The Ravens fell behind early against the Browns and never recovered in a 27-13 loss this afternoon.

As always, this is the place for you, the fans, to sound off. Those who overlooked the defense's fourth-quarter deficiencies against the Cardinals and Jets have to be concerned about the performance today. What needs to be corrected? Who deserves the blame?

And then there's the offense. Several drives into Cleveland territory, but not enough points to show for it. Were you happy with Steve McNair's performance? What about Brian Billick's play-calling? Should they have gone to Willis McGahee more even though they were playing from behind?

Here's my weekly snapshot:

Player of the game: Derek Anderson, QB

The former Ravens draft pick was not spectacular, but he was smart and efficient in leading the Browns to victory. Anderson went 10-for-18 for 204 yards and only turned the ball over once. Behind a good performance from the offensive line, Anderson avoided being sacked by the Ravens' defense. He's 2-1 as a starter on the season and has thrown nine touchdowns. Not bad considering he was the backup in Week 1.

Play of the game: Braylon Edwards TD

Anderson hit wide receiver Braylon Edwards for a 78-yard touchdown with 5:46 left in the first quarter. Edwards beat Ravens cornerback Chris McAlister badly on the play. The score came on Cleveland's first offensive snap after a Steve McNair interception. It gave the Browns momentum, and they never looked back.

Former Ravens watch

I already talked about Anderson, but much of the talk this week was about Jamal Lewis. The Browns running back carried 23 times for 64 yards and a touchdown. His longest run was 28 yards. While the Ravens bottled him up for most of the game, Lewis' team got the win, and the Browns now have the same record as Baltimore at 2-2.

Good number: 7.43

That is the yards per carry average for Willis McGahee. The Ravens running back carried 14 times for 104 yards. However, McGahee's touches were limited after the Ravens got down early. On the bright side, he's shown improvement in every game so far.

Bad number: 0

That's the number of sacks by the Ravens' defense. With Samari Rolle out because of an undisclosed illness, it was imperative that the defense put pressure on Anderson today, and it didn't happen. Even though he only attempted 18 passes, Anderson had all day to find his receivers, especially early on.

Not so special teams

Yamon Figurs' fumble on a kickoff return led directly to a Bengals touchdown. Meanwhile, Matt Stover missed a pair of field goals. The Ravens' special teams units have seen better days.

What's next?

The Ravens travel to San Francisco to take on the 49ers next week at 4:15 p.m. San Francisco is 2-1 and takes on the Seahawks later today.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 3:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)
                    

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How they scored

Browns 27, Ravens 13 -- Steve McNair hit tight end Quinn Sypniewski for a 4-yard touchdown with 7:14 left in the game to reduce Cleveland's lead. Sypniewski is in the game because both Todd Heap and Daniel Wilcox have been injured. The Ravens' drive went 85 yards on 13 plays and lasted 6:27.

Thumbs up

• McNair set a career high with his 33rd completion. Note: This could probably be in the "Thumbs down" section, considering McNair had to attempt more than 50 passes with the Ravens trailing all game.

• Willis McGahee made a nice block picking up a blitzing Browns defender on the Ravens' touchdown. McGahee has had a good game, rushing 14 times for 104 yards.

Thumbs down

• When the Ravens were attempting to come back down two touchdowns, they were hit with back-to-back penalties, one on McNair for intentional grounding and the other on Jason Brown for a false start.

• According to television reports, Todd Heap is out of the game because of an injured hamstring, and Daniel Wilcox is on the bench because of an injured foot. Quinn Sypniewski is in the game at tight end.

• Bart Scott dropped what appeared to be a sure interception early in the quarter. It looked like he would have had plenty of running room and could have possibly gone the distance if he made the pick.

• According to the CBS announcers, the Ravens have been in Browns territory on every drive today, but they've only managed to muster six points.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 3:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)
                    

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How they scored

Browns 27, Ravens 6 -- Phil Dawson hit a 20-yard field goal with 4:16 left in the third quarter to extend the Browns' lead over the Ravens. Cleveland's drive went 66 yards on nine plays and took 4:37 off the clock. The big play was a 49-yard catch and run by tight end Kellen Winslow.

Thumbs up

• Steve McNair made a great play to avoid a sack and find Demetrius Williams for a 16-yard gain. However, CBS announcers pointed out that McNair appeared to be in discomfort after the play.

• Steve McNair hit five different receivers on the Ravens' first possession of the quarter that resulted in no points. The big play was a short dump-off to Willis McGahee on 3rd-and-1 that went for a 30-yard gain.

Thumbs down

• The Ravens went for in on 4th-and-3 from the Browns' 40-yard line with 10 seconds left in the quarter, but tight end Daniel Wilcox could not hang on to a pass from Steve McNair.

• Winslow's 49-yard reception was the longest of his career. Gerome Sapp was covering him. Sapp was called for an illegal contact penalty on the play that was obviously declined.

• Matt Stover missed a 41-yard field-goal attempt with 8:54 left in the quarter. The Ravens had driven into Cleveland territory on their first possession of the second half, taking 6:06 off the clock. However, they came up with no points.

