BALTIMORE – Thirty minutes into the first game of the season, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis stood before his teammates and delivered an inspirational and insightful speech that set the tone for the entire season.

Baltimore held a 21-7 lead over the defending AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers, the identical score at halftime of their playoff game in Pittsburgh nine months earlier. In that one, the Ravens came apart in a 31-24 defeat.

Lewis placed himself in the middle of the locker room and emphatically spiked the comparison.

“Everybody was saying, ‘We’ve been here before,’” Lewis said. “And I was like, ‘We haven’t been here before, because 2010 is 2010, and 2011 is a whole new year.’ If you understand it that way, then you understand that this is a new team.”

And so it is. The retooled Ravens went on to hammer the Steelers 35-7, and they enter this Sunday’s bye with a 3-1 record, alone atop the AFC North and charging toward a fourth straight playoff appearance.

Baltimore general manager Ozzie Newsome retooled the team during a whirlwind off-season shortened by the NFL lockout.

Almost every move he made has thus far appeared to be the right one, beginning with a salary cap purge of wide receiver Derrick Mason, tight end Todd Heap, running back Willis McGahee, defensive tackle Kelly Gregg and fullback Le’Ron McClain.

At this point in the season, the Ravens don’t miss any of them. Not even a little bit.

Ricky Williams has proven to be a capable backup to running back Ray Rice; Lee Evans and second-round draft pick Torrey Smith have made up for the loss of Mason; Vonta Leach is an upgrade from McClain; Terrence Cody has proven to be just as immovable on the line as Gregg; and the tight end tandem of Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta has made it easy for Ravens fans to scrap the “HEAP!” cheer that resonated throughout M&T Stadium for the past decade.

Newsome also added safety Bernard Pollard and a pair of offensive linemen who made an immediate difference.

The signing of free agent tackle Bryant McKinnie enabled Michael Oher to move back to the right side — where he is more effective — and free agent guard Andre Gurode has been invaluable during Ben Grubbs’ absence with turf toe.

Oh, and the defence under first-year co-ordinator Chuck Pagano has been spectacular.

As Lewis said, this is indeed a new team. And it’s not outlandish to believe the Ravens could become even more formidable with the sooner-than-later return of Evans (ankle injury) and cornerbacks Chris Carr (hamstring) and Jimmy Smith (ankle).

“The scary part is, I think we can only get better,” Rice said. “What you’re seeing is a token of hard work. Guys are not afraid to work.”

The Ravens aren’t good enough to just show up and win. That was proven in Week 2, when they followed up their emotional victory over the Steelers with a 23-13 defeat at Tennessee. Then came a 37-7 rout in St. Louis and a surprisingly easy 34-17 win over the New York Jets.

Against the Jets, Baltimore scored three touchdowns on defence and allowed only seven first downs to hit the first quarter of the season tied with five teams for the best record in the AFC.

“We can’t ask for anything else,” Lewis said.

Moments after the Jets game, there was an aura of cautious confidence in the locker room.

“We feel good,” centre Matt Burk said.

“Certainly we wish we were 4-0, but we’re 3-1. We take pride in what we’ve done to this point, but when we come back from the bye it’s a whole new deal. There’s still a long, long way to go in this thing. They didn’t pass out the Lombardi Trophy after this game. Good teams get better as the season goes. We’ll see where this thing goes and where this journey takes us.”

The goal is to get to Indianapolis, site of the Super Bowl, and the easiest way to get there is to play at home leading up to the game.

The Ravens were eliminated at Pittsburgh in 2008 and 2010, and in 2009 their post-season run ended in Indianapolis.

Baltimore has won 12 of its past 13 at home, including two this season in which it outscored the two participants in the 2010 AFC title game by a combined 45 points.

“We’re only going to get better, but getting better is a choice. It’s based on how hard we decide to work,” coach John Harbaugh said. “I’m excited, I’m proud of these guys, yet, hey, we have a long way to go.”

Thirty minutes into the first game of the season, Baltimore
Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis stood before his teammates and
delivered an inspirational and insightful speech that set the tone
for the entire season.

Baltimore held a 21-7 lead over the defending AFC champion
Pittsburgh Steelers, the identical score at halftime of their
playoff game in Pittsburgh nine months earlier. In that one, the
Ravens came apart in a 31-24 defeat.

Lewis placed himself in the middle of the locker room and
emphatically spiked the comparison.

“Everybody was saying, ‘We’ve been here before,’” Lewis said.
“And I was like, ‘We haven’t been here before, because 2010 is
2010, and 2011 is a whole new year.’ If you understand it that way,
then you understand that this is a new team.”

And so it is. The retooled Ravens went on to hammer the Steelers
35-7, and they enter this Sunday’s bye with a 3-1 record, alone
atop the AFC North and charging toward a fourth straight playoff
appearance.

Baltimore general manager Ozzie Newsome retooled the team during
a whirlwind offseason shortened by the NFL lockout.

