I understand the Ravens just played a great physical game against the Steelers and will play tomorrow night with one less day of preparation than the Bengals. But they'll win. The Bengals have two starting offensive linemen out of the game, including their starting left tackle. It's supposed to rain hard by game time, which also favors the Ravens. The Bengals have improved since the last time the two teams played. Their passing game seems to be in sync. But the Ravens have also gotten better since the last time they played each other. It'll be close, but the Ravens steal another one this season just like they did against the Chargers.

Posted by Mike Preston at 5:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)
                    

It is kind of amusing that Jim Fassel is being made a scapegoat. Fassel wasn't a bad guy, and he basically ran the same offense that was given to him by Brian Billick. It was also the same offense that was given to Matt Cavanaugh. The two major things that Fassel was guilty of was not listening to the veteran players and not putting in the necessary hours. Billick is smart enough to listen to players like Jonathan Ogden, Steve McNair and Derrick Mason. He made the proper changes to the offense as suggested by the players, and then added some new stuff of his own. The changes gave the players a spark and confidence. After taking input from both Billick and quarterback coach Rick Neuheisel in 2005, Fassel thought it was best to do things his own way this season. He didn't get much time after losses to Denver and Carolina. If it wasn't for the players, this would be the same offense we've seen for years.

Posted by Mike Preston at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

I think quarterback coach Rick Neuheisel is having some input into the Ravens' offense. Each week, there seems to be a new wrinkle, and some of these plays were not in the previous playbooks of Brian Billick, Matt Cavanaugh or Jim Fassel. When Fassel was the offensive coordinator, Neuheisel offered suggestions, but those suggestions weren't appreciated and used. It was all part of the conflict around the offensive staff. Neuheisel was known to have a creative offensive mind at both the University of Washington and Colorado. Billick is smart enough to use his input along with suggestions from his veteran players.

Posted by Mike Preston at 6:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
                    

It wouldn't be surprising to see the rookie right guard stay in the starting lineup when Keydrick Vincent returns from his leg injury. The Ravens like Chris Chester's athleticism and toughness. He has great feet and can easily make blocks into the second level. Plus, he has several years left on his contract, while Vincent only has one after this season.

P.S. I'd like to thank the assistant sports information director at Towson University for advising me on how to grade football games. In turn, I'll give him advice on how to compile statistics at the next Towson field hockey game.

Posted by Mike Preston at 1:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
                    

Right guard Keydrick Vincent practiced with the team Wednesday. but still felt a slight pain in his groin/thigh area. Vincent said he expects to play Sunday against the Steelers, but is unsure if he will be ready. Vincent said the coaching staff has told him not to rush back until he is healed. If Vincent can't play, rookie Chris Chester will start his second consecutive game.

Posted by Mike Preston at 8:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

Middle linebacker Ray Lewis is still having some discomfort in his back, and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Steelers. Lewis has missed the past two games and hasn't participated in a full practice for almost three weeks. The Ravens were optimistic about Lewis playing this week, but now have a wait and see approach.

Posted by Mike Preston at 5:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

The Ravens have to be ecstatic about the play of ends Trevor Pryce and Terrell Suggs in the past two games. Part of the reason why the Ravens blitz so much is because they can't get consistent pressure from their defensive line. But in the past two weeks, Pryce and Suggs have been dominating -- not just against the pass, but playing the run as well.

Posted by Mike Preston at 8:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
                    

At the beginning of the season, there was speculation that left offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden would retire, especially if the Ravens didn't make the playoffs. Now that the Ravens are having a good season, it will be interesting to see if he comes back for another season. His younger brother, Marques, recently started a real estate business in Washington, D.C, and the older brother is expected to join his younger brother in the business venture once his playing days are done.

Posted by Mike Preston at 7:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

Outside linebacker/defensive end Dan Cody is expected to get his first live action Sunday against the Falcons. The second-year player, who missed all of last season with a severe knee injury, will play on special teams and in passing situations. Regardless of the substitutes, they always play on the Ravens' defense. Of course, the Ravens put an emphasis on athleticism, but there is more. The Ravens have a reputation of being a great defensive team, and there are high expectations by the players. Those expectations make everyone play harder and better. Cody still has a lot to learn, but he'll have a decent performance Sunday. Why? Because it's expected.

Posted by Mike Preston at 5:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
                    

Quite a few Ravens have been asked if playing Titans quarterback Vince Young prepared them for Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick. There really isn't much of a comparison. Both are elusive, but they have different styles. Young is big, has a strong arm and a loping stride. Vick is shorter, but quicker and more explosive. Few athletes can change direction like Vick. Once you get your hands on Vick, he can be brought down. Young is so big that it's hard to bring him down unless you're in a good position. Vick has often been criticized for his passing ability, but he is just as effective as most quarterbacks in the league.