• Rookie fullback Le'Ron McClain was called for holding on a Willis McGahee run during the Ravens' first possession of the third quarter.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 2:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

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How they scored

Browns 24, Ravens 6 -- Matt Stover hit a 29-yard field goal with 52 seconds left in the half to cut Cleveland's lead to 24-6. The Ravens went 68 yards on 11 plays and took four minutes off the clock. However, the Ravens' offense stalled once it reached the Cleveland 10-yard line. Steve McNair threw three straight incomplete passes -- two intended for Todd Heap and one intended for Demetrius Williams.

Browns 24, Ravens 3 -- Jamal Lewis found the end zone on a 1-yard touchdown run with 4:57 left in the quarter to give the Browns a 24-3 lead. The score was set up after Ravens rookie Yamon Figurs fumbled a kickoff return. Cleveland's drive went 31 yards on eight plays.

Lewis' touchdown was controversial as he leaped and tried to stretch the ball past the goal line. CBS replays showed that Lewis did not cross the goal line with the ball. Brian Billick tried to challenge the play, but he did not throw the red flag until after the ball was snapped for the extra point.

Browns 17, Ravens 3 -- Phil Dawson hit a 41-yard field goal with 9:21 left in the quarter to give the Browns a 17-3 lead. Cleveland went 49 yards on eight plays and took 3:28 off the clock. The big play was a 28-yard run by Jamal Lewis.

Browns 14, Ravens 3 -- Matt Stover hit a 21-yard field-goal attempt with 12:48 left in the quarter to cut Cleveland's lead to 14-3. The score was set up when Ed Reed intercepted a Derek Anderson pass late in the first quarter and returned it to the Browns' 24-yard line. The Ravens' drive ended when Steve McNair hit Derrick Mason for a 5-yard pass on 3rd-and-7. McNair is 7-for-11 for 71 yards and an interception. Willis McGahee has carried six times for 39 yards.

Thumbs up

• On the Ravens' final drive of the first half, McNair hit Heap for a 15-yard gain on 3rd-and-10.

• Willis McGahee had a spectacular 28-yard run late in the quarter. The Browns appeared to have McGahee behind the line of scrimmage, but they missed a couple tackles. McGahee then reversed fields and headed to the far sideline for a big play. He's carried seven times for 67 yards with two minutes left in the half.

Thumbs down

• On the drive that resulted in a Jamal Lewis touchdown, Cleveland initially missed a field-goal attempt on 4th-and-4. However, Chris McAlister was called for an offsides penalty on the kick, keeping Cleveland's drive alive.

• Rookie Yamon Figurs fumbled on a kickoff return, giving Cleveland possession at the Ravens' 31-yard line.

• Browns backup running back Jason Wright had a 15-yard run early in the quarter. He later had a 12-yard scamper.

• Jamal Lewis had a 28-yard carry before being pushed out-of-bounds by Ed Reed on Cleveland's first drive of the second quarter.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 1:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
                    

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How they scored

Browns 14, Ravens 0 -- Derek Anderson found Braylon Edwards for a 78-yard touchdown with 5:46 left in the quarter to give the Browns a 14-0 lead. The play was set up when Steve McNair was intercepted by Cleveland cornerback Leigh Bodden.

Browns 7, Ravens 0 -- Derek Anderson hit Joe Jurevicius for a 2-yard touchdown to give the Browns a 7-0 lead with 9:52 left in the quarter. Cleveland's scoring drive went 55 yards on nine plays and took 5:14 off the clock. The Browns were set up with great field position after a 41-yard return on the opening kickoff. The big play on the drive was a 25-yard catch and run by tight end Kellen Winslow.

Thumbs up

• Ed Reed intercepted a Derek Anderson pass with 12 seconds left in the quarter, giving the Ravens possession at the Cleveland 24 yard line.

• Jamal Lewis was stuffed for no gain on his first carry of the game. He carried three times for three yards on the Browns' first possession.

• Before Steve McNair was intercepted on the Ravens' first drive, he made a couple nice throws, hitting Demetrius Williams for a gain of 15 and Mark Clayton for a gain of 19.

Thumbs down

• Matt Stover missed a 46-yard field goal late in the quarter.

• Chris McAlister got beat badly on the 78-yard touchdown to Edwards.

• Steve McNair was picked off by Browns cornerback Leigh Bodden with 5:55 left in the quarter. The turnover gave Cleveland possession at its own 22-yard line.

• The Browns went 3-for-3 on third-down conversions on their first drive.

• Joshua Cribbs took the opening kickoff 41 yards to the Cleveland 45-yard line.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 1:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

As reported by The Sun's Jamison Hensley, Jonathan Ogden will miss his third straight game today against the Browns.

All eyes will be on Jamal Lewis, who is facing the Ravens for the first time as a member of the Browns. However, don't sleep on Willis McGahee. He should have a monster game against Cleveland's defense.

Other questions: How will Steve McNair hold up? Will Kyle Boller see action? Will the fourth quarter be a problem for the Ravens' defense? How will the secondary perform with Samari Rolle once again out of the lineup?

I'll be live-blogging while watching the game on TV so refresh your browser for the latest updates, and feel free to chime in.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 12:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Last week: 5-8-3

Overall: 17-25-6

As always, picks are for entertainment purposes only.

Raiders at Dolphins

The pick: RAIDERS (+4.5)

Remember when Daunte Culpepper quoted Gandhi in an e-mail to the media when he left Miami? Here's part of what he wrote: First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win. Well, we could see if he's at the "you win" part because Culpepper may start for an injured Josh McCown. Miami's allowing 166 yards per game on the ground, and LaMont Jordan is quietly having a great year with 350 yards (second in the NFL).

