Lose your minds, lose the game

In case you were wondering, yes, it is possible to beat a football team while standing on your head. But only if the other team goes completely batshit crazy.

(Image by Doug Kapustin/ The Baltimore Sun)

Have you ever seen a professional football team lose its collective mind the way Baltimore did against Detroit yesterday? The Ravens were called for a near-record 21 penalties. Two of their players (one of whom apparently had "malice in his heart") were ejected. They looked positively petulant, throwing footballs at opponents and against walls. And one guy was penalized for making an obscene gesture to the Ford Field crowd. Tell me you've ever seen those things happen in a football game.

♦ It's hard to blame the Ravens for going crazy after the call in the first quarter that eventually led to the Lions' first touchdown. I can't complain too much, since it helped out my team. But as a Lions fan, I think the Ravens wuz robbed. It sure looked like the wrong call. If Joey Harrington's hand was moving forward with the football still in it, isn't that a forward pass? Not according to the referees yesterday.

"The ball was loose in the quarterback's hand before his hand came forward. He didn't have a grip on the ball, and he didn't have full control."

They ruled it a fumble, so Kevin Jones picked up the live ball and - while everyone else was still wondering what the hell was going on - ran with it to the Ravens' 1-yard-line. I had the same look on my face as Ray Lewis here.

(Image by John Makely/ The Baltimore Sun)

♦ I agree with the Detroit News' Bob Wojnowski: The Lions showed some toughness yesterday. After it was clear that the referees weren't going to do Baltimore any favors, they thought they might win by bullying the Lions. But the Lions stood up to them and got right back in the Ravens' faces. Kevin Jones didn't flinch from Ray Lewis; he ran straight at Lewis and threw all that jibber-jabber right back at him. How could you not root for the guy after that?

♦ When asked why he ejected Baltimore's Terrell Suggs, referee Mike Carey said, "He bumped me with malice in his heart, and he was gone." Those refs are pretty damn good if they can see what's in a player's heart.


♦ Has a football team ever scored 35 points when its quarterback threw for only 97 yards? Joey, Joey, Joey. I've defended you for three years now. You're making me look bad, and I'm running out of material. Ultimately, I only care if you help my beloved Honolulu Blue-clad football heroes win games. But you're playing so terribly that the Lions are going to ship you off next year. And I'll probably be okay with that. But my mother won't. That'll break her heart. You're the reason she watches these games. She and my sister have mad crushes on you. C'mon Joey, make 'em happy. That's how I'm appealing to you, dude. Do it for the ladies.

(Image by Daniel Mears / The Detroit News)