Loss sets tone for rest of season

Now, for the reality check. With their bye week on tap following another road disaster on Sunday in Buffalo, the Ravens have waved good-bye to the playoffs.

Sure, you say it’s mathematically possible for the Ravens (4-3) to regroup, even in the face of a murderous, second-half schedule. Here’s how the fairy tale goes. Quarterback Steve McNair, offensive tackles Jonathan Ogden and Adam Terry, center Mike Flynn, tight end Todd Heap, defensive end Trevor Pryce and cornerback Chris McAlister will return in tip-top shape and lead a dramatic, second-half resurgence.

Now, for the reality slap. The Ravens have yet to beat a good team, and have lost to three opponents that are mediocre on their best day. They are 1-3 on the road and 0-2 against the AFC North, and they get to kick off the regular season homestretch on Monday night, Nov. 5 at Heinz Field, against the division-leading Steelers. Smells like a Pittsburgh blowout to me.

What a statement the Ravens made in their 19-14 debacle in Orchard Park, N.Y. With a handful of starters missing on offense and two on defense, with backup quarterback Kyle Boller up to his usual inconsistency, and with Billick consulting his “Playcalling For Dummies” handbook at critical junctures in the contest, the Ravens never got control of a game against one of the league’s worst teams.

In a game they simply had to have, here’s how ready Brian’s boys were: Eleven penalties costing of 91 yards, including four offside calls on the defense in the first quarter.

How about the two holding calls on a kickoff and punt return in the first half that put the offense in terrible field position? The pass interference on cornerback Corey Ivy that set up Buffalo’s only touchdown was inevitable. I’m amazed it took the Bills until the third quarter to get serious about picking on Ivy, who started in place of McAlister.

That’s OK, because Billick was more than accommodating with his typical bag of head-scratching decisions.

This week’s winners include ignoring the running game midway through the third quarter on a three-and-out sequence that followed a 46-yard touchdown run by Willis McGahee that pulled the Ravens to within 12-7.

Then, Brian the Brain one-upped himself on the Ravens’ final possession. On second-and-one, third-and-one and fourth-and-one from the Buffalo 49, he called for passing plays. Was anyone besides Billick surprised Boller whiffed?

Whenever No. 7 makes a throw or two that drop your jaw, as he did in the fourth quarter, you can bank on the other shoe dropping harder. That’s why Boller has gone from first-round pick to backup. Yet Billick still is trying to show the world he was right all along about the worst draft pick in team history.

But all I’m doing is coloring in some details of a big picture that was flawed from the outset.

The Ravens elected to forge ahead in 2007 with questionable depth on the offensive line and in the secondary, and that gamble has cost them.

They crossed their fingers about Ogden’s toe and banked on a healthy year from McNair, whose career injury list requires two pages. Neither player finished the season opener, a 27-20 loss in Cincinnati, which featured five turnovers by McNair.

Looking back, the tone was set on that ugly Monday night at Paul Brown Stadium. That night, a team top-heavy with key veterans began to get old quickly.

Now, seven games into a disappointing year, these are the Ravens. They have beaten four teams with a combined record of 6-21, lost to three teams with a record of 7-11. They can’t find the end zone from the red zone with a telescope, are not the dominant defense they think they are, are really good at drawing penalty flags and have a ninth-year coach who is unable to elevate them on Sundays.

All of which must make owner Steve Bisciotti thrilled about the contract extension he gave Billick.

Gary Lambrecht writes about the NFL, Major League Baseball and college sports.