Texans at Falcons

The pick: TEXANS (-2.5)

Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse for the Falcons, Michael Vick tests positive for marijuana, and Bobby Petrino fines cornerback DeAngelo Hall $100,000 for his shouting episode last week. Hall won't start. On the bright side, Atlanta moved the ball last week against the Panthers. According to The Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Falcons punted just once in the first half against the Panthers. Meanwhile, the banged-up Texans showed me something in their hard-fought loss to the Colts.

Ravens at Browns

The pick: BROWNS (+4.5)

With the Ravens' fourth-quarter meltdowns the past two weeks, it's almost impossible to pick them to cover more than a field goal at this point, especially on the road. By the way, want to see two different takes on this game for Jamal Lewis? The Sun's story: J. Lewis carrying 'sour taste' into reunion with Ravens. Cleveland.com's story earlier this week: Browns' Jamal Lewis reviving his career in Cleveland.

Bears at Lions

The pick: BEARS (-3)

Lions WR Roy Williams seems to provide a memorable quote every week. Check out what he says about being cheap in a radio transcript on the Detroit Free Press' Web site: "I am cheap, I’m a cheap date. Get you some McDonalds, with some cheese on it and I’m just really cheap, man. I’m very low key, I like to stay home. I like to go bowling on Monday nights and I go to the casino every once and awhile. Other than that, you won’t see Mr. Williams out at all." I highly recommend reading the entire interview. As for Chicago, what happens if Brian Griese throws three interceptions and the Bears lose? I realize Lovie Smith had to make the move at quarterback, but the Bears' problems go beyond Rex Grossman. The running game ranks 26th in the league, and the defense is banged up.

Packers at Vikings

The pick: PACKERS (-1.5)

This game scares me. Minnesota has a bye next week, and then its schedule gets significantly tougher. Green Bay, meanwhile, is coming off an emotional win at Lambeau against the Chargers and has a Sunday night game at home against the Bears next week. Don't expect the Packers' offense to even try to run the ball this week. Green Bay has the league's worst-ranked rushing offense, and the Vikings have the third-ranked rush defense.

Rams at Cowboys

The pick: COWBOYS (-12.5)

Two football-related e-mails I received from friends earlier this week:

1. 1 year ago today was the day TO overdosed on pain killers.

And this one in reference to weekly fantasy football picks I make on our league's Web site:

2. When you gonna learn your lesson and pick me to win? Huh? You want some? What? You heard me. Come get some.

Ahh, good to see they're hard at work right? I guess I shouldn't talk. I'm picking games right now at work, and doing a terrible job at that. As for this matchup, I hate picking double-digit favorites to cover, but as my buddy MC says: "I don't see any way you can take the Rams."

Jets at Bills

The pick: BILLS (+3.5)

Says my Jets expert Ben Stauber: "It's such a tough game for me. The Bills have played Denver, Pittsburgh and New England. The only thing saying Jets to me is Trent Edwards." And so it's settled.

Buccaneers at Panthers

The pick: PANTHERS (-3)

With Jake Delhomme injured, it looks like David Carr will get the nod according to Charlotte.com. I have no handle on either of these teams. Tampa Bay has been better than I thought it'd be, letting a solid defense lead the way in winning two of its first three games. Carolina, meanwhile, continues to be one of the league's most inconsistent teams.

Seahawks at 49ers

The pick: SEAHAWKS (-2)

Darrell Jackson tells the Seattle Post Intelligencer he needed to cut his afro before facing his former team: "I couldn't see the ball. My helmet was too high on my head. I tried to get away with it for three games. Now, it's a little better." And that is why I love professional athletes.

Steelers at Cardinals

The pick: CARDINALS (+6)

A good piece in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about the shaky relationship between Ben Roethlisberger and former Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, now the head coach in Arizona. All three of Pittsburgh's wins have been by at least 21 points. The Cardinals keep this one close.

Chiefs at Chargers

The pick: CHIEFS (+11.5)

LaDainian Tomlinson fantasy owners, take a deep breath; he's going to get on track this week. Larry Johnson owners, you're likely in for another week of heartache, but the Chiefs running back should rebound eventually after a brutal first month.

Broncos at Colts

The pick: COLTS (-9.5)

It will be fun to see Peyton Manning and company take on the league's No.1-ranked pass defense. Check out Manning's numbers in his last three games against the Broncos: 81-for-98 for 1,180 yards and 12 touchdowns (Indianapolis Star). By the way, Manning was named the 13th-most influential person in the world of sports by BusinessWeek.

Eagles at Giants

The pick: EAGLES (-3)

Is there any sense in trying to figure out these two teams? Which Eagles offense will show up -- the one that couldn't move the ball the first two weeks or the one that hung 56 on the Lions in Week 3? Which Giants defense will show up -- the one that was torched the first two weeks or the one that held the Redskins in check when it mattered last week?

Monday night pick will be made Monday. All lines are from sportsbook.com.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Here's a roundup of national media coverage on the Ravens. As always, feel free to e-mail me or comment with links that I missed.

Boller gets playing time

SI.com's Peter King says Brian Billick made the right move in replacing Steve McNair with Kyle Boller last week against the Cardinals:

Get off Brian Billick's back, Baltimore. Steve McNair is going to have a bad groin all season. The team will need Kyle Boller to relieve competently and win -- which he's done now twice.

