A transcript of Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger's conference call with Baltimore reporters:

On how much healthier and happier he is this year compared to 2006: ”Obviously being healthy and feeling good, it’s good to back out on the football field and feel like you’re having fun again.”

On his improvisational ability: “It’s just, when things break down, you’ve got to have that emergency exit door, and try and find it when you need to, and just be patient, try not to do it too much, and make plays. But a lot of the credit when you do that goes to the offensive line, because they’ve got to hold their blocks longer, and I go downfield. So it’s kind of a combination of everybody when I have to do that.”

On forgetting the hit he sustained from LB Bart Scott last year: “You have to. You have to forget about it. You have to have short-term memory loss, because every game you get hit. You have to be able to put things behind you and move on.”

On film from last year’s games against Baltimore being motivation: “Actually, as quarterbacks, we haven’t even watched last year’s game yet. We’ve watched all this year’s stuff that they’ve done. We know that they put a hurting on us twice last year pretty bad.”

On the Ravens’ defense being less intimidating than it once was: “Well, I know you guys are going to try to get me to say something, but I’m a little smarter than that. You know what? Their defense is unbelievable. We anticipate them having everybody back full strength – obviously they don’t have Adalius Thomas. You can go right down the list and every guy is a threat, every guy is someone that you need to keep your eye on. And you can’t say that about any defenses in the NFL. So, I’m trying to hurry up and get off the phone with you guys so I can go watch some more film, because the things that they do, it’s pretty intense and pretty crazy.”

On working with a new coaching staff: “It’s been great. I think the new coaches, all the way from the head coach to the coordinators to the quarterback coach – it’s been great. I think we’ve all meshed pretty well.”

On bonding with new coach Mike Tomlin during the offseason: “No, more of that was Bruce Arians and I. We play a lot of golf together, so I think that was more of the off-the-field stuff.”

On working with a new center this season: “It’s been good. I think Sean [Mahan] has done a great job. Having Jeff [Hartings], the same center for three years, you get used to a guy like that. But Sean has done a great job of stepping in. I think Sean and I have developed a rapport and a relationship, and have done a great job together.”

On the health of WR Hines Ward: “Well, Hines is one of those guys that’s going to come out and give you his all every time, whether he’s healthy or not. He looks healthy to me. He’s playing well and I’m happy to have him out there.”

On what is enjoyable about playing a defense like the Ravens’: “I don’t know if there is anything enjoyable while playing a defense like this. They bring pressure, they do a lot of different things. They throw things at you. There’s nothing enjoyable about the preparation about the actual game.”

On the difference DT Trevor Pryce makes for Baltimore: “They’re a great defense with or without him. He may be considered by many as their best pass rusher. So, obviously they’re going to be better when he’s in there. But they’re a pretty good defense regardless of who’s in there.”

On what he learned from last season: “Just that you have to have a short-term memory. You have to be able to move on, to learn, and to not hold things in your memory bank too long.”

On how tough last season was: “Obviously, it was tough. You want to win games, you feel like you let guys down, you’re disappointed. But, like I said, it’s a learning tool.”

On the difference for him this year: “I think it’s gotten to the point where I’m more comfortable with the offense and I’m understanding what’s going on. Therefore, I think you’d have to say my decision-making has been a little better.”

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 5:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
                    

The security guard at the Pittsburgh Steelers complex here today didn't blink when I said I was here to write a story for the BALTIMORE Sun. I expected at least a pat-down, to make sure I didn't have any microphones to plant in the locker room or in the meeting rooms.

But I was told that visiting media wasn't allowed to watch practice. (It didn't make a difference to me since the local media isn't allowed to watch more than a few minutes of stretching at the Ravens complex.)

The Steelers are saying what you'd expect to hear going into Monday night's showdown at Heinz Field.

It's about what the Ravens were saying earlier this week in Owings Mills.

Last year was last year.

Or, as Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said, "You've got to have short-term memory loss.''

Considering the hits Roethlisberger absorbed in the two Raven blowouts last year, particularly the one by Bart Scott, it would be understandable if he really sustained short-term -- or even long-term -- memory loss.

The one piece of minutia I learned from today's locker-room session was that the Steelers will be wearing throwback black jerseys, white pants and gold helmets that were hanging from their lockers. The living members of the 75th anniversary all-Steelers team will be invited back for the Ravens game.

Maybe the Ravens can wear throwback uniforms -- the ones they wore last year against the Steelers.

