Slamming his helmet to the ground and kicking it was only the beginning of the frustration for Ravens safety Ed Reed.
After playing poorly and watching his team get handled by the Broncos yesterday, Reed admitted shame for all involved.
“I felt like it was Christmas and not for our side,” Reed said, via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. “We were in a giving mood. . . . We didn’t play football. I was embarrassed. I am embarrassed as a player to come out and perform the way we have. As a Ravens nation, as a player, I am embarrassed for our city.”
Reed himself has plenty to be ashamed of. An apparent miscommunication with cornerback Cary Williams led to an easy touchdown by Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker, and at another point, Reed was hurdled by running back Knowshon Moreno.
“I was not expecting him to jump, honestly,” Reed said. “I couldn’t react because I was dealing with a lot of sickness early in the game. I just wasn’t all the way into it, honestly. I was dealing with flu symptoms and everything. I just kind of watched him jump over me.
“I wasn’t expecting that at all. I thought he was was ready to put his head down. I saw him gathering himself, so I was like, ‘There’s no way he’s going to jump.’”
Likewise, there was little expectation that the Ravens would clinch their playoff berth while losing three straight games, and looking bad in the process.
“It hits you in your heart when you lose three straight and you had an opportunity to close our your division the last three weeks,” Reed said. “It’s terrible. It’s what all you guys have been saying about us right now. Regardless of us not listening to it or not worrying about it, it’s just been the truth. We’ve just acted on it to come out and lose today.”
Reed can blame the flu if he wants, but the reality is the Ravens defense doesn’t intimidate anyone any longer, not as short-handed as they are. And with an offense that’s no help whatsoever, they’re on the verge of becoming a non-factor.