Just because the Ravens fired head coach Brian Billick doesn't mean Pro Bowl LT Jonathan Ogden is definitely coming back. Ogden said this afternoon he will still consider retirement, and is now even more unsure about returning because of the uncertainty of the coaching staff.

"When you play 13 years, you want to know about training camp and how many offseason camps you have to attend," said Ogden. "But I will definitely look at the situation."

Ogden never liked Billick's play-calling, and that was one of the major reasons he has considered retirement the past two seasons.

• It's getting harder and harder to trust team Web sites. For the past couple of weeks, the Ravens have been putting out that Billick's job was safe and he would return for another season. The Ravens even applauded other reporters who accepted and published their spin.

I wonder what those reporters are thinking now. Were they misinformed intentionally by someone with the Ravens, or someone who just isn't in the know?

Posted by Mike Preston at 7:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)
        

Maybe losing your top two running backs isn’t such a bad thing after all.

Forced to play without Willis McGahee and Mike Anderson, the Ravens relied on the tandem of Musa Smith and Cory Ross to help build a 20-7 halftime advantage against the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium today.

Ross, who was inactive for seven games and not even on the Ravens’ roster for two more, rushed for 63 yards on seven carries and dazzled a sparse crowd with a 32-yard touchdown scamper at the beginning of the second quarter.

Ross ranged to his left, cut back up the middle, avoided a diving tackle by a Pittsburgh defender and then feinted his way around Steelers safety Anthony Smith (couldn’t guarantee a tackle, huh?) to waltz into the end zone.

Smith carried the ball 14 times for 40 yards and also scored a touchdown on the Ravens’ opening possession to give the team a 7-0 lead. By halftime, the Ravens had already compiled 128 rushing yards on 24 carries, averaging 5.3 yards per attempt.

*Earning his first career start in a regular-season contest, David Pittman started opposite Corey Ivy at the other cornerback position. Pittman, who led the team at halftime with five tackles, intercepted a Charlie Batch pass intended for Nate Washington late in the second quarter. Although Pittman was stripped of the football by Washington during the return, Ravens linebacker Nick Greisen recovered the fumble, and the offense converted the turnover into a Matt Stover 31-yard field goal 17 seconds before halftime.

*Rookie quarterback Troy Smith has thrown some impressive passes in the rain, but he’s also escaped a few costly mistakes. Cornerbacks Ike Taylor and Deshea Townsend and linebacker Larry Foote either dropped or mishandled potential interceptions.

*Turns out that the No. 84 jersey that offensive tackle Adam Terry wore in practice last week wasn’t a joke after all. Terry, who laughed about wearing a number usually reserved for tight ends, was inserted at times as a tight end. Lee Vickers, a converted defensive end, started because Daniel Wilcox (thigh) and Quinn Sypniewski (concussion) were deactivated. Jake Nordin, who was promoted from the practice squad when the team placed Todd Heap (strained hamstring) on injured reserve Friday, backed up Vickers.

*With the Ravens reduced to just two healthy running backs in Smith and Ross, fullback Justin Green was employed as the running back on third downs.

Posted by Edward Lee at 5:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

Traffic Advisory

Emergency Road Closure of Greene Street From Lombard to Pratt Streets

The Baltimore City Department of Transportation today announced the emergency road closure of Greene Street from Lombard to Pratt Streets. Greene Street will remain closed for several weeks to accommodate emergency roadway repairs.

Detours:

Greene Street

-Westbound Lombard Traffic – continue west on Lombard , left (south) on MLK Boulevard , bear right to the Russell Street exit ramp.

-Southbound Greene Street Traffic must turn right (west) on Lombard Street , left (South) on MLK Boulevard , bear right to the Russell Street exit ramp.

Motorists are advised to avoid the vicinity all together and travel the alternate routes. As alternate routes, please consider I-395 to I-95 or MLK Boulevard to Russell Street . Please note that all bus routes in the area will be diverted. Please contact the MTA at 410-539-5000 for more information on bus diversions.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 8:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

Both Ravens coach Brian Billick and Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said they are rooting for their former employer, the Minnesota Vikings, to qualify for the NFC playoffs.

Asked if he feels the urge to support the Vikings, Billick – who was Minnesota’s offensive coordinator between 1993 and 1998 – said: “Yeah, you do at certain times, particularly when they’re playing the Packers or the Bears. You’ve always got to root against the Cheeseheads. But yeah, any time you’ve been in this league any length of time and you’ve been with someone, there’s a part of you that can’t help but turn it to that channel.”

Tomlin, who was Vikings defensive coordinator last season, said: “Sure, because I had good relationships with people there. I think when you make the personal sacrifice that we all make in this business to perform and compete, you can’t help but have some feelings there.”

Posted by Edward Lee at 12:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

With the Pittsburgh Steelers guaranteed nothing lower than the No. 4 seed in the AFC playoffs, there has been speculation that the team would rest injured starters like quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (ankle), offensive tackle Marvel Smith (back) and safety Troy Polamalu (knee) in its regular-season finale against the Ravens on Sunday.

In fact, Roethlisberger has already been rumored to be sitting out and Smith and Polamalu could join Roethlisberger on the sideline as Pittsburgh takes aim at a run in the postseason.

The likelihood of a Steelers team without some of its starters did not pose an insult to Ravens players like linebacker Terrell Suggs.

“You’ve got to look at the big picture,” he said. “I don’t think it would be a smack in the face. They still can accomplish their goal and be Super Bowl champs, whereas we’re just going out there and playing for pride. … They have a lot more at stake than we do.”

Posted by Edward Lee at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

A look at how the Ravens have fared against the Steelers:

K Matt Stover has converted 45 of 54 field goals (83.3 percent) against the Steelers. Stover's 45 career field goals against Pittsburgh are his second-most against any NFL team.

WR Derrick Mason has 61 catches for 741 yards in 17 games against the Steelers. He has five catches over 25 yards against them.

TE Todd Heap has 47 catches for 500 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games against the Steelers. In six home games against the Steelers, he has 27 catches for 177 yards and one touchdown.