Posted by Don Markus at 1:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

Here is where the Ravens stack up in the NFL’s weekly rankings compiled by the league.

Total offense
This week: 15th (326.7 yards per game)
Last week: 17th (326.7)

Rushing offense
This week: 16th (110.0 yards per game)
Last week: 17th (110.0)

Passing offense
This week: 16th (216.7 yards per game)
Last week: 17th (216.7)

First downs
This week: Tied for 12th (19.1 per game)
Last week: 13th (19.1 per game)

Third-down offense
This week: 16th (46 of 112, 41.1 percent)
Last week: 17th (46 of 112, 41.1 percent)

Red-zone offense
This week: 30th (7 of 23, 30.4 percent)
Last week: 29th (7 of 23, 30.4 percent)

Points scored
This week: 25th (17.7 per game)
Last week: Tied for 24th (17.7 per game)

Total defense
This week: 2nd (268.0 yards per game)
Last week: 2nd (268.0 yards per game)

Rushing defense
This week: 2nd (71.9 yards per game)
Last week: 2nd (71.9)

Passing defense
This week: 9th (196.1 yards per game)
Last week: 7th (196.1 yards per game)

First downs
This week: 1st (13.4 per game)
Last week: 1st (13.4 per game)

Third-down defense
This week: 2nd (31 of 94, 33.0 percent)
Last week: 3rd (31 of 94, 33.0 percent)

Red-zone defense
This week: 3rd (6 of 16, 37.5 percent)
Last week: 4th (6 of 16, 37.5 percent)

Points allowed
This week: 10th (17.0 per game)
Last week: 9th (17.0 per game)

Turnover differential
This week: Tied for 13th (+2 on 14 take-aways and 12 give-aways)
Last week: Tied for 11th (+2 on 14 take-aways and 12 give-aways)

Posted by Edward Lee at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

Brian Billick, on last year’s sweep of the Pittsburgh Steelers:

‘”That’s a lifetime ago. They’ll look at the film. Obviously, we did some good things, but we did some things that weren’t as good and we’ll draw from both of them. It’s a whole new ballgame. They know that.’’

Billick, on the return of defensive end Trevor Pryce:

“To not have Trevor, as subtle as it is, what it does to the outside rush and the whole dynamic of the defense, it will be great to have Trevor back.’’

Billick, on his defensive line:

“They’re not the biggest group in the world, but force equals mass times velocity. What they lack in mass they make up in velocity. They’ve played very, very well.’’

Billick, on Kelly Gregg:

“Underappreciated, except in the league. People in the league know how good Kelly Gregg is.’’

Bart Scott, on whether last year’s domination of the Steelers will carry over on Monday night:

“Last year is last year. Last year doesn’t count for this year. If that was the case, the Bears would be leading the division, and be the No. 1 team. This year we have to play a different teams and different coaches. It’s going to be a tough challenge for us. If we’re able get to them early, then maybe it will be, ‘Here we go again.’ Until we do that and establish ourselves, last year means nothing.’’

Posted by Don Markus at 1:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)
                    

Jason Brown, the Ravens' 24-year-old left guard, became a dad last Tuesday when his wife, Tayeashai, gave birth to a 7-pound, 7-ounce boy at 1:30 p.m. His name is JW Jason Brown Jr.

Jason had intended to surprise Tay by arriving at their home in North Carolina a day earlier than expected, driving from Baltimore after the game against the Buffalo Bills and getting to their house at about 12:30 a.m. Monday. But Tay turned the tables by heading to the hospital minutes before Jason arrived due to early labor pains.

"Being in this league, you already have tremendous responsibilities. But now it’s tremendous responsibilities times two," Jason said today after practice. "Nothing can match the responsibility of fatherhood."

Posted by Edward Lee at 6:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

The Ravens' downtown stadium, which is currently called M&T Bank Stadium, is celebrating its 10th season of existence. We're going to look at the Top 10 moments in its history, listing two each day.

1. Jamal Lewis runs into NFL record book. Sept. 14, 2003

In the greatest feat over the 10 seasons at Ravens stadium, Jamal Lewis hammered his way to 295 yards rushing in the Ravens' 33-13 victory over the Cleveland Browns, shattering the NFL mark of the Cincinnati Bengals' Corey Dillon by 17 yards.

Lewis had predicted the feat three days earlier in a phone call with Cleveland linebacker Andra Davis, saying he would break the record if given 30 carries.

