BALTIMORE (AP) — As long as
Terrell Suggs
continues to go harass opposing quarterbacks, and if defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano repeatedly finds the perfect blitzes
to call, the
Baltimore Ravens
will keep on winning without
Ray Lewis
.

Suggs had three sacks and forced three fumbles as part of an overwhelming defensive performance by the Ravens, who kept the

Indianapolis Colts
winless with a 24-10 victory Sunday.

Lewis, Baltimore’s standout middle linebacker and longtime defensive leader, missed a fourth straight game with a right toe
injury. The Ravens (10-3) have won every one of those games.

“Right now I think we’re all just doing our part holding the levee until the general gets back,” Suggs said. “That’s why I
honestly think we’re playing the way we are.”

Baltimore limited the hapless Colts to 167 yards – just 53 through three quarters. Were it not for a touchdown on the game’s
final play, Indianapolis would have been held without a TD for only the second time since the 2003 season opener.

Baltimore didn’t recover any of the three fumbles that Suggs forced, but he harassed Colts quarterback
Dan Orlovsky
throughout the afternoon.

“We shut them down early, and then they had to start passing the ball,” Ravens defensive tackle
Haloti Ngata
said. “That’s when
Terrell Suggs
went crazy.”

Suggs, a movie buff, described the action this way: “It’s chaos out there. A lot is going on more than you see. It’s like
`The Matrix’ out there with a little bit of `Inception’. It’s a little bit crazy.”

Joe Flacco
threw two touchdown passes and
Ray Rice
ran for 103 yards and a score to help the Ravens win their fourth straight and improve to 7-0 at home. Baltimore is tied with
Pittsburgh for the lead in the AFC North, but the Ravens hold the tiebreaker because of their two wins over the Steelers.

“We have control of our own destiny,” Rice said. “We’re in the driver’s seat. As long as we keep winning, we’ll be fine.”

The Ravens had lost eight straight to Indianapolis, but that was when
Peyton Manning
was healthy and at the top of his game. He has yet to play this year because of a neck injury.

Orlovsky, the third Colts quarterback to start this season, went 17 for 37 for 136 yards and an interception. He was sacked
four times and hounded throughout the game by Suggs.

“He’s as good a pass rusher as I’ve played against,” Orlovsky said of Suggs. “I can’t say anything bad about him as a football
player.”

Suggs attributed Baltimore’s success to the schemes set in place by Pagano, in his first season as Baltimore’s defensive coordinator.
To emphasize the point, Suggs sarcastically made Pagano out to be clueless.

“If anybody trying to hire a head coach, if they ask me I’m going to tell them he (stinks),” Suggs said. “He’s a terrible
coach and his players don’t love him. He don’t know what he’s doing when he’s calling a game.”

The game was far more lopsided than the final score would indicate. Baltimore led 17-3 at halftime and 24-3 in the third quarter,
and the Colts drove 76 yards in the final two minutes in a drive that ended with Orlovsky throwing a 13-yard touchdown pass
to
Jacob Tamme
as time expired.

Indianapolis has three games left in the season. If the Colts don’t win, they will join the 2008
Detroit Lions
as the only NFL team to go 0-16 in a season.

“Losing (stinks), no matter what it is,” Orlovsky said. “Whether it’s football, if it’s rock-paper, none of us like to lose.
There’s nothing fun about losing.”

Colts coach Jim Caldwell said, “We need to find a way to get our team better so we can get a victory. And not just one. We’re
running out of time.”

The Ravens needed less than five minutes to take the lead for good. After the Colts went three and out following the opening
kickoff,
Lardarius Webb
returned a punt 27 yards to the Indianapolis 40 and Flacco capped a six-play drive with an 8-yard touchdown pass to
Torrey Smith
.

Baltimore’s next march covered 66 yards over 13 plays and ended with a 36-yard field goal by
Billy Cundiff
for a 10-0 lead.