WR Mark Clayton has 16 catches for 194 yards and one touchdown in four games against Pittsburgh. His 12.1 yards per catch is his highest against any team he has faced at least three times.

LB Ray Lewis has averaged 12.6 tackles in 19 games against the Steelers. He also has 5 1/2 sacks and an interception.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

A transcript of Ravens offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden with the Baltimore media:

On how he will feel on Sunday going out to play not knowing if he will retire this offseason:

“I’m just going out there -- it’s been a rough season, obviously -- to go out there and try to help us win. [I’m] battling through a lot of little things right now injury-wise, but just go out there and try to do what I do and try to have some fun. I’ll worry about everything else later. If it’s the last one – hey – it’s been a good ride.”

On the fans wanting to be able to say goodbye:

“I’ll come back. I’m not going to leave forever. I just think it’s about the football, really. We’ve already had enough things and that’s not necessary for this week. If I do retire, I’ll come back. Hopefully, they’ll put me up in the ring. I’ll cross my fingers on that one and just go from there.”

On the factors he will consider over the offseason in his decision to play or retire in 2008:

“It is pretty much the same. How healthy do I feel? Is the love and passion still there to be able to do it for a full season? Just what I think about where the team is headed, because I know at most, it would be for a year whereas I’m not looking long term like, ‘How is this going to look two or three years from [now.]’ That’s not my goal. I’ll just kind of examine those things. The biggest thing is right now, I just probably need a little time. After a year like this everybody says I’m not coming back. People who have played one year don’t want to come back. [I’m] joking, but it’s a tough year, it’s a long year. You want to get away from it before you figure anything out. So, that’s what I plan on doing.”

On what it will mean to be introduced with the other Pro Bowlers at Sunday’s game:

“You just let me know that right now. It will be great. Really, 11 times going to Hawaii on this one team? It is going out against the Steelers. I will remember it, no matter what, I’ll remember this one.”

On when he will be able to look back on his career and admire his accomplishments:

“I’ll start as soon as I make the decision, pretty much. I think it’s been a really good career for me. Just kind of looking [back] right now, [there is] the Super Bowl win, a lot of good teammates, good friends, being on one team for 12 years – that’s very rare this day and age. And, I’ll just appreciate how good this city and fans were to me, and how this city is my home. It wouldn’t be a sad thing for me, so that’s the way I’m looking at it.”

On if the desire to win another Super Bowl drives him to return to play:

“Yeah. That’s huge. Once you’ve accomplished everything you can as far as awards go on the field, that’s all that’s left to try to play to win a championship. Having won that – a lot of these guys haven’t – I was hoping to help these guys get there this year so they can all get that experience because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing. But, unfortunately it didn’t happen this year.”

On how knowing he could come back from last year’s injuries influences his decision to come back for one more season:

“Slightly, slightly. But, there hasn’t been a day this year that I haven’t been in the training room. I’ve been in the training room every single day. That gets a little frustrating. So, I’d have to get healthy. That’s the thing right now – health – pretty much.”

On whether he would like one more opportunity to win a Super Bowl with his long-time teammates next season:

“I’m sure I’ll look at that. They’re going to make some changes, obviously. Every year you make changes, some years more than others. And, I’ll just kind of evaluate that and see who’s going to be back. There’s no doubt this next year a lot of the older guys are pretty much about done. Just to be realistic about it. I will consider that.”

On what the game of professional football has meant to him and how it has changed him:

“I’ve grown so much in 12 years. [I was] 21 years old, 22 years old. I’m 33 now. This game has done a lot for me as far as notoriety, but it just teaches you [and] it gives you a lot of good friends. You love coming to work. It’s a job that I’ve loved doing for a long time. Not every day do I love coming to work, I won’t blow smoke up your butt like that. But, it’s been a job that I’ve really enjoyed and I’m really privileged that I was able to do it. There have been no regrets about what I’ve done.”

On whether Brian Billick’s approach to training camp factors into his decision:

“There are a lot of things. How I practice and camp. ... There are a lot of little things. But if I feel good, that’s the one thing that people don’t understand. Everyone knows [about] the toe but there are so many little things that just continually nag. I see what they mean [about] when you get older how things just linger and nag more, and that’s just one of the things I’m fighting and battling with physically, and in my mind at the same time.”

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 11:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Devard Darling played hooky, but it turns out that the wide receiver was excused from practice Wednesday.

At 5:46 p.m., Darling and his wife, Cicely, welcomed the birth of their son, Devard Darling Jr., who will be called D.J.

The baby weighed in at 6 pounds, 14 ounces, and mother and child are both doing fine, according to the beaming father. “She soldiered it out,” he said of his wife. “I’m proud of her.”

“It feels great, man,” Darling said of becoming a father. “It’s just a blessing. I just feel like I’m truly blessed by the Lord.”

Posted by Edward Lee at 2:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

With talk centered on the decision Jonathan Ogden must make regarding his future, it seemed only natural that 33-year-old Derrick Mason, who is six months older than Ogden, would also be asked to assess his thoughts on retirement.

But Mason, who has revitalized his career with 97 catches for 1,015 yards and five touchdowns this season, said he is not ready to give up his playbook.

"Oh man, the way my body feels, I could do another three or four years," Mason said yesterday. "Right now, I feel good, [my] body feels good. But even I have thought about, ‘Hey, is it time to leave?’ Then, you go out there to practice, and you have fun with the guys, and then you say, ‘You know what? I can stay another two or three years.’ Like I said, everybody contemplates it. Whether you’re playing at a high level or you’re not, you’re contemplating retirement, regardless.”

