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The Ravens better hope cornerback Samari Rolle, who has missed the last five games due to a neck injury, is ready to play Sunday against the Browns.
Cleveland's starting receivers are healthy now and Browns quarterback Derek Anderson could put up big numbers -- if he has time to throw -- against the Ravens with receivers Kellen Winslow, Donte Stallworth and Braylon Edwards.
Adam Terry is back on the practice field, but I would keep the offensive line intact for at least another week, if possible, before putting him back in the starting lineup. The offensive line has played fairly well in the past two games, and has been very physical. Terry could play either guard or tackle. It seems he would be inserted a right guard. Guard Chris Chester had two holding penalties last week against the Raiders, but the Ravens still had more than 190 yards rushing and didn't allow a sack.
As the old saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
For the second consecutive day, cornerback Chris McAlister (right knee) and tight end Daniel Wilcox (thigh) did not practice, according to the team's official injury report. Left offensive tackle Jared Gaither (stinger) was downgraded from limited participation to no practice.
After sitting out yesterday's practice, running back Willis McGahee (ankle) practiced but on a limited basis. Tight end Todd Heap (neck) was also upgraded to full practice after being limited yesterday.
Cornerbacks Samari Rolle (neck surgery) and Frank Walker (thigh), right offensive tackle Adam Terry (arthroscopic left knee surgery), linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo (sprained left ankle) and wide receiver Yamon Figurs (bruised left knee) were limited in practice.
In other roster news, the Ravens placed wide receiver Demetrius Williams (bone spur on left ankle) and cornerback Derrick Martin (left shoulder) on injured reserve. The team filled those vacant spots on the active roster by signing wide receiver Terrance Copper and promoting rookie kicker Steve Hauschka from the practice squad.
The Ravens replaced Hauschka by re-signing cornerback Anwar Phillips to the practice squad.
One of the pleasant surprises for the Ravens has been defensive tackle Brandon McKinney, a reserve who has eight tackles this season. He is now in the rotation with Justin Bannan, Haloti Ngata and Marques Douglas.
"He is big, stout and a rock of granite in a position where we've had some great run stoppers like Tony Siragusa, Sam Adams, Haloti and Kelly Gregg," Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said. "George Kokinis [director of pro personnel] does as good a job as anybody in the league in keeping track of players, talking to teams and keeping an emergency list. To get a tackle like McKinney and [for him to] play like he is playing is like acquiring a first- or second-round draft pick."
Cornerback Chris McAlister (right knee) and left offensive tackle Jared Gaither (stinger) were the most notable non-participants during the portion of practice open to the media today.
Gaither was dressed in sweats as he watched the offensive line practice from a few yards away. Right offensive tackle Adam Terry (arthroscopic left knee surgery) did not appear to take part in some positional drills.
McAlister was not present, and neither were tight end Daniel Wilcox (thigh) and cornerback Derrick Martin (undisclosed). McAlister and Wilcox did not practice yesterday.
Running back Willis McGahee (ankle) returned to practice after sitting out yesterday. Cornerbacks Samari Rolle (neck surgery) and Frank Walker (thigh), tight end Todd Heap (neck), linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo (sprained left ankle) and wide receiver Yamon Figurs (bruised left knee) -- all of whom were limited yesterday -- participated today.
Rolle wore a red, non-contact jersey. Rolle told the media earlier today that the amount of physical contact he can endure will determine his availability for Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns.
The Ravens are optimistic about cornerback Samari Rolle returning Sunday against Cleveland, but Rolle is more guarded. When asked if he was playing Sunday, Rolle pointed to the red jersey in his locker, which meant he had not been cleared for contact in practices. Rolle was optimistic about returning two weeks ago, but team doctors failed to clear him. Rolle wants to play, but doesn't want to get his hopes up like last time
Rolle has missed the past five games with a neck injury. He hasn't played since Sept. 21.
Putting wide receiver Demetrius Williams on the injured reserve hurts Williams more than it hurts the Ravens. The Ravens will miss his speed, but Williams wasn't producing a lot. The second half of the season would have been an ideal time for him to grow in his relationship with rookie quarterback Joe Flacco. The Ravens are taking baby steps with their passing game, but Williams could have proved he was going to develop into the deep vertical threat the Ravens have wanted for years. Now, he basically has to start from scratch again overcoming the bone spur in his Achilles tendon and re-establishing himself with Flacco.
Ravens receiver Derrick Mason has a history of taking advantage of the Browns' secondary.
Their cornerbacks play so far off that Mason always has a decent game by running 10- to 12-yard outs. But Mason says Cleveland has changed, and cornerbacks Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald are much more aggressive.
"They've gotten some key people back like Willie McGinest [outside linebacker] and Sean Jones [strong safety]," Mason said. "With those guys backs on the field, they are able to do some things defensively they probably weren't able to do in the first game we played them."
Ravens coach John Harbaugh said a decision on cornerback Chris McAlister will be made later this week. McAlister has been bothered by a knee problem, and recently got a second opinion. McAlister and Harbaugh will make a decision by the weekend on whether McAlister needs to have surgery soon, which will end his season, or if he'll continue to try to play.
I think McAlister will elect to have season-ending surgery soon, and get put on injured reserve. McAlister has been bothered by the knee from the beginning of training camp and never looked like his old self. Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan did a good job of hiding McAlister, giving him help in coverage with outside linebackers and safeties.
But there will be more to McAlister's decision than just the injury. McAlister and Harbaugh just don't get along, and McAlister has had enough for the year. The secret is out that his knee is banged up again, and now he has a legitimate reason not to be around Harbaugh.
I think it's over for 2008. Bye, bye, C-Mac.
Fox Sports (1370-AM) will re-broadcast an interview the station conducted with Ravens Pro Bowl safety Ed Reed today between 3 and 4 p.m. It was a candid interview done Monday in which Reed touched on a number of subjects. Reed talks about the first time he felt pain in his neck and how he will re-evaluate his playing status at the end of the season. He also discusses his relationship with cornerback Chris McAlister, McAlister's injury and how the team's front office might have handled the situation differently. Reed also says that the players haven't totally bought into new coach John Harbaugh, and that the rookie head coach might have to make some adjustments in his approach.
Coach John Harbaugh addressed the media this afternoon and sounded optimistic that cornerback Samari Rolle (neck surgery) and linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo (sprained ankle) could play in Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns.
Rolle has not played in the last five games, but he seems to be further along in his recovery compared to strong safety Dawan Landry, who has also missed the last five games because of a spinal cord concussion.
"We feel like Samari is a little ahead of Dawan," Harbaugh said. "I don’t think it’s ruled out for Dawan this week, but it probably is pessimistic. For Samari, I don’t know if it’s optimistic, but there’s a chance he’s going to be able to play. So we’re going to get him out there to practice and see how he does and we’re going to push hard to see if we can get him into this game."