"It was like Babe Ruth pointing to the fence before the home run," Ravens coach Brian Billick said.

Lewis was a picture of grace and power, bouncing off linebackers and sidestepping defensive backs while carrying 30 times and scoring two touchdowns. Two years removed from reconstructive knee surgery, he stiff-armed would-be tacklers one moment and out-sprinted them the next to pull the Ravens' record to 1-1.

He delivered big plays by ripping through the middle of the defense, gaining 234 yards on five carries - 82, 23, 48, 63 and 18 yards.

On his first attempt, Lewis collected himself after nearly falling just past the line of scrimmage and bolted a team-record 82 yards for a touchdown. He had 105 yards after his second carry and 180 yards at halftime, when he first realized the record was within reach.

"I was going in at halftime when [Ravens tackle] Jonathan Ogden said, 'Let's go get it. We can get 300 yards,'" Lewis said. "I knew then [my offensive line] was ready to go."

In marching to the record, the 240-pound running back carried the Ravens to victory in their home opener.

The Ravens looked in disarray when quarterback Kyle Boller went out of the game with a leg injury in the third quarter. Backup Chris Redman lost the ball when cocking his arm on his first pass attempt, and the Browns converted the fumble into a touchdown to close to 16-13 with 36 seconds left in third quarter.

On the second play after Cleveland kicked off, Lewis broke two tackles and outran the rest of the defense for a 63-yard touchdown. That run put the Ravens ahead 23-13, but Lewis' day was not over.

The Ravens closed the game by running the ball on 12 of their final 14 plays, with Lewis getting seven carries.

'Give the ball to Lewis' was the team's battle cry all week after he was limited to 15 carries in the season-opening loss at Pittsburgh. True to their word, the Ravens - which set a team record for fewest pass completions with seven - executed the run-first philosophy to perfection.

"We put it on his shoulders all week," Billick said. "For him to respond that way was very special to watch."

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 5:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

The Ravens' downtown stadium, which is currently called M&T Bank Stadium, is celebrating its 10th season of existence. We're going to look at the Top 10 moments in its history, listing two each day.

2. Landmark victory. Sept. 10, 2000

The Ravens truly put themselves on the NFL map as a franchise when they pulled out an improbable 39-36 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Tony Banks threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to tight end Shannon Sharpe in the final minute to lift the Ravens to their first win in their brief but contentious five-year rivalry with the Jaguars.

"I think there's a level of shock and a level of excitement," said Banks, who shed some of those tears himself after throwing a career-high five touchdown passes. "It's like we won the Super Bowl."

The game-winning 75-yard scoring drive capped a furious second-half comeback in which the Ravens wiped out a 17-point first-half deficit, took a 32-26 lead in the fourth quarter, then fell behind in the final two minutes.

When Jacksonville wide receiver Jimmy Smith caught a deflected pass, slipped a tackle by cornerback Duane Starks and completed a 41-yard touchdown play with 1:45 left, the Jaguars had seemingly added another miraculous chapter to their dominance over the Ravens.

"Excuse my doubt," said Ravens linebacker Peter Boulware, "but I thought, 'Here we go again.' Jacksonville always finds a way to come back and beat us.

"In the back of my mind, I'm saying, 'We've got Tony, we've got Shannon, we've got some great players on offense. We've got 1:45 left. If they can do it, we can do the same thing.'"

It took Banks just 64 seconds to take the game back, throwing short passes over the middle against a two-deep zone defense.

Banks threw completions of 19 and 15 yards to Billy Davis and a 12-yarder to Obafemi Ayanbadejo to reach the Jacksonville 29. Then he spiked the ball to stop the clock with 48 seconds left.

Then came the touchdown strike on a play that Banks had failed to hit in a season-opening win over the Pittsburgh Steelers a week before, a deep throw down the middle of the field to Sharpe.

It was the first time in Ravens history that the offense pulled out a victory in the final two minutes.

"This town had been without football for 13 years," coach Brian Billick said. "They have been supporting this organization without a lot of wins on the field. It would have been easy to just say we want a winning record this season, but we have high expectations, and the fans have embraced them. They followed through, and I think this was a coming-out party for the city of Baltimore to a degree.”

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 5:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

The Ravens' downtown stadium, which is currently called M&T Bank Stadium, is celebrating its 10th season of existence. We're going to look at the Top 10 moments in its history, listing two each day.