Posted by Edward Lee at 1:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

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

Total offense
This week: 23rd (299.9 yards per game)
Last week: 23rd (300.4)

Rushing offense
This week: 18th (107.8 yards per game)
Last week: 18th (107.9)

Passing offense
This week: 22nd (192.1 yards per game)
Last week: 21st (192.4)

First downs
This week: 20th (18.0 per game)
Last week: Tied for 18th (18.4)

Third down offense
This week: 20th (81 of 218, 37.2 percent)
Last week: 20th (77 of 203, 37.9 percent)

Red zone offense
This week: 28th (17 of 41, 41.5 percent)
Last week: 27th (17 of 41, 41.5 percent)

Points scored
This week: 25th (16.5 per game)
Last week: 25th (17.3)

Total defense
This week: 7th (304.1 yards per game)
Last week: 6th (301.8)

Rushing defense
This week: 2nd (81.5 yards per game)
Last week: 2nd (77.0)

Passing defense
This week: 22nd (222.6 yards per game)
Last week: 23rd (224.8)

First downs
This week: 3rd (16.3 per game)
Last week: 2nd (15.9)

Third down defense
This week: 6th (78 of 214, 36.4 percent)
Last week: 7th (74 of 200, 37.0 percent)

Red zone defense
This week: 3rd (20 of 50, 40.0 percent)
Last week: 3rd (19 of 46, 41.3 percent)

Points allowed
This week: 24th (24.2 per game)
Last week: 24th (24.0)

Turnover differential
This week: 32nd (-19 on 20 take-aways and 39 give-aways)
Last week: 32nd (-18 on 18 take-aways and 36 give-aways)

Posted by Edward Lee at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

With the Ravens set to wrap up the season against the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday, the speculation surrounding the end of Jonathan Ogden's career has escalated. Coach Brian Billick spoke at length about the decision facing Ogden.

“We’ve all kind of kept that at arm’s length," Billick said. "Jonathan will decide what he wants to do. Certainly his Pro Bowl selection (Ogden's 11th in his 12-year career) is an indicator to everybody that he can continue to play probably for as long as he wants to. I don’t know that Jonathan’s made a definitive decision. I don’t know that he’s shared that with anybody. So we’ll give him the proper respect that he’s due to kind of decide what he wants to do going forward. Regardless of what he wants to do, coaching Jonathan Ogden has been one of the highlights of my coaching career. To be around a bona fide, guaranteed, first-ballot Hall of Famer, you don’t get that opportunity all that often, and to be around that and see what that’s like, it’s special as a coach.”

Pressed on whether he has inferred any signs from Ogden about his decision, Billick chuckled lightly.

“It’s hard to get a read on Jonathan," he said. "Like I said, he deserves – like we all will do – to step back from this experience and kind of sort out, ‘OK, what do I want to do now?’ There’s no question that he can continue to play. No one would argue that, I would think. It’s a matter of – and everybody enjoys playing – do I want to do these things in the upcoming offseason that I know that I have to do to continue to play at a high level? That’s usually what the question always comes down to for an athlete at this point in his career going forward. And that’s not a question that he’ll have an answer for two days, three days, three weeks, a month after the season, I wouldn’t think. Or he might. I wouldn’t want to guess here.”

Other notes:

*As uneven as Troy Smith's first career start yesterday against the Seattle Seahawks was, Billick said he gleaned a few reasons for optimism from the rookie quarterback's performance. “I think he managed the game very well for his first real start in a very tough circumstance," Billick said. "The crowd noise, a very multiple defense and he kind of pieced things together very well. There wasn’t a blatant ‘My God, what did you do there?’ So it was pretty good. Now it has to step up in the recognition and the execution, but he handled the game as we thought he would. He’s been in a big arena before, so you had a sense that he wasn’t going to be blinded by the headlights so to speak.”

*Billick said despite the team's nine-game losing streak, the message to the players remains the same. “There’s not much that you say, and it’s not something you really focus on," he said. "There’s nothing you can do about what’s happened. You stay focused on the task at hand whether you’re winning or losing. And that’s where they will immediately revert to. Obviously, this is the last game of the season. It carries a little bit different perspective for it. It’s a divisional opponent, someone we have a great rivalry with. So that will captivate their interest.”

*With yesterday's game winding down to its 27-6 conclusion, the Ravens called two timeouts on the Seahawks' final possession. Billick said he explained his reasoning to coach Mike Holmgren after the game. “Mike understood," Billick said. "I told Mike, ‘Hey, man, sorry, but I need to get these young guys as many snaps as I can.’ And Mike was, ‘Hey, been there, know that. I know exactly what you’re talking about.’ He’s tried to get Seneca Wallace some reps the last couple of years. So Mike understood completely what we were trying to do. Two, three, four more reps, excellent.”

Posted by Edward Lee at 12:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)
        

Although wide receiver Derrick Mason ranks third in the league in receptions with 92, he said he did not feel slighted when he was not named to the Pro Bowl.

“I understand and realize what’s going on,” said Mason, who trails only the Cincinnati Bengals’ T.J. Houshmandzadeh (101 catches) and the New England Patriots’ Wes Welker (96). “The other four guys that made it, hands down, they should have [for] what they have done throughout the course of the season. All but one has a winning record, and that’s Houshmandzadeh. If you look at the body of work that those other three or four [have done], you can’t blame the fans or the coaches or players for picking those guys, because they deserve it.”

Posted by Edward Lee at 2:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
        

Ravens offensive coordinator Rick Neuheisel is apparently the front-runner for the coaching vacancy at UCLA.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Neuheisel had his second interview Tuesday, this time with school chancellor Gene Block. Neuheisel is reportedly the only candidate who has interviewed with Block.

UCLA recently fired Karl Dorrell, a former teammate of Neuheisel's when they played for the Bruins and Neuheisel's former offensive coordinator at Colorado. Neuheisel has been with the Ravens since 2005, two years after he was fired at Washington.

Neuheisel later won a $4.5 million settlement from Washington for wrongful dismissal.

Neuheisel, 46, went from walk-on to Rose Bowl hero in Westwood, leading the Bruins to a 45-9 win over Illinois in 1984 and, after getting his law degree, later returning to his alma mater as quarterback coach, tutoring Troy Aikman among others.

Neuheisel's body of work with the Ravens is hard to measure, given that he was quarterbacks coach with mixed results for Kyle Boller and Steve McNair, and he doesn't call the plays as offensive coordinator.