The first quarter ended with the Ravens holding a 111-10 advantage in yardage and an 8-1 lead in first downs.

Nothing changed in the second quarter. Baltimore forced a punt and Flacco went 5 for 7 for 54 yards in a 10-play drive that
ended with a 6-yard touchdown run by Rice.

Indianapolis finally got into Baltimore territory when
Joe Lefeged
returned the ensuing kickoff 51 yards. Orlovsky then completed a fourth-down pass to
Dallas Clark
, and
Adam Vinatieri
kicked a field goal to make it 17-3 late in the half.

Baltimore went ahead 24-3 with 3:41 left in the third quarter. Flacco rolled to his right and was near the sideline when he
threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to
Dennis Pitta
in the middle of the end zone.

Flacco went 23 for 31 for 227 yards and an interception.

NOTES: Suggs has a career-high 13 sacks. … The Colts have only six INTs this season. … Flacco went over 3,000 yards passing
and Rice eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing. … Smith’s TD gave him six, tying Jamal Lewis for most by a Ravens rookie. … Indy’s

Dwight Freeney
had two sacks to go over 100 for his career.

© 2011 STATS LLC

Leave any suggestions in the comment box.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Pregame scribbles before today’s Ravens-Browns matchup.

1. I keep trying to figure out how the Browns can beat Baltimore — I can’t find a way. There is one possibility: The Out of Nowhere Game. That’s the game most teams win each year that makes no sense. Last season, the Browns won at New Orleans. In 2009, they beat Pittsburgh. In 2008, they embarrassed the New York Jets. Chris Palmer was 2-2 vs. Pittsburgh and 3-25 vs. the rest of the NFL in the 1999-2000 expansion seasons.

2. I still don’t see it happening.

3. At the start of the season, the lack of depth at linebacker worried me. They were counting on D’Qwell Jackson, Scott Fujita and Chris Gocong. Jackson had played only six games in the previous two seasons. Fujita had missed 12 games in the previous two years. Gocong had stayed healthy. Now, Fujita is done for the year with a broken hand, missing the final five games. The Browns are down to Kaluka Maiava and Titus Brown, who has battled high ankle sprains the last two years.

4. Jackson is having a season worthy of Pro Bowl consideration, as he’s played 100 percent of the snaps. Fujita had played 95 percent, Gocong 76 percent. When Gocong left the game, the Browns usually went with five defensive backs and two linebackers. Maiava (76 total snaps) and Brown (22 snaps) had played little this season.

5. This a big day for long snapper Christian Yount, who takes over for the waived Ryan Pontbriand. Yount was considered one of the best snappers in college football last year at UCLA. Draft and college football expert Phil Steele rated him the fourth-best snapper in college football. He was picked up by Tampa Bay (it seems only the Browns actually draft a snapper), and played seven games before being cut. He was filling in for veteran Andrew Economos, who had been injured and has been the Bucs’ snapper since 2007. Yount being dropped from the roster apparently had nothing to do with his performance.

6. Pontribriand will be paid his $825,000 salary this season. It’s the final year of a 5-year, $4.5 million contract that he had signed. He made about $7 million snapping for the Browns since 2003.

7. This from Ken Moll of Scouts Inc. as he wrote about the game with Baltimore: “The Browns’ Colt McCoy is a talented young quarterback who has size limitations. He has adequate arm strength but can be inconsistent when sitting in the pocket and trying to power the ball into tight spaces. To deliver the ball efficiently, McCoy is best on the edges while scrambling, in bootlegs or dash schemes. Look for (the Ravens) to play more base-combination zone coverages with disciplined four-man rush packages to force McCoy to move the chains from the pocket.”

8. While McCoy has made some good throws rolling out, he also has thrown six of his eight interceptions on the right sideline. The coaches have been telling him to either run out of bounds or throw the ball away when on one of those desperate sprints.

