The Baltimore Ravens remind me of another absurdly arrogant Beltway team — the Washington Capitals.

Both behave as if they have won something of signficance when everybody knows they haven’t.

Not unless you go back 11 years, anyway, and the only player left from the Ravens’ 2000 Super Bowl team is Ray Lewis.

Check that. I’m sorry. The Ravens did win a Super Bowl recently. You probably saw the footage. Their coach giddily flapped his arms during the final minutes of the blowout win. Players laughed and danced on the sidelines.

I would have sworn the Ravens popped champagne and threw a ticker-tape parade, too, until I remembered one key detail: The game took place in early September.

It was the first game of the season.

Even now, eight weeks after their 35-7 victory over the Steelers, the Ravens obviously need a reminder that seasons aren’t made before Thanksgiving.

Check out this quote from running back Ray Rice, as his team prepped for a visit to Heinz Field: “If we win, we’ve swept them. We don’t have to worry about Pittsburgh no more the rest of the year.”

Really? Somebody should tell Rice that even with a win, the teams would be separated by a single loss with two months left in the regular season, to say nothing of a possible third meeting in the playoffs.

The biggest games are yet to be played, but it would be silly to minimize the importance of this one. Especially for Baltimore.

Forget about their sour playoff endings, this is the victory the Ravens have been unable to secure under John Harbaugh– the critical regular season win that could help earn them a bye and some home playoff dates.

Though the Ravens tout their 4-3 road playoff record under Harbaugh, it’s more of a blemish than a badge. That many road games prove they haven’t taken care of business in the regular season.

Three factors traditionally ruin the Ravens:

1. The Steelers.

2. A self-destructive offense.

3. A lack of humility.

Taking the last issue first, you might remember some Ravens players laughing and waving to the Heinz Field crowd as they ran off with a 21-7 halftime lead in last year’s playoffs.

Or you could simply refer to the season-opener. Have you ever seen the Steelers celebrate a regular-season win — let alone one in September — like that?

The Steelers were mum on the subject this week, but they are often mum on such topics until after the fact.

Exhibit A: Last year’s AFC Championship, when Mike Tomlin played nice all week with Rex Ryan, who said the game “wasn’t personal” to him, as opposed to the previous week’s game against the Patriots.

Well, there was Tomlin afterward, greeting his players outside the locker room and shouting, “Maybe next time it’ll be personal!”

You know he pounded the disrespect angle that week.

All you need to know this week is what Hines Ward said after the loss in Baltimore: “We’ll remember everything.”

Not that there was much love between these teams, anyway. Steelers tackle Max Starks is no fan of Baltimore’s boastful style.

“It’s just a different type of demeanor down there in Baltimore, amongst their players,” Starks said. “They have their way of doing things. Fine. But I don’t condone it.”

As for the Ravens’ offense, well, some things don’t change — even if Baltimore did break out a no-huddle attack to beat woeful Arizona.

I asked linebacker Terrell Suggs on Wednesday the same question I asked him before last year’s playoff game: Why should anyone believe the Ravens’ offense will finally rise to a critical occasion?

“That’s a good question,” Suggs said. “Why should anybody believe it’s going to be different, until we show it?”

I’ll believe it when I see it. Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco was alleged to have shed his Steelers demons last season, when he finally won at Heinz Field. Four months later, he disintegrated on the very same patch of grass.

After the season-opener, it was “Flacco finally beat Big Ben and got the monkey off his back.”

Not exactly.

I mean, until he finds a way NOT to kill his team when it matters most, Flacco will have done nothing more than shoo a baby orangutan off his back. The gorilla’s still there.

Nobody should be shocked if the Ravens offense implodes again, in a game that should go a long way toward deciding the AFC North. The Steelers, remember, still have their secret weapon: Baltimore offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.

On the other hand, it is entirely possible the Ravens exploit a wounded Steelers defense and win the game.

And then carry Harbaugh off the field.

NORTHBROOK, Ill. (STATS)—The Baltimore Ravens staged an impressive
comeback win Sunday, and in the process came up with an extremely effective way
of protecting Joe Flacco(notes).

While falling behind by three touchdowns and moving into a continual
hurry-up offense is not the traditional path to victory, the Arizona Cardinals
could be at the point where they’ll try just about anything to give Kevin Kolb(notes)
some time.