Posted by Don Markus at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

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

Total offense
This week: 23rd (300.4 yards per game)
Last week: 25th (296.9)

Rushing offense
This week: 18th (107.9 yards per game)
Last week: 18th (103.7)

Passing offense
This week: 21st (192.4 yards per game)
Last week: 22nd (193.2)

First downs
This week: Tied for 18th (18.4 per game)
Last week: Tied for 19th (18.2)

Third down offense
This week: 20th (77 of 203, 37.9 percent)
Last week: 23rd (68 of 185, 36.8 percent)

Red zone offense
This week: 27th (17 of 41, 41.5 percent)
Last week: 26th (16 of 38, 42.1 percent)

Points scored
This week: 25th (17.3 per game)
Last week: 25th (17.4)

Total defense
This week: 6th (301.8 yards per game)
Last week: 5th (297.3)

Rushing defense
This week: 2nd (77.0 yards per game)
Last week: 3rd (77.4)

Passing defense
This week: 23rd (224.8 yards per game)
Last week: 21st (219.9)

First downs
This week: 2nd (15.9 per game)
Last week: 2nd (15.5)

Third down defense
This week: 7th (74 of 200, 37.0 percent)
Last week: 6th (64 of 181, 35.4 percent)

Red zone defense
This week: 3rd (19 of 46, 41.3 percent)
Last week: 3rd (18 of 42, 42.9 percent)

Points allowed
This week: 24th (24.0 per game)
Last week: Tied for 24th (24.2)

Turnover differential
This week: 32nd (-18 on 18 take-aways and 36 give-aways)
Last week: 32nd (-17 on 18 take-aways and 35 give-aways)

Posted by Edward Lee at 1:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Under siege from a barrage of criticism from media and fans, Ravens coach Brian Billick elaborated on his decision to send in kicker Matt Stover instead of trying to get into the end zone on fourth-and-goal from the Dolphins' 1-yard line with 12 seconds left and the Ravens trailing, 16-13.

Billick said had he given the signal to go for it, the Dolphins -- and especially, defensive coordinator Dom Capers -- would have stuck everyone on the line of scrimmage to dissuade the Ravens from giving the ball to running back Willis McGahee.

“I know this: Had we gone for it, if they could have snuck a 12th man onto the field, all 12 would have been up in the gaps and sold out totally for the run," Billick said. "That’s from our analysis. I guarantee it – knowing Dom Capers – that that’s exactly what they would have done."

With that in mind, Billick continued, the next step would have been to send in a play-action call with the hope that rookie quarterback Troy Smith could avoid an incompletion or interception.

"So a play-action pass would have been good because their calculation would have been, ‘Maybe it’s a bad pass, maybe we get it tipped, maybe it’s blocked or maybe it’s dropped,’" Billick said. "Had we done that after what we had done to get down there and any of those things had happened, I can imagine what the critique would have been today about the play call. So in a very short, heated time, the comment was, ‘You know what? We’ve worked hard to get it to this point. We have confidence. We’ll go ahead and kick it.’ Should we have gone for it? Yeah, certainly, we could have. And they wanted to, and I certainly understood that.”

Other notes:

*In addition to predicting a healthy Kyle Boller for Sunday's contest against the Seattle Seahawks, Billick said he is optimistic that linebacker Ray Lewis will be able to play despite a dislocated finger on his left hand. "Ray’s finger [is] very uncomfortable," Billick said. "But there again, come Wednesday, they think they can do enough things to splint it up and take care of it that he should be available on Sunday.”

*While Matt Stover accepted the blame for hooking the 44-yard field-goal attempt wide left in overtime, CBS analyst and former quarterback Rich Gannon seemed to place the blame on long snapper Matt Katula for a high snap. Billick declined to take a side on the matter.

"The mantra is that always every good kick, every bad kick has three parts – the snap, the hold and the kick," Billick said. "And any one of the three could be the reason. Matt would take the heat on himself. I don’t know if it was a bad snap or not.”

*Billick said while it wasn't clear whether tight end Todd Heap (hamstring) and cornerback Samari Rolle (shoulder) would be able to play Sunday, it was clear that going on injured reserve was not an option for either player.

"Until we put them on IR, we’re obviously hoping that there’s some opportunity to play," Billick said. "They want to. We’ve had those discussions with them. ‘Look, we’re at the point in the season. Do you just want to go on IR?’ Neither one of them are at that point. They want to play these last two games. So right now, that’s where we’ll proceed, and hopefully, both will be available this week. But we won’t know until we get into the week.”

*Offensive coordinator Rick Neuheisel was reportedly interviewed by UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero on Friday for the Bruins' vacant head-coaching position. Billick endorsed Neuheisel, saying, "You would certainly think an alumnus, someone with Rick’s caliber or his credentials and what he has done. But to comment on what the selection process is on colleges across the country is hard to understand. Again, being an alumnus, you would think that and his record would weigh heavily in their decision.”

Posted by Edward Lee at 3:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (26)
        

At 11:30 a.m., a heavy downpour arrived at Dolphins Stadium, causing most of the players to stop warming up and head to the locker room. But it only lasted a few minutes. The weather cleared up for another five minutes before light rain started.

Rain should be off and on throughout the game. The winds are getting strong, too. Gusts could be around 20 miles per hour at game time.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 11:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

A transcript with Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata:

On how he approaches the losing streak: “Me, individually, I just keep doing what I’m doing: Work hard in practice and work on the things that I think I need to work on, and keep on improving every week.”

On the status of his health: “My knee is a little sore. I am going to play Sunday, so I just need to be a little cautious about it, making sure I don’t aggravate it more.”

On injuries hurting more in a losing season: “Probably. A lot of guys have been hurt this year, [which is] probably some of the reason we’ve lost some games. I think my knee is kind of hurting a little bit more, but I think I’ll be ready for Sunday.”

On the team’s success when he was a rookie compared to this season: “You can never take wins for granted. Last year, as a rookie, winning all those games, it kind of felt like it was going to be like that every year. I kind of was spoiled as a rookie, and now, just going through this season, it’s something you have to learn through. Hopefully we can learn from it and make sure it doesn’t happen again for years to come.”

On trying to jump on the Dolphins early: “I think they’re playing hard. We see them on film, and they look like they’re playing hard. They’ve lost a lot of really close games. I just think they’ve had some rough times like we have had this year with losing those close games. We’re just going to have to be a little more mentally strong and hopefully get this win.”

