Here's a roundup of what the national media are saying about the Ravens. As always, if there's a link I've missed, let me know. Obviously, this is an abbreviated version since the Ravens had a bye last week:

Quick hitters

SI.com's Peter King says the Ravens could present a challenge to the Patriots when the teams square off on Dec. 3:

Everyone looks at Sunday's game against the Colts as the biggest challenge in the Patriots' bid for an undefeated season. Agreed. But the other game that has a chance to be competitive -- notice I didn't say "the game they have a chance to lose?'' -- is the Monday-nighter on Dec. 3 at Baltimore. No team gets up for a prime time, national TV game like the Ravens.

Adam Schein of FoxSports.com grades each team on its performance so far. He gives the Ravens a C:

The 4-3 Ravens have yet to look the part. The offense, ravaged by injuries at quarterback, tight end, and all over the offensive line, has been a major disappointment. The defense has been good, but not dominant. Matt Stover is arguably the team MVP. The Week 7 loss to the Bills, where Brian Billick's play selection was horrible and the team committed 11 penalties, was an eye sore and can come back to haunt Baltimore.

Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette talks about the Ravens in a Q&A with readers. When asked about Willie Parker's past struggles against the Ravens, here's what he said:

Then it's about time they get Willie Parker going against the Ravens. Their defense is way overrated and not as good as they were 3-4 years ago.

Bouchette was also asked if the Steelers have anything to worry about from the Ravens' offense:

Not a lot, except that I've seen Steve McNair do some incredible things at QB and just because he has not done them yet this season does not mean he can't do it for a game against the Steelers.

Ed Reed was asked a series of questions in the Oct. 29 issue of Sports Illustrated. Here are his responses:

(Blank) should win the Nobel Prize: Nobody. No more MLKs around now, man

Trick or treaters at my door get... : Candy

Most famous person in your cell: My mama

Favorite comfort food: Red beans and rice

Better on the tube -- Keyshawn or Tiki? Keyshawn

FoxSports.com's John Czarnecki names Reed as the only Ravens player on his midseason All-Pro team:

A former Defensive Player of the Year, nobody plays centerfield in a secondary like Reed. Baltimore still has a lot of very good defensive players, but Reed remains the best. He has 31 career interceptions and counting.

In the rankings

SI.com's King has the Ravens tied for 15th in his power rankings.

SI.com's Dr. Z has the Ravens 17th:

Isn't it odd? I keep thinking of this team as having a losing record. I mean everybody's hurt, Ray Lewis is ripping the coach, people on other teams, such as Adalius Thomas, are taking shots. Not a healthy feeling, is it?

ESPN.com has the Ravens 14th:

In case you're trying to get over a Colts-Pats hangover, the Ravens' Monday nighter at Pittsburgh is a critical AFC North battle. With two weeks to prepare, perhaps Brian Billick can come up with some fresh wrinkles for the offense.

Pete Prisco of CBS Sports has the Ravens 12th:

Did they get an offense during the bye week? Ray Lewis was right. Those fourth-and-1 calls at Buffalo were dumb.

Peter Schrager of FoxSports.com has the Ravens 14th:

The Ravens travel to Pittsburgh for a key divisional battle with the 5-2 Steelers this weekend. Though it may be a little early to label any game a "must win," this one may just be that for the Ravens. After Pittsburgh, Baltimore hosts their other division rivals — Cincinnati and Cleveland.

USA Today has the Ravens 12th:

It must have been a long bye week after the loss to Buffalo in Week 7. The Ravens, still just one game behind the AFC North-leading Steelers, get a chance to pull even in the division on Monday night.

NBCSports.com has the Ravens 12th.

Michael Silver of Yahoo Sports has the Ravens 12th:

Yo, Ray Lewis – after criticizing Brian Billick's play-calling and calling former teammate Adalius Thomas a "coward," perhaps you should consider channeling that rage into a transcendent performance in Pittsburgh Monday night?

Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports has the Ravens 13th while Charles Robinson has them 11th.

Tony Moss of The Sports Network has the Ravens 13th:

Win in Pittsburgh would get people talking about them again.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 3:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
                    

Here's how I see the top half of the league stacking up: 

1. New England Patriots (8-0) -- I like the Patriots this weekend against the Colts so they take over the No. 1 spot. New England tallied a ridiculous 34 first downs in its 52-7 win against the Redskins.

2. Indianapolis Colts (7-0) -- Don't worry Colts fans. All Indy has to do this weekend is win at home, and I'll have the Colts back up there at No. 1. It took the Colts awhile to get things going against the Panthers, but they outscored Carolina 21-0 in the second half for a 31-7 victory. Indy has started 7-0 or better in three straight seasons. Incredible. Can't wait for Sunday.

3. Dallas Cowboys (6-1) -- Is it really a good career move for Tony Romo to be partying with Britney Spears at this point? Did he hire Terrell Owens' ex-publicist or something? Romo has 67 million reasons to be alive after agreeing to a six-year contract extension. The Cowboys had a bye last weekend and will travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles in the Sunday night matchup this week.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) -- Complete effort in a 24-13 win at Cincinnati. The Steelers are 5-0 this season when Willie Parker runs for 100 yards. According to sportsbook.com, Pittsburgh is a nine-point favorite over the Ravens for Monday night's game, Week 9's biggest line.