While cornerback Frank Walker played well in yesterday's game, Harbaugh emphasized that the team is awaiting the return of cornerback Chris McAlister (right knee).
"We want him on the field playing as much as possible and we want to manage the reps and put him in the best situation to get through the whole season," Harbaugh said. "He’s going to be playing a lot of football for us. Unless something turns with the knee, he’s going to be playing a ton of football for us, and he’s going to be a huge part of what we’re doing.”
Finally, the status of wide receiver/return specialist Yamon Figurs is still unclear. "Yamon is iffy," Harbaugh said. "He’s got a chance to be back there. If Yamon is healthy, he’s going to be returning for us in some form or fashion. But we’re kind of excited about Ray and we’re kind of excited about Jim."
Other notes:
* Harbaugh was slightly displeased at the number of false starts in yesterday's win. Left offensive tackle Jared Gaither was flagged twice and fullback Le'Ron McClain once. "There’s no reason for a pre-snap penalty," Harbaugh said. "We challenge our guys with a lot of shifts, a lot of motion, a lot of different cadences, and we want to do that because we want to slow down defenses as far as getting off the ball and we want to create as much confusion. We want to attack people with our formations. So that’s something we’ve got to get better at. We’re not willing to give that stuff up as an attack method. So we’ve got to get better and eliminate that stuff."
* Harbaugh was wary of the Sunday's opponent, the Cleveland Browns. Since beginning the season with three straight losses, the Browns have won three of their last four contests. The Ravens won the teams' first meeting, 28-10, but Harbaugh anticipates a vastly different Cleveland team. "I think you need to work even harder," Harbaugh said of meeting an opponent for the second time this season. "Not take for granted the fact that you played them and you think you know all about them because everybody evolves as a football team. They’re changing, we’re changing, and we’ve got to make sure we understand what they’re bringing to the table."
* Sunday's game begins a stretch of three consecutive road games. The Ravens recently completed a three-game road trip with a 1-2 record. But Harbaugh did not seem too concerned, saying, "We don't have any messages about the road. ... We take a plane, we've got a nice hotel, and buses will be waiting for us. We're looking forward to the big challenge."
The biggest area of improvement needed from rookie quarterback Joe Flacco right now appears to be his throws on intermediate to long passes. Flacco is putting too much air under the ball, or lofting it too much. He has a strong arm, and can rifle the ball, but appears tentative about how he wants to deliver the passes. In time, it will come because he is accurate and does have a touch.
In the past, quarterback Troy Smith would have been very disappointed by the way the Ravens used him Sunday against the Raiders. He would have preferred to be the starter. But after suffering a severe lung infection during the preseason, you can tell Smith is just glad to be back on the field with his teammates. I remember when he first returned to practice and came into the locker room. Reporters were asking him questions about football, and Smith talked a lot about being around the players again, and just being able to play football. I think the illness may have given Smith a different perspective.
The best thing about the Ravens last two wins is that they are soundly beating the teams they are supposed to beat. I'm not talking just about scores, but the way they have physically handled Miami and Oakland. You can see that this team is fundamentally sound, and they are just a few players away from being legitimate contenders. The major problem to come out of the Raiders victory was the offensive penalties. Against good teams, those kind of mistakes will get you beat, and possibly blown out.
Word has it that the Ravens will be without starting cornerback Chris McAlister today against the Raiders. The Ravens will also be missing starting cornerback Samari Rolle and safety Dawan Landry. Also, outside linebacker Terrell Suggs is in deep trouble. His recent bounty comments about Steelers receiver Hines Ward drew a telephone call from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to members of the Ravens' front office staff.
Even if Yamon Figurs is healthy, I would probably allow rookie running back Ray Rice to return kickoffs for another week.
Rice doesn't have Figurs' breakaway speed, but he does have better hands. He is also more consistent and has better decision-making skills.
You aren't sweating every time there is a kickoff wondering what Figurs is going to do this time.
-Mike Preston
It will be interesting to see what the offseason brings for the Ravens as far as housecleaning. First-year coach John Harbaugh inherited this roster, and had to do the best he could with what he had. But with a year under his belt, he'll make decisions on the players he feels are his type of players, and part ways with the ones that he believes cause problems.
He has gotten a first-hand look at some of the problems his predecessor, former Ravens coach Brian Billick, helped create, and couldn't control over the past two seasons.
I don't think it will be a wholesale housecleaning, but some big names might be gone. And it all starts with ...
Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan got a little irritated yesterday when two reporters started peppering him with a couple of questions about Chris McAlister. Easy, Rex. If you're going to get irritated that quickly over C-Mac, imagine what it will be like when you're a head coach and you're getting bombed with questions about a losing streak or a quarterback controversy.
If you thought that little session was tough, then what must it be like for a head coach in New York?
Composure, composure, composure.
The Ravens were low on wide receivers as Derrick Mason (illness), Demetrius Williams (left Achilles tendon) and Yamon Figurs (left knee contusion) did not practice today, according to the injury report released by the team earlier this afternoon. As noted earlier in the blog, that leaves the offense with just three wide receivers on the active roster -- Mark Clayton and rookies Marcus Smith and Ernie Wheelwright.
After sitting out Wednesday's practice with a hamstring injury, free safety Ed Reed returned to practice, but he was limited. Cornerback Chris McAlister (right knee) and offensive tackle Jared Gaither (neck/shoulder) were also limited.
Running back Willis McGahee (knee) was upgraded from limited to full participation. Cornerback Derrick Martin (shoulder) also fully participated.
Raiders defensive end Derrick Burgess (tricep) missed his second straight practice, but defensive tackle Gerard Warren (ankle) returned to practice on a limited basis. Rookie running back Darren McFadden (toe) was also limited.
Good news first: free safety Ed Reed participated in the portion of practice open to the media this afternoon. Reed did not practice yesterday due to a thigh injury.
Now the bad news: wide receiver Derrick Mason was not present due to an illness. With Mason, Demetrius Williams (left Achilles tendon) and Yamon Figurs (left knee contusion) absent from practice, that left just four wideouts on the field today. Only three -- Mark Clayton and rookies Marcus Smith and Ernie Wheelwright -- are on the active roster. Edward Williams is on the practice squad.
There was a moment of levity when Wheelwright threw tight end Edgar Jones to the turf during a special-teams drill. Fellow players erupted in laughs and cheers, and some congratulated Wheelwright.
If Mike Singletary can't get the 49ers straightened out by the end of the season, don't be surprised if former Ravens coach Brian Billick's name is mentioned for the head coaching job as well as Jim Schwartz, the defensive coordinator of the Titans.
The 49ers will have to come up with big money to lure Billick out of retirement, especially since he is still getting paid for two more years from that cozy deal he signed with Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti. San Francisco might also have to give Billick total control of running the franchise, which would be very risky.
To get Schwartz, the 49ers wouldn't have to give up as much money and control. Schwartz is one of the brighter young minds in the business. He is also a graduate of Mount St. Joseph, and a former assistant coach at Maryland and with the Ravens.
Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs has said there is no bounty on Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward as far as the Ravens are concerned, but I wouldn't be surprised if other teams have a problem with Ward. And I wouldn't be surprised if other teams had a bounty on him.
Within the past two weeks, the NFL has fined Ward $15,000 for two plays that weren't penalized on the field. Even the league is tired of his cheap shots. And what irritates players the most is when he walks around with that smile on his face, or starts flexing after he cheap shots another player.
Ward is a good player and a fierce competitor. But he doesn't need these blind-sided hits to enhance his reputation as a tough guy. There is a major difference between a tough guy and a cheap-shot artist.
The first injury report of the week has been released, and cornerback Samari Rolle and strong safety Dawan Landry have been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders. Rolle is still recovering from neck surgery, while Landry is dealing with aftereffects from his spinal cord concussion. Both players will miss their fifth consecutive game.
Right offensive tackle Adam Terry will also sit out Sunday after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee yesterday.
Free safety Ed Reed did not practice due to a thigh injury. Wide receivers Demetrius Williams (left Achilles tendon) and Yamon Figurs (left knee contusion) also missed practice.
Cornerback Chris McAlister (right knee) was listed as limited as were running back Willis McGahee (knee) and left offensive tackle Jared Gaither (stinger).
Cornerback Derrick Martin (shoulder) fully participated in practice.
For the Raiders, two defensive starters in end Derrick Burgess (tricep) and tackle Gerard Warren (ankle) did not practice.
It seems that outside linebacker Terrell Suggs has had to defend a lot of his comments lately. He is as impulsive off the field as he is on it. He's 25 but it's apparent he still has some growing up to do. This morning, Suggs had to defend recent comments made to the national media. He reportedly said he put a bounty on Pittsburgh receiver Hines Ward, and that Troy Smith should be the quarterback instead of Joe Flacco.
"I thought his question [the reporter's] was about multiple packages," said Suggs about his preference for Smith. "I said both quarterbacks should get a chance to play, like running back Ronnie Brown [in Miami] depending on the package. Joe is 3-3 at the starter and has done a good job. It's not like we haven't won any games."
And the bounty?
"There wasn't any bounty," said Suggs. "He [the reporter] asked me if there was a bounty and I just said I'm going to keep a watch on the guy. He [Ward] broke some guy's jaw last week, and he tried to cheap shot JJ [Jarret Johnson]. He has also cheap-shotted Ed Reed. We're just going to be on alert the next time we play him. It's like the guy in your neighborhood who always pulls your shorts down and your drawers show, well, you always have to be on the lookout. You have to be alert."
You know those comments raised a few eyebrows over at The Castle this morning, and coach John Harbaugh probably was sitting in front of Suggs' locker when he arrived today. With Suggs, cornerback Chris McAlister and safety Ed Reed, there is never a dull moment during the football season.
Sometimes, the best words are no words.
Ravens doctors recently examined cornerback Samari Rolle and safety Dawan Landry and apparently told coach John Harbaugh they weren't ready to play against the Raiders Sunday. Fortunately for the Ravens, Oakland has the No. 27 ranked passing game in the NFL. The only problem for the Ravens is that Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell is huge, standing 6 feet 6 and weighing 260 pounds.
"He's like trying to take Ben Roethlisberger," Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs said. "When you get hold of him, you have to smother him because he is so big."
- Mike Preston
Three-fourths of the starting secondary was absent from the portion of practice open to the media today. Safeties Ed Reed and Dawan Landry and cornerback Samari Rolle were not present on the practice field behind the team's training facility in Owings Mills.
Coach John Harbaugh said Rolle (neck surgery) and Landry (spinal cord concussion) probably would not be able to play against the Oakland Raiders this Sunday. "There’s a slim chance those two guys could play, but right now, I wouldn’t anticipate it," Harbaugh said.
Cornerback Chris McAlister was present. McAlister played sparingly in the Ravens' 27-13 win against the Miami Dolphins last Sunday, and Harbaugh did not make any promises about starting McAlister against the Raiders.
Wide receivers Demetrius Williams (left Achilles tendon) and Yamon Figurs (left knee contusion) also were not at practice.
Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs appeared on ESPN2's "1st and 10" this morning wearing a Yankees cap. Why didn't he just take an Orioles cap, throw it to the ground and spit on it?
There was a big uproar in Cleveland when LeBron James was caught on camera wearing a Yankees cap during an Indians-Yankees game. Suggs' offense isn't that severe, but couldn't one of his peeps tell him to lose the cap before he went on camera?
Somebody had to know how that would play in Baltimore -- and warn him about it.
The only good thing is that it was on "1st and 10," which has about as many viewers as a re-run of "Family Feud" on GSN.
It's apparent that Ravens cornerback Chris McAlister was being disciplined by head coach John Harbaugh in Sunday's game against the Dolphins.
If the Ravens were benching him for a poor performance against the Colts, then they would have had to bench the entire secondary.
Over the years, McAlister has always been the player to buck the system. There are rules for the team, and rules for McAlister, at least in McAlister's mind. McAlister has always been the type of person to say whatever he wants, and it has gotten him in trouble. McAlister is a great player and a decent person, but just has that lethargic, 'I don't care' attitude.
That goes against what head coach John Harbaugh preaches. I know that Harbaugh and McAlister have had some other issues, and it was only a matter of time before Harbaugh took some action. He's a rookie coach and he can't back down from any of the players. Not McAlister, not Ray Lewis, not Ed Reed or any player on the roster. It will take maybe another day or two but McAlister will get over this. I wouldn't be surprised if general manager Ozzie Newsome has gotten involved.
But I think in the offseason Harbaugh is going to have to make some decisions on players. He has to decide on the players he feels are his kind of players, and those he wants to let go. I wouldn't be surprised if McAlister wanted out, and the Ravens obliged him.
Both parties would be happy.
Tackle Willie Anderson and guard Chris Chester will man the right side of the offensive line for a few more weeks. Coach John Harbaugh announced today that starting right offensive tackle Adam Terry will undergo an arthroscopic procedure to clean out his ailing right knee.
Harbaugh said Terry, who has missed the Ravens' last two games, is dealing with a "slight mensicus tear" in the knee that has not healed as quickly as player, coaches and medical staff had hoped. The operation will take place tomorrow, and Harbaugh estimated that Terry could return in time for the game against the Houston Texans on Nov. 9.
Other notes:
* Harbaugh said Troy Smith had recovered enough from his tonsil infection to leapfrog Todd Bouman as the backup quarterback for yesterday's 27-13 win against the Miami Dolphins. "We just felt like he was back enough to do it," Harbaugh said, adding that Smith has been an active participant in the weight room.