3. Most thrilling comeback in Ravens history. Nov. 23, 2003

Hours before his wife was induced into labor, Anthony Wright delivered an emotional and historic win for the Ravens.

The one-time third-string quarterback staged what was the biggest comeback in team history, rallying the Ravens to a pulsating, 44-41 overtime victory over the Seattle Seahawks.

After passing for a career-best 319 yards and four touchdowns in his second start for the Ravens, Wright drove home to pick up his wife, Nicole, who later gave birth to the couple's second daughter, Trinity.

“This is something that you dream of,” said Wright, holding back tears as his voice cracked at his news conference. “This is something that you write in books. This is something you think would never happen to you. For us to come back and win this game was unimaginable.”

Making his seventh NFL start at quarterback, Wright helped Baltimore score 10 points in the final 72 seconds of regulation to force overtime.

He then directed a 55-yard drive in the extra period, connecting with Marcus Robinson for 19 yards on a third-and-15 play to set up Matt Stover for the winner.

The frenzied finish seemed out of the question when Baltimore fell behind 41-24 with 14:16 remaining, but Wright and the Ravens never gave up.

"It was looking very, very dim. But we just let it all hang out," said Wright, 2-5 as an NFL starter. "It's unbelievable, for us to be down as much as were and to come back."

Three years later, the Ravens staged a bigger comeback at Tennessee, where they rallied from 19-point deficit in the second quarter.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 2:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

The Ravens' downtown stadium, which is currently called M&T Bank Stadium, is celebrating its 10th season of existence. We're going to look at the Top 10 moments in its history, listing two each day.

4. First playoff game. Dec. 31, 2000

Riding a dominating effort by their defense, the Ravens stamped themselves as a Super Bowl contender with a 21-3 win over the Denver Broncos.

It was the first playoff game played at the Ravens’ downtown stadium and remains the Ravens' only postseason victory at home.

“No one thought we would beat the Denver Broncos. Everyone thought we would be out,” defensive tackle Sam Adams said after the first home playoff win by a Baltimore NFL team since 1971. “We showed we deserved to be here, and we're going to have to be reckoned with.”

Played in frigid conditions -- there were wind gusts of up to 27 mph with a wind-chill factor of 5 degrees -- the Ravens’ record-setting defense systematically destroyed one of the NFL's best offenses.

The Ravens allowed the league's second-ranked offense just 42 rushing yards and 177 total yards. The Broncos crossed midfield only once, got as far as the 12, and settled for a 31-yard field goal by Jason Elam.

“They say great pitching stops great hitting,” Ravens tight end Shannon Sharpe said. “Well, a great defense stops a great offense.”

Offensively, the Ravens got a big rushing game from rookie running back Jamal Lewis (110 yards on 30 carries with two touchdowns) and a fortuitous touchdown pass from Trent Dilfer to Sharpe.

It started as a short toss to Lewis in the flat. But Lewis mishandled the ball, and then Denver cornerback Terrell Buckley batted it. Sharpe, who cut short his route, wound up catching the ball when he was preparing to make a tackle.

Sharpe scampered 58 yards down the right sideline, getting big blocks from Sam Gash and Patrick Johnson, to a huge touchdown and 14-3 lead.

But this victory marked the start of a dominating playoff run by a defense with something to prove.

“When you win Super Bowls, I think you always put those defenses in an elite class,” Denver coach Mike Shanahan said after the game. “If Baltimore can do that, I think this defense will be considered one of the best of all time.”

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

The Ravens' downtown stadium, which is currently called M&T Bank Stadium, is celebrating its 10th season of existence. We're going to look at the Top 10 moments in its history, listing two each day.

5. Colts return for a playoff game in Baltimore. Jan. 13, 2007

Nearly 23 years after they left Baltimore, the Colts dealt another dose of heartache to the city.

Capitalizing on the mistakes of Ravens quarterback Steve McNair, the Colts upset the Ravens, 15-6, in what might be the most painful loss ever at the Ravens’ downtown stadium.

The city's NFL record crowd of 71,162 searching for revenge -- or "Ravenge" as one end-zone sign read -- felt the same sting from March 1984, when the Colts sneaked out of town to move to Indianapolis.

As the Ravens walked off the field and into the locker room, the players filed in one-by-one in silence, knowing how they let themselves down as well as the passionate fans who wanted closure with their painful Colts past.