5. Green Bay Packers (6-1) -- Great ending to the Monday night game with Brett Favre hitting Greg Jennings for an 82-yard bomb in overtime. Green Bay has allowed more than 16 points just twice this season.

6. San Diego Chargers (4-3) -- Four teams with starting quarterbacks completing less than 10 passes won in Week 9. Philip Rivers was 7-for-11, and LaDainian Tomlinson failed to rush for 100 yards for the fifth time this season, but the Chargers didn't need them as they pounded the Texans, 35-10. San Diego has won three in a row.

7. Tennessee Titans (5-2) -- It hasn't been pretty, but the Titans won again, beating the Raiders 13-9. Vince Young hasn't thrown a touchdown pass since Sept. 24, and his line was pretty ugly in the win: 6-for-14 for 42 yards. But on the bright side, the defense ranks fifth in the league, and LenDale White has rushed for over 100 yards in back-to-back games.

8. New York Giants (6-2) -- Remember watching the Giants play the Cowboys in Week 1? Who then could have predicted that defense would lead New York to victories in six of its next seven games? And don't forget about Brandon Jacobs. Now healthy, he's run for over 100 yards or more in three of his last four games. We'll finally get to see just how much the Giants have improved when they take on the Cowboys in Week 10.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2) -- Here's what running back Fred Taylor had to say about Tampa Bay's defense wanting to force backup quarterback Quinn Gray to make plays: "Everybody was in the box, even George Bush. But we were going to ride the run." Gray found Matt Jones for the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter. Impressive win by the banged-up Jaguars, beating the Bucs on the road. 

10. Washington Redskins (4-3) -- I guess Joe Gibbs knew what he was talking about when he called the Redskins the biggest underdog in the history of sports last week. It's tough to really penalize Washington though, considering the Patriots are pounding everybody. Cornerback Carlos Rogers is out for the season.

11. Kansas City Chiefs (4-3) -- They won four of five going into the bye week and now have a big matchup at Arrowhead against the Packers. Defense allowing just 16.1 points per game.

12. Cleveland Browns (4-3) -- Only Tom Brady has thrown for more touchdown passes than Derek Anderson. Incredible. I think it's time to start taking the Browns seriously, but games against the Seahawks, Steelers and Ravens over the next three weeks will tell us for sure.

13. Baltimore Ravens (4-3) -- Well, it's time to see whether this team just isn't that good or if getting guys back healthy means a playoff run. Steve McNair, Trevor Pryce and Jonathan Ogden all practiced yesterday and are expected to play in Monday night's showdown against the Steelers.

14. Tampa Bay Bucs (4-4) -- Jeff Garcia had yet to throw an interception entering Sunday's game, but he was picked off three times against the Jaguars as Tampa Bay lost its second straight winnable game. Meanwhile, the defense was unable to force a turnover. Pretty easy to see why they lost.

15. Detroit Lions (5-2) -- I've been trying to hold off from putting the Lions in the top-16 all season, but they earned it with a win at Chicago. And Jon Kitna is fired up: "I don't play this game for any other reason but to win a Super Bowl. I'm not trying to go to the playoffs. I'm not trying to win 10 games. I'm not trying to do moral victories. I'm trying to win a Super Bowl. If I don't feel like I can win a Super Bowl, I'm out." Might Detroit actually reach the 10-win mark like Kitna predicted?

16. Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) -- This could be short-lived if they receive a pounding from the Cowboys next week. Donovan McNabb looked more comfortable against the Vikings, and the Eagles are relatively healthy as they reach the midpoint of the season.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
                    

Here's a look at how some former Ravens fared in their games this weekend with other teams. Let me know if there are notable players I missed:

Derek Anderson, Browns

The Ravens drafted him in the sixth round of the 2005 draft.

Don't look now, but guess who's second in the NFL in touchdown passes. That's right. Anderson threw three more TDs yesterday in Cleveland's 27-20 win against the Rams to give him 17 on the year, behind only Tom Brady. He completed 18 of 25 passes for 248 yards and no interceptions. Unbelievable stat -- this is the first time since 2003, a span of 64 games, that the Browns won back-to-back games in the same season.

Jamal Lewis, Browns

Played in Baltimore from 2000-2006

He had missed most of the previous two games with an injured right foot but returned against St. Louis, carrying 17 times for 61 yards. Lewis' longest carry of the game was 12 yards. On the season, he's rushed for 443 yards, 21st in the NFL, and is averaging 4.7 yards per carry.

Chester Taylor, Vikings

Played in Baltimore from 2002-2005

He had six carries, his lowest total since Week 1 (when he left the game due to injury) for 19 yards in Minnnesota's 23-16 loss to the Eagles. Taylor also had one catch for 18 yards. This was the first game all season that Taylor served as Adrian Peterson's backup. Peterson carried 20 times for 70 yards.