* Linebacker Antwan Barnes has a supporter in Harbaugh. Barnes was flagged for taunting Dolphins return specialist Ted Ginn Jr. after a kick return late in the second quarter, but Barnes said afterward that he was bending down to help lift rookie safety Haruki Nakamura, who made the tackle on Ginn, to his feet. "We take Antwan at his word," Harbaugh said. "... He's going to have to be careful with his body language."
* Harbaugh said the team plans to ask the league to review Dolphins wide receiver Brandon London's questionable hit on tight end Edgar Jones on a Miami kickoff return early in the second quarter. Despite taking place in front of an official, London was not flagged for decking Jones even though it took place after Ginn had been forced out-of-bounds. "We will be sending that one in," Harbaugh said.
Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron handled the win over his former team well after the game Sunday, and he left imparting some wisdom on his former players.
"The bottom line is that players are judged on performance, not on what is said during the week," said Cameron. "Our guys said as little as possible, and just went out and played. There was nothing to say about last year. All you can do is learn from it and move on."
"There are two types of people out there," Cameron said. "There are those who are going to look in the mirror, and there are others who are going to look out the window for someone else. Sometimes when it's the most difficult, when it hurts the most, that's when you learn the most."
Will tight end Todd Heap become more involved in the offense?
Heap had three catches for 29 yards against the Dolphins, and rookie quarterback Joe Flacco started looking for him more. Actually, Heap became a primary target instead of a secondary target.
"We're moving forward with this passing game," said Heap. "It felt good to get my hands on the ball. We're building a chemistry here, and I think Joe and I are getting more on the same page. We've been working hard in practice, and it's starting to pay off."
Ravens cornerback Samari Rolle is optimistic about playing next week against Oakland.
Rolle made the trip with the team to Miami, and said he feels good, but just has to be cleared by the team doctors.
Rolle has missed the last four games with a shoulder/neck injury.
Miami gave the game away, and the Ravens tried to give it back. Fortunately for the Ravens, somebody had to win today, and they walked away with a 27-13 victory. It wasn't pretty, downright sloppy at times, but the Ravens don't care. And they shouldn't. When you lose three straight games, you take a win any way you can get it. This was a big win for the Ravens, and they can win the next two before the schedule becomes more difficult. The Ravens re-established their running game, and the locker room was extremely upbeat after the game. I'm still waiting for rookie quarterback Joe Flacco to prove he can win a game against a quality opponent, and he'll get his shot when the Ravens starting taking on NFC East opponents.
Did you notice:
*That Chris McAlister was benched and only played occasionally in certain passing situations?
*That Terrell Suggs looks like his old self, putting pressure on the quarterback, while dropping into coverage at times, including when he took an interception to the house?
*That the Ravens' defense has taken the legs out from under the "Wildcat" offense?
*That Ray Rice is returning kicks and not messing around, heading straight up the field after catching it?
*That the Ravens' special teams is having trouble containing Ted Ginn Jr. on kickoff returns?
*This Ravens offense doesn't bear much resemblence to the offense of the last two games?
Tom Zbikowski, Jim Leonhard and Ray Rice were all returning punts in the pregame warmups.
It will be interesting to see who fills in for Yamon Figurs, out of the game with an injury.
Despite losing three straight games, the spirit on this team seems to remain high and upbeat.
But that may change if the Ravens don't win one of the next three games against Miami, Oakland and Cleveland.
It's one thing to lose to Pittsburgh, Tennessee and Indianapolis, but it's another story to lose to three struggling teams, even if the games are on the road.
Free safety Ed Reed was back at practice today, participating in team and individual drills during the portion of practice open to the media. Reed sat out yesterday's session with a hamstring injury.
But right offensive tackle Adam Terry (meniscus issue in right knee) and wide receiver Yamon Figurs (left knee contusion) were absent for the third consecutive day.
Four players listed as limited yesterday -- left offensive tackle Jared Gaither (neck/shoulder), cornerback Fabian Washington (dislocated right shoulder), wide receiver Demetrius Williams (ankle) and rookie safety Tom Zbikowski (shoulder) -- practiced. Gaither and Washington both wore red, non-contact jerseys.
Enough already about Ravens coach John Harbaugh providing the Miami Dolphins with bulletin-board material. He was right when talking about Cam Cameron not having material to work with in Miami last year. The Dolphins have been an organization is disarray for a long time. Their owner has brought in different coaches, and was talking about selling the team last season.
So, how would anybody like to coach in that situation? There certainly weren't a lot of fans in the stands when the Ravens played in Miami last season. NFL players shouldn't need motivation to play hard, nor should anyone else who gets paid a good salary. If it takes a statement from Harbaugh to get the Dolphins to play hard Sunday, then they have problems, and it won't be Cameron's fault this season.
Much is being said and written about Cam Cameron's one-year stay in Miami as the Dolphins' head coach, but the bottom line is that no coach, unless there is some ethics violation (which there wasn't), should be fired after one season.
I don't care what the win-loss record is, no coach should be expected to turn a franchise around in a year, especially the Dolphins.
At the least, Cameron should have been given three years. And once the Dolphins hired Bill Parcells to run the organization, Cameron had no chance of returning because Parcells was going to bring in one of his own guys as head coach.
It's unfortunate that it didn't work out for Cameron, but I believe all things happen for a reason. He's a good man, and he probably learned a lot from that year in Miami. If he can get the Ravens' offense going and can develop Joe Flacco, he'll get another shot in the NFL.
It's official: free safety Ed Reed did not practice today. The team's official injury report lists Reed dealing with a hamstring problem. It's unclear whether Reed is in danger of missing Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins.
Reed joined offensive tackle Adam Terry (meniscus issue in right knee) and wide receiver Yamon Figurs (left knee contusion) as those who missed practice today. For Terry and Figurs, it was the second straight day they have sat out.
After sitting out Wednesday, wide receiver Demetrius Williams (ankle) returned to practice, but on a limited basis. Offensive tackle Jared Gaither (neck/shoulder), cornerback Fabian Washington (dislocated right shoulder) and rookie safety Tom Zbikowski (shoulder) were also limited.
The only injury concern for the Dolphins involves starting fullback Casey Creamer, who missed his second consecutive practice due to an ankle injury.
Free safety Ed Reed was surprisingly absent from today's portion of practice open to the media. Reed was not listed on the team's injury report yesterday.
Offensive tackle Adam Terry (meniscus issue in right knee) and wide receiver/return specialist Yamon Figurs (left knee contusion) were also not present.
After not practicing yesterday, wide receiver Demetrius Williams (ankle) returned to the field. Left offensive tackle Jared Gaither (neck/shoulder) wore a t-shirt and shorts, but walked back into the locker room and returned in uniform with his helmet.
Cornerback Derrick Martin was in uniform, but he did not have his helmet and did not participate in individual or special-teams drills. Cornerback Fabian Washington (dislocated right shoulder) and rookie safety Tom Zbikowski (shoulder) shed their red, non-contact jerseys,
Finally, cornerback Samari Rolle (neck surgery) and strong safety Dawan Landry (spinal cord concussion) watched practice from the sidelines in t-shirts and shorts.
