Saturday, Jan 10, 2009 06:04 PM

Ravens QB Flacco didn't step out of bounds for safety, referee says

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Referee Terry McAulay ruled that Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco didn't step out of the back of the end zone on a fourth-quarter pass that could have given the Tennessee Titans a safety in their AFC Divisional Playoff Game on Saturday.

Baltimore won the game 13-10.

The Ravens led 10-7 when they recovered Titans tight end Alge Crumpler's fumble at their 1-yard line. On third down, Flacco retreated to throw and came dangerously close to the back line. As the crowd at LP Field howled, Flacco threw an incompletion.

"That was me," McAulay said of who was responsible to watch for a safety on the play. "In my opinion, he did not step on the line. There was green or whatever the color was between the end line and his foot."

Although the play was shown again on the video board in the stadium, there were no conclusive replays. Nor did CBS show any telling replay.

"We didn't get a view or a look or anything," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said.

Said Flacco: "I think my foot wrapped around and came back inbounds. I almost pulled a Dan Orlovsky."

Detroit Lions quarterback Orlovsky stepped well out of the back of the end zone in a game this season.

"I don't think I was out," Flacco added. "The only place I saw it was on the big screen, and it's not really zoomed in there.

"I wasn't out because they didn't call it."

The Ravens punted after the incompletion, and the Titans marched downfield for a tying field goal. Baltimore then won the divisional playoff game on Matt Stover's 43-yard field goal with 53 seconds remaining.