Adalius Thomas, Patriots

Played in Baltimore from 2000-2006

Thomas had two tackles in New England's 52-7 win against the Redskins. Don't expect to hear much more from Thomas about Ray Lewis or the Ravens this week. New England takes on the Colts in a battle of unbeatens Sunday at 4:15. I fully expect SportsCenter to devote half of every show to this game during the week. The rest of the program will be filled with A-Rod news and Stuart Scott's Poetry Jam.

Vinny Testaverde, Panthers

Played in Baltimore from 1996-1997

He got the start against the Colts, completing 12 of 20 passes for 82 yards and an interception in the first half of a 31-7 loss to the Colts. Testaverde was sidelined in the second half because of soreness near his Achilles tendon. David Carr went 16-for-25 for 103 yards in relief duty. Steve Smith caught just two balls in the game.

Monday night pick

Monday night record (with spread): 6-1-1

Packers at Broncos

The pick: BRONCOS (-3)

With the Rockies' season over, Denver fans will have less than 24 hours to mourn before the Broncos host a nationally televised prime-time game for the second week in a row. Last week, Denver beat the Steelers while the Packers rested up on their bye week. The Broncos have the league's worst rush defense, allowing 176.2 yards per game on the ground. However, the Packers have the league's worst rushing offense, averaging just 65.7 yards per game. It's tough to pick Denver to cover, considering all of the Broncos' three wins have been by three points or fewer, but I think they get the job done in this one. As unimpressive as they've been over the first six games, the Broncos still have a chance to get back over .500 and be in the playoff hunt with a victory.

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

Since the Ravens are on a bye week, I'm on a three-day vacation and am heading to State College, Pa. to see my alma mater Penn State take on Ohio State. Therefore, I apologize for the abbreviated version of my Week 8 NFL picks.

Last week: 7-7

Overall: 42-52-9

Browns at Rams

PICK: BROWNS (-3)

Not sure how you could possibly pick St. Louis at this point, but I think there's a chance St. Louis could get its first win here. They've lost their last two home games by a combined four points. However, the game isn't sold out and will be blacked out on TV in St. Louis so not sure what kind of home-field advantage the Rams will really have.

Lions at Bears

PICK: LIONS (+5)

The likelihood of Brian Griese's last-minute drive against the Eagles saving Chicago's season? Not good. The Bears' last three games have been decided by a touchdown or less. This one will be close and ugly.

Colts at Panthers

PICK: COLTS (-7)

The Colts and Patriots are just so much better than everyone else at this point that you'd have to be crazy to pick against them. Yes, I realize this theory will need to be altered next week when they face each other.

Giants at Dolphins

PICK: GIANTS (-9.5)

I need a London correspondent to tell me if there's any buzz whatsoever on the other side of the pond about this game. Anyone? Anyone?

Raiders at Titans

PICK: RAIDERS (+7.5)

Five of Tennesse's six games have been decided by seven points or fewer. The Titans allowed 29 fourth-quarter points to the Texans last week, but should get Vince Young back on offense for this one.

Eagles at Vikings

PICK: EAGLES (+1)

It's not that I have faith in the Eagles, but not sure how you can pick the Vikings given their QB situation. It looks like Kelly Holcomb will get the start in this one. On the flip side, the last time the Eagles faced a former coach (defensive coordinator Steve Spagnolo), Osi Umenyiora was a one-man wrecking crew en route to six sacks for the Giants. Even though Brad Childress is an offensive coach, you have to think he knows Donovan McNabb's weaknesses from his days in Philly.

Steelers at Bengals

PICK: STEELERS (-3.5)

For the record, I can't pick a Bengals game right to save my life. Who saw the Chad Johnson interview on ESPN with Keyshawn Johnson last week? Very entertaining stuff.

Bills at Jets

PICK: JETS (-3)

What a difference a year makes, huh? In 2006, Eric Mangini was the darling of the NFL, leading the Jets to the playoffs and getting a cameo on The Sopranos in the offseason. Now his every move is being questioned and New York is 1-6.

Jaguars at Bucs

PICK: BUCS (-3.5)

My co-worker and Recruiting Report blogger Matt Bracken is actually starting Quinn Gray in his fantasy league this week. No joke. I told him the Jaguars' backup might give him negative points after his 9-for-24 (for 56 yards) performance filling in Monday night against the Colts.

Saints at 49ers

PICK: SAINTS (-2.5)

We do realize New Orleans is only a game and a half out of first place in the NFC South right? Incredible.

Redskins at Patriots

PICK: PATRIOTS (-16)

The Patriots cover every week. BUT if there was a week where I think the underdog has a legitimate shot to cover, it's this week. The Redskins' defense is holding opposing quarterbacks to a league-low 67.7 quarterback rating, and Washington has allowed an NFC-low five passing touchdowns on the season. Yes, I'm aware Tom Brady threw for six TDs last week.

Note: The Monday night game will be picked Monday.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

Here's a roundup of what the national media are saying about the Ravens after their 19-14 loss to the Bills. As always, if there's a link I've missed, let me know.