Some were speculating that the Ravens should have traded for Detroit receiver Roy E. Williams.
The Ravens are in desperate need of a big-play wide receiver, but not at what Williams would have cost.
You make a trade for a player like Williams if you feel you are a player away from the Super Bowl. The Ravens are more than one, two and possibly three players away from a Super Bowl.
Ideally, the Ravens would like Adam Terry to replace Marshal Yanda -- out for the season with three torn ligaments in his knee -- as the team's starting right guard.
But it will be a major adjustment for Terry. The Ravens want Terry over Chris Chester because Terry has size, and Chester lacks it. Guard is a power position because you are usually matching up against huge defensive tackles whose job is to hold ground, and keep offensive linemen off linebackers.
Guards are less athletic than tackles because tackles often perform in space, and are left on an island to pass protect against defensive ends and outside linebackers. Tackles do get help occasionally from tight ends and running backs to chip block, but for the most part they need quick feet to move in space.
Guards don't have much space, and they usually get help from the center. In the draft, a team will spend a first-round pick on a tackle, but few take guards, and if they do, they're usually taken late in the first round.
To start Willie Anderson at right tackle and Terry at right guard is much better than Terry at right tackle and Chester at right guard.
The big news surrounding practice was the absence of offensive tackle Adam Terry, who missed Sunday’s 31-3 loss to the Indianapolis Colts with a meniscus issue in his right knee. Terry, who had his knee wrapped in the locker room prior to practice, said his knee is improving, but won’t know his status until he confers with the medical and coaching staffs.
Wide receivers Demetrius Williams (undisclosed) and Yamon Figurs (knee) also did not appear during the portion of practice open to the media. Coach John Harbaugh categorized their availability as day-to-day.
Cornerback Fabian Washington (dislocated right shoulder) and rookie safety Tom Zbikowski (shoulder) practiced, but both wore red, non-contact jerseys. Cornerback Samari Rolle (neck surgery) watched from the sidelines in street clothes.
This might not be a bad time for the Ravens to use the indoor facility. They should go inside and turn up the heat to simulate possible playing conditions in Miami.
The Dolphins have been known to give their players IVs before a game to prevent dehydration.
The Dolphins know that most teams aren't used to playing in such hot conditions, so one of the things they try to accomplish during a game is to out-work the other team.
The Dolphins will use any kind of trick including wearing white jerseys and forcing the other team to wear their dark ones when opposing teams visit Dolphins Stadium.
At this time of year, the Ravens have sauna-like conditions inside their practice facility.
Head coach John Harbaugh downplayed having Cam Cameron on his staff and how helpful he can be this week in preparation for Cameron's old team, the Miami Dolphins. But Cameron will be able to give the Ravens some insight that you can't always get on film, like if the cornerback bites on double moves, or if a certain offensive lineman is weak to one side, or slow to the other. There are numerous things that the Ravens and Cameron can use to their advantage. I'm sure Harbaugh will have a lot of inside information he'll spread around when the Ravens play his old team, the Philadelphia Eagles, later this year.
The Ravens announced today that 11-time Pro Bowler Jonathan Ogden will be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor at M&T Bank Stadium during halftime of the home game Oct. 26 against the Oakland Raiders.
Ogden, the massive left offensive tackle who retired in June, will join running back Ernest Byner (inducted in 2001); eight former Colts players including quarterback Johnny Unitas, wide receiver Raymond Berry, running back Lenny Moore, defensive tackle Art Donovan, defensive end Gino Marchetti, tight end John Mackey, offensive tackle Jim Parker and linebacker Ted Hendricks (2002); former Ravens owner Art Modell (2003); defensive end Michael McCrary (2004); and linebacker Peter Boulware (2006).
The Ravens haven't been world beaters on the road, but they could win three or four of their next five games. They travel to Miami Sunday followed by a home game against Oakland. Then the Ravens go on the road again, traveling to Cleveland, Houston and the New York Giants. It's a tough skid as far as being on the road, but it's not as if the Ravens can't win if they play like they did in the first four games.
Only the Giants have a winning record, and Miami is 2-3, the same as the Ravens. Cleveland and Houston have just one win, and the Texans' victory came against Miami Sunday as Houston scored a last-second touchdown to pull out a 29-28 victory.
I figured after he had a season under his belt that return specialist Yamon Figurs would be better. He had a new coach and a year to absorb the NFL. But after each game now, I have no clue as to what he is thinking. He brings out kickoff returns that are five to seven yards deep in the end zone. He returns punts when guys are swarming around him. And then yesterday, he tried to reverse field, running from one sideline to the other. That doesn't happen very often in the NFL, not with the speed of these players.
The kid has talent, but even when he returns the ball now, he is dipping his shoulders, afraid of contact. Figurs has to regain some confidence, because right now he is hurting the Ravens in the field-position game.
Starting right guard Marshal Yanda left the locker room last night on crutches, and that's not a good sign for the Ravens. The loss of Yanda could be devastating. The Ravens are already suspect at both tackle positions and the loss of Yanda would weaken them in the middle where they have been strong. The preliminary diagnosis was that Yanda had a sprained knee. If he can't play, Yanda will be replaced by Chris Chester, who had been moved to backup tight end. Chester is athletic and has great feet, but lacks explosion to knock big defensive tackles off the ball. He also had trouble calling out the blocking schemes last season when he played center/guard.
Early in training camp, the Ravens had thoughts of using defensive tackle Haloti Ngata as a fullback or offensive tackle on short-yardage situations, but the idea was nixed once he hurt his knee.
How about this as a short-yardage package?
The Ravens go with an unbalanced line to the left and insert tackle Willie Anderson on that side. They run a full house backfield that includes three backs: fullbacks Ngata and Lorenzo Neal and halfback Le'Ron McClain. McClain gets the ball moving to the left with Neal and Ngata as lead blockers.
Wow. Look out world.
The Ravens have seen enough of Colts quarterback Peyton Manning's gyrations and antics at the line of scrimmage through the years, and they won't panic when they see them again Sunday. According to inside linebacker Ray Lewis, sometimes he shouts out signals just like Manning even though he is not making changes. Outside linebacker Terrell Suggs and cornerback Chris McAlister don't pay much attention to Manning.
"It's like OK, Peyton, whenever you want to start playing, let us know by snapping the count," Suggs said.
McAlister is the left cornerback.
"They have all of these people running around and he has all of these signals," McAlister said. "They really don't mean a thing. I just wait for whatever receiver comes to my side, and I cover him. That's it."
I know the Colts have Peyton Manning and a good stable of receivers, but I think the Ravens go in Sunday and pull an upset. I think the Ravens will have good success running the ball and will manage the game at the end, unlike Houston a week ago, which handed the game to the Colts because of turnovers. I might think differently if the Colts were playing well offensively, but Manning has struggled, and his offensive line is just starting to get fully healthy again.
