Given the overwhelming Ravens-Cowboys discussion on last week’s Flashback Friday, today’s edition looks back at the Ravens’ 33-24 victory over those Cowboys in what would be the final game ever played in Texas Stadium on December 20, 2008.
We will get to the action in just a second, but first let’s address the Ravens mere inclusion in this game.
I remember being offended when the schedule was released for that season. It’s almost like the NFL handpicked and set up the Ravens for failure that game.
Think about it…
Final game at Texas Stadium, all kinds of former Cowboys legends attending the game, big ceremony planned, etc. This is America’s team after all. It seemed like it was a given that whoever played the Cowboys that day was destined for failure. I mean really… Who goes into the Big D and beats Jerry Jones’ Cowboys on such a momentous occasion?
Why, the Baltimore Ravens of course.
The 2008 season was Joe Flacco’s rookie campaign and the Ravens entered the game (9-5) and needing a win to put themselves in the driver’s seat for a playoff spot. But on this night the Ravens running backs stole the show. Tony Romo threw touchdown passes to former Raven Terrell Owens (he was a Raven for about 12 days) and to Jason Witten, both within the final 3:50 of the fourth quarter. Both scores put the Cowboys within 2 points of the Ravens.
A victorious Texas Stadium swan song seemed well within reach for the hosts.
But both Willis McGahee and Le’Ron McLain had something to say.
On the Ravens’ first play from scrimmage following the Owens touchdown, McGahee stormed into the end zone on a 77-yard touchdown run. It tied the longest run ever by an opponent in the entire history of Texas Stadium. More on that in a moment…
[youtube]https://youtu.be/RoCPJ9AJ0Tk[/youtube]
Witten answers for Dallas with the score and a minute later the Ravens have possession again at the 18-yard line.
Once again, on the first play from scrimmage, Le’Ron McLain rumbles and bumbles 82 yards for another Ravens touchdown. That run broke the record for the longest run by an opponent in NFL history, you know…the one that McGahee set roughly 4 minutes earlier. Two plays, 159 yards, 2 touchdowns.
[youtube]https://youtu.be/fzGRUNJorz8[/youtube]
Good night, Dallas.
During the game’s final minutes, various shots of happy Ravens players were shown on the team’s sideline during the broadcast. Ray Lewis could be heard shouting: “Shut this place down!” as he celebrated with Ed Reed and other teammates. Antwan Barnes also joined in by yelling: “Turn the lights out on this b***h!”
That line kills me every time.
If there’s one thing the Ravens do better than any team in the league, it’s trash talk. And they had every right to do so. The NFL set the Ravens up for failure in that game, and the Ravens took it personally. They did what the Ravens always seem to do when faced with BS adversity. They win.
What say you now, Cowboys? I hope your postgame remembrance celebration that night was all that it could be.
Following the game, Terrell Suggs was quoted saying: “We wanted to be party crashers. I hope they enjoyed their little ceremony. I guess we were kind of like dynamite.”
Offensive hero Willis McGahee also chimed in with “It wasn’t a homecoming game. It was more like a mock funeral… It was probably the best concert ever in Irving, Texas.”
Just for kicks and giggles, Tony Romo finished the game with a 66.2 quarterback rating.
That’s actually pretty good for him in December.
Good game, Tony.
Editor’s Note: I will never forget the utter disappointment in the voice of Deion Sanders on NFL Network during the game’s highlight presentation when Le’Ron McClain broke off that second big TD-run. His Cowboys after-game party just wouldn’t be the same with a big “L”. Poor Deion. Interestingly enough, NFL.com has taken down that video. Poor Jerry Jones.
