Bedard: Ravens, Patriots had a role reversal ... on this night

BALTIMORE — You've seen this movie so many times that you're stunned and confused when the outcome isn't the exact same.

The Patriots fell behind the Baltimore Ravens 17-0 on a crisp, cool night near the Patapsco River, but we've seen that before. Even in Super Bowls. The Patriots have usually overcome it.

We've seen their defense get gashed to the tune of 198 yards on the Ravens' first three possessions ... and make it an afterthought.

There have been other nights when Tom Brady spends more time on the turf than throwing touchdown passes ... and the Patriots find a way.

They've even had some killer turnovers that seemed to end any hopes of a comeback. And then men wearing the Flying Elvis pick up their teammate by roaring back to take the lead and win the game.

But that didn't happen on this night. Why? Because the Ravens didn't wilt when most teams would have. They put their foot down and left an unmistakable message in the wake of their 37-20 victory that said, "We're still here, and we're not going away."

They were ... Patriot-like.

That much we know ... for one game and one night. Many others will dissect this loss for the Patriots and look for a larger meaning. You'll hear phrases like blueprint, overrated, strength of schedule and Kryptonite that wears purple and has a No. 8 on his chest.

That's fine. That's what a performance like this earns you. The Patriots have ripped the hearts out of so many teams and coaches that when it's their turn, they have to take it. And let it stew over an ill-timed bye week.

But just because others talk in those terms doesn't make it true. What a loss like this means as far as the Patriots and this season is this:

It was one game. One really crappy and, at times, embarrassing game. When a team rushes 39 times for 212 yards, as the Ravens did, that's called getting run over.

Sure, there were some very disturbing things in this game that need to be addressed and cleaned up, starting with the run fits, which we warned about after wins over the Jets and Browns.

Bill Belichick knew he was taking a risk when he put just two run-stuffing defensive linemen — Lawrence Guy and Danny Shelton — on his well-stocked roster. Sure, you can still defend the run well with veteran linebackers like the Patriots have against most teams, but when you go up against a good and huge offensive line — seriously, Orlando Brown Jr. was a mountain when I walked by him in the Ravens locker room — you're going to have a tough time if they play with the lead and stay balanced.

Guy and Shelton seemed to be on the field all night. And when the Patriots needed to go to a three-man line in the 3-4, as they do against good running teams, putting Adam Butler at one of the ends is not ideal.

Brady took another boatload of hits in this game — officially 10, which is a lot for NFL stat keepers. Most of them probably came via Marshall Newhouse, whose shortcomings have been on display for weeks. But have the Patriots parked a tight end near him to help? No. Have they increased the number of chips by the backs? No. So what did you expect to happen? Ravens outside linebacker Matthew Judon, who's not even that good, had four hits by himself.

And there were the red zone and goal-to-go situations. Keeping with their season-long issues, where grit, might and determination in the trenches matter most, the Patriots were just 2 of 4 in both situations.

Meanwhile the Ravens, and this is where the role reversal started to take root, were 4 of 4 in the red zone and 3 of 3 in goal-to-go situations.

The Patriots, the team that always stiffens in the red zone and makes you kick field goals, couldn't get the final stop to take the air out of the Ravens. And it was Baltimore that allowed the Patriots to go down the field four times, but found a way to halt two of them.

The Patriots were driving to start the second half and all seemed right with the world when they landed at the Baltimore 30 and could smell the end zone that would give them a 20-17 lead and set a familiar course for the final two quarters.

But then the Ravens punched the ball out from Julian Edelman and produced their own scoop and score. 17-20 turned into 24-13 real quick.

"Put us in a hole, you can't turn the ball over against a team like that when they can hold the ball that long," Edelman said. "I feel like I let my team down but you have to move on."

The Patriots quickly answered, like you knew they would, and appeared to be right back in the game as they forced the Ravens into a 4th and 4 at the New England 38. This is where the other teams wilt. This is where New England dusts a pretender.

Lamar Jackson completed a 7-yard pass to Willie Snead and went on to score to make it 30-20.

It was a typical Patriots move, just never-say-die. If you squinted, you would have thought you were back in Gillette and Bon Jovi was queued up.

Only, no, it was the Ravens on this night. Certainly, a role reversal if you're part of the New England faithful.

But it was only one night. It doesn't have to be more than that. Whether that happens is now up the Patriots.

The 8-1 Patriots.