Why the Baltimore Ravens Should Be Ashamed of Win over Cardinals

The Baltimore Ravens have long been considered a perennial powerhouse in the AFC and legitimate contenders to reach the Super Bowl almost every season.

So why did it take the biggest comeback in the franchise's history to beat a team with only one win so far on the season?

Well, it might have started with a hangover from the totally embarrassing loss that the Ravens suffered at the hands of the Jacksonville Jaguars the previous week. An inept offensive game plan spoiled what was an otherwise solid performance by the defense and might gave cost the team a precious win in the playoff race.

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco came out looking just as listless as he did in the previous game, and before the team knew it, turnovers and porous special teams had them down by a score of 24-3.

The Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde nature of the team finally came out in the span on one game as the team woke up and decided to play to their talent in the second half. This a huge departure for a team that usually either comes out and dominates all game long or looks lost for an entire game.

Is it any surprise that the Ravens came back to win a game where Ray Rice had three touchdowns? Should fans be wondering where half of those carries for Rice were last week in an equally winnable game for the Ravens?

Coach John Harbaugh and his staff need to let go of the idea that Flacco is the engine that makes this offense run, because the truth is that Rice will be the legs on which the Ravens run to the playoffs.

The face of the Ravens franchise will always be its defense and the stubbornness of the offensive staff is threatening to rob them of what could be one of their final productive seasons altogether.

Super Bowl teams don't find themselves in jeopardy of losing two straight games to inferior opponents, especially when the answer to all of their problems is evident to everyone but the team itself.