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 11:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

A look at how the Ravens have fared against the Dolphins:

QB Kyle Boller completed 14 of 27 passes for 142 yards and one touchdown in his only game against Miami.

WR Derrick Mason has 11 receptions and 211 yards in five games against the Dolphins. His 19.2-yard average is his highest against any team in the NFL that he's faced three or more times.

RB Willis McGahee has averaged 89.8 yards rushing in six games against Miami. He has one touchdown and 13 runs of 10-plus yards.

K Matt Stover has connected on 10 of 12 field-goal attempts in seven games against Miami.

CB Samari Rolle has made two interceptions and seven tackles in four games against the Dolphins.

LB Ray Lewis has averaged 15.3 tackles in four games against Miami.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

In an interview last week, offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden talked about the possibility of retirement. He also addressed a couple of rumors:

There was one rumor that Ogden wanted to finish his career with a West Coast team so he could be closer to his Las Vegas home. “That’s one thing I wouldn’t do,” Ogden said. “I don’t see myself playing for another team.”

There was another rumor that he would take a year off and then return. Ogden just shook his head. “I can’t say no with certainty,” he said. “I just don’t think I would take a year off and come back -- and not with another team.”

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Offensive lineman Chris Chester said Wednesday that if called upon, he would line up at defensive tackle again.

Chester, who was a defensive end and linebacker in high school, was inserted on the defensive line against the Indianapolis Colts Sunday night after Haloti Ngata left briefly with a sprained left knee.

“It was just an emergency thing,” Chester said, noting that Justin Bannan sat out with a sprained left knee. “They told me to go out there and go straight ahead and don’t get knocked back. That’s what I did.”

Coach Brian Billick said using Chester on the defensive line is not the coaches’ first option. “Would like to keep that to a minimum,” Billick said. “We’ve got a couple guys we’re working pretty hard and hopefully, we can fill them in.”

Both Ngata and Bannan are expected to play against the Miami Dolphins this Sunday.

Posted by Edward Lee at 3:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Wide receiver Derrick Mason broke his own franchise record of 86 catches in a single season -- set in 2005, his first season with the Ravens -- with his 86th, 87th and 88th catches of the season Sunday night.

But the 11th-year veteran was in no mood to celebrate after the Ravens dropped a 44-20 contest to the Indianapolis Colts and their seventh consecutive game.

“I didn’t even know because of the way the game went,” Mason said of the mark. “I’ll think about it after the season, but there’s no reason for me to think about it now. We’re in the dumps right now, and we’ve got to find a way to get out.”

Posted by Edward Lee at 3:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

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

Total offense
This week: 25th (296.9 yards per game)
Last week: 23rd (301.4)

Rushing offense
This week: 18th (103.7 yards per game)
Last week: 17th (104.2)

Passing offense
This week: 22nd (193.2 yards per game)
Last week: 20th (197.2)

First downs
This week: Tied for 19th (18.2 per game)
Last week: 21st (18.1)

Third down offense
This week: 23rd (68 of 185, 36.8 percent)
Last week: 26th (62 of 172, 36.0 percent)

Red-zone offense
This week: Tied for 27th (14 of 34, 41.2 percent)
Last week: Tied for 27th (14 of 34, 41.2 percent)

Points scored
This week: 25th (17.4 per game)
Last week: 25th (17.2)

Total defense
This week: 5th (297.3 yards per game)
Last week: 6th (294.2)

Rushing defense
This week: 3rd (77.4 yards per game)
Last week: 3rd (78.9)

Passing defense
This week: 21st (219.9 yards per game)
Last week: 15th (215.3)

First downs
This week: 2nd (15.5 per game)
Last week: 2nd (15.5)

Third down defense
This week: 6th (64 of 181, 35.4 percent)
Last week: 6th (59 of 171, 34.5 percent)

Red-zone defense
This week: 2nd (15 of 39, 38.5 percent)
Last week: 2nd (15 of 39, 38.5 percent)

Points allowed
This week: Tied for 24th (24.2 per game)
Last week: 15th (22.5)

Turnover differential
This week: 32nd (-17 on 18 take-aways and 35 give-aways)
Last week: 32nd (-12 on 18 take-aways and 30 give-aways)

Posted by Edward Lee at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

With the Ravens eliminated from playoff contention and assured of their second losing season in the last three years, coach Brian Billick emphasized the importance of staying together and composed for the remainder of the season during his weekly media session today.

Like nearly half of the NFL teams for whom the postseason means next year, the Ravens will be tempted by outside chatter, but Billick sounded optimistic that the players would avoid those distractions. "Misery loves company," he said. "You have to remind yourself that you're not the only one. But it doesn't feel that way. You feel like you're the only one going through it, but you're not."

Billick disagreed with the premise that the players began to quit during the waning moments of Sunday night's 44-20 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. "That's a tough thing to fight through, particularly under those circumstances," he said. "But I don't see anybody on this team not give it their all."

Other notes:

*Billick said the medical staff and coaches were still waiting for results from MRIs on cornerback Samari Rolle (shoulder) and defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (knee). But Billick seemed most optimistic about Ngata. "The fact that he finished the game is a good sign," Billick said. Billick refused to rule out tight end Todd Heap for the rest of the season, saying, "Todd will try to give it a go this week."

*When the defense lost Ngata on the fourth play of the game Sunday night, the coaches inserted offensive lineman Chris Chester in at defensive tackle for a few plays. Billick seemed to empathize with the sudden responsibilities placed on Chester and cornerbacks Derrick Martin and David Pittman. "You throw guys into tough situations where they have limited reps -- particularly young players -- obviously the execution is going to be limited," Billick said.

*Billick noted similarities between the Ravens' offense and that of Sunday's opponent, the winless Miami Dolphins. "They've had people in and out of the lineup, they've had different people in at quarterback," he said. "It's been a difficult season for them, but we're both teams that are desperate for a win. That's going to make it a heated competition."

*Billick ended his conference by saying that every issue -- including who would call the plays on offense next season -- would be reviewed at season's end. "We'll put ourselves in the best position [to go] forward," he said. "Everything's on the table, and we'll evaluate everything and move forward."

