Baltimore Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr.

To be perfectly honest, Flacco actually didn't play all that poorly in the first half. He missed some open throws, sure, but a few of his passes should have been caught, especially the one turned into an interception when it went through Torrey Smith's hands. The main problem was the Ravens couldn't block anyone up front. If you watch the replay of the play where Flacco was sacked and fumbled, you'll see that both Bryant McKinnie and Andre Gurode (pictured right with Ray Rice) got beaten badly, and the Cardinals defensive line sandwiched Flacco like he was the meat between two pieces of bread. Gurode, in fairness, is doing his best to help the team at a position he just isn't athletic enough to play anymore. Dallas didn't just get rid of him because he was making too much money. He's not the athlete he used to be, and when you combine that with the fact that he's doing stuff he's totally unfamiliar with -- like putting a different hand down when he gets in a stance -- it's no wonder he's struggling. If Ben Grubbs were healthy, Gurode would mostly be just an insurance policy in case of an injury to Matt Birk. But with Grubbs' toe injury showing no signs of healing anytime soon, he's the Ravens best option. McKinnie, I can't really figure out. Sometimes he looks really good, and other times, he struggles with speed rushers. I thought his conditioning would be his biggest weakness this year, but really it's his lateral quickness. (They could still be related.) The fact that neither LaMarr Woodley nor James Harrison will likely be 100 percent next week (if they play at all) is a fortunate break for Baltimore.

McClatchy-Tribune photo

I'm about to sound like an old man yelling at a group of kids to get off my lawn, but the flag thrown on Rice on Sunday was one of the most ridiculous flags I've seen in a long time. And I would say that just as quickly if it happened to Larry Fitzgerald. When I was a kid, Bo Jackson was one of my favorite players, not just because he was an astonishing blend of speed and power, but because I loved his six-shooter touchdown celebration. Kansas City defensive end Neil Smith and his "home run" sack dance are something I'll never forget. The thought of Deion Sanders high-stepping and tap dancing after an interception return still make me smile. The fact that Barry Sanders simply handed the ball to the referee after a score was great too, because it made him unique in his own classy, understated way. But I never once wished that the entire league behaved like Barry Sanders. To review, in a game that was tied 27-27, Rice caught a fourth-quarter pass from Flacco and made what was essentially a video game spin move in the middle of the Arizona defense. He was eventually tackled by Cardinals rookie David Carter, who flexed his muscles at Rice when he got up off the ground. Rice, laughing at the fact that he'd just been taunted by a man he'd nearly spun in a circle, returned the gesture. That was it. And suddenly the flag came out and the Ravens were facing 2nd-and-17. They had to punt three plays later. "I didn't curse, I didn't cuss," Rice said. "He did a 'Woo!' and I looked at our sideline and did the same. I wasn't even really paying attention to him. The refs have a job to do, and I'm never going to blame the refs in a game where we came out a winner. They have a tough job." Rice was being diplomatic, but I won't be. It was a bogus call, especially at that juncture in the game. And if LaMarr Woodley plays next week and he sacks Joe Flacco at a crucial moment in the game, no referee should care if he pumps his fist or thumps his chest. If I wanted polite celebrations, I'd watch more golf.

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Baltimore Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr.

According to the Ravens, there weren't really any dramatic halftime speeches in the locker room with the team trailing 24-6. Vonta Leach said a few words, and so did Flacco, but no one screamed or panicked. The Ravens did, however, get a little bit of an extra charge out of the storm of boos that poured down on them from the home crowd at M&T Bank Stadium. Cam Cameron, of all people, said he actually respected the fans for booing. And he absolutely understood that a lot of it was being directed at him. "Our fans are brutal when we play like we did the other night [against Jacksonville] and rightfully so, because they're so passionate about what we do," Cameron said. "Maybe I'm getting goofy here, but I appreciate the brutal-ness of our fans in a way because it's so important to them. And I have no problem being a target because I know I've got great guys." Flacco did Cameron one better. He said if he was in the stands watching, he might have joined in. "I don't go to a lot of football games [but] I'd probably be wanting to boo if I was in the stands, too," Flacco said. "We weren't looking too good, and we weren't playing too well." It wouldn't be a good thing if booing the offense became a habit in Baltimore. Flacco was quick to point out that, as much as players say they don't listen and don't care, they absolutely absorb it it happens. They can't ignore it. "I can affect us," Flacco said. "It really could affect our guys. We have to stay strong and stay mentally tough and not let it get to us. It didn't really feel good when we weren't successful out there. But what was there to lose really?"

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