“This football team is as disappointed as our fans are, which is matched tenfold by the players,” coach Brian Billick said. “This team appreciates our fans. They were deserving of better than that, but it just wasn't going to happen.”

The loss proved even more stunning because of the haphazard play of McNair, who had helped transform the Ravens from an underachieving team to one of the league's best. The former NFL Most Valuable Player struggled mightily, throwing two interceptions (including a critical one in the red zone) and fumbling on his final play.

“To end on a shorter note than you intended ... it's very heartbreaking,” McNair said. “Do I feel bad? Of course I feel bad. I feel bad that we lost. I feel the way I played. There can only be one champion. Unfortunately, this year isn't our year.”

The Ravens' third straight playoff loss abruptly ended a season in which they set the team record for regular-season wins (13) and earned their highest postseason seeding ever.

The third-seeded Colts, who were playing their first playoff game in Baltimore since 1977, went on to win the Super Bowl.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 12:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

The Ravens' downtown stadium, which is currently called M&T Bank Stadium, is celebrating its 10th season of existence. We're going to look at the Top 10 moments in its history, listing two each day.
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6. Chris McAlister’s surprising runback. Sept. 30, 2002

A national television audience was supposed to see how far the Ravens had fallen after a historic salary-cap purge. Instead, it witnessed a historic event.

As the previous winless Ravens shocked the unbeaten Denver Broncos for a 34-23 win, cornerback Chris McAlister recorded the longest play in NFL history.

McAlister returned a missed field goal 107 yards to put an exclamation point on a remarkable 31-point second quarter.

With one second left in the half and the Ravens ahead, 24-3, Denver's Jason Elam came up short on a 57-yard field goal try. Fielding the ball deep in the end zone, McAlister slowed up near the goal line, selling the Broncos on the idea that he would down the ball, but he decided not to take a knee.

According to McAlister, it wasn't a hesitation but all part of the plan.

“That's how we set it up,” McAlister said. “We're supposed to take a step back and try to get them to go to sleep. And then I'm supposed to go towards the sideline and pick up some blocks.”

Breaking free to the outside after a crushing hit by Ray Lewis on the Broncos' Keith Burns at the 5-yard line, McAlister went 107 yards untouched and starting high-stepping for the final 30 yards as coach Brian Billick followed him down the sideline with his hands raised.

“It wasn't as bad as it looked,” said Burns, who quickly got up from Lewis’ jolt. “But a hit is a hit.”

The return was originally announced at 108 yards. But after studying photos and video footage of the play, the Elias Sports Bureau determined that the kick by Denver's Jason Elam went seven yards into the end zone.

Still, it surpassed the previous record of 106 yards.

“I'm very honored,” McAlister said. “I'm very blessed to have that record, but to me it's just another play in a football game.”

The New England Patriots’ Ellis Hobbs (108-yard kickoff return this season) and the Chicago Bears’ Devin Hester (108-yard return off missed field goal in 2006) and Nathan Vasher (108-yard return off missed field goal in 2005) have since eclipsed McAlister’s mark.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 12:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

The Ravens' downtown stadium, which is currently called M&T Bank Stadium, is celebrating its 10th season of existence. We're going to look at the Top 10 moments in its history, listing two each day.

7. Ed Reed’s record-setting return. Nov. 7, 2004

Showing his flair for the dramatic, safety Ed Reed saved the Ravens in a 27-13 win over the Cleveland Browns with an NFL-record 106-yard interception return for a touchdown.

With the Ravens leading 20-13 and less than a minute remaining, a potential game-tying touchdown pass bounced off the hands of Browns tight end Aaron Shea and Reed caught the ball off his shoetops. It was Reed’s sixth touchdown in 40 career games.

“He just seems to always be around it when you need it,” coach Brian Billick said. “He kind of waited until the end to do it. He could have saved my heart a little bit if he would have done it earlier.”

Reed’s record-setting return came with some controversy.

Before the pass bounced off Shea, he got tangled up with linebacker Ray Lewis.

The Browns, though, were thinking the Ravens got away with a penalty. They believe Lewis should have been flagged for pass interference as he got to Shea just as the ball arrived.

“It's hard to win when guys are dragging you down,” Browns coach Butch Davis said.

Said Shea: “I think when you're tackled when the ball gets there, that makes it kind of tough.”

Reed raced down the right sideline and reached the end zone with 26 seconds left to seal the win.

“It's a blessing, definitely a miracle if you knew what happened the whole play, with Ray telling me to be where I got the ball,” Reed said.