Posted by Mike Preston at 10:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
                    

The idea of Jarret Johnson filling in for middle linebacker Ray Lewis Sunday is intriguing. Of course he's not Lewis, but to have a 270-pound inside linebacker is impressive. Johnson runs well and is relentless in pursuit. He'll only be used on running downs. Even with Johnson in the lineup, the Ravens still have a lot of speed on the outside with Bart Scott and Adalius Thomas, and I know defensive coordinator Rex Ryan will move Johnson around enough so he won't become a sitting target. With no Lewis and Mike Smith, the Ravens are making the best of a bad situation. The Ravens have a habit of drafting athletes who are good football players, and this might work out for them again in Johnson's case.

Posted by Mike Preston at 3:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

League officials fined Titans coach Jeff Fisher $12,500 for comments he made about a referee's call in Sunday's game against the Ravens. During the third quarter, officials said Ravens running back Mike Anderson was down by contact in Ravens territory before he fumbled and the ball was recovered by the Titans' Robaire Smith. The instant replay, and anyone with eyes, clearly showed it was a fumble and Smith recovered the ball.

Upon further review, the officials said there was in fact a fumble, but they didn't give it to the Titans because they weren't sure about who recovered the ball. Of course, Fisher, as expected, had some words about the officiating, but they weren't out of line.

The NFL has a problem. Over the years, the officiating has become as watered down as the talent on the field. Why have instant replay if you still can't make the correct call? I think head coaches, if asked about certain calls from the media, should be able to comment especially if the situation is handled in a professional manner.

Posted by Mike Preston at 2:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
                    

It appears the status of middle linebacker Ray Lewis will be a game time decision again. During the early part of Wednesday's morning practice, Lewis was not on the field with the rest of the team. On Tuesday, the Ravens worked out three linebackers and will probably sign one because both Lewis and backup Mike Smith are hurt.

Also, how deprived is the NFL of quarterbacks when the New England Patriots sign Vinny Testaverde, 43, as a backup? Unbelievable.

Posted by Mike Preston at 12:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
                    

After Sunday's loss, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis has to be drifting back to his early days as the Ravens defensive coordinator. The Bengals gave up 42 points in the second half to the Chargers. That's like in 1996 and 1997 when the Ravens, led by quarterback Vinny Testaverde and receivers Michael Jackson and Derrick Alexander, would light up the scoreboard for early leads. By the fourth quarter, the Ravens would lose with such players as cornerback Donny Brady, safety Ralph Staten and defensive tackle Dan Footman.

It's also ironic that Lewis and Colts coach Tony Dungy made names for themselves with defense, and their teams can't play a lick of it. Meanwhile, Brian Billick had the reputation of being offensive-minded, and his offenses have struggled since he came to Baltimore. Go figure.

Posted by Mike Preston at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
                    

I don't think race had anything to do with the Titans banning quarterback Steve McNair from their practice facility during the off-season. I can understand Ray Lewis making those statements because Lewis, McNair and former Titans running back Eddie George have been close friends for so long. But the Titans have a history with African American quarterbacks including Warren Moon, McNair and now Vince Young.

McNair was a salary cap casualty, just like Samari Rolle and Derrick Mason, two other fomer Titans now with the Ravens. If you look over the Titans roster, it has been depleted over the years because of cap problems.

"But it would really puzzle me, seriously, if anybody would ever tell Brett Favre....if anybody would ever tell Peyton Manning not to walk into the Indianapolis facility," Lewis reportedly told ESPN.

That's an entirely different story. During the last couple of years, the word on McNair was that he didn't like to practice once the midseason arrived, and that sometimes he overexaggerated his injuries. Now, it makes sense why the Titans locked him out. They were protecting their own interests.

In Baltimore, it has been a different story with McNair. He worked hard and stayed late in meetings leading up to training camp. He has put extra time in working with his receivers and been the model player. Sometimes, it takes a change of scenery to make a player reflect on his career. McNair knows that his career is winding down, and that he has only one, possibly two, years left at winning a championship.

Maybe McNair has given Lewis an inside story, but McNair hasn't made any statements about race. The Titans deny that race played a part. And from the outside looking in, it just appears McNair was a victim of the salary cap purge like Rolle, Mason and George, the cornerstones of those good Tennessee teams. It was just like the great Ravens' purge following the 2001 season.

Posted by Mike Preston at 10:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (17)
                    

If any other player missed a week of practice, they wouldn't play Sunday, but there still is a possibility Lewis could play. He told teammates early Friday morning that he had to get an MRI on his back later in the day. Lewis missed a week of practice last season, and still started the game.

Injuries are always unfortunate, but at least the Ravens are playing the lowly Titans. With teams like Atlanta, Pittsburgh, K.C. and Cincinnati coming up, this seems like the perfect time to put Lewis on the bench for a week to heal. Also, backup Mike Smith played extremely well during the preseason. He doesn't have Lewis's mobility, and few linebackers do, but the kid seems to have a nose for the ball, and he hustles.

Posted by Mike Preston at 5:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

If he plays Sunday against the Titans, it will be interesting to see how effective Ray Lewis is against Tennessee. He was in a lot of pain after the Bengals game, and I haven't seen him walk so slow in discomfort since his second year when Frank Wycheck nailed him on a trap play. The Ravens have a great trainer in Bill Tessendorf, one of the most respected in the league, but it might take awhile for Lewis to completely heal from this injury.

