running back Chris Johnson suffered an ankle injury that sidelined him for the entire second half.