NFL.com's Vic Carucci says he's not sure Billick's decision to play Boller was the right one:

"We're lucky to have the latitude with Kyle," Billick told reporters in Baltimore.

Really? I can't be convinced that the two-platoon system works at quarterback, because it's the one position that should have an unquestioned starter. If two players fill it, then a team doesn't have anyone worthy of the No. 1 role. Two players filling it is awkward and confusing, especially for the other players on offense.

ESPN.com's DJ Gallo offers up quotes from Week 3, but lets readers determine whose words they are:

"You just try and put your mind in a place where, 'hey, it's showtime.' I'm warm, the body is warm."

(a) Kyle Boller, Ravens backup quarterback, on his mind-set on coming into the game for injured quarterback Steve McNair.

(b) Travis Henry, Broncos running back, on his mind-set upon meeting new women.

Gallo also includes this one:

"That's what I think the league is afraid of."

(a) Ray Lewis, Ravens linebacker, on Baltimore's developing a potent offensive attack.

(b) Law enforcement, on Ray Lewis.

Fourth-quarter struggles

ProFootballTalk.com's Mike Florio says the Ravens lack a killer instinct:

The fingernail chewing of the past two weekends, however, would have been unnecessary if the defense had done its job. So before Lewis -- or any other member of the defense -- considers griping about the inability of the offense to score, they should devote their efforts to figuring out how to stay focused once a game is supposedly in the bag.

ESPN.com's Tuesday Morning Quarterback Gregg Easterbrook says the Ravens had trouble handling the Cardinals' hurry-up offense:

The Ravens' defense is the league's best; offensive coordinators have been struggling to find a weakness. Baltimore should expect to see a lot of hurry-up offense in coming weeks.

Pete Prisco of CBS Sports gives the Ravens a B- for their performance against the Cardinals:

They jumped to the big lead and then fell asleep. That can't happen or it will cost them. The defense let Kurt Warner shred it in the second half. That's a bad sign. Thank goodness for the punt return by Yamon Figurs.

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt didn't have much to say to azcentral.com about safety Adrian Wilson's hit on Todd Heap that drew a 15-yard penalty, but he did offer this:

"I can't speak for how they see it or what they see," Whisenhunt said. "The game's happening fast. I know there was a situation with (Ravens linebacker) Ray (Lewis) when he hit our tight end (Troy Bienemann). It was close to that, and that wasn't called. It's certainly open to the interpretation by the officials."

In the rankings

SI.com's King has the Ravens seventh in his power rankings:

For a team with such a good defense, the Ravens are developing a penchant for letting teams back in games.

ESPN.com has the Ravens fifth:

Is Brian Billick's team fading in the fourth quarter? That's what the Balitmore Sun is asking. The Ravens have been outscored 35-16 in the fourth this year after outscoring opponents 105-55 in the fourth last season.

Prisco of CBS Sports has the Ravens No. 6:

They didn't make it easy against the Cardinals, but this is still a good team. What happened to that pass defense in the second half?

Peter Schrager of FoxSports.com has the Ravens sixth:

For the second straight week, the Ravens nearly gave away a multi-touchdown lead, only to secure the victory in the final seconds of the game. Now 2-1, they seem to be back on track after the six-turnover performance from Week 1.

USA Today has the Ravens seventh:

After the first few, the order of the teams in the power rankings gets hazy. But the Ravens have posted two gutsy wins using a less-than-proven quarterback (Kyle Boller). They could get on a roll.

Former NFL coach John Robinson has the Ravens 10th in his rankings on NBCSports.com.

Michael Silver of Yahoo Sports has the Ravens sixth: Is Kyle Boller becoming Kyle Baller?

Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports has the Ravens third, while Charles Robinson has them fifth.

And finally...

ESPN.com's Jonah Keri puts together a list of owners we love to hate. He has Art Modell at No. 1:

Hatching a secret plan to move the team to Baltimore instead of selling to local interests who'd keep the Browns in Cleveland was merely the final indignity.

Keri lists Robert Irsay second:

Going on TV to threaten city and state governments and Colts fans (while apparently drunk), then packing all of the team's belongings into moving vans and skulking off to Indianapolis in the middle of the night tops even Modell's gambit for its combination of greed and cowardice.

For the record, he has Orioles owner Peter Angelos at No. 6.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 1:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)
                    

1. Indianapolis Colts (3-0) -- Think their 30-24 win against the Texans was no big deal? Consider that the Colts lost all three road division games a year ago (The Indianapolis Star). While the Texans were without Andre Johnson, this was a huge game for them, and it should have come as no surprise that they kept things close.

2. New England Patriots (3-0) -- The Patriots have punted four times in three games (Boston.com). They've scored exactly 38 points in each of their first three games. Tom Brady has completed 70 of 88 passes (79.5 percent), and Randy Moss is the first receiver in NFL history to post at least 100 yards in each of his first three games with a new team. Don't expect the aerial attack to stop any time soon. The Patriots' next three opponents -- the Bengals, Browns and Cowboys -- rank 26th, 23rd and 22nd respectively in passing defense.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0) -- They've shown they can run the ball and stop the run. The Steelers limited Frank Gore to 39 yards on 14 carries in their 37-16 win. The defense hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher in 28 straight games (Pittsburgh Post Gazette). Meanwhile, Willie Parker leads the NFL in rushing with 368 yards.

