A few comments on the game.

Baltimore wins the coin toss and John does the same thing Jim would have done, they elect to kick so they can receive to start the second half.

So we’re up to bat first. The first pass to Davis was beautiful and really set the tone. First down close to mid field! But then it’s called back due to illegal formation. Then we’re three and out. They march down and score. 7-0. Real big momentum changer there.

Later on we are on the move and James fumbles. We score on that drive and its 14-10. Instead they march down and its 21-3.

Another huge momentum changer.

Then that series of downs as the half ended. That should have been a scoring drive to make it 21-10 instead of 21-6.

Then the second half opens with a Kick Off return for a Touchdown. 28-6. At that time I began to prepare myself mentally and emotionally for the worst. I was okay with this. I surrendered to the inevitable and just decided to continue watching the game completely without angst.

Then the Lights go out and half hour later we proceed score 17 unanswered points. We’re back in the game! We stop a Ravens drive and they kick a field goal. 34-29. Now we can march down the field and get our first lead.

We march down the field. The final play was Gore running all the way down to the 7 yard line. I’m thinking this game is ours. We score then kick off and hope to hell we hold them.

Four plays from the seven yard line. Game over.

No matter what mistakes happened all game you win the game they all get forgiven and forgotten. I thought for sure we would score and get the lead. Then all we have to do is hope and pray we hold them and I knew we could.

Four plays from the seven yard line.

Nothing else in this game really causes me any anger or remorse.

But those four plays I think will haunt me forever.

Four tries for seven yards and we’re in the lead in the Super Bowl with less than 2 minutes to go.

Surreal.

The Ravens defense is slow. But down at their own 7 yard line there’s not much field to cover and they tightened down like nobody’s business. There was nowhere to throw into the end zone. Maybe they should have run Gore up the middle or James on a sweep.

Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda. That stuff can make you crazy. I cannot dwell on this too much because it will make me crazy.

But those four plays will always haunt me. That was the game right there.

But we had the bastids right by the balls! That game was ours in spite of so many screw ups and bad luck early on.

Next year we win the bloody Super Bowl!

The Quest for Six remains unfulfilled and in full force.