9. As Pat Shurmur prepares to face Pittsburgh and Baltimore for the first time, here’s a look back at the record of some recent Browns coaches: Eric Mangini (1-3, beat Pittsburgh); Romeo Crennel (3-13, he was 3-5 vs., Baltimore, 0-8 vs. Pittsburgh); Butch Davis (6-11, he beat Baltimore five times!); Chris Palmer was 2-2 vs. the Steelers, 0-4 vs. Baltimore.

10. Finally, I am curious to see if Peyton Hillis can have a big game. I’d love to see him finish strong just so the Browns have a viable option at running back next season, especially if Hillis continues with his good attitude that has returned the last few weeks.

That’s all the news for today.

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

What do you guys think about this.

CBSSports.com wire reports
Nov. 20, 2011

BALTIMORE — An uncharacteristic performance by the Baltimore Ravens defense was offset by an uncommonly effective outing by Joe Flacco and the team’s oft-criticized offense.

Flacco threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns, rookie Torrey Smith had six catches for 165 yards, and Baltimore moved into first place in the AFC North with a nerve-racking 31-24 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

Playing without middle linebacker Ray Lewis for the first time in 58 games, the Ravens (7-3) nearly blew a 17-point lead in the final 14 minutes, yielded 483 yards and let rookie quarterback Andy Dalton throw for 373.

But Baltimore got 104 yards rushing and two touchdowns from Ray Rice, and the defense made big plays when it counted most. After Rice was stuffed on a third-and-1 with just over two minutes left, he remained confident.

“I just looked at the clock and I said, ‘Our defense will get it done,’” he recalled. “That’s the faith I have in our guys.”

Even without Lewis, who watched from the sideline after being placed on the inactive list with a toe injury. The Ravens’ spiritual leader and leading tackler saw his unit pick off three passes and turn in a game-saving goal-line stand in the final minute.

Down 31-24, Cincinnati reached the Baltimore 7 before Terrell Suggs collared Dalton, who was called for intentional grounding. On fourth-and-goal, Dalton was sacked by Pernell McPhee.

The Bengals (6-4) needed seven points because on the previous series, an apparent 9-yard touchdown pass from Dalton to Jermaine Gresham was overturned by a replay that determined the receiver didn’t hold onto the ball at the end of a juggling catch. The Bengals settled for a field goal with 5:32 remaining.

“When the receiver went to the ground, he had the ball in his right hand,” referee Ron Winter said. “The ball touched the ground and his hand came off the ball.”

Baltimore is locked in a first-place tie with Pittsburgh in the AFC North, but the Ravens own the tiebreaker by virtue of their two wins over the Steelers.

“No. 1 in the division, that’s huge,” Suggs said. “Now we’re the master of our destiny.”

Even though it wasn’t a banner day for the defense, the three interceptions set up two touchdowns.

“Whenever we can get turnovers, it definitely makes everybody’s job easier,” cornerback Cary Williams said. “It’s just being able to capitalize on opportunities, and we did that today.”

Dalton went 24 for 45 with a touchdown. Cincinnati was without standout rookie wide receiver A.J. Green, who hurt his right knee a week earlier in a loss to Pittsburgh.

But the Bengals gave Baltimore all it could handle.

“We’ve won six games to this point and we’ll win some more,” coach Marvin Lewis said. “We’ve just got to circle the wagons, lick our wounds and go.”

One week earlier, the Bengals came up short in rallying from a 14-0 deficit against Pittsburgh. It was more of the same against the Ravens.

“It comes down to the fourth quarter. That’s how every game’s been for us,” Dalton said. “We’ve got to start faster. We can’t wait around until the end of the game to pick it up, come out and get back in it. It’s definitely going to be a focus for us.”

Baltimore took a 24-14 lead on a 2-yard run by Rice late in the third quarter. The score came after Ravens rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith picked off a pass and returned it 16 yards before fumbling. The loose ball was recovered at the Cincinnati 2 by teammate Brendon Ayanbadejo in a pile that included Winter.