I think the physical style of the Ravens will prevail.
The Ravens released their second injury report of the week with a couple of notable additions.
Linebacker Ray Lewis and left offensive tackle Jared Gaither joined right offensive tackle Adam Terry and cornerback Fabian Washington as players who did not practice today.
Lewis is dealing with a knee issue, but the team has allowed some of its older veterans to take a day off in the past. This may be the case with Lewis. Gaither (knee) was limited yesterday, but team officials do not seem to be overly concerned that he'll miss Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Terry (meniscus issue in right knee) and Washington (dislocated right shoulder) are bigger question marks.
Linebackers Antwan Barnes (knee) and Tavares Gooden (hip) and safety Tom Zbikowski (shoulder) were limited in practice for the second straight day. For the second consecutive day, running back Willis McGahee (knee) wore a red, non-contact jersey, but he was upgraded to full participation.
For the Colts, starting cornerback Kelvin Hayden (knee) is not expected to play Sunday. Defensive end Dwight Freeney (strained hamstring) did not practice for the second straight day. Cornerback Marlin Jackson (ankle), defensive end Robert Mathis (non-injury reasons) and wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez (concussion) were upgraded to full participation.
Kicker Matt Stover seems to be getting plenty of distance on his kicks, but it's just a matter of direction. Actually, that's a good sign because it shows he still has strength in his leg.
Part of the problem might be that Stover has a new special teams coach in 2008, but I think he will still work it out.
The thing I respect most about Stover is that he is a standup guy. When he misses a field goal, you don't have to go look for him. He is accountable.
The same thing can't be said about some of the Ravens' defensive players when they lose close games, especially like last week against the Titans. Some of them disappeared like ghosts after the game.
Linebacker Ray Lewis didn't participate in the portion of practice open to the media this afternoon. Lewis was limited in practice yesterday due to a knee injury.
Starting offensive tackles Adam Terry (meniscus issue in right knee) and Jared Gaither (knee) and cornerback Fabian Washington (dislocated right shoulder) were also absent.
Linebackers Antwan Barnes (knee) and Tavares Gooden (hip), running back Willis McGahee (knee) and safety Tom Zbikowski (shoulder) were present. For the second straight day, McGahee wore a red, non-contact jersey.
The big assignment of the week is how to slow down Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney. Ravens second-year offensive tackle Jared Gaither is going to need some help. The Ravens will likely use running backs and tight ends to chip block Freeney. They can also run that unbalanced line to Freeney's side, which would create more space between Freeney and the quarterback.
Another option, which might be the best, is to run a lot of double tight end formations because I think the Ravens plan to run the ball a lot. Also, most teams are right handed and go pro right, with the tight end lining up on the right or strong side. The Ravens may want to go pro left a lot, forcing Freeney to play outside of the tight end's shoulder instead of Gaither's.
One of the hardest things for a tackle to do is step out on a quick end or outside linebacker. Most tackles, especially young ones, step up first, instead of out. When that happens, players like Freeney are gone. Also, a lot of three-step, quick-release passes by quarterback Joe Flacco will help because the Colts' defense, overall, has great speed.
The first official injury report of the week is out. Right offensive tackle Adam Terry (meniscus issue in right knee) and cornerback Fabian Washington (dislocated right shoulder) did not practice.
Described as limited in practice were linebackers Ray Lewis (knee), Antwan Barnes (knee) and rookie Tavares Gooden (hip), running back Willis McGahee (knee), left offensive tackle Jared Gaither (knee) and rookie safety Tom Zbikowski (shoulder).
Cornerback Samari Rolle (neck surgery) and strong safety Dawan Landry (spinal cord concussion) have already been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts.
On the Colts' side, four starters -- cornerbacks Kelvin Hayden (knee) and Marlin Jackson (ankle), defensive end Dwight Freeney (strained hamstring) and strong safety Bob Sanders (high ankle sprain) -- did not practice. Sanders is not expected to play.
Defensive end Robert Mathis missed practice for non-injury-related reasons.
The Ravens were supposed to have a three-headed running back attack this season, but in the last two games, it has been just Le'Ron McClain and Willis McGahee.
Against the Colts Sunday, the Ravens should go back to using three including rookie running back Ray Rice. The Colts have the worst run defense in the league.
They're light on the defensive front, and the Ravens should give them an overdose of running the ball and fresh legs. Plus, this will keep the ball out of the hands of Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.
Safety Jim Leonhard returned punts and did a solid job earlier this year, but don't expect him to replace struggling returner Yamon Figurs anytime soon.
Unfortunately for the Ravens, some of their best punt returners are in the secondary, including cornerback Chris McAlister and safeties Ed Reed and Leonhard. But the Ravens lack depth on the back end right now due to injuries to cornerbacks Samari Rolle, Derrick Martin and Fabian Washington.
The Ravens can't afford to allow Leonhard to return punts. A couple of years ago, McAlister returned a punt and was hurt while returning one, forcing him to miss a couple of games.
It's Colts week in Baltimore, and hopefully we won't be flooded with numerous stories and pictures about the Colts' move from Baltimore to Indianapolis 25 years ago.
I think most of the people in this city have gotten over it. Those were great memories, times and games played by the old Colts here, but we have a new generation of football fans. For the most part, people have moved on, and that's great for both cities.
I just look forward to a good, hard played game Sunday.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh's news conference today almost came to a screeching halt when Jerry Coleman, sports talk host on Fox 1370 Sports, asked Harbaugh about his brother Jim, who was reprimanded by the Pac-10 after making remarks critical of the officiating in Stanford's 28-21 loss to Notre Dame on Saturday.
Here's the exchange as it played out:
Jerry Coleman: “Speaking of coaches, you bit your tongue with the Terrell Suggs thing. Your brother wasn’t able to do that out at Stanford. The family have anything to say about the way you showed restraint compared to Jim?”
John Harbaugh: “I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
Coleman: “Jim got fined, I guess, for criticism of the refs.”
Harbaugh: “Is there another question for me to answer?”
Another reporter did lob a question at Harbaugh, but man, talk about awkward.
It's difficult to say whether this is cause for alarm, but both starting offensive tackles -- Adam Terry on the right side and Jared Gaither on the left -- did not participate in the portion of practice open to the media this afternoon. Gaither was a spectator, dressed in gray sweats, while Terry was absent.
Any speculation might be all for naught. Terry told me earlier today that he intends to play Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts despite injuring the meniscus in his right knee against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Gaither did not appear to be hobbled as he walked across one practice field to watch the offensive linemen in practice.
With Terry and Gaither absent, the first unit included Willie Anderson on the right side and rookie Oniel Cousins on the left.
Other players absent from practice included cornerbacks Samari Rolle (neck surgery) and Fabian Washington (dislocated right shoulder) and strong safety Dawan Landry (spinal cord concussion).