Looking back 

SI.com's Bucky Brooks talks about the Bills using the no-huddle offense against the Ravens:

Though other teams have had success against the Ravens using the quick-tempo approach, the move was surprising considering the Bills were starting a rookie quarterback -- Trent Edwards. ... His ability to quickly recognize fronts and coverage allowed Buffalo to go to the fast-paced offense and limit the Ravens' personnel changes and blitzes.

Brooks looks on the bright side though, saying the Ravens may have found something to build on with Willis McGahee and the running game:

The Ravens' Willis McGahee had a big game in a losing effort thanks to a subtle adjustment by Brian Billick at halftime. After witnessing the Bills' throttle McGahee with a seven-man front, Billick called more off-tackle plays to take advantage of the soft spots of Buffalo's two-deep scheme. McGahee's 46-yard touchdown run was an off-tackle run with fake reverse action and capped a drive that saw McGahee touch the ball four consecutive times on off-tackle runs. Though the Ravens came up short, they should be able to build off McGahee's second-half success.

As one of the things he didn't like about Week 7, SI.com's Peter King says: "That Baltimore offense is not good."

ESPN.com's Tuesday Morning Quarterback Gregg Easterbrook talks about Billick's decision to pass three straight times when the Ravens needed 1 yard late in the game:

The passes were not play-fake attempts for a long gain but rather were both dinky-dunky short throws into the flat. For the game, Baltimore rushed for an average gain of 5.3 yards per attempt; the Bills entered the game ranked 25th against the rush. Had the Ravens simply run up the middle on either snap, a first down was likely.

Easterbrook also criticizes Billick for being too conservative in the first half:

Trailing 9-0 in the first half at Buffalo, Baltimore coach Brian Billick ordered a punt on fourth-and-3 from the Bills' 38, into the end zone for a net of just 18 yards of field position improvement. By the time the Nevermores reached the fourth quarter, a desperate Billick would go for it on fourth-and-10 and fourth-and-11. Had he gone on the favorable odds of fourth-and-3 in Buffalo territory early, the endgame might have been very different.

ESPN.com's DJ Gallo takes a shot at the Ravens' offense:

... something small -- like the Baltimore Ravens' playbook. As far as I can tell, it has only two pages. One page has a 5-yard slant. The other has a draw. ... Heck, big-brained Brian Billick has been in Baltimore for nine years and his team still can't even execute those two plays well.

ESPN.com lists cornerback Samari Rolle as one of its duds from Week 7:

The Ravens committed 11 penalties for 91 yards in their 19-14 loss at Buffalo. Rolle obviously wasn't the only one hit by a flag, but he was the only one hit by two -- a defensive offsides penalty and a 34-yard pass interference call, the latter helping to set up the Bills' second field goal.

Pete Prisco of CBS Sports gives the Ravens a 'D' for their performance against the Bills:

This one hurts. They don't do enough on offense to win road games like this. They have to get that offense going. This is a bad, bad loss.

Kevin Hench of FoxSports.com offers his take on the Ravens' loss:

Sure, the Bills may have just whipped Buffalo bad-mouther Willis McGahee and the Ravens, but according to the departed running back there aren't any cool places in town to celebrate. Take that, former employer! With losses in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Buffalo, the punchless Ravens are 0-3 on their Rust Belt tour.

ESPN.com's Jeffri Chadiha wonders whether the Ravens will be able to hand the Patriots their first loss of the season in December:

This game is late enough in the season that the Ravens should be back to full strength. Once defensive end Trevor Pryce and cornerback Chris McAlister return from injuries, this athletic unit will be able to cause problems once again.

In the rankings

ESPN.com has the Ravens 14th in its power rankings:

The Ravens have a tough second half after their bye week, with games against the Pats, Colts and Chargers, plus two vs. the Steelers. But it appears starting QB Steve McNair will return to the lineup soon.

CBS Sports' Prisco has the Ravens 15th:

That offense is not doing much, and it could be wasting a pretty good defensive team. Isn't Brian Billick an offensive wizard?

Peter Schrager of FoxSports.com has the Ravens 15th:

The Ravens now limp into their bye week bruised, battered and a mediocre 4-3. The playoffs are anything but a sure thing.

NBCSports.com has the Ravens 15th.

Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports has the Ravens 13th while Charles Robinson has them 11th.

Dennis Dillon of the Sporting News has the Ravens 14th.

USA Today has the Ravens 14th:

The usual bite is lacking from the Ravens' bark these days. Losing in Buffalo? Never good, but especially for a team with Willis McGahee. Dangerous sign for Baltimore: Most impressive victory has come against Arizona.

Tony Moss of the Sports Network has the Ravens 15th.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 10:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

Here's how I see the top half of the league stacking up: 

1. Indianapolis Colts (6-0) -- Did the game get a lot easier once David Garrard was knocked out? Sure. Even though the Colts didn't play their best football, they went on the road and beat a divisional opponent by 22 points. Defensively, Bob Sanders was all over the place. And would you believe that the Colts have more rushing touchdowns than anyone in the league?

2. New England Patriots (7-0) -- Go ahead. Bring on the angry comments about how the Patriots should be No. 1. I'm just thankful New England and Indy will be able to make my weekly decision pretty easy in two weeks. Washington's defense is allowing an average of 14.7 points per game, yet the Patriots are 16-point favorites for Sunday's game. Unbelievable.

