The trip home from Seattle was just as long for me as it’s been for the Baltimore Ravens. They’ve had several hours of reflection now, and so have I, as the purple tour of North America continues with intermittent ugly losses and long plane rides.

The Ravens, as I’ve written and said many times since the initial debacle in Nashville back in September, have been become quite consistent in their inconsistency and unpredictability. We all know that there’s a very good football team someone in there based on the sweep of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the steely resolve they’ve used to overcome deficits like the hole they dug against the Arizona Cardinals.

But, when will the “real” Baltimore Ravens of 2011 stand up and define their season?

This latest smelling, wretched turd in Seattle will not sit well for the next six days as head coach John Harbaugh will go back to the drawing board – or maybe that’s Cam Cameron’s job? – as the Ravens attempt to game plan for a first-place showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium this Sunday for the most recent “really important game” of 2011.

The Seattle game had all of the hallmarks of a lost game amidst the promise of an elite team and a still-potential Super Bowl year for the Ravens.

Sure, kick returner David Reed will be the fall guy for the two obvious field possession swings and the 22-17 loss to the Seahawks but as Ray Lewis told me at his locker last night it goes far deeper than a few fumbles or turnovers.

Some random questions and observations as the Ravens return from Seattle at 6-3 and still fully in control of their own destiny in the AFC race for a No. 1 seed, a January bye week and some home-cooking to start the 2012 Festivus season:

Is the defense aging?

The otherwise stingy Ravens defense began every stand yesterday in Seattle from a position of obvious weakness. When Terrell Suggs, Ray Lewis and Ed Reed lead their defense onto the field and the first mumble is: “I hope we can hold them to a field goal!” that’s never good.

The turnovers yesterday killed the spirit

Based solely on the Ravens’ Jeckyl and Hyde performances all season long, I’m of the opinion that no one should be perceived as overconfident today as the purple warriors awaken in Seattle with a chance to end the day as the unquestioned leader of the pack in the AFC home-field advantage race.

Oh sure, there are plenty of reasons to feel confidence brimming now the Ravens have swept the dreaded Pittsburgh Steelers and are in control of their own destiny as the Bengals will next try to vanquish the black and gold demons in the early game today as Baltimore awaits the Seahawks at 4 p.m.

But I’d be lying if I didn’t smell a difficult task in Seattle, where the legendary “12th Man” will be appearing soon after kickoff to welcome Joe Flacco and Cam Cameron’s crew to the Pacific Northwest.

Afterall, I was in attendance in Nashville and Jacksonville where the locals all but guaranteed us a happy trip into the deep South and almost-home-cooking that resulted in two of the most dreadful and disappointing outcomes in recent years – especially considering the desperate talent on  both sides of the ball. The Titans and Jaguars are headed toward nowheresville in January but for one afternoon they defended their home turf and thwarted every effort of Flacco and the Ravens’ offense.

The Seahawks appear to be short on the offensive side of the ball — is there any way they can really lose to Tarvaris Jackson? — and many have asked how they’re going to score points today at Century Link Field against a stout Baltimore defense but I will remain at best “cautiously enthusiastic” about the Ravens’ offense until I some semblance of consistency.

That begins today at 4 p.m.

Can Joe Flacco find open receivers downfield? Will the running game with Ray Rice and Ricky Williams be established early to quiet the mounting green and blue cacophony of sounds? Will the offensive line be off cadence all day and create bad down and distances?

Will the defense keep Marshawn Lynch at bay in the running game and can the defense force its usual array of turnovers and pressures on a young, inexperience Seahawks’ offense?

All good questions.

We’ll have answers at 4 p.m.