The Bengals’ following possession ended with an interception by Lardarius Webb. On the next play, Torrey Smith split the Bengals’ two-deep zone and caught a 38-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone to make it 31-14.

The Bengals responded with a five-play, 80-yard drive capped by a 49-yard touchdown pass from Dalton to Andre Caldwell, who slipped behind Jimmy Smith down the right sideline.

But the Ravens held on, rebounding after a 22-17 loss at Seattle last week. Baltimore has won 12 straight following a defeat.

“It’s good to bounce back,” Suggs said, “but let’s not take any more steps back.”

The Bengals punted six times in the first half, two short of their season high for an entire game. Cincinnati’s offense managed only 143 yards before halftime, 47 of those on one play.

On the Bengals’ second possession, wide receiver Jerome Simpson made a juggling catch for a 47-yard gain to set up a 7-yard touchdown run by Cedric Benson.

The Ravens didn’t get past midfield until early in the second quarter, following a 15-yard punt by Kevin Huber. Starting at its 45, Baltimore picked up a first down before Flacco tossed a short pass to Anquan Boldin, who ran the final 20 yards for a 35-yard touchdown.

Notes

• Former Ravens kicker Matt Stover was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor during a halftime ceremony.
• Ravens LB Jarret Johnson made his 74th consecutive start, breaking the franchise record previously held by Michael McCrary and Jamie Sharper.
• Baltimore has won seven straight at home and 15 of 16.

If anybody needs tickets to games, remember to click the tickets link at the top.

Thanks for visiting our blog =).

Leave any suggestions in the comment box.

The Ravens were seeking help along the offensive line, preferably a center, but a proposed trade fell apart.

A speedy former third-round draft pick from the University of Miami, Gooden was the most high-profile player the Ravens released yesterday as they got down to the NFL roster limit.

Gooden could have remained on the team if he had accepted a reduction of his $1.2 million salary, but ultimately he declined the offer. Gooden’s tendency to get hurt was another factor in his release.

As the Ravens cut Gooden and fellow veterans in linebacker Prescott Burgess, wide receiver Marcus Smith and running back Jalen Parmele, the departures created opportunities for rookie running back Anthony Allen, outside linebacker Michael McAdoo, undrafted wide receiver LaQuan Williams and inside linebacker Jason Phillips.

Williams emerged as the biggest surprise of the Ravens’ preseason, outshining fellow former University of Maryland wide receiver Torrey Smith, the Ravens’ second-round draft pick.

Williams’ blend of punt return skills and playmaking ability as a receiver earned him one of the final roster spots as he caught four passes for 84 yards and averaged 35.5 yards per punt return and 30.5 yards per kickoff return.

“It’s a great feeling,” Williams told the Times in a telephone interview. “It’s something I’ve been working towards my entire life. I just needed the opportunity, and I made the best of it. It was just me coming in and knowing what I was capable of.

“I knew I had the talents. Now, I have to keep it up. This is the first phase for me. I’ve got to keep getting better. You can’t relax or take it easy. You’ve got to keep pushing every day.”

Phillips made the team behind the strength of an interception and a fumble recovery during the Ravens’ preseason finale victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

The former Texas Christian standout had expected to make the squad.

“I want to make the decision as hard on them as I can,” Phillips said before learning his fate. “I definitely think I helped myself out.”

Meanwhile, rookie cornerback Chykie Brown also made a good final impression on the coaching staff and personnel department. The fifth-round draft pick from the University of Texas returned an interception 65 yards for a touchdown against the Falcons.

By choosing Allen over Parmele in what amounted to a mild surprise, the Ravens kept all eight of their draft picks on the roster

The Ravens held onto several young players rather than expose them to the waiver wire where they could potentially be claimed by another team. The team is upbeat about its rookie class, especially first-round cornerback Jimmy Smith.

“I was talking about that with Jimmy,” Allen said. “This rookie class, we brought a little personality to this team. Hopefully, we can contribute right away and help the team win.”

Parmele scored a touchdown, but he also lost a fumble and averaged just three yards per carry.