3. Dallas Cowboys (6-1) -- Marion Barber ran for 96 yards and averaged 5.1 yards per carry against one of the league's best run defenses in Dallas' win over the Vikings. Three straight games against NFC East opponents following the bye should tell us just how good the Cowboys are.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) -- The formula is simple for Pittsburgh. Get a lead early and control the running game on both sides of the ball. So what happened against the Broncos? Pittsburgh, which hadn't allowed a first-half touchdown all season, got down 21-7 at halftime, and Ben Roethlisberger attempted 24 first-half passes even though Denver had the league's worst rush defense.

5. Green Bay Packers (5-1) -- They'll come off the bye with road trips to Denver and Kansas City. The Packers could play .500 ball the rest of the way and still win the division.

6. San Diego Chargers (3-3) -- The Chargers are practicing in Arizona this week because of the wildfires in California. They'll return from the bye week with a matchup against the Texans. Despite struggles in the first half of the season, San Diego is still 2-1 against the AFC West.

7. Tennessee Titans (4-2) -- There's no question that their fourth-quarter near-collapse against the Texans should draw concern. Still, the Titans came away with a win on the road against a division opponent without Vince Young. Now they get three straight at home with VY back behind center.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2) -- I guess they didn't really think about the whole backup quarterback thing when they cut Byron Leftwich huh? If David Garrard is out for a significant amount of time, their season is over. Quinn Gray did not look like an NFL quarterback, and the Jaguars have three straight on the road.

9. New York Giants (5-2) -- Five straight wins is great, but let's realize that the last three have come against the 49ers, Falcons and Jets. I know you can only play who's on your schedule, and the Giants won convincingly against San Francisco, but I'm holding out judgment until they play the Cowboys in a few weeks. This Sunday it's the Dolphins in London followed by the bye.

10. Washington Redskins (4-2) -- Did Joe Gibbs really call the Redskins the biggest underdog in the history of sports against the Patriots? Umm, did he know the Dolphins played New England last week? It will be interesting to see how good this defense is going up against Tom Brady and company. Of concern -- the Redskins are averaging just 3.3 yards per carry over their last five games.

11. Tampa Bay Bucs (4-3) -- A lot of things went wrong for Tampa Bay against the Lions -- a missed field goal, a blocked punt, two fumbles by Jeff Garcia. And the Bucs still had a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter. They're going to stay in the mix for a playoff spot.

12. Kansas City Chiefs (4-3) -- They keep finding ways to win despite being the only divisional leader to have allowed more points than it has scored. Still, you have to take this team seriously when you consider the defense is allowing just 16.1 points per game, and no team has scored more than 20 against the Chiefs this season. 

13. Baltimore Ravens (4-3) -- Forget about Ray Lewis' comments about the offense. Did anyone hear him talk about the defense as being dominant on his radio show? Didn't Marshawn Lynch run for 62 yards in the first half? And what about the penalties? I'm getting the feeling this team could fall apart if it loses to the Steelers after the bye week.

14. Carolina Panthers (4-2) -- Here's what Vinnie Testaverde told the Charlotte Observer about the Panthers' quarterback situation: "Hopefully, Dave's back is fine and he'll be able to play." Huh? C'mon Vinnie! You didn't come back to stand on the sidelines! If Carr does start against the Colts, it's almost a certainty that he'll be pulled for Testaverde at some point right? 

15. Denver Broncos (3-3) -- How much better does 3-3 sound than 2-4? Denver got a much-needed home win against the Steelers. Jay Cutler has a quarterback rating of 116.0 on third down, and the Broncos converted seven of 10 third downs against the Steelers. Still not sure what to make of this team.

16. Cleveland Browns (3-3) -- I had them in here last week, and they actually gained some ground in their bye week with the Steelers and Ravens losing. Cleveland's the only AFC North team with more than one division win.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 11:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
                    

Here's a look at how some former Ravens fared in their games this weekend with other teams. Let me know if there are notable players I missed:

Priest Holmes, Chiefs

Played in Baltimore from 1998-2000

Holmes made his return to action after a 721-day layoff. He lost 6 yards on a reception the first time he touched the ball. However, later Holmes picked up a first down with an 8-yard run late in the fourth quarter. Overall, he carried four times for 9 yards. Here's what he told the Kansas City Star: "Just to come back and be able to say, all those workouts, all the commitment to getting up at 7 a.m., coming to camp completely out of shape, and knowing I had eight to 10 weeks to get ready, it’s been a really great ride. And I’m here enjoying the fruits of my labor.”

Brandon Stokley, Broncos

Played in Baltimore from 1999-2002

He had a nice game in Denver's 31-28 win over the Steelers Sunday night. Stokley caught five balls for 70 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown in the first quarter. With wide receiver Javon Walker expected to miss six weeks, Stokley will likely be counted on by Jay Cutler and the Broncos' offense.

