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Was Michael Wilbon Watching the Same Ravens-Bengals MNF Game I Was?
By Jamie Mottram | September 11, 2007
Last night’s entertaining (Future H.O.F 20??!) front end of an overwrought Monday Night doubleheader came down to this: Ravens ball in Bengals territory, down seven with a few minutes left. Kyle Boller comes in for the injured Steve McNair with the outcome hanging in the balance.
As everyone knows by now, B’more was unable to score, but, if you didn’t watch the game and only read Michael Wilbon’s morning-after column, well, you’d think Boller crapped the bed:
It’s the fifth year of Kyle Boller in Baltimore and nothing much has changed. The more you see of him at quarterback the less you want to see …
Boller was bad. The play-calling was way too trusting of Boller, who simply hasn’t earned any benefit of the doubt …
What, four years of his ineptitude isn’t enough? If McNair’s groin injury keeps him on the sideline for any length of time, the Ravens would become entirely one-dimensional unless Boller has a mid-career transformation.
Now, I’m not saying Boller is or ever will be a good QB, but I know what I saw last night. The guy came in ice cold, under real pressure and did all he could to deliver. He made a terrific throw on 4th-and-three to get inside the five. He hit Todd Heap in the back of the endzone for what should have been the game-tying TD but was not due to a bad interference call. And he hit Heap square in the chest with what, again, should have been the game-tying TD, but it bounced off of Heap and into the hands of a Cincy defender. That’s really all you can expect from a backup.
So is Wilbon’s armchair assessment off or is mine? Either way, why is he kicking Boller when he’s down? It seems unnecessary, if not misguided.
Note: Pictured is Stephanie Mae Brink, Miss California Teen USA 2005.
Update: I’m enjoying the discourse on this subject in the comments, as well as on We Rite Goode and FanHouse.
Topics: Media Bird Doggin', NFL | 12 Comments »
September 11th, 2007 at 3:27 PM
I have absolutely no clue what Wilbon is talking about. In fact, McNair was the one who looked inept last night. His throws were way off, he couldn’t hold onto the ball, and of course, he got hurt as usual.
If anyone is to blame for the Ravens loss, it’s Heap. I guess Boller should’ve known Heap hates the ball in his numbers.
September 11th, 2007 at 3:29 PM
This smacks of Lupica going on TSR a few years ago, ranting about OU beating aTm 77-00, and it was clear he hadn’t watched the game. Same for Albom writing about MSU hoops a couple of years back.
Money and fame really suck for fans who liked [insert ESPN or ESPN-related personality or MTV] before he/she/it got noticed.
September 11th, 2007 at 3:33 PM
Hmmmm.
Wilbon defends McNair, castigates Boeller.
Hmmmm.
September 11th, 2007 at 4:15 PM
In the game I saw Boller had about five other chances to get the ball in the endzone and he failed as expected. He’s just a shitty quarterback.
I find it impossible to believe that Wilbon didn’t watch the first MNF game of the year, especially with the teams in question.
September 11th, 2007 at 5:33 PM
especially wilbon was there in cincinnati.
unless, he had to do Disney/ESPN/PTI stuff that precluded him from watching the game.
September 11th, 2007 at 6:11 PM
I wouldn’t suggest that Wilbon didn’t watch the game, I’d just question what the fuck he was watching. Boller, although we can agree he’s not a good QB, doesn’t deserve any blame whatsoever for the loss.
September 11th, 2007 at 7:41 PM
Yeah, Wilbon’s column this morning fills me with some doubt about his ability to assess football games. I mean, the Ravens turned the ball over five times before Boller got in the game, and the Mason pass was textbook clutch. The suggestion that Leftwich would have gotten it done instead is patently absurd, too.
Look, the two WaPo guys are great on PTI. But assuming this isn’t just a rare slip for Wilbon, and given how weak Kornheiser’s shtick is on MNF, maybe the Mottram bros. should look into NFL announcing jobs…the powers-that-be must be desperate.
September 11th, 2007 at 9:52 PM
I think that whole fiasco was my fault. I was up by a two-point margin in my fantasy league playing against Todd Heap, and spent the entire game willing him to have insanely bad luck. There’s no way Wilbon (or Kyle Boller) could have known that.
September 11th, 2007 at 9:56 PM
I’d like to kick Ms. Brink when she’s down. Wait, that came out wrong.
I have to agree with the Super Mottram Brothers. Boller should have won the game on two passes to Heap. One was the refs fault and the other was Heaps. If he’s calling out Boller instead of McNair then something is wrong upstairs.
I’m just surprised that they didn’t give the ball to “super-stud all-pro” Willis McGahee every time. He’s clutch.
September 12th, 2007 at 10:20 AM
He didn’t really defend McNair, and on yesterday’s PTI, even said he might not be the player he used to be.
I think it’s all motivated by Wilbon’s assessment that the Ravens should get Leftwich, whom Wilbon knows very well from his Woodson days.
September 12th, 2007 at 10:28 AM
You are right on and I can barely read Wilbon anymore. He is ALWAYS on his soap box berating someone down. The point missed is why did not Billick at least run the ball at least once on the goal line.
September 17th, 2007 at 12:48 AM
To revisit this…as I hope Wilbon revisits Boller tomorrow. Not that the Jets are the Bears ‘85 D, but Kyle looked really good today. (Not surprising, because he also looked good in last week’s tight spot).
Wilbon is quick to go to the “stooge” card, when folks have annoyed him with their stupidity. Well, I’m a Ravens fan and I’m still annoyed by Mike’s diatribe…it was wrong last week and it looks worse today.