Posted by Edward Lee at 3:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)
        

Maybe it was a bit much to expect the Ravens to repeat Monday’s performance against the still-undefeated New England Patriots, but few people would’ve anticipated the beating the Indianapolis Colts are administering to the Ravens in the first half of tonight’s contest at M&T Bank Stadium.

Indianapolis has converted two Ravens turnovers into touchdowns, running back Joseph Addai has scored three times (two rushing and one passing), and the Ravens sideline is beginning to look like the medical ward at the Johns Hopkins Medical Center.

The only glimmer of optimism came from rookie return specialist Yamon Figurs, who returned a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. It was the organization’s first kickoff return for a score since Jermaine Lewis went 84 yards against the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV on Jan. 28, 2001.

Figurs becomes the first player in franchise history to return a kick and punt for touchdowns in the same season.

Other notes:

*David Pittman has not fared well in his first extended action of the season. On the Colts’ opening possession, quarterback Peyton Manning completed four passes to receivers covered by Pittman – including a 34-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Reggie Wayne. Pittman was victimized again in the second quarter when he slipped on rookie Anthony Gonzalez’s down-and-out move, and Gonzalez hauled in a 57-yard touchdown pass.

*Although Ravens fans had hoped that cornerback Chris McAlister’s strained right knee might have improved for tonight’s game (it didn’t), cornerback Samari Rolle’s inactive status was surprising. Rolle, who was limited in practice, was not listed on the team’s original inactive report, and he was spotted standing on the sidelines. McAlister, who sat out his fifth contest in the last seven games, did not practice last week due to a strained right knee. Corey Ivy started in place of McAlister and Derrick Martin started for Rolle.

*Running back Willis McGahee (leg), defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (knee) and linebacker Bart Scott (broken left hand) left the game briefly but returned.

*Manning’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Addai – Manning’s second of the evening – was the 300th of his career, making him the fifth quarterback in NFL history to reach that plateau.

Posted by Edward Lee at 10:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)
        

A transcript of Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan with the media:

Opening statement: “All right everybody, I think I’ll take a timeout first, because everybody wants to talk about it. I’d like to talk about that first. It’s my job as a defensive coordinator to put our players in the best defense possible to stop what we feel is going to happen.

"In most situations, Tom Brady is the master at that, you can do your work, you can go back and study like I did, spend as much time as I do, and know the tendencies of a football team. And if you do that, you’ll see why I called the timeout. We have our speed team on the field at the time, which is only one defensive tackle, then we have all linebackers and defensive backs filling out the other 10 spots. And obviously, if they’re going to run a sneak and you know it’s going to be a sneak, you probably don’t want that personnel grouping on the field.

"If I would’ve had a crystal ball, I would’ve obviously left that group on the field and won the game by stopping it like we did. I don’t believe Brady when he said he could’ve made the first down. Our guys did a great job, Ray [Lewis] made a heck of a play in there, but we get the timeout and then we come back and we get the people we want on the field and Belichick knows he can’t run the sneak against that front, so he ends up going to the next run and I believe we hit it for a 2-yard loss.

"Now, nothing has been said, I’m sure the guy never jumped on purpose, but that’s the way it goes. But hey, I’ve got skin like an armadillo, I can take it, but I think it’s kind of foolish for people to put it on me. They must not know the game. If they studied half as much as I did, they’d realize that we needed to put a different personnel grouping on there. I haven’t heard anybody talk about we only had one defensive tackle on the field, so it’s fine.”

On an earlier play that drive where they got a first down on a QB sneak against that same unit: “We never called a timeout then. It was on third down. When the game is on the line, that’s when I ask Brian [Billick], or I needed the timeout, because you can win a game. We’re not going to concede anything in a situation to win a football game.

"We always talk about it: The ball is on the six-inch line, we’re not going to concede anything. So, in that, I’m not going to burn timeouts in a different situation. But when it’s a fourth-and-inches, we want to have the best call to put ourselves out there. And obviously, the call we ended up making with our 46 look was the right call to do.”

On what adjustments the players made to stop the Patriots on that run: “Anytime, it’s a sneak adjustment. I’m not going to say what we call it, but anyway, we stuff our guys down in there. Our defensive tackles in that case were Terrell Suggs and Antwan Barnes, but we’re squeezing them down in there as tight as we can. We were prepared for that kind of situation. We knew going into the game what they like to do. I think you can go back and look. I think only in five years of studying, how many times Tom Brady has been stopped on that, I think you all would be surprised. I’ll let you figure it out.

"But we knew exactly what the deal was going to be. If I would’ve known better that we would’ve given up a touchdown playing cover zero, I probably wouldn’t have called zero, too, so you can blame me for that as well. But again, I’ve got nothing to hide. I stand by my calls. I’d do the exact same thing again, in the future, so you can start ripping me all you want, that’s fine. But nobody is going to be as prepared as I am, our coaches, and our players. So you can criticize us all you want, and we’ll take it.”

On the team’s strategy against the Patriots: “We just got lucky (joking). That’s what you want to think. Obviously, everything we do is by design. Wes Welker is a tremendous player, but Corey Ivy is a pit bull; he gets right on them. We knew that was going to be a matchup in our favor. We liked our matchups on the outside.

"We actually never realized that Chris [McAlister] could play until right up before game time. So we were ready to go in without Chris, but then he showed up and said he wanted to go. I commend Chris for that.

"But we knew it was going to be a great game. It was an opportunity for us to showcase what the Ravens were all about. It was great having our starting corners out there for the third time this season. Again, we knew. I said all week that it was going to be a great challenge for us, but it was going to be a heck of a challenge for them, as well. I think, if you ask them, I’m sure it was. And the same thing this week.”

On facing a quarterback like Peyton Manning: “I think what you have to do is, you have to mix it up. You can’t just give them a dose of one thing. We mix up three-man pressures, some four-man things, five-man pressures – whatever it takes to get the job done.