Chester Taylor, Vikings

Played in Baltimore from 2002-2005

Taylor carried 10 times for 47 yards and also caught three balls for 19 yards in the Vikings' 24-14 loss to the Cowboys. Taylor had two fewer carries than rookie running back Adrian Peterson, who had 12 rushes for 63 yards and a touchdown.

Adalius Thomas, Patriots

Played in Baltimore from 2000-2006

Thomas made some controversial comments in last week's Sports Illustrated, saying: "You've got to remember, I'm coming in from Baltimore. People there wanted the limelight, people sought out the limelight, starting with the head coach. It was a star-studded system. Here it's about as different as you can get. Everybody here shies away from being the star guy. Nobody on this team beats his chest. They just all go about their business. And win." Thomas had seven solo tackles in the Patriots' 49-28 win over the Dolphins.

Note: Jamal Lewis, Derek Anderson and Vinnie Testaverde had byes this week.

Your Ravens grades

Here's how readers graded the Ravens' performance against the Bills:

Quarterback: C (49 percent)

Running backs: B (55 percent)

Receivers: B (45 percent)

Offensive line: C (47 percent)

Defensive line: C (47 percent)

Linebackers: C (45 percent)

Secondary: D (43 percent)

Special Teams: D (38 percent)

Coaching: F (60 percent)

Reader grades are based on poll results at the time of this posting.

Monday night pick

Monday night record (with spread): 5-1-1

COLTS (-3) at Jaguars

The Jaguars are flying under the radar at 4-1, and the Colts are trying to keep pace with the Patriots. Last year, Jacksonville ran for 375 yards in a 44-17 win over Indianapolis. The Jaguars are averaging over 195 yards per game on the ground in their last three, and the Colts' run defense ranks 14th in the league. Tony Dungy should have no problem motivating his team the rest of the year with everybody ready to hand the Patriots the Super Bowl trophy. Jacksonville is good enough to keep it close, but look for Peyton Manning and the Colts to cover.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 10:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

The Ravens came up short against the Bills today, losing 19-14 and falling to 4-3 heading into their bye week.

As always, this is the place for you, the fans, to voice your opinions.

Rather than my weekly snapshot, I'm going to offer four topics for discussion from the game. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts.

 And also, don't forget to grade the Ravens.

1. What can the Ravens do to improve offensively?

The offensive line is banged up, and while Willis McGahee had good numbers (19 carries for 114 yards), the Ravens put up just 14 points. They're averaging just 14.5 points in their last four games. Kyle Boller went 21-for-36 for 196 yards and a touchdown. Derrick Mason was once again the team's leading receiver with seven catches for 78 yards. On the bright side, the Ravens had more big plays today -- at least two pass plays of more than 25 yards and McGahee's 46-yard run. What can the Ravens do to improve their offensive output in the second half of the season?

2. Did the coaching staff do a poor job of having this team prepared?

The Ravens were awful in the first half. Offensively, they had four punts and a turnover in five possessions. Defensively, they let the Bills control the tempo, with Marshawn Lynch running for 62 yards. For the game, Baltimore was penalized 11 times for 91 yards. Is this a direct reflection of the coaching staff? Were the players already looking ahead to the bye week?

3. Where do you see the Ravens at this point in the season?

Do you still hold out hope that the Ravens can make a run if they get healthy? Do they have any chance of competing with the elite teams in the AFC in the second half of the season? How much, if at all, have you lowered your expectations? The Ravens' second-half schedule includes matchups against the Steelers (twice), Patriots, Colts and Chargers.

4. What's next?

The Ravens have a bye in Week 8 before traveling to Pittsburgh for a Monday night game against the Steelers on Nov. 5. While the Ravens have faced backup quarterbacks in four of their last six games, the opposing signal-callers will be much better in the second half of the season -- Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Carson Palmer and Ben Roethlisberger just to name a few.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 3:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (22)
                    

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How they scored

Bills 19, Ravens 14 -- Kyle Boller hit Derrick Mason for a 15-yard touchdown on fourth down with 6:34 left in the game. The score was set up after Samari Rolle intercepted a Trent Edwards pass at the Buffalo 14-yard line.

Game log

12:42 -- Kyle Boller finds Derrick Mason for a 27-yard gain, the Ravens' longest pass play of the game.

12:20 -- Mike Anderson is getting carries for the Ravens. Willis McGahee hasn't had a rush since his 46-yard touchdown run.

11:03 -- Brian Billick elects to go for it on fourth-and-10 from the Bills' 33-yard line, and Boller hits Demetrius Williams for an 18-yard gain.

10:03 -- According to the announcers, McGahee is in the locker room getting an IV.

9:00 -- The Ravens go for it again on fourth down but come up short. Replays show that Boller had Williams open on a short out pattern, but he held on to the ball.

7:25 -- Samari Rolle intercepts a Trent Edwards pass at the Buffalo 14-yard line and returns it for a touchdown. However, replays show Rolle was down by contact.

6:34 -- Boller hits Mason for a 15-yard touchdown to cut the Bills' lead to 19-14.

2:04 -- The Ravens get one more shot with Boller and the offense taking over at their own 42-yard line.