4. Dallas Cowboys (3-0) -- Their 34-10 win at Chicago Sunday night was as impressive as any victory in Week 3. Offensively, the Cowboys lead the NFL in points scored and appear to be head and shoulders above the rest of the NFC. With the Rams and Bills coming up, 5-0 is a distinct possibility.

5. Green Bay Packers (3-0) -- Do I think they're better than the Chargers? Probably not. But they were better than them Sunday. The lack of a running game (57.0 yards per game ranks dead-last in the NFL) is a major concern, but you can win a lot of games with Brett Favre if he plays the way he did Sunday.

6. San Diego Chargers (1-2) -- Too high? I don't think so. These are power rankings. If you want to see how teams are ranked based on their records, go look at the standings. As Chargers linebacker Shaun Phillips told The San Diego Union Tribune: "The fat lady ain't even on stage yet." The Chargers sound legitimately angry and frustrated, which is a good thing. Look for them to go on a run with three straight against division opponents before the bye week.

7. Baltimore Ravens (2-1) -- Fourth quarter struggles for the second week in a row left fans with a bad taste in their mouths after the win against the Cardinals. The Ravens will likely be favored in their next four games (against the Browns, 49ers, Rams and Bills) even though three of those contests are on the road.

8. Tennessee Titans (2-1) -- I'm a believer after Monday night. The Titans beat a desperate New Orleans team in every phase of the game. Dating back to last year, Tennessee has won five straight road games, and their only loss this season was a 22-20 defeat against the Colts. Other than New England and Indianapolis, I'm not sure there's a scarier team to play.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1) -- Nice win at Denver, limiting Travis Henry to 35 yards on 11 carries. Jacksonville's defense is allowing 11.3 points per game, the second-best mark in the league.

10. Seattle Seahawks (2-1) -- Not sure what to make of this team after it squeaked by against the Bengals. Matt Hasselbeck is quietly off to a good start, completing 65 percent of his passes with five touchdowns. Should know more about the impact of Shaun Alexander's cracked wrist when Seattle travels to San Francisco this weekend. 

11. Denver Broncos (2-1) -- Poor performance against the Jaguars. And now Jay Cutler has an ankle injury. The Broncos are 2-5 in their last seven home games (The Denver Post).

12. Houston Texans (2-1) -- Spirited effort against the Colts. Defensive tackle Cedric Killings was taken off the field on a stretcher on a special teams play. The offense's biggest playmaker -- wide receiver Andre Johnson -- didn't suit up. Neither did Ron Dayne. Ahman Green and receiver Jacoby Jones left the game with injuries. And still, the Texans were down by just six with 2:49 left. According the the Houston Chronicle, quarterback Matt Schaub was 14-for-14 for 111 yards from the 2:41 mark in the third quarter until the end of the game.

13. Carolina Panthers (2-1) -- Interesting piece in the Charlotte Observer on Julius Peppers, who has yet to post a sack in three games. Says columnist Tom Sorensen: "Julius Peppers is a great athlete. He is not a great football player."

14. Chicago Bears (1-2) -- Bears fans, it might be time to panic. Chicago's banged-up defense was picked apart against the Cowboys, and the Bears' offense has two touchdowns and 11 turnovers in three games. Lost in all the Rex Grossman hysteria is the fact that Cedric Benson is averaging just 3.2 yards per carry and has more fumbles (two) than touchdowns (one).

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1) -- Maybe the combination of Jeff Garcia and Jon Gruden is good enough to make a playoff run in the NFC? Should know more after the next three games -- at Carolina, at Indianapolis, home vs. Tennessee.

16. Philadelphia Eagles (1-2) -- Good luck figuring this team out. The offense fails to find the end zone in Week 2 and then hangs 56 on the Lions. Important matchup Sunday night at the Giants.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (1-2) -- According to Cincinnati.com, the Bengals are 6-10 in their last 16 games dating back to 2006. They've lost five of their last six, and things won't get much easier with the Patriots, Ravens and Chargers all on the schedule in the next six weeks.

18. New York Jets (1-2) -- Thomas Jones ran for 110 yards in the win against the Dolphins; 92 of those yards came in the second half (NJ.com).

19. San Francisco 49ers (2-1) -- While the 37-16 final would indicate they were blown out by the Steelers, keep in mind that San Francisco trailed 17-9 entering the fourth quarter. Of concern: Frank Gore is averaging just 3.4 yards per carry and 58 yards per game.

20. Washington Redskins (2-1) -- They blew a 17-3 lead at home to the Giants and were unable to punch it in with two chances from 1 yard out. Tough loss to swallow if you're a 'Skins fan.

21. New Orleans Saints (0-3) -- The league's most disappointing team so far. I'll usually give a team the benefit of the doubt when it has a smart coach and a good quarterback, but the Saints haven't been able to put things together. The defense ranks 31st in scoring defense, and Drew Brees has one touchdown and seven interceptions.

22. Minnesota Vikings (1-2) -- Their last two losses have each been by a field goal. The run game and run defense will keep them in games, but Minnesota doesn't have the quarterback or wide receivers to make plays down the stretch.