Posted by Mike Preston at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

Second-year receiver Mark Clayton is tied with tight end Todd Heap for the team lead in receptions with 34. Clayton has 377 yards compared to 366 for Heap. Ravens receiver Derrick Mason spent a lot of time with Clayton during the off-season. They worked out a lot here in Baltimore. According to Mason, the biggest key for Clayton was learning that he didn't have to make a big play every week. As the team's top draft pick a year ago, Clayton put a lot of pressure on himself to become the big play guy. When that didn't happen, it bothered him. Mason said he spent a lot of time talking to Clayton about becoming consistent and working hard in practice. He also had to teach him that you might make big plays for a week or two, and then go two or three weeks without making one. He said Clayton came into training camp with that mindset, and that's why he has been effective this season.

Posted by Mike Preston at 9:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
                    

It's one of the topics of conversations this week: Will the Ravens have a letdown in the second half of the season after building a two-game lead over the nearest competitor in the AFC North? It won't happen. It can't happen. After two years of poor team chemistry, the Ravens have too much leadership to sway off course. They have too much veteran leadership in place from players like Jonathan Ogden, Samari Rolle, Steve McNair, Ray Lewis and Derrick Mason. These guys know they are at the tail end of their careers and they have had only one goal in mind: to win a championship. They haven't complained about money, practice time, or just about anything (except Jim Fassel), but complacency won't get in the way. It's a tight team, far different from the past two seasons. The focus is definitely there. These guys have on blinders.

Posted by Mike Preston at 4:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
                    

We'll find out in about two weeks how much the Ravens offense has improved. We've seen some progress in the past two weeks with head coach Brian Billick calling the plays. There have been a few new wrinkles, but it's basically still the same offense. The Ravens, though, look more organized and are controlling the ball longer, keeping their defense off the field. But the Ravens haven't played a quality defensive team in two weeks, and they couldn't muster a running attack against the Bengals, which had the No. 25 rushing defense. The Ravens probably won't get much of a test from the rebuilding Titans, but the Falcons should be a barometer when they come to M&T Bank Stadium on Nov. 19. Getting more juice out of the offense, especially the running game inside the red zone, and the play of the offensive line will determine how far the Ravens go this season.

Posted by Mike Preston at 12:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
                    

After talking with several players in the Ravens locker room following the Bengals game, they are convinced that quarterback Steve McNair has improved because he has one less person in his ear coaching him about football. Until the Ravens fired offensive coordinator Jim Fassel two weeks ago, McNair had to answer to head coach Brian Billick, Fassel and quarterback's coach Rick Neuheisel. Now, it's only Neuheisel and Billick with Billick calling the shots. It was fair to give McNair eight weeks into the season to learn the offense, and he has improved in time.

Posted by Mike Preston at 6:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
                    

Don't be surprised if the Ravens' second-year defensive end/outside linebacker, Dan Cody,  plays today against the Bengals. The Bengals offensive line has been hit hard by injuries and the Ravens could use some fresh legs to get pressure on Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer. It's a plus to have a player of this caliber, especially if he produces, coming off the bench at the midway point of the season.

Posted by Mike Preston at 11:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan has been testy this week, and for good reason. Somehow, the Ravens have to slow the Bengals' passing game, which they haven't done in the last two games. In fact, the Ravens continued to give up big plays through the air last week against the Saints.

The Ravens can beat the Bengals. They can control the tempo because the Bengals can't stop the run. The Ravens can shut down running back Rudi Johnson, if the Bengals can't set up the run with the passing game. It's an intriguing matchup because cornerback Chris McAlister will probably be covering Chad Johnson, and cornerback Samari Rolle will probably draw receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh. But unless safety Ed Reed plays as the third cornerback, the Ravens don't have anyone who can match up with No. 3 receiver Chris Henry.

It's a big game. If the Ravens win, they'll probably win the AFC North. Cincinnati wants to position itself to have a shot at winnning the division again. The Bengals have a good team, but nobody knows which Cincinnati team will show up Sunday. Regardless, the Ravens have to find a way to pressure quarterback Carson Palmer and slow those receivers.

P.S. Hi Marvin

P.P.S. Ravens win by 3

Posted by Mike Preston at 3:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
                    

The  Ravens catch a big break Sunday with Bengals left offensive tackle Bengals Levi Jones out of the starting lineup after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery on Oct. 18. Jones has made Ravens defensive end Terrell Suggs disappear from games in recent years. Of course, Suggs said he was looking forward to going against Jones, who like Suggs, went to Arizona State.

Yeah, right. I have a great dentist in Dr. Stuart Brown, who is a really nice guy. But I don't look forward to seeing him when I need root canal surgery. It's painful stuff -- much like playing against Jones on Sunday afternoons.

Posted by Mike Preston at 7:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

Even though running back Jamal Lewis rushed for more than 100 yards Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, it doesn't appear that he has what it takes to carry the team. He runs hard, but doesn't have that burst or acceleration that made him a special, big back. The Ravens might want to get Musa Smith or Mike Anderson revved up for late December and early January.

Posted by Mike Preston at 6:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)