1:46 -- Baltimore fails to pick up even one first down. After Boller hit Quinn Sypniewski on first down for a gain of 9 yards, the Ravens threw three straight incomplete passes to turn the ball over on downs.

0:00 -- The Ravens lose 19-14 and are now 4-3 heading into their bye week.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 3:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

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How they scored

Bills 19, Ravens 7 -- Marshawn Lynch's 1-yard touchdown run with 2:14 left in the quarter gave the Bills a 19-7 lead. The drive went 71 yards on five plays in 2:57. The big play was a 54-yard pass to wide receiver Lee Evans.

Bills 12, Ravens 7 -- Rian Lindell knocked in his fourth field goal of the day, a 41-yarder, to give the Bills a 12-7 lead with 7:18 left in the quarter. The Bills' drive went 51 yards on nine plays and took 4:02 off the clock.

Bills 9, Ravens 7 -- Willis McGahee's 46-yard touchdown run with 11:20 left in the quarter cut the Bills' lead to 9-7. The Ravens' scoring drive went 80 yards on six plays in three minutes, 40 seconds. All of a sudden, McGahee has 112 yards on the day.

Game log

15:00 -- Anyone hear Shannon Sharpe call Quinn Sypniewski "Anthony Sypniewski" at halftime?

13:30 -- Glad to see the Ravens are picking up where they left off in terms of penalties. We're not even two minutes in, and Ben Grubbs and Jared Gaither have already been called for false starts.

12:33 -- Devard Darling picks a good time to make his first catch of the season with a 10-yard grab to convert a third down.

11:20 -- Willis McGahee puts the Ravens on the board with a spectacular 46-yard touchdown run, the longest touchdown run of his career. When I interviewed a reporter from the Buffalo News earlier this week, he said McGahee drew criticism for not being a home-run hitter with the Bills. That one had to feel good against his former team.

9:04 -- Trent Edwards connects with wide receiver Josh Reed for a 25-yard gain. Edwards looks very savvy for a first-year player. He's very accurate and hasn't made the big mistake so far.

7:18 -- Rian Lindell hits a 41-yard field goal to give the Bills a 12-7 lead. He's doing a pretty good Matt Stover impression today.

5:47 -- Kyle Boller is sacked for the first time today, and the Ravens are forced to punt. Anyone else wondering how the Ravens fail to give McGahee a carry on their first possession after his 46-yard touchdown run? Maybe it's just me.

5:00 -- Edwards finds Lee Evans for a 54-yard gain. Interesting to see the Bills take a shot down field and not get conservative. The pass completion is the longest of Edwards' career and the longest of the season for Evans. Corey Ivy got beat on the play.

2:18 -- Bart Scott is called for roughing the passer, and Ivy is called for pass interference. The Bills accept the penalty on Ivy.

2:14 -- Lynch finds the end zone from 1 yard out to give the Bills a 19-7 lead.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 2:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

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How they scored

Bills 9, Ravens 0 -- Rian Lindell hit a 35-yard field goal with 10:22 left in the half to give Buffalo a 9-0 lead. The score was set up when rookie tight end Quinn Sypniewski fumbled, and the Bills recovered deep in Ravens territory.

Bills 6, Ravens 0 -- Rian Lindell hit a 26-yard field goal with 12:44 left in the half to give the Bills a 6-0 lead. Buffalo's drive went 47 yards on eight plays. The big play was a 34-yard pass interference call on Samari Rolle, who was in coverage against wide receiver Roscoe Parrish.

Game log

14:34 -- The Ravens' offense had possession for just 3:41 in the first quarter. Not the way they usually control games.

14:22 -- Samari Rolle is called for a 34-yard pass interference penalty trying to defend Roscoe Parrish, giving Buffalo possession inside the Ravens' 10-yard line. Interesting call by the Bills. They've been pretty conservative in the passing game with Trent Edwards. His longest completion of the season coming into today was 27 yards.

12:49 -- Rian Lindell hits a 26-yard field goal to give the Bills a 6-0 lead.

12:37 -- Devard Darling is called for a penalty on the Ravens' kickoff return. That's their sixth penalty of the game.

12:37 -- Jonathan Ogden enters the game for the Ravens. This is his first action since the season opener. Maybe he can help open a hole for Willis Mcgahee, who has -1 yards.

11:52 -- Quinn Sypniewski makes a catch but then fumbles, and the Bills recover deep in Ravens territory. That's six penalties and one turnover for the Ravens.

10:22 -- Lindell hits his third field goal of the game, a 35-yarder to put Buffalo up 9-0.

9:06 -- Kyle Boller hits Derrick Mason for a gain of 7 yards on third-and-five. Maybe a sign of life for the Ravens?

7:22 -- A Mark Clayton sighting! The Ravens wide receiver makes a nice 26-yard catch, and the Ravens are driving.

5:58 -- Never mind. The Ravens' drive stalls, and they are forced to punt. Their drives so far today: punt, punt, fumble, punt.

5:13 -- Jarret Johnson is called for an offside penalty, the fifth on the Ravens' defense today.

4:22 -- Dwan Edwards gets his first sack, the Ravens' second on the day

3:34 -- Another penalty on the Ravens! This is past the point of ridiculous. That's eight penalties for 78 yards.