“I knew exactly the play they were going to try to run,” Lewis said. “I told Ed it was coming.”

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 1:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

The Ravens' downtown stadium, which is currently called M&T Bank Stadium, is celebrating its 10th season of existence. We're going to look at the Top 10 moments in its history, listing two each day.

8. Bart Scott clocking Big Ben. Nov. 26, 2006

In what could go down as the most violent hit in the stadium’s history, Ravens linebacker Bart Scott laid out quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in a 27-0 win, which all but ended the Pittsburgh Steelers' chances of repeating as Super Bowl champions.

Relentless pressure led to a team record-tying nine sacks, and the most memorable came from Scott late in the second quarter.

Scott came untouched from the left side to nail Roethlisberger in the chest and drive him into the turf. Roethlisberger, who was involved in a serious motorcycle accident in the offseason, laid on his back for several minutes before walking off the field on his own.

“That's probably the hardest I've ever been hit in my life,” Roethlisberger said. “I just kind of remember my head hitting the ground. I couldn't really breathe very well.”

Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs remembers he stopped covering his man when Scott delivered the blow.

“I was 30 yards downfield and I heard it,” he said.

Ray Lewis knelt beside a motionless Roethlisberger during the painful, suspenseful moments after the vicious sack.

Said Lewis: “I was just praying ... and I was saying, `Just make sure you get up. Your teammates are watching. Your family is out there somewhere. Just get up.’”

The game plan was to not let Roethlisberger get comfortable in the pocket. Defensive coordinator Rex Ryan estimated that the Ravens blitzed just half the time, but it always seemed that the Ravens had at least one defender coming unblocked.

The pressure came from different angles and different people. Seven players finished with at least half a sack, as the Ravens recorded 73 yards in sacks compared to Pittsburgh's 172 yards of total offense.

After the sack, Roethlisberger eventually returned, although he could be seen ducking his head after releasing a pass.

“Yeah, that made him gun-shy,” Scott said. “He took a tough hit that set the tone on him. He left for a couple of plays, and I'm sure he was thinking about that for the rest of the game. He started getting the ball off quick and sailing some of them high.”

It marked the Ravens' largest margin of victory in their biggest division rivalry.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 12:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

The Ravens' downtown stadium, which is currently called M&T Bank Stadium, is celebrating its 10th season of existence. Starting today, we're going to look at the Top 10 moments in its history, listing two each day.

9. First Prime-Time Game. Sept. 27, 1998

In his first NFL start, running back Priest Holmes rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-24 win over the Cincinnati Bengals before a national television audience on ESPN.

It marked the first home prime-time game in Ravens history as well as the first victory on national television since the franchise relocated to Baltimore.

The Ravens rose to the occasion, jumping out to a 21-0 lead in the first half.

But the Bengals came back and had a chance to win the game at the end. They had driven as far as the Ravens' 32-yard line, but Ravens cornerback Rod Woodson knocked down a short pass intended for receiver Darnay Scott on a fourth-and-one with 1:46 left.

“This was a big win for us,” Ravens coach Ted Marchibroda said. “We finally got our offense going and we had a balanced attack. The way we ran the football tonight, I think we've found our halfback.”

By the end of the first quarter, Priest Holmes had rushed for 88 yards, more than any Ravens running back had gained in the previous three games that season. Holmes got the start at running back over Errict Rhett and Jay Graham, who shared the starting job in the preseason and first three games.

Jermaine Lewis also had two touchdowns, scoring on a 73-yard reception and an 87-yard punt return.

After the game, Lewis stood outside the interview room, yelling to Holmes: “You shocked the world, baby! You shocked the world!”

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 12:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

The Ravens' downtown stadium, which is currently called M&T Bank Stadium, is celebrating its 10th season of existence. Starting today, we're going to look at the Top 10 moments in its history, listing two each day.

10. The Grand Opening. Sept. 6, 1998

The Ravens officially moved from Memorial Stadium to their new $223 million home, only to consecrate it with a 20-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A crowd of 68,847 gathered under cloudless skies to watch the Ravens open a new era with old errors. Cornerback Rod Woodson dropped an interception that would have been a touchdown midway through the first quarter. Running back Priest Holmes tripped over his own feet in the first quarter on what could have been a 27-yard touchdown run. Receiver Jermaine Lewis dropped two passes, one a potential 54-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. And kicker Matt Stover missed three field goals, two of which were the result of bad snaps by Harper Le Bel.