"But there is that kind of omnipresent feeling that pressure is coming. And that’s what you’ve got to have – I believe – to be successful against a top-notch quarterback. Hopefully, you put some doubt in his head a little bit. Hopefully they lose confidence in their protection. Against a great one, that’s what has to happen. We did keep them off balance. We probably played a few more trap coverages than they’ve seen all season, probably for a few years. And I think that played in our favor. Our guys did a great job preparing all week. Our scout team gave us great looks, and the players went out and executed. Unfortunately, we got beat. I’m still trying to figure it out. Hopefully we can get a victory this week.”

On comparing Tom Brady and Peyton Manning: “Quite honestly, I wish we’d have to wait for Peyton next year. Both of them are unbelievable quarterbacks – the best two quarterbacks in the league. They’re smart, they study, they’ve got great ability, they’ve got excellent receivers, they’ve got a great knowledge of their system and a great knowledge of what they see from defenses.

"Again, I know we’re not real traditional with some of the things we do. It might give them a little more of a challenge, but we know Peyton and Tom Brady are great. You have to keep them guessing a little bit, play the game with them, to have any chance of success.”

On Manning’s ability to audible: “I think what happens is everybody assumes he does because he’s up there and he’s doing all that kind of stuff. It’s tough to watch. But he does a great job. Like I said, I’ve got great respect for him, and I think after the game, he’ll have great respect for us.”

On if he was proud of his players after shutting down Manning in the playoffs last year: “I was proud of that performance, but, obviously, our goal was to win that game, so we never reached the goal. Just like last week, I’m always proud of the guys’ preparation and the passion we play with each week. This week won’t be any different.”

On the development of OLB Antwan Barnes: “[Rushing the passer] is something we thought he was going to do a lot for us. He’s got a low center of gravity. He can get underneath some big guys. [He’s a] great athlete, he runs a 4.4-something [40-yard dash]. We’re excited about him. He’s just now maturing a little bit and understanding the defense, understanding his role in our system. I think you’re going to see a lot of good things from Antwan.”

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 11:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

--QB Kyle Boller has thrown for 351 yards in two games against the Colts. He has completed 34 of 63 passes for one touchdown.

--WR Derrick Mason has 49 receptions for 562 yards in seven games against Indianapolis. He averages 12.3 yards per catch in four home games against the Colts.

--TE Todd Heap has 11 receptions for 143 yards and one touchdown in four games against the Colts. His 13-yard average per catch is his third-highest against any team he has at least 10 receptions against.

--K Matt Stover is 13-for-21 on field goals in 10 games against Indianapolis. His longest field goal was 51 yards against the Colts.

--S Ed Reed had two interceptions in the playoff loss against Indianapolis. In three regular-season meetings with the Colts, he has 13 tackles and one sack.

--Coach Brian Billick is 1-4 against the Colts.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Although quarterback Troy Smith and cornerback Ronnie Prude have already begun jousting over which of their alma maters -- Ohio State for Smith and LSU for Prude -- will be crowned national champions after the BCS National Championship game on Jan. 7, both Ravens can agree on one thing: their schools are deserving of their spots.

“Who cares about people making something out of nothing?” said Smith, whose Buckeyes have been criticized for their schedule despite going 11-1 and capturing the Big 10 title. “Obviously, their alma maters aren’t playing. That’s where it comes from.”

Prude points out that both of the Tigers’ losses occurred in triple overtime. “The performance speaks for itself,” he said of LSU, which went 11-2 and grabbed the SEC crown. “You really can’t go off what people say.”

Both Smith and Prude have a bet lined up, but are tight-lipped about what’s at stake. Prude would only say that he expects a competitive effort from both teams.

“It’s going to be fun,” he said.

Posted by Edward Lee at 4:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

It's that time of the year when rumors start circulating about possible coaching vacancies. There was speculation going around that Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti and team general manager Ozzie Newsome met three times recently with former Steelers coach Bill Cowher at M&T Bank Stadium.

Newsome said no such meetings took place.

"That story is nowhere close to being true," Newsome said. "The owner has never met Bill Cowher in a formal or informal manner. I can't even remember the last time I met Bill Cowher. Even when they had the gathering of the old-time players in Pittsburgh recently, I didn't get a chance to see him."

Posted by Mike Preston at 3:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (23)
        

Replays of the affectionate exchange between coach Brian Billick and New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison in the fourth quarter of Monday night's game seemed to have surprised Billick.

To recap: After Patriots safety James Sanders intercepted a Kyle Boller pass at New England's goal line, Harrison unleashed some words to Billick about Boller. Billick blew three kisses at Harrison as he ran back to the Patriots' sideline.

Yesterday, Billick addressed the matter.

“I’ve been fined for some of the alternative, particularly in the tone and manner that he was addressing us,” Billick said. “It was a way of saying, ‘OK. That’s fine. We love you, and you can kiss my backside.’ But that was the moment, and I think it was harmless enough.”

Posted by Edward Lee at 5:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

A lot has been made about cornerback Samari Rolle's run-in with head linesman Phil McKinnely Monday night, and when I heard that he had allegedly called Rolle a "boy," I initially thought, and still think he was trying to teach Rolle about respect.

I don't know McKinnely, 53, and probably will never meet him. But we're in the same age group, minus a few years. Most of the black men our age have an appreciation for other black men who have gone before us, struggled, overcome and succeeded, and that's in any profession. I don't always agree with Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome, but I respect him for what he had to overcome playing college football at Alabama. I have a great respect for Jaguars president James Harris, and what he had to overcome to be one of the first African-Americans to play quarterback in the NFL.

As I watched several Ravens players carry on Monday night with McKinnely, I thought they disrespected him. I thought they tried to show him up on national television. Regardless if he missed the call, regardless if he is black or white, there is a certain dignity and integrity one has to maintain.

I've been coaching, teaching and working with young kids for 31 years now. For the most part, it's been a lot of fun. But every once and a while you run into a kid who doesn't respect you. They'll tell you that you don't know what you're talking about, tell you that the game has changed or make some other totally ignorant comments that irritate you.

And when that happens, I usually call them over, and start the conversation with "Look, son," or "Look, junior" or "Look boy." It has nothing to do with race, but it lets that young man know that I'm an adult. I'm older, wiser and you're not going to speak to me in any manner. That quick opening also lets them know that where you are in your life, I've already been there and done that.