Almost every move he made has thus far appeared to be the right
one, beginning with a salary cap purge of wide receiver Derrick
Mason, tight end Todd Heap, running back Willis McGahee, defensive
tackle Kelly Gregg and fullback Le’Ron McClain.

At this point in the season, the Ravens don’t miss any of them.
Not even a little bit.

Ricky Williams has proven to be a capable backup to running back
Ray Rice; Lee Evans and second-round draft pick Torrey Smith have
made up for the loss of Mason; Vonta Leach is an upgrade from
McClain; Terrence Cody has proven to be just as immovable on the
line as Gregg; and the tight end tandem of Ed Dickson and Dennis
Pitta has made it easy for Ravens fans to scrap the “HEAP!” cheer
that resonated throughout M&T Stadium for the past decade.

Newsome also added safety Bernard Pollard and a pair of
offensive linemen who made an immediate difference.

The signing of free agent tackle Bryant McKinnie enabled Michael
Oher to move back to the right side _ where he is more effective _
and free agent guard Andre Gurode has been invaluable during Ben
Grubbs’ absence with turf toe.

Oh, and the defense under first-year coordinator Chuck Pagano
has been spectacular.

As Lewis said, this is indeed a new team. And it’s not
outlandish to believe the Ravens could become even more formidable
with the sooner-than-later return of Evans (ankle injury) and
cornerbacks Chris Carr (hamstring) and Jimmy Smith (ankle).

“The scary part is, I think we can only get better,” Rice said.
“What you’re seeing is a token of hard work. Guys are not afraid to
work.”

The Ravens aren’t good enough to just show up and win. That was
proven in Week 2, when they followed up their emotional victory
over the Steelers with a 23-13 defeat at Tennessee. Then came a
37-7 rout in St. Louis and a surprisingly easy 34-17 win over the
New York Jets.

Against the Jets, Baltimore scored three touchdowns on defense
and allowed only seven first downs to hit the first quarter of the
season tied with five teams for the best record in the AFC.

“We can’t ask for anything else,” Lewis said.

Moments after the Jets game, there was an aura of cautious
confidence in the locker room.

“We feel good,” center Matt Burk said.

“Certainly we wish we were 4-0, but we’re 3-1. We take pride in
what we’ve done to this point, but when we come back from the bye
it’s a whole new deal. There’s still a long, long way to go in this
thing. They didn’t pass out the Lombardi Trophy after this game.
Good teams get better as the season goes. We’ll see where this
thing goes and where this journey takes us.”

The goal is to get to Indianapolis, site of the Super Bowl, and
the easiest way to get there is to play at home leading up to the
game.

The Ravens were eliminated at Pittsburgh in 2008 and 2010, and
in 2009 their postseason run ended in Indianapolis.

Baltimore has won 12 of its past 13 at home, including two this
season in which it outscored the two participants in the 2010 AFC
title game by a combined 45 points.

“We’re only going to get better, but getting better is a choice.
It’s based on how hard we decide to work,” coach John Harbaugh
said. “I’m excited, I’m proud of these guys, yet, hey, we have a
long way to go.”

By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer

BALTIMORE (AP) – Thirty minutes into the first game of the season, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis stood before his teammates and delivered an inspirational and insightful speech that set the tone for the entire season.

Baltimore held a 21-7 lead over the defending AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers, the identical score at halftime of their playoff game in Pittsburgh nine months earlier. In that one, the Ravens came apart in a 31-24 defeat.

Lewis placed himself in the middle of the locker room and emphatically spiked the comparison.

“Everybody was saying, ‘We’ve been here before,’” Lewis said. “And I was like, ‘We haven’t been here before, because 2010 is 2010, and 2011 is a whole new year.’ If you understand it that way, then you understand that this is a new team.”

And so it is. The retooled Ravens went on to hammer the Steelers 35-7, and they enter this Sunday’s bye with a 3-1 record, alone atop the AFC North and charging toward a fourth straight playoff appearance.

Baltimore general manager Ozzie Newsome retooled the team during a whirlwind offseason shortened by the NFL lockout.

Almost every move he made has thus far appeared to be the right one, beginning with a salary cap purge of wide receiver Derrick Mason, tight end Todd Heap, running back Willis McGahee, defensive tackle Kelly Gregg and fullback Le’Ron McClain.

At this point in the season, the Ravens don’t miss any of them. Not even a little bit.

Ricky Williams has proven to be a capable backup to running back Ray Rice; Lee Evans and second-round draft pick Torrey Smith have made up for the loss of Mason; Vonta Leach is an upgrade from McClain; Terrence Cody has proven to be just as immovable on the line as Gregg; and the tight end tandem of Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta has made it easy for Ravens fans to scrap the “HEAP!” cheer that resonated throughout M&T Stadium for the past decade.

Newsome also added safety Bernard Pollard and a pair of offensive linemen who made an immediate difference.

The signing of free agent tackle Bryant McKinnie enabled Michael Oher to move back to the right side – where he is more effective – and free agent guard Andre Gurode has been invaluable during Ben Grubbs’ absence with turf toe.