Wide receiver Derrick Mason (left thumb) and tight end Daniel Wilcox (hand) were present and active. Running back Willis McGahee (sore ribs) wore a red, non-contact jersey. Newly signed defensive tackle Brandon McKinney wore No. 68, while cornerback Anwar Phillips wore No. 24.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh confirmed today that nose tackle Kelly Gregg will be placed on injured reserve. Gregg had surgery on his left knee today.
"With this surgery, he's got a chance for his career to be fine," Harbaugh said on his WBAL radio show.
Harbaugh also said offensive tackle Adam Terry (meniscus issue in his knee) and cornerback Fabian Washington (dislocated shoulder) are considered day to day.
Ravens nose tackle Kelly Gregg is scheduled to have micro-fracture surgery on his left knee, according to the Web site nationalfootballpost.com.
The story was posted by a person named Jack Bechta, which is the name of Gregg's agent.
Phone calls to Bechta and a Ravens spokesman were not returned to The Baltimore Sun.
Gregg's surgery will be performed by De. James Andrews, the Web site reported.
Gregg had arthroscopic surgery on his knee in August and has missed the entire preseason as well as the first four games of the regular season. The Ravens announced that Gregg had an issue with cartilage in his knee three weeks ago and would be out indefinitely.
Gregg has been the Ravens' starting nose tackle since the 2002 season. He has been replaced by Justin Bannan.
Coach John Harbaugh tip-toed his way around a second day of questioning regarding the controversial roughing-the-passer penalty on linebacker Terrell Suggs that contributed to the Tennessee Titans' game-winning, touchdown-scoring drive in the Ravens' 13-10 loss yesterday.
Answering a query about Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth's throw-down of rookie quarterback Joe Flacco on the Ravens' opening drive of the second half, Harbaugh pointed out that coaches and players are not permitted to criticize officials without risking a fine. Teams with a question can send game film to Mike Pereira, the league's vice president of officiating, and seek clarification.
"Not commenting on it has nothing to do with being fined or not being fined," Harbaugh said. "I don’t care about fines. I want to get to the bottom of it and find out what’s right and find out how to coach our players as we go forward. And the NFL does a nice job of giving you an avenue to do that."
"What we do is we send the plays in to Mike Pereira, and he’s great about looking at them and getting back to us and just saying, ‘This is how the officiating sees it,' Harbaugh continued. "And a lot of times, he’ll tell you that the officiating was wrong, that they should have called it differently. Other times, he’ll say, ‘This is why we call it that way by rule,’ or ‘This is why we call it that way by interpretation.’ And that’s how we try to coach our guys based on how the game is going to be officiated. We haven’t heard back on that one yet, but we’ll send it in. Absolutely."
Asked if whether he could tell on the game film that officials tried to stop play after whistling Tennessee offensive tackle Michael Roos for a false start prior to Suggs' penalty, Harbaugh said, "You can’t see any such effort on the tape. You can’t see anything on the tape."
Other notes:
* The Ravens missed a golden opportunity to add points prior to halftime when they marched to the Titans' 22-yard line with less than 40 seconds left in the second quarter. But the offense wasted precious seconds setting up a play and then left offensive tackle Jared Gaither was flagged for a false start with 14 seconds left, which forced the team to spend its third and final timeout of the half. Instead of taking a shot at the end zone, the offense was removed and kicker Matt Stover's 45-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide right.
Asked whether the offense should have spiked the ball to stop the clock, Harbaugh said, "We were in a situation there where we wanted to hurry to the line and get a call and see if we could steal a touchdown on the run. It was a scenario where we’ve got to operate better there. We’ve got to do a better job of communicating, a better job of getting on the line and making it happen fast. It took us too long to get up to the line and then bam, we’ve got a situation where we got the penalty and now we’ve got the 10-second runoff – or potentially the 10-second runoff, which forces us to take the timeout. So it wasn’t so much the decision to kick the field goal. The issue was how long it took us to get the play off and get the right play call. That’s part of the process, and we’ve got to improve on that."
* Kicker Matt Stover has missed all three field-goal attempts from beyond 40 yards, but Harbaugh said he is not worried about Stover, who is the league's third-most accurate kicker at the age of 40. "I’m not concerned with Matt’s age," Harbaugh said. "He’s kicked very well in practice, and even the balls he’s missed, he’s hit very well. So it’s not like he’s losing leg strength. Plus, you’ve seen the kickoffs. He’s probably kicking off better than he has in a long time. It’s not so much age as it is knocking it through the uprights. I think sometimes Matt, he’s thinking about the direction of the kick and things like that instead of just punching it right between the sticks. I think he just needs to go ahead and do what he always does well, and knock it between the sticks. But we’ve got confidence in Matt. I know he can kick, Matt knows he can kick, and I don’t doubt for one second that he’s going to make a ton of field goals for us."
* The Ravens now begin a stretch of five of their next six games on the road. That didn't spook Harbaugh. "We don’t talk about that," he said. "I think the NFL’s a challenge whether you play at home or you play on the road. Our guys are very capable of winning on the road. We expect to go win every one of those football games when they come up, and that’s the plan. So we’ll be there. Whatever time they say we’re playing, we’ll be there and be ready to go."
Placekicker Matt Stover is having a disappointing season, especially by Stover's standards. It might be time for Ravens coach John Harbaugh to bring in someone who can push him a little bit. Stover missed a 45-yarder yesterday against the Titans. A little head game played by Harbaugh might work.
I've tried to give the officials a break on the roughing-the-passer, illegal-head-slap call against Terrell Suggs yesterday, but there is no excuse, no reason to make the call. Apparently Suggs, like quite a few other players, didn't hear the whistle, and he barely touched Titans quarterback Kerry Collins anyway.
You can never blame a game on one play, but officials have made two calls in the last two games that have strongly impacted a game, and neither was in the Ravens' favor. I'm not into conspiracy theories, but I think all the showboating, finger-pointing, taunting and jawing with officials through the years has come back to hurt the Ravens. And one of the main culprits has been Suggs.
Regardless, that shouldn't have an impact, but I'm afraid it might.
The Ravens are a solid football team, but they have to learn how to finish games to move to the next level. They might have to adjust their thinking. Against the Browns and Bengals, the Ravens were able to finish them off with a strong running game. But the Browns and Bengals are losing teams. Against better teams, the Ravens might have to take more chances offensively. Yesterday, the Titans came with run blitzes in the last half of the final quarter to shut off the Ravens' running game, and the Ravens didn't take any chances with rookie quarterback Joe Flacco, who was having a bad day.
Defensively, the Ravens have to stay with the pressure on the quarterback because their secondary is a M*A*S*H unit. If you give any quarterback time, he will eventually complete passes, even a scrub like Kerry Collins. With five of the next six games on the road, the Ravens might have to gamble more. This team is still finding itself.