I don't know how the conversations went between Rolle and McKinnely, but Rolle admitted that he told McKinnely, "You've never played the game before" when questioning one of his calls. McKinnely, who is black, played offensive line for three NFL teams during a seven-year run between the 1970s and 1980s. In that situation, with those words from Rolle, I think I know how he felt. And I know that a lot of young black athletes don't appreciate the efforts and sacrifices of the black players who came before them.

I don't think McKinnely, if he indeed called Rolle a "boy," was making a "racially charged" statement. I think he was pointing out Rolle's ignorance of McKinnely's past, and Rolle's disrepect for him as a former player while questioning his judgment. He wasn't going to be upstaged on national TV by someone much younger.

Posted by Mike Preston at 2:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (38)
        

The secret love affair between Ravens coach Brian Billick and New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison is now an open romance after Billick blew kisses at Harrison during last night's game.

Harrison told ESPN that he was criticizing quarterback Kyle Boller in front of Billick after safety James Sanders intercepted a Boller pass at the Patriots' goal line in the fourth quarter. That's when Billick started showing a national audience his PDA (public display of affection).

“It was kind of strange,” Harrison said. “But he's a tremendous coach and does a great job. We were just having some fun.”

Posted by Edward Lee at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (27)
        

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

Total offense
This week: 23rd (301.4 yards per game)
Last week: 24th (294.6)

Rushing offense
This week: 17th (104.2 yards per game)
Last week: 19th (98.5)

Passing offense
This week: 20th (197.2 yards per game)
Last week: 21st (196.1)

First downs
This week: 21st (18.1 per game)
Last week: 20th (17.9)

Third down offense
This week: 26th (62 of 172, 36.0 percent)
Last week: 25th (59 of 161, 36.7 percent)

Red zone offense
This week: Tied for 27th (14 of 34, 41.2 percent)
Last week: 30th (11 of 30, 36.7 percent)

Points scored
This week: 25th (17.2 per game)
Last week: Tied for 25th (16.5)

Total defense
This week: 6th (294.2 yards per game)
Last week: 4th (291.4)

Rushing defense
This week: 3rd (78.9 yards per game)
Last week: 3rd (77.9)

Passing defense
This week: 15th (215.3 yards per game)
Last week: 15th (213.5)

First downs
This week: 2nd (15.5 per game)
Last week: 2nd (15.0)

Third down defense
This week: 6th (59 of 171, 34.5 percent)
Last week: 6th (57 of 159, 35.8 percent)

Red zone defense
This week: 2nd (15 of 39, 38.5 percent)
Last week: 1st (12 of 35, 34.3 percent)

Points allowed
This week: 15th (22.5 per game)
Last week: Tied for 15th (22.1)

Turnover differential
This week: 32nd (-12 on 18 take-aways and 30 give-aways)
Last week: 32nd (-11 on 17 take-aways and 28 give-aways)

Posted by Edward Lee at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Everyone is wondering who called the famed timeout by the Ravens when they apparently had stopped New England quarterback Tom Brady on a fourth down call late in the game that would have sealed the win. At his news conference, Billick said "we called the timeout," but I believe it was defensive coordinator Rex Ryan. If it had been Billick, he simply would have said "I" called the timeout.

A few years ago, Billick was ticked that then defensive coordinator Mike Nolan called a timeout and he made it a rule that only he would call them. I think Billick will be in Ryan's ear later this morning if he wasn't late last night.

The behavior by Ravens linebacker Bart Scott near the end of the game was inexcusable. The two 15 yard penalties basically killed any chance the Ravens had of possibly attempting a game-tying field goal. We've seen this behavior before, and it needs to stop. In the last two losses, Ravens players have been getting in fights with players from the other teams. The Ravens played hard last night, easily their best game of the season. They played against the best team in the NFL.

It was a great effort. They shouldn't muddy it up with all this talk about conspiracy theories by the referees, and Scott's behavior shouldn't be tolerated.

Ravens running back Willis McGahee rushed 30 times for 138 yards. Why haven't the Ravens run him more often like this during the season? Huh?

Posted by Mike Preston at 12:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (20)
        

Kyle Boller has his critics (many of whom he has attracted with his uneven play), but the Ravens quarterback has outshone MVP favorite Tom Brady thus far in the first half.

Aside from the fact that Boller has bested the New England Patriots quarterback in touchdowns (1 to 0) and interceptions (0 to 1), Boller has been throwing his passes with more authority and zip than Brady. He perfectly threaded a 4-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Derrick Mason between linebacker Adalius Thomas and safety Rodney Harrison, and his 12-yard throw to Mason on fourth-and-six -- during a drive which set up a second-quarter filed goal by Matt Stover -- was an example of touch and accuracy.

Boller’s best play, however, occurred when he escaped Thomas’ sack attempt, scrambled some more to buy time, and then fired a pass 16 yards downfield to wide receiver Devard Darling, who added 37 yards with a gallop down the right sideline. If the Ravens have any hope of upsetting New England, Boller must maintain his level of play. Other notes:

* Defensive penalties are killing the Ravens. The defense committed three for 22 yards on the Patriots’ opening possession (culminating in a Stephen Gostkowski 21-yard field goal) and two more for eight yards and two first downs on Heath Evans’ 1-yard touchdown plunge. Giving the Patriots new life can’t be a recipe for success for the Ravens' defense.

* Samari Rolle is playing like a man 10 years his junior. He delivered a hard tackle on Patriots running back Laurence Maroney and then batted away a Brady pass to Randy Moss on third-and-eight.

* The normally sure-handed Patriots receivers are dropping passes like they’re coated with butter. Tight end Ben Watson has dropped two in the end zone, and wide receiver Jabar Gaffney couldn’t hold onto a lob that would have been good for a first down.

* The wind is having an effect on playing conditions. With the wind at his back, Matt Stover sailed his first kickoff out of the end zone, while Stephen Gostkowski’s first offering into the wind only reached the Ravens’ 20-yard line. One of Brady’s passes got caught up in the wind and fluttered over wide receiver Wes Welker.

* When New England ran onto the field during introductions, Thomas, a former Raven, was the last player to emerge from the tunnel.

Posted by Edward Lee at 10:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)