“Our fans deserved better,” Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis said. “By no account did we make an impressive showing for ourselves or a statement in this new stadium.”

In fact, the Ravens went more than 57 minutes before Jermaine Lewis finally got the Ravens’ first touchdown.

But the city of Baltimore left its mark on its new football home. It was a party mood over the weekend as the Ravens staged “Touchdown Baltimore” to show off the new stadium. Stevie Wonder sang at a Saturday night concert that drew 25,000 spectators and featured a fireworks show. “I've never seen a city so excited about a single game,” Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher said.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 11:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

Despite giving up 19 points to the Buffalo Bills, the Ravens' defense moved up to No. 2 in the league (268.0 per game) behind the Pittsburgh Steelers (250.3). The defense, which ranked third against the run and 12th against the pass before Sunday's loss, improved to second against the run and seventh against the pass. Opponents are rushing for an average of just 71.9 yards per game against the Ravens. Only the Tennessee Titans are stingier on the ground (59.7).

The offense also improved slightly, moving from 19th to 17th. However, the unit is 26th in the league in yards per play (4.8) and 28th in passing net yards per play (8.7). The Ravens are 29th in the league and last in the AFC in red-zone efficiency. Their conversion rate of 30.4 percent (seven touchdowns in 23 trips inside the opponents' 20-yard line) is better than only the Philadelphia Eagles (30.0 percent), the Atlanta Falcons (27.8) and the St. Louis Rams (21.1).

Running back Willis McGahee is the second-leading rusher in the NFL with 639 yards, 31 yards behind Minnesota Vikings rookie Adrian Peterson. McGahee also ranks third in most yards from scrimmage (792 behind Miami Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown's 991 and Peterson's 857) and is tied with Arizona Cardinals running back Edgerrin James for fifth in first downs (34).

Not only is wide receiver Derrick Mason first in the league in receptions (56), but he is also first among third-down receiving leaders with 20 catches. He is 12th in receiving yardage with 529. Free safety Ed Reed's four interceptions has him tied for second with Oakland Raiders linebacker Thomas Howard, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Anthony Henry and Tennessee Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck.

Rookie return specialist Yamon Figurs is ranked fourth and fifth in the league in average kickoff return (29.9 yards) and average punt return (12.0). No Ravens defensive player is ranked in the top 50 in sacks.

Posted by Edward Lee at 11:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
                    

Ravens coach Brian Billick was trying to take the glass-is-half-filled approach after Sunday's 19-14 defeat to the Buffalo Bills.

The positives included:

* Perennial All-Pro tackle Jonathan Ogden's return to the lineup, albeit for only a dozen snaps, after missing the past six weeks with a sprained foot and hyperextended toe. "He played well," Billick said. "As Jonathan said, 'I don't know if I could have gone the whole game.' It has to do with playing shape, it wasn't the foot. I think Jonathan feels very good about where he is today and how he came out of the game. We got done what we needed to get done in that regard.''

* The performance by Kyle Boller, who has shown signs of maturity in his fourth year, and is expected to return to the No. 2 role behind Steve McNair against the Pittsburgh Steelers Nov. 5. "When you look at the film and the circumstances Kyle played with, and the pressure he was under in a number of instances because of the young line, you can't help but come away and feel that Kyle played very well. He made a couple of incredible throws with guys in his face. Not perfect, obviously things could have been better, but he played very, very well in my opinion.''

* That his team's next game, against the Steelers at Heinz Field on a Monday night, will be for first place in the AFC North. "That's where your focus has to be,'' Billick said. "That's all you need to know. It's still way too early (to think about the playoffs). All you can ever ask in this game is: 'Can I play a game that matters in November and December?' Otherwise, you're just being greedy. We're playing in November for a chance to lead the division. Am I satisfied with 4-3? No. From an analytical standpoint, do I have to be because we're 4-3? Yeah. We are what we are. We earned the 4-3 both good and bad. Can we be optimistic about our future in terms of who's coming back to us and we get to play three division games. We will impact the division standings one way or the other over the next three games that we play."

Billick said that he expected everyone but tight end Daniel Wilcox, sidelined since the Cleveland loss with a sprained foot, to return for the Steelers game. That includes cornerback Chris McAlister, who sat out Sunday's loss in Buffalo with a knee injury.

The Ravens will return to the practice field next Monday.

Posted by Don Markus at 3:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)