Ravens stampeded by Buffalo

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(AP Photo/Don Heupel)
The Bills sacked Kyle Boller twice and held the Ravens to 308 yards of total offense in their 19-14 win Sunday.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (Map, News) - Throughout his five years with the Baltimore Ravens, Kyle Boller has seen extraordinarily lows. Even during the toughest times in a Baltimore uniform, he remained composed.

A tiny bit of Boller unraveled following his team's 19-14 loss to the Buffalo Bills before 70,727 fans at Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday. As Boller talked to the media following the game, he began to pound the podium with his fist.

“Losing sucks,” Boller said. “We've got to stick together as a team and fight through this, find out what we need to work on and come back and end this stretch on a high note.”

Boller completed 21-of-36 passes for 191 yards and threw a late touchdown pass to receiver Derrick Mason to make the make close.

The Ravens enter their bye week at an undeniable low point, as their record fell to 4-3 following the loss to the Bills (2-4). On Nov. 5, the team will face its fiercest rival, the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers, on Monday Night Football on ESPN.

Following the loss, Ravens coach Brian Billick was heard yelling at his players in the locker room, as the media waited outside.

“It's frustrating not to be able to get that road win and go 5-2,” Billick said. “So, we'll deal with the aftermath, go into the bye, come out healthy and see what we do against Pittsburgh.”

A year ago, the Ravens pushed around the Bills in Baltimore, 19-7. The Bills returned the favor by combining a strong defense with an opportunistic offense, the same formula Baltimore has used in recent years.

The Bills got four field goals from Rian Lindell, who watched as his team controlled the ball for 31 minutes and 26 seconds.

Instead of resembling the Super Bowl contender they were touted to be during the preseason, the Ravens were a mistake-prone group on Sunday.

The team was hampered Sunday by poor tackling and a litany of penalties. The Ravens were flagged 11 times for 91 yards, including five infractions for being offside.

“That happens,” linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “You're going to have penalties especially when you're an aggressive defense. A lack of focus really had nothing to do with it. They knew we were aggressive.”

Inside the Ravens locker room following the game, players disagreed with Suggs' assessment.

“Lack of focus, that's it,” Ravens running back Willis McGahee, who ran for 114 yards and a touchdown, said. “We were jumping offsides, offense and defense.”

The Ravens even struggled tackling, a department in which they typically shine. Bills rookie Marshawn Lynch ran for 84 yards, including a 23-yard scamper that saw him shed would-be tackles from Suggs and linebacker Bart Scott.

“We've got to tackle better," a clearly dejected Scott said.

Other players said there was no time for self-pitying.

“Everybody to a man has to look at themselves and ask do they want it,” Mason said. “This is an opportunity. We have to come alive. To a man, we have to come back hungry. If you're not hungry in the second half of the season, you might as well pack it in.”

mpalmer@baltimoreexaminer.com

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