In an overall down week for offensive lines, Baltimore graded out tops in
the league with its season-best 90.1 in the New York Life Protection Index.
Bolstered by the quick tempo they were forced into by an early deficit, Flacco
and the Ravens finished strong in their 30-27 win over Arizona, which again saw
the struggling Kolb battered due to a league-worst minus-25.4 mark.

The NYLPI is a proprietary formula created by STATS LLC which measures pass
protection by using metrics such as length of passes, penalties by offensive
linemen, sacks allowed and quarterback hurries and knockdowns.

The Ravens scored 36.3 points higher in the index than they did a week ago,
when they were shockingly overmatched by Jacksonville in a 12-7 Monday night
loss. They didn’t play much better for the first two quarters Sunday afternoon,
either.

But something clicked just before the half, as Baltimore went no-huddle on
their last possession of the second quarter and drove 62 yards before a sack and
field goal left them with a 24-6 deficit at the break. Coach John Harbaugh
elected to continue that strategy in the second half, and Flacco went on to
complete 19 of his next 28 passes for 238 yards and no interceptions, getting
sacked just once.

“I think they played better as the game went on,” Harbaugh said of his
offensive line. “I think the tempo helped us. Joe mentioned that, the fact that
the no-huddle stuff kept them out of some of their pressures. They still
pressured, but it’s hard to rush the passer when you start getting tired. So I
think that helped us, too.”

The Ravens’ NYLPI was the lowest by any week’s leader this season, but it
was hard for Harbaugh not to be optimistic that his line’s late performance
could help turn a corner and provide solid momentum for its key matchup against
archrival Pittsburgh this weekend.

“My assessment is that they’ll be ready to play against Pittsburgh, and
we’ll be the best offensive line we can be,” Harbaugh said. “That’s the only
thing you really need to assess as a coach. You look for ways to get better,
anything specifically, and we try to work on all those things.”

For the Cardinals, there are no shortage of things to work on, and pass
protection may be at the forefront. Kolb was sacked a season-worst six times and
knocked down nine. Outside of an early 66-yard catch-and-run to Larry
Fitzgerald(notes), he completed just 9 of 20 passes for 87 yards.

Looking for help, coach Ken Whisenhunt replaced right tackle Brandon Keith(notes)
with Jeremy Bridges(notes) during the game. He hasn’t decided whether the move is
permanent.

“It’s hard to make a wholesale change on the line,” Whisenhunt said. “There
were some aspects of the game that the line did very well. That gets overlooked
because you look at the stats and you look at the number of sacks, which is
tough. You’ve got to walk that line.”

Walking that line – or any other – would be difficult for Kolb, who had his
right foot in a boot Monday to protect a turf toe injury he suffered. His status
for this week’s game against St. Louis is up in the air.

Tim Tebow’s,(notes) however, is not. Coach John Fox confirmed the former Florida
star would get his third straight start Sunday despite another horrific
performance by the Denver offense in a 45-10 drubbing by Detroit.

Although the Broncos actually improved in their week-to-week numbers,
scoring a 26.6 in the NYLPI after finishing with an NFL season-worst minus-25.6
mark in their overtime win at Miami, Tebow likely didn’t sense much of a
difference. He was still sacked seven times and knocked down 10 in the loss to
the Lions.

Tebow didn’t help his cause, finishing 18 of 39 for 172 yards with one
interception and three fumbles – and those numbers were padded in the fourth
quarter after he was just 7 of 20 for 80 yards in the first three.

While the shine on Tebow and the passing game in general may be losing its
luster in Denver, the team recognizes there is plenty of blame to go around.

“As an offense, we need to function as a unit. It takes all 11 guys to
function,” running back Lance Ball(notes) said.

One player Tennessee would love to get functioning is Chris Johnson. Yet
despite the superstar running back’s season-long issues on the ground – 14
carries for 34 yards in his latest disappointment – the Titans have proven to be
quite adept at keeping Matt Hasselbeck(notes) off of it.

For the season, the team moved up to second in the NYLPI after another
strong week of protection. Hasselbeck completed 23 of 33 passes for 224 yards
and one touchdown in a 27-10 win over Indianapolis. He was sacked only once and
knocked down just three times as Tennessee came in second for the week at 88.1.

Last season, Hasselbeck was the second-most sacked quarterback in the
league.

Because of that strong outing, combined with a season-worst one by New
Orleans, the Titans edged closer to the Saints at the top of the season NYPLI.
Coming off a 62-7 win over the Colts in Week 7, New Orleans was stunned in a
31-21 loss to previously winless St. Louis and graded out at just 47.1 on the
index.