Oh, and the defense under first-year coordinator Chuck Pagano has been spectacular.

As Lewis said, this is indeed a new team. And it’s not outlandish to believe the Ravens could become even more formidable with the sooner-than-later return of Evans (ankle injury) and cornerbacks Chris Carr (hamstring) and Jimmy Smith (ankle).

“The scary part is, I think we can only get better,” Rice said. “What you’re seeing is a token of hard work. Guys are not afraid to work.”

The Ravens aren’t good enough to just show up and win. That was proven in Week 2, when they followed up their emotional victory over the Steelers with a 23-13 defeat at Tennessee. Then came a 37-7 rout in St. Louis and a surprisingly easy 34-17 win over the New York Jets.

Against the Jets, Baltimore scored three touchdowns on defense and allowed only seven first downs to hit the first quarter of the season tied with five teams for the best record in the AFC.

“We can’t ask for anything else,” Lewis said.

Moments after the Jets game, there was an aura of cautious confidence in the locker room.

“We feel good,” center Matt Burk said.

“Certainly we wish we were 4-0, but we’re 3-1. We take pride in what we’ve done to this point, but when we come back from the bye it’s a whole new deal. There’s still a long, long way to go in this thing. They didn’t pass out the Lombardi Trophy after this game. Good teams get better as the season goes. We’ll see where this thing goes and where this journey takes us.”

The goal is to get to Indianapolis, site of the Super Bowl, and the easiest way to get there is to play at home leading up to the game.

The Ravens were eliminated at Pittsburgh in 2008 and 2010, and in 2009 their postseason run ended in Indianapolis.

Baltimore has won 12 of its past 13 at home, including two this season in which it outscored the two participants in the 2010 AFC title game by a combined 45 points.

“We’re only going to get better, but getting better is a choice. It’s based on how hard we decide to work,” coach John Harbaugh said. “I’m excited, I’m proud of these guys, yet, hey, we have a long way to go.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

STEELERS AT RAVENS

Posted: September 11
Updated: Today at 1:40 AM

Pittsburgh’s trip to Baltimore is not just another game for the combatants on the field.

DAVID GINSBURG AP Sports Writer

BALTIMORE — Whether they clash in the playoffs or September, when the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are on the same field, emotions run high and the collisions are violent.

That’s what makes it the best rivalry in the NFL.

The last time they met, a trip to the AFC title game hung in the balance. The consequences won’t be nearly as significant in Sunday’s opener because, after all, each team will still have 15 games left in the regular season.

Try telling that to Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs.

“The stakes are the same. The stakes are always the same,” Suggs said.

Part of the incentive to win Sunday is taking an early lead in the AFC North. Most of all, it’s about beating a fierce rival.

“It’s always a very physical game, it’s usually close and usually very low scoring,” Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. “It’s two very, very good defenses going against each other, it’s in the division. So I think that adds a little something extra to it.”

The names change from year to year, but the intensity remains the same. Todd Heap, Derrick Mason, Le’Ron McClain, Willis McGahee and Kelly Gregg — all of whom played a significant role with Baltimore last season — are gone.

It makes no difference to Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, who has been a participant in this heated duel since 1996.

“I tell people all the time that there are no better games to play for your legacy,” Lewis said. “When people hear Baltimore and Pittsburgh, everyone is going to have a front row seat because they know exactly what they’re going to get. The players and the people outside the league really care for you because of playing in those rivalries.”

Redskins-Cowboys? Packers-Bears? Anyone who’s been a part of Steelers-Ravens knows there is no comparison to this rivalry.

“It’s the best in sports,” Suggs declared. “Everything the fans want to see out of a rivalry is in this game — the hatred between the two teams, the physicality between the two teams.”

Steelers-Ravens. It’s a double chin-strap game for all the participants, and even that occasionally isn’t enough. In the AFC championship two years ago, McGahee was knocked senseless from a hit by Ryan Clark. Last year in Baltimore, Roethlisberger had his nose broken on the game’s third play.

“I keep telling our guys to stop all the Tweeting stuff, because I’m the one who feels the brunt of it — not our defensive guys,” Roethlisberger said. “I hate playing them, and I hate going down there to play them. But that’s not a knock on them. It’s because they’re so good.”

Roethlisberger has won seven straight starts against Baltimore, but it hasn’t been easy. Five of the last eight games between the teams have been decided by three points, another was 13-9, and Pittsburgh rallied behind Roethlisberger for a 31-24 win last January to end the Ravens’ season.

Close, physical games between two similar teams. That’s what Steelers-Ravens is all about.

It’s been that way for a long time, actually. Lewis remembers when the Ravens beat Pittsburgh 16-0 in the 2000 opener, a victory that started Baltimore on its way to its lone Super Bowl title. You think that game meant nothing to the Ravens because it was played in September?

“I’ll never say this is too early,” Lewis said. “It’s an AFC team, it’s in your division. Deal with what you’ve got to deal with right now.”

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