Less than 24 hours later the Ravens locker room was still as emotional as right after that season-ending 31-27 loss to the Bengals. You could see it on the players’ faces, hear it in their voices. The team is genuinely hurt by the fact that their season is over.
“I feel like we definitely had a team to make a run,” said receiver Mike Wallace. “So, it hurts. But we just didn’t get it done.”
“It’s tough. We play this game to win it all. Obviously at this point we don’t have the chance to do that. So, it’s tough,” said quarterback Joe Flacco.
“It hurts because I know what kind of team we are when we get to the playoffs. The NFL does too,” said linebacker C.J. Mosley. “When the Ravens get to the playoffs anything is possible.”
Part of the reality in every offseason is that players come and people go. Among the free agents this spring is Wallace.
“I love it here. This team, these coaches, they just gave me the love for the game back in a time when it was dark,” he said. “If they’ll have me I’ll definitely come back.”
As for the coaching staff long-time defensive coordinator Dean Pees definitely won’t be back.
“I’ve decided to retire from coaching,” Pees announced. “Most of the time in my 45 year career football has probably come first and everything else second. It’s time that that changed.”
Flacco said that he expects offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg to return next season.
Players say part of what head coach John Harbaugh told them Monday morning is the longer they let Sunday night’s loss linger, the longer it hinders their performance and the longer it takes them to get better themselves. Harbaugh is scheduled to address the media sometime this week.
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