Ravens believed they had reinjured Donovan McNabb’s reconstructed right knee.
They couldn’t believe he’d simply been benched for the second half.
“I remember one play when he landed on his knee real hard, so I asked him if he was all right,” Ray Lewis said.
If only.
“Hmm. Sounds good,” McNabb said.
McNabb was, in fact, physically sound, though his horrific second quarter might have shaken his psyche, what with his lost fumble and two interceptions.
Still, the vaunted Ravens defense, respectfully fearful of McNabb’s powerful arm and game-changing legs, were elated when backup Kevin Kolb started the second half.
“You could say our antennae went up,” said safety Ed Reed.
For Reed, they stayed up.
He intercepted Kolb’s lazy, fourth-quarter pass in the back of the end zone and returned it 108 yards for a touchdown, breaking his own 4-year-old record by 2 yards.
Certainly, McNabb’s recent performance warranted head coach Andy Reid at least considering replacing him. It’s just that the Ravens couldn’t believe they would be facing . . . who was it again?
“I think it was unfair to bench Donovan. I was glad. Donovan’s an All-Pro quarterback,” said Samari Rolle. “I’d never heard of Kevin Kolb.”
Comments