The Baltimore Ravens' ageless wide receiver, Derrick Mason, was understandably frustrated after his team's 13-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football. The 13-year vet, who finished the contest with just two catches and 22 yards, went on a lengthy, nearly Shakespearean rant following the game. Read the whole thing at the Baltimore Sun:
"It's sad to say, but we're just not a good offense at times. We really aren't. For whatever reason it is, I don't know. But we're not a good offense at times. I'm not pointing any fingers at anybody because I'm part of the equation, but we're just not a good offense at times.
"I might get crucified for this one, but with all these people we've got on offense? We're not a good offense at times. Just call it how you see it. Call a spade a spade. If we were a good offense, we'd move the ball up and down the field. Especially with the people we have and the quarterback and the personnel we have. But we're just not a good offense at times ... We look like the Bad News Bears at times. And I'm a part of it ...
"You wonder why you come back and play after stuff like this. Pittsburgh is a good team, but there is honestly no way we should have lost this game. This makes me wonder personally why I even came back. It hurts worse than any other game."
I certainly won't "crucify" Mason for his remarks. At the ripe age of 36, he knows the clock is ticking for him to win a Super Bowl, his rant didn't single anyone out, and neither he nor the rest of the Ravens offense brought their best game against Pittsburgh last night. That said, the Ravens do seem to be a pretty middling offense, despite their impressive collection of household names. Check the stats. They rank 17th in the league in points per game (21.7), 14th in yards per game (341.7), and 18th in 3rd down percentage (38.2%).
Baltimore's defense is not the dominant unit it was in their 2001 Super Bowl season. And quarterback Joe Flacco isn't Trent Dilfer - Flacco's ceiling is the Sistine Chapel's, comparatively. He, Mason, and the rest of the Ravens offense are going to have to find a way to move the chains against quality defenses like Pittsburgh if they want to contend in the post-season.