23. Arizona Cardinals (1-2) -- I liked Ken Whisenhunt's decision to try different things like the onsides kick and Kurt Warner at quarterback against the Ravens. Unfortunately for Cardinals fans, they look destined for mediocrity this season. 

24. New York Giants (1-2) -- Showed signs of life in the second half against the Redskins, but don't get too excited.

25. Detroit Lions (2-1) -- Does Kevin Curtis have terrible body odor? The Lions' defensive backs were nowhere near him in the 56-21 loss to Philly.

26. Miami Dolphins (0-3) -- Here's what head coach Cam Cameron told the Miami Herald in reference to using starters on special teams: "Now, is [backup quarterback] Cleo Lemon going to run down on kickoff? He might. We're going to do whatever we think we need to do to win a football game. If that's what it takes, that's what we'll do."

27. Kansas City Chiefs (1-2) -- Larry Johnson is averaging 2.8 yards per carry. Fantasy owners, I think he's a good buy-low candidate. Johnson has faced extremely tough run defenses over the first three weeks.

28. Cleveland Browns (1-2) -- They open as a 4.5-point underdog for Sunday's game against the Ravens.

29. Buffalo Bills (0-3) -- J.P. Losman is out for a couple weeks, and one of the team's few bright spots -- rookie linebacker Paul Posluszny -- is out for the season with a broken forearm.

30. St. Louis Rams (0-3) -- Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse for St. Louis, Steven Jackson will miss a game or two with a groin injury.

31. Oakland Raiders (1-2) -- Nice job turning the tables on the last-minute timeout, Lane Kiffin. And congratulations on your first NFL win, which broke the Raiders' 11-game losing streak.

32. Atlanta Falcons (0-3) -- I've decided the No. 32 team no longer gets a comment. Thanks for reading.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 11:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)
                    

Most impressive performance: Green Bay Packers

The Packers were a five-point underdog yesterday, but they showed resilience in improving to 3-0 with a 31-24 win against the Chargers at Lambeau Field. Greg Jennings' 57-yard catch and run from Brett Favre with 2:03 left put the Packers ahead for good. Perhaps more impressive is that Green Bay failed to score from the San Diego 1-yard line on its previous possession but still fought back for the win. Favre was impressive, completing 28 of 45 passes for 369 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. As for the Packers' defense, it's allowing just 90 yards per game on the ground, fourth-best in the NFC.

Most disappointing performance: Chicago Bears

I expected the Bears to make a statement at home on national TV and show that they were the team to beat in the NFC this season. It didn't happen. A banged-up Chicago defense was picked apart by Tony Romo and pounded by Marion Barber en route to a 34-10 loss to the Cowboys. Rex Grossman did not impress, going 15-for-32 for 195 yards and three interceptions. As reported by ChicagoSports.com, the Bears now have 11 turnovers and two offensive touchdowns in three games.

Day to remember: Donovan McNabb, Eagles

What a difference a week makes. I was in Philadelphia Monday night when the Eagles' offense looked like it had forgotten how to play football in an embarassing loss to the Washington Redskins. Donovan McNabb threw five feet wide on simple out patterns. The receivers couldn't get open. And it looked like 2007 would be a long year for Philadelphia. McNabb rebounded in a big way against the Lions yesterday, completing 21 of 26 passes for 381 yards and four touchdowns as the Eagles won their first game, 56-21. Consider this: McNabb averaged 5.22 yards per attempt last week against Washington. Against the Lions, that average was 14.65 as he hooked up with wide receiver Kevin Curtis time after time. Curtis ended up with 11 catches for 221 yards and three touchdowns.

Day to forget: Marc Bulger, Rams

St. Louis is making its case for the league's most disappointing team week after week. Yesterday, Bulger went 17-for-26 for 116 yards and three interceptions. According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, he hadn't been picked off in his first 89 throws of the season. Another great stat from the article: Bulger's longest pass play of the day yesterday was 18 yards. Last week against the 49ers, he completed seven pass plays of 20 yards or more. And remember, the Rams made Bulger the highest-paid player in franchise history this offseason with a six-year, $65 million contract.

Copycat league

Did you see highlights of the Raiders' 26-24 win over the Browns? Cleveland kicker Phil Dawson appeared to have kicked the game-winning field goal late in the fourth quarter, but the make didn't count because Raiders coach Lane Kiffin had called a timeout right before the kick. Why is this important? Dawson missed the kick after the timeout, and Oakland got its first victory. Mike Shanahan did the same thing to the Raiders last week, and Sebastian Janikowski missed his second attempt. How interesting that in a game that features some of the world's best athletes, these goofy tactics at crunch time can still make the difference between wins and losses.

Monday night pick: SAINTS (-4) vs. Titans

Monday night record (with spread): 2-0-1

All I can think of is the atmosphere in New Orleans last year when the Saints returned to the Superdome to take on the Falcons. I know it probably won't be as crazy tonight, but it's still a home game, and the Saints are a desperate team right now. As for the Titans, they seem to cover every week and are much better than they look on paper. Tennessee's defense has allowed just one touchdown in seven trips inside the red zone by its opponents. The Saints have scored just two offensive touchdowns in two games. I think those trends change tonight.