Drew Brees(notes) was 30 of 44 for 269 yards and one touchdown, but had two
interceptions and was sacked a season-worst six times. He was knocked down nine
times and hurried three.

The poor performance by the line may have played a part in an argument
between offensive guard Carl Nicks(notes) and line coach Aaron Kromer, which led to the
two having to be separated.

“As you talk about the protection, there’s a lot that can be going into that
and we can do a better job as coaches to work with our tackles or our inside
people,” coach Sean Payton said.

The Baltimore Ravens found out their top-ranked defense can’t win games all
by itself in an unexpected loss their last time out.

Coming off their worst offensive performance in nearly four years, the
Ravens will look to bounce back when they host the reeling Arizona Cardinals on
Sunday.

Baltimore (4-2) dropped out of first place in the AFC North with a 12-7 loss
to lowly Jacksonville on Monday night, gaining a paltry 146 yards of total
offense – its fewest since mustering 104 in a 38-7 defeat to Pittsburgh on Nov.
5, 2007.

Joe Flacco(notes) threw for 137 yards, with 90 coming on the Ravens’ only touchdown
drive in the fourth quarter.

The Ravens had a franchise-low 16 yards at halftime and didn’t have a first
down until the third quarter.

“No excuses. It has to be a lot better. Not even close to the way we’re
capable of performing on offense,” coach John Harbaugh said. “Everybody realizes
that. We have to do a better job, starting with me. I got to do a better job of
making some decisions. We all have to do a better job of coaching, playing,
executing, all those different things.”

Terrell Suggs(notes), one of the Ravens’ defensive standouts, questioned Harbaugh
and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron for providing Ray Rice(notes) with only eight
carries, on which he gained 28 yards and fumbled once.

“You go first-down run and you get a yard, now you’ve got to find a way to
get nine yards on the next two,” Harbaugh said. “By the same token, eight
carries is never going to be a winning formula for Ray Rice, there’s no doubt
about it.”

Rice thinks things will change this week.

“I definitely expect to be more involved,” he said. “My involvement with
this offense hasn’t changed since the beginning of the season. I don’t want them
to feel like they’ve got to force me the ball. I’m not that kind of guy. My
carries come when the whole offense has success. I look forward to having that
success.”

Baltimore’s NFL-best defense did its part Monday, not allowing a touchdown
while giving up only 205 total yards. The Ravens are allowing league-best
averages of 272.7 yards and 13.8 points – neither of which may bode well for a
Cardinals team having offensive struggles of its own.

Arizona (1-5) has lost five straight after last week’s 32-20 defeat to
Pittsburgh, which included another lackluster performance from quarterback Kevin
Kolb(notes).

Since a 309-yard, two-touchdown performance in a Week 1 win over Carolina,
Kolb has thrown seven interceptions to only five touchdowns during the skid and
his 66.8 passer rating during that span ranks last in the league.

He was called for intentional grounding in the end zone which resulted in a
safety last week, and 73 of his 272 passing yards came on a dump-off play to
LaRod Stephens-Howling(notes) which resulted in a touchdown.

Kolb is aware his play must improve if he’s to succeed against Baltimore’s
stifling defense – and if he’s to hold onto his starting job.

“You just have to be mentally tough,” Kolb said. “That’s all you can do. You
have to know that you’re doing it right and get a little extra inch. What choice
do you have? There is no simple answer. All you can do is put your head down and
grind and know that you definitely don’t want to move back.”

Coach Ken Whisenhunt was quick to point out, though, that Kolb isn’t the
only one struggling. Arizona has rushed for less than 100 yards in five of its
six games, though running back Beanie Wells’(notes) knee injury isn’t as serious as
first thought.

Wells is unlikely to play Sunday, but after further evaluation he won’t be
lost for the season as Whisenhunt had feared.

Larry Fitzgerald(notes) has only two games of 100-plus yards this season and hasn’t
caught a touchdown pass in three games.

The Cardinals’ defense, which allowed 445 yards to Pittsburgh, ranks 26th
allowing 388.3 yards per game, and is 28th giving up an average of 25.5 points.

“We have to find somebody to make plays,” Whisenhunt said. “If we have to
make changes across the board for the different positions in order to do that,
that’s what we’re going to do. One-and-five, five straight losses is certainly
frustrating. It’s certainly not from lack of effort – we’