A seventh-round draft pick from Georgia Tech, Allen veraged 6.8 yards per carry and scored a touchdown.

“It feels great,” said Allen, who got the news that he had made the team from coach John Harbaugh. “I feel like all the hard work I put out came back to me. There was some anxiety, but you can only control what you can control.

“I talked to coach Harbaugh and it was a short meeting. He came up to me and told me congratulationsthat I made the team, and he told me that he expects good things out of me and to make sure I learn everything I need to know on special teams.”

In a move that speaks volumes about his long-term potential, McAdoo made the team after going undrafted in the NFL supplemental draft in late August.

McAdoo hadn’t played football in over a year after being declared ineligible due to NCAA and academic violations, but the athletic, lanky 6-foot-7, 245-pound had a sack and forced fumble against the Falcons when he hit quarterback John Parker Wilson.

“It’s a dream come true,” McAdoo said. “Everything happened so fast. I had to take it how it was given to me. A couple weeks ago I wasn’t on a team and I didn’t know how it things were going to go. I’m so glad I’m here. I think how I played in the game helped me a lot.”

It’s a gloomier outlook, though, for second-year offensive tackle Ramon Harewood.

He was placed on injured reserve for the second year in a row after a magnetic resonance imaging exam revealed a torn ligament in his ankle that will require surgery to repair the damage. A sixth-round draft pick from Morehouse last year, Harewood missed his entire rookie season after undergoing surgeries on both knees. Dr. Robert Anderson, a specialist in Charlotte, N.C., is set to perform the procedure.

Kris Wilson beat out Davon Drew for the third tight end job, parlaying a team-high eight receptions for 101 yards into a niche after being signed during training camp.

Besides cutting Drew, Gooden, Burgess, Smith and Parmele, the Ravens also released center Tim Barnes, running back Damien Berry, center-guard Justin Boren, linebacker Josh Bynes, third quarterback Hunter Cantwell, defensive tackle Lamar Divens, cornerback Danny Gorrer, defensive tackle Bryan Hall, wide receiver James Hardy, cornerback Talmadge Jackson, wide receiver Brandon Jones, fullback Ryan Mahaffey, tight end Johdrick Morris, center Jason Murphy, offensive tackle Andre Ramsey, long snapper Patrick Scales, safety Mana Silva, defensive tackle Derek Simmons, cornerback Josh Victorian, linebacker Chavis Williams and safety Nate Williams.

A former Buffalo Bills second-round draft pick blessed with size, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Hardy was hampered for nealry the entire preseason with a hamstring problem.

Divens was beaten out by Brandon McKinney for the final defensive line spot.

A Baltimore native who lives near the Ravens’training complex, Murphy is hoping to get another opportunity with the Ravens in the future.”

“I told coach Harbaugh I appreciated the opportunity,” Murphy said. “I’m a phone call away. I’m right down the street. He said the same thing.”

Under NFL rules, the Ravens can form an eight-man practice squad as soon as today and have already informed several players to remain in town to be signed.

“It looks like I’m going to be on the practice squad,” said Berry, an undrafted rookie from the University of Miami. “It’s a starting point. I’m not complaining. They could have told me to go home. I’m still a Raven. Luckily, I’m still here.”

That’s all for today.

Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice(notes) is about to enter into his final season under contract with the team and would like to stick around for more.

“You start to think about where you want to play long-term,” Rice said, the Baltimore Sun reports. “I don’t see why I wouldn’t want to stay in Baltimore. I’ve done right by them. I’m hoping one day that we’re all right for each other and make it a long-term deal.”"

Rice, who has averaged 119.3 yards per game for the last two seasons, will earn $550,000 this year. Last year, the 24-year-old gained 1,220 yards rushing and scored five touchdowns.

Let the rumors come to you. Follow Scoop du Jour on Twitter or Facebook.

Source: Baltimore Sun

Related: Baltimore Ravens

Thanks for reading! .