The final injury report for this week's game is out and running back Willis McGahee is questionable for Sunday against the AFC South-leading Tennessee Titans due to his sore ribs. If McGahee can’t play, fullback Le’Ron McClain and rookie Ray Rice will rotate at tailback.
Linebacker Antwan Barnes (shoulder) is also listed as questionable, while cornerback Derrick Martin (shoulder) is doubtful. McGahee, Barnes and Martin were limited in practice today.
Linebackers Nick Greisen (quad) and rookie Tavares Gooden (hip) and wide receiver/return specialist Yamon Figurs (hamstring) are probable.
For the Titans, running back LenDale White (shoulder) and quarterback Vince Young (knee) are listed as probable. While White will rotate with rookie Chris Johnson at tailback, coach Jeff Fisher has already said that quarterback Kerry Collins will remain the starter.
Punter Craig Hentrich (back) is questionable, while starting wide receiver Justin Gage (knee) is doubtful. If Gage -- who has not practiced all week -- cannot play, Brandon Jones would likely earn the start opposite Justin McCareins.
The injury to Ravens starting cornerback Samari Rolle might be more serious than first believed. Rolle indicated last week that he was going to play against the Titans regardless of his shoulder/neck injury. Most players would do just about anything to play against their former team and head coach. Rolle was in that kind of mood. His condition must be serious for him to be ruled out so early in the week before the game with the Titans.
Four players listed as limited in practice yesterday -- running back Willis McGahee (ribs), wide receiver/return specialist Yamon Figurs (hamstring) and linebackers Antwan Barnes (shoulder) and rookie Tavares Gooden (hip) -- participated in today's portion of practice open to the media.
Barnes wore a red, non-contact jersey. Cornerback Derrick Martin (right shoulder) was also listed as limited, but he did not appear to take part in individual or special teams drills.
Linebacker Nick Greisen (quad) also practiced.
Other notes:
* Offensive tackle Willie Anderson had the ring finger on his right hand in a splint and heavily taped. He was not listed on the team's injury report yesterday.
* Quarterback Kyle Boller (right shoulder surgery) watched practice from the sidelines.
Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan agreed that his team, especially in the defensive backfield, had a poor tackling day against the Steelers. He said part of the problem was that the players refused to wrap up and some of them took bad angles. But another part of the problem is that some of those guys on the back end are banged up and fragile. With running backs LenDale White and Chris Johnson coming to town Sunday, you can expect to see a lot of rushing attempts by the Titans and quite a few tosses around the corner to see if the cornerbacks come up quickly in run support.
It was great to see quarterback Troy Smith return to practice this week after the long battle with a tonsil infection. Head coach John Harbaugh made it seem like Smith was still in contention for the starting quarterback job, but that job now belongs to rookie Joe Flacco, and rightfully so. But at least Harbaugh was smart enough not to publicly kill any enthusiasm Smith has about returning. And before the season is over, the Ravens might have to go to Smith if Flacco gets injured.
Somehow, I think Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron will get Smith on the field in certain situations whether it's as a quarterback, running back or receiver. He is a great athlete, and any time he steps on the field, Smith will get a defense's attention.
During the offseason, NFL officials should look into modifying instant replay where every franchise provides instant access to assistant coaches to look at replays in the press box.
The Ravens apparently didn't have that access Monday night or they would have called down to head coach John Harbaugh to challenge wide receiver Derrick Mason's potential touchdown reception in the corner of the end zone.
Some teams provide instant replay right away and other teams don't. I know there is such a thing as home-field advantage, but the main purpose of instant replay is to get the call right, regardless if a team is on the road or at home.
"We're going to be a dynasty. If you're not willing to say it out loud, how do you expect to get there." - Ravens coach John Harbaugh, speaking before a national television audience.
I admire the confidence, but these are the kind of words that come back to haunt a coach. Just ask some coach named Lefty, who never did turn Maryland into the "UCLA of the East."
Harbaugh has done well during his early tenure with the Ravens, and most of the players are buying into what he has been preaching over at The Castle. But even though he's confident, it's good to be humble, especially when you've only won two games.
It's good to say those things inside The Castle, not outside.
Just reviewed some more tape of the Pittsburgh Steelers game, and Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata is having an outstanding season. Part of the reason inside linebacker Ray Lewis had 13 tackles was because Ngata was creating such big holes by penetrating and pushing back the Steelers' offensive linemen. A lot of times, good defensive tackles hold ground, and then move along the line of scrimmage. But Ngata gets off the ball so well and then drives opposing linemen two yards into the backfield. At times, he looked like the lead blocker creating holes for Lewis. Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth is a great player, but Ngata is right there with him.
In addition to the news that three defensive starters in cornerback Samari Rolle, defensive tackle Kelly Gregg and strong safety Dawan Landry were ruled out for Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans, running back Willis McGahee was listed as limited in practice today. McGahee is dealing with sore ribs that forced him to miss a good portion of Monday night's 23-20 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Wide receiver Yamon Figurs (hamstring), linebacker Antwan Barnes (shoulder) and corner back Derrick Martin (shoulder) were also described as limited. The one positive sign was that linebacker Nick Greisen (quad) took part in full participation after missing last week's slate of practices.
Monday’s 23-20 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t deter linebacker Bart Scott from throwing a jab at Tennessee Titans running back LenDale White.
At 6 feet 1 and 235 pounds, White is a bruiser who does his best work in the red zone, where he leads the Titans in touchdowns with five. White shares tailback duties with rookie Chris Johnson, a 5-11, 200-pound speedster who ran the fastest 40-yard dash (4.24 seconds) at the NFL combine in February.
Asked to compare the two, Scott opened up for a few seconds before ending his response with these words: "Let’s see: a fat guy and the fastest guy in the 40. Not fat, I’m sorry. Plump."
Cornerback Samari Rolle was the most notable absence from today's portion of practice open to the media. Rolle was forced to watch the Ravens' 23-20 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers Monday night because of an ailing right shoulder.
If he can't play against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, expect Fabian Washington to make his second consecutive start. Washington said he did not re-aggravate the bulging disc in his neck that had plagued him for the previous two weeks.
Defensive tackle Kelly Gregg (damaged cartilage in left knee) and strong safety Dawan Landry (spinal cord concussion) were also absent.
Linebacker Antwan Barnes and cornerback Derrick Martin were present, but they did not participate in individual or special teams drills. Neither player had a helmet, and unlike the rest of the players, Barnes wore sweatpants.
Running back Willis McGahee (sore ribs) was also present, but he was carrying a red non-contact jersey in his hand. He did not put on the jersey in front of the media, but will likely wear it during practice.
Linebacker Nick Greisen, who missed practice last week due to a sore quad, practiced.
Finally, the team added a pair of rookies in guard Nathan Bennett and wide receiver Edward Williams to the practice squad. Williams is an interesting addition because he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Titans, Sunday's opponent. To make room for Bennett and Williams, the Ravens placed offensive tackle Joe Reitz on injured reserve and waived quarterback Casey Bramlet.
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