1:51 -- McGahee finally finds a big hole and gains 18 yards.

0:53 -- The Ravens are forced to punt once again. Meanwhile, my eyes can't help but wander to the bottom of the screen, which shows the Patriots up 35-7 against the Dolphins. Tom Brady is 11-for-11 for 220 yards and four touchdowns.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 1:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

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How they scored

Bills 3, Ravens 0 -- Rian Lindell hit a 29-yard field to put the Bills up 3-0 with 3:51 left in the first quarter. Buffalo's drive went 70 yards on 12 plays. The Bills went with a no-huddle offense, and rookie running back Marshawn Lynch had big runs of 23 yards and 13 yards.

Game log

14:26 -- The Bills' offense gets the ball first. Terrell Suggs makes up for an offside penalty by sacking Buffalo quarterback Trent Edwards for a 6-yard loss. It was Suggs' second sack of the season. The Bills went with a no-huddle offense.

12:04 -- Is there a rule during Ravens games that both teams have to punt on their opening possessions? What's the over/under for this game? 18? Willis McGahee was booed during the Ravens' first possession. He carried twice for 4 yards.

8:29 -- Samari Rolle is called for an offside penalty, the third on the Ravens' defense today.

6:31 -- The Bills are having success with their no-huddle offense. Marshawn Lynch just broke a 23-yard carry, with the Ravens missing several tackles on the play.

3:51 -- Rian Lindell hits a 29-yard field goal to put the Bills on top, 3-0. So far, the Ravens have been very sloppy. Penalties, missed tackles, etc. Maybe they're already looking ahead towards the bye week.

3:30 -- Willis McGahee is stuffed for a 5-yard loss. He's now carried three times for -1 yards. This is ugly. The Ravens' young offensive line looks like it's having some serious problems on run plays. McGahee averaged just 2.4 yards per carry last week, and he hasn't had a chance so far today, much to the enjoyment of the Bills' fans.

1:03 -- The Ravens are called for their fourth offside penalty. Unbelievable.

0:33 -- Lynch gives a nice second effort to gain a first down. He's carried six times for 46 yards in the first quarter.

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

Great spoof by Kenny Mayne on ESPN's pre-game show about Willis McGahee and Buffalo.

In case you've been living under a rock, McGahee has said in the past that there is nothing to do in Buffalo.

Mayne put together a piece with Bills rookie running back Marshawn Lynch about how much he loves Buffalo. They showed Lynch going to Applebee's, with his teammates saying he went there 12 times during the bye week.

Lynch then headed over to Dave & Buster's to play video games, with Mayne commenting that the Bills running back spent most of his signing bonus on skee-ball. Funny stuff all around.

As always, I'll be blogging during today's Bills-Ravens game as I watch on television so check back later for updates and analysis.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 12:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

The Ravens are three-point favorites this weekend against the Buffalo Bills.

Here's a look at what the national media are saying about the matchup:

Seven out of eight ESPN.com experts pick the Ravens to win. Merrill Hoge goes with the Bills.

ESPN's Sunday Night Countdown personalities also make their picks. Mike Ditka, Keyshawn Johnson and Tom Jackson go with the Bills, while Emmitt Smith and Chris Mortensen pick the Ravens.

ESPN.com's Bill Simmons picks the Bills to cover:

Hey, how 'bout Baltimore's schedule this season -- Cincy, the Jets, Arizona, Cleveland, San Fran, St. Louis and Buffalo through seven weeks??? By my calculations, they've played five of the worst eight teams and nobody in the top-14. Mr. Billick, would you like some coffee with your creampuff?

SI.com's Peter King picks the Ravens, 23-17.

Kevin Hench of FoxSports.com picks the Bills, 20-13:

When the hell are the Ravens going to play somebody? Counting the Bills' 1-4 record — good for sole possession of second place in the AFC East — Baltimore's opponents have a combined 11-28 record. That's a .282 winning percentage. After this patsy, the Ravens get a bye before traveling to Pittsburgh for a Week 9 Monday night wakeup call. And Ravens fans might not want to start making playoff plans until after their team engages the Chargers, Patriots and Colts in weeks 12-14.

Four out of five FoxSports.com experts pick the Ravens.

Three of six CBS Sports experts pick the Ravens to cover.

Pete Prisco of CBS Sports picks the Bills to win, 14-13:

Kyle Boller starts at quarterback for the Ravens, while Trent Edwards goes for the Bills. Neither team does much on offense, so this should be a low-scoring game. I'll take the home team in an upset.

CBS Sports' Harmon Forecast has the Ravens winning, 17-16:

Last week, Ravens RB Willis McGahee didn't get much running room behind a young offensive line and averaged 2.4 yards a carry. McGahee could have more success against the Bills' defense, which ranks 25th against the run. The Bills rank 31st in the league in passing yards per game with 128.4 and face a Ravens defense that set a team-record of five interceptions last week.  

All four of Yahoo Sports experts and 78 percent of Yahoo users pick the Ravens.

Six of eight USA Today experts pick the Ravens.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)