Random thoughts

Did anyone else like the Eagles blue and yellow throwback jerseys? They've been ripped relentlessly by analysts in the last 24 hours. I was kind of feeling them...Owners of the following fantasy players are now ready to find a new hobby: Bulger, Larry Johnson, Lee Evans... Owners of the following fantasy players feel like geniuses: Tony Romo, LaMont Jordan, Adrian Peterson... I listened to Marv Albert call the Cowboys-Bears game last night on the radio while driving home from work. I don't care what the sport is, "MARVelous" is still the best play-by-play man in the business.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

What looked like it would be a blowout at halftime turned into the third exciting finish of the season as the Ravens held on for a 26-23 win over the Cardinals this afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium.

As always, this is the place for you to chime in.

What did you make of Kyle Boller's performance filling in for Steve McNair in the fourth quarter? Ravens coach Brian Billick said McNair was removed from the game because he was favoring his injury. McNair missed last week's game with a strained groin, and Billick said he didn't want to push the injury over the edge and have McNair miss two or three games.

Are you concerned about the defense's fourth-quarter struggles for the second straight game?

Who is your player of the game? Is the team where you thought it'd be after three games? Do the Ravens lack a necessary killer instinct?

I want to hear from you.

Here's my weekly snapshot:

Player of the game: Matt Stover, K

In another wild game, it was the Ravens' veteran kicker who came through at the end, kicking a 46-yard field goal as time ran out to give the Ravens the win. Stover coverted all four field-goal attempts on the day as the Ravens managed just one offensive touchdown.

Play of the game: Boller's 12-yard pass to Todd Heap

The Ravens' final drive went 52 yards on nine plays. The big play was a 12-yard pass over the middle from Boller to Heap. Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson led with his helmet and forearm as he took down Heap. He was whistled for a 15-yard penalty, giving the Ravens the ball at Arizona's 39-yard line. Heap was taken out of the game after the hit and was being looked at on the bench. There is no word yet on the extent of his injury.

It was over when...

Stover hit the game-winning field goal. Was anyone else thinking blowout when the Ravens went up 20-3 on Yamon Figurs' 75-yard punt return for a touchdown late in the second quarter?

Recognizing the opponent: Anquan Boldin, WR

It was a toss-up between Boldin and quarterback Kurt Warner. Boldin caught 14 balls for 181 yards and two touchdowns. 112 of those yards came in the second half. The 14 catches were the second-most by a receiver against the Ravens in franchise history. Only Jimmy Smith of the Jacksonville Jaguars had more in 2000. Did Boldin's performance remind anyone else of Steve Smith's eight-catch, 189-yard performance for the Panthers last year at M&T Bank Stadium?

Meanwhile, Warner came in for an ineffective Matt Leinart and completed 15 of 20 passes for 258 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The guy can barely move back there, but he can still throw the football.

Good number: 37:43

That was the Ravens' time of possession. The advantage came mainly in the first half when the Ravens controlled the ball for 22:24 and put together a couple of long scoring drives of 14 plays. Willis McGahee ran for 61 yards in the first half, although 37 of those yards came on one run. He ended up with 98 yards on the ground.

Bad number: 4

That's the number of sacks allowed by the Ravens. One sack led to a McNair fumble and the team's only turnover. The Ravens allowed only 17 sacks all of last season, the second-best mark in the league. Conversely, the Ravens' defense managed just one sack against Cardinals quarterbacks.

What's next?

The Ravens travel to Cleveland to take on the Browns next week at 1 p.m.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 4:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
                    

Refresh your browser for live updates from M&T Bank Stadium.

How they scored

• Ravens 26, Cardinals 23 -- The Ravens withstood a furious second-half comeback by the Cardinals to hold on for a 26-23 win at M&T Bank Stadium. Matt Stover hit a 46-yard field goal as time expired to give the Ravens the victory. Kyle Boller engineered the final scoring drive, which went 52 yards on nine plays. The big play was a Boller pass to Todd Heap over the middle, which gained 12 yards. However, Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson was whistled for a 15-yard personal foul penalty to give the Ravens possession at the Arizona 39-yard line.

• Ravens 23, Cardinals 23 -- The Ravens' defense has had no answer for Kurt Warner and the Cardinals' offense in the fourth quarter. Neil Rackers hit a 41-yard field goal with 1:50 left to tie the game at 23. The Cardinals' scoring drive went 64 yards on 10 plays. Warner hit Anquan Boldin for a big 19-yard gain on a 3rd-and-2 play. Boldin now has 14 catches, the second-most of any player against the Ravens.

• Ravens 23, Cardinals 20 -- Kurt Warner has silenced the crowd here at M&T Bank Stadium. He hit Anquan Boldin for a 32-yard touchdown with 10:19 left in the game to cut the Ravens' lead to 23-20. The scoring drive went 54 yards on two plays. The Cardinals were set up with great field position at their own 46-yard line after a Sam Koch punt was partially blocked and went just 11 yards. Kyle Boller is in at quarterback for the Ravens, but no injury has been announced for Steve McNair.

• Ravens 23, Cardinals 13 -- Kurt Warner found Anquan Boldin for a 5-yard touchdown with 12:02 left in the game to cut the Ravens' lead to 23-13. Warner is in the game for an ineffective Matt Leinart. He went 6-for-6 for 72 yards on the drive. He hit Boldin for gains of 30 yards and 15 yards. The drive went 71 yards on seven plays in 3:14.

News & notes

• Boller remained in the game for the team's final drive in the fourth quarter. Steve McNair stood on the sidelines with his helmet on.

