Pro Bowl becomes gathering place for the brokenhearted
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Baltimore Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley has no problem discussing the gut-wrenching way his season ended.
He’s talked about it with family and friends for nearly a month and openly shared his thoughts with fellow Pro Bowl players this week.
At breakfast. In the locker room. On the practice field.
He’s also gotten plenty of sympathetic support.
After all, the New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars know exactly how Mosley feels.
Players from all those teams are still trying to deal with the way they exited the postseason.
“You talk about it because that’s the life of the NFL,” Mosley said Thursday. “You fight and fight, and it always comes down to the last two minutes or the last play of the game.”
The Pro Bowl has become a gathering spot for the brokenhearted, a place to laugh, smile and joke through lingering disappointment.
“When it’s the last game of the season, it definitely sticks with you a lot longer,” Mosley said. “It was tough, but you’ve got to live and learn from it. It just builds calluses, as coach (John) Harbaugh says, and you try to redeem yourself next season.”
The Ravens looked as if they were headed to the playoffs in the final minute of the final game of the regular season.
But Baltimore gave up a crushing, 49-yard touchdown pass with 44 seconds remaining and lost 31-27 loss to Cincinnati. The outcome put Buffalo in the playoffs for the first time since the 1999 season.
“I know they helped us out, but to have pretty much a home playoff game and lose to a team that’s not having a good year, that’s difficult,” Bills guard Richie Incognito said.
Incognito and other Pro Bowlers felt as if Baltimore’s stunning setback took a backseat to others in the playoffs.
New Orleans was poised to beat Minnesota in an NFC divisional game until Case Keenum completed a lastditch heave to Stefon Diggs, who turned it into a 61-yard touchdown reception that gave the Vikings a 29-24 victory. Rookie safety Marcus Williams whiffed trying to tackle Diggs near the sideline.
“That’s tough to go and do that,” Incognito said. “You’re in and out of it in a game like New Orleans-Minnesota and then you lose it on the last play. That’s just demoralizing. That’s going to be in that kid’s head forever.”
It dominated conversation in Minnesota for a week — until the Vikings got thumped at Philadelphia while trying to become the first team in NFL history to make the Super Bowl in its home stadium.
“That’s why you keep doing things like this, try to enjoy the moment, live in the moment and actually try to get that game off your mind,” Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes said.
“I can’t tell you how long it’s going to take, but it’ll take very long if people keep asking me questions about the game. But eventually it’ll pass.
“We’ve got to look forward to next year and hopefully we’ll go to the Super Bowl.”