Getty Marlon Humphrey plays against the Titans.
It’s safe to say the 2019-20 season didn’t end how anyone associated with the Baltimore Ravens wanted, and after the 28-12 thumping by the Tennessee Titans, some players had some harsh words for their franchise.
Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey didn’t mince words when asked about the situation. As he said, the Ravens should be considered chokers after making it into the postseason the last two years and failing to win with the talent that they have on the roster.
#Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey: “The sad reality of it is …. we’ve been here two years in a row and we’ve lost. So I think you gotta look yourself in the mirror. This team right now, its identity is to get to the playoffs and choke. It is what it is. It’s just a hard truth.”
It’s a bold take, but credit Humphrey for owning up to the defeat and not making any excuses. Often times, players will look to avoid blame when a loss takes place, but it’s not the case for Humphrey and the Ravens following a massive frustration in the playoffs and one of the biggest upsets in recent memory.
The Ravens did a lot of positive things in 2019, but the fact that they entered the postseason as heavy favorites and were not able to emerge victorious in a game or make the Super Bowl will certainly leave a mark.
According to Humphrey, the team’s legacy will be that of chokers until they can write a different ending at some point in time.
Ravens Riding a Playoff Losing Streak
Baltimore’s last victory in the playoffs came back in 2015, when they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers before losing to the New England Patriots in the divisional round. Last season, the Ravens were wiped out of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Chargers in the first round. While Baltimore got a first round bye this season, they couldn’t get over the hump against the lower seeded Titans in their first game on the field.
The loss makes it three defeats in a row for the Ravens in the playoffs, and it’s something that the team is going to have to live down, especially considering how they entered the postseason.
In terms of teams in the AFC, the Ravens were the hottest squad coming in, given their 8-0 record. Only the 7-1 Kansas City Chiefs had a better mark. The Ravens also entered the playoffs with the best odds to win the Lombardi Trophy.
Momentum can mean everything or nothing at all in the playoffs, and in this case, it didn’t mean much. The Ravens might have had more rust to deal with having not used the bye week to their advantage.
As a result, they will have to wait another year to end a frustrating playoff losing streak.
Mark Ingram’s Comments on Ravens Loss
Humphrey wasn’t the only one who gave the Titans credit while also pointing out the shortcomings of his own team. In pretty blunt terms, Ingram said the Ravens got hit in the mouth hard and were simply not able to respond when all was said and done.
Ravens RB Mark Ingram: “S—, we got our ass whooped today for real, so s—, we are going home. Yeah man, we didn’t play our best football today, so give them credit they played a good game, so yeah it showed.”
The goal now for Ingram, Humphrey and company? Try to find a way to spin this negative into a positive for 2020 and beyond in order to shed some of these labels.
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