• Kyle Boller entered the game at quarterback for the Ravens with 11:54 left in the game. According to the Ravens' media relations staff, Steve McNair is not injured, and the move was a coach's decision.

• Sam Koch's punt with 10:52 left was partially blocked and went just 11 yards, giving the Cardinals great field position at their own 46-yard line.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 3:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

How they scored

• Ravens 23, Cardinals 6 -- Matt Stover hit a 43-yard field goal with 16 seconds left in the quarter to give the Ravens a 23-6 lead over the Cardinals. The play was set up when Corey Ivy stripped Larry Fitzgerald and recovered the fumble. The Ravens' offense then went 48 yards on 10 plays, taking 4:45 off the clock. Willis McGahee had a nice 14-yard scamper and now has 97 yards on the day.

• Ravens 20, Cardinals 6 -- Neil Rackers hit a 40-yard field goal with 5:18 left to cut the Ravens' lead to 20-6 over the Cardinals. The score was set up when Steve McNair fumbled after being hit by Arizona's Darnell Dockett. Bertrand Berry recovered the fumble for the Cardinals in Ravens territory. Arizona went 13 yards on six plays to set up the field goal. The Cardinals then recovered an onside kick to take over possession.

News & notes

• Corey Ivy was beat for a 27-yard catch by Larry Fitzgerald with about five minutes left in the quarter. However, Ivy stripped Fitzgerald and recovered the fumble to give the Ravens possession.

• Kurt Warner came back into the game at quarterback for the Cardinals. He played one series in place of Matt Leinart in the first half.

• Ravens center Mike Flynn has been taken to the locker room for X-rays on his hand.

• Chris McAlister was whistled for illegal contact against Larry Fitzgerald.

• Cardinals offensive tackle Levi Brown injured his ankle and will not return. Brown was Arizona's first-round pick last season out of Penn State.

• Steve McNair was sacked and fumbled with 8:14 left in the quarter. The fumble was recovered by Cardinals defensive end Bertrand Berry, who was injured in the first half with a quadriceps injury but is now back in the game.

• Willis McGahee carried 11 times for 61 yards in the first half, but 37 of those yards came on one carry. McNair was 17-for-21 for 164 yards and a touchdown. Derrick Mason was the team's leading receiver with five catches for 49 yards. For Arizona, Edgerrin James, who came in as the NFC's leading rusher, carried only three times for 30 yards. Matt Leinart was 5-for-13 for 32 yards. Anquan Boldin led all receivers with six catches for 69 yards.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 2:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Refresh your browser for live updates from M&T Bank Stadium.

How they scored

• Ravens 20, Cardinals 3 -- Rookie Yamon Figurs took a punt 75 yards to the house with under a minute left in the half to give the Ravens a 20-3 lead. The Ravens were flagged for a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct because both Figurs and Devard Darling jumped into the stands after the score. Ed Reed appeared to get hurt on the play, but there is no word yet on his injury.

• Ravens 13, Cardinals 3 -- Steve McNair hit Derrick Mason for a 13-yard touchdown with 1:55 left in the half to give the Ravens a 13-3 lead. The scoring drive went 60 yards on seven plays and took 3:19 off the clock The big play was a 26-yard pass to Demetrius Williams. McNair was 4-for-5 for 55 yards on the drive.

• Ravens 6, Cardinals 3 -- Neil Rackers hit a 48-yard field goal with 5:14 left in the half to cut the Ravens' lead to 6-3. Kurt Warner came in at quarterback for the drive, which went 41 yards on six plays. The big strike was a 37-yard pass to Anquan Boldin. There's no word on whether starting quarterback Matt Leinart is injured. He's standing on the sideline and congratulated Warner after the Cardinals' field goal.

• Ravens 6, Cardinals 0 -- Matt Stover hit a 28-yard field goal with 10:52 left in the quarter to give the Ravens a 6-0 lead over the Cardinals. The drive went 72 yards on 14 plays and took 8:49 off the clock. However, for the second time today, the Ravens' offense stalled in the red zone, and they had to settle for a field goal. Steve McNair was 7-for-7 for 68 yards on the drive. He connected with Derrick Mason for an 18-yard gain and hit Todd Heap for 17 yards. The Ravens have converted an impressive five of seven third-down chances.

News & notes

• Neil Rackers missed a 47-yard field goal wide right with 18 seconds left in the half.

• Matt Leinart came back into the game with 1:55 left in the half after sitting out one series.

• Demetrius Williams was flagged for a 5-yard delay of game penalty for what the officials deemed "spiking the ball" after his 27-yard reception late in the quarter. The call was questionable to say the least.

• Kurt Warner came in at quarterback with 6:55 left in the first quarter. Matt Leinart is standing on the sidelines with his helmet on. There is no word on whether he is injured or not.

• Warner hit Anquan Boldin for a 37-yard gain on his first pass.

• Cardinals defensive end Bertrand Berry suffered an injury to his left quadriceps, and his return is questionable.

• Stover's second field goal put him in fifth place all-time on the NFL scoring list.

• Willis McGahee called for the crowd after running for a first down on the Ravens' first drive of the quarter.

• McGahee carried seven times for 40 yards in the first quarter. However, 37 of the yards came on one carry. Steve McNair went 8-for-10 for 75 yards. And Derrick Mason had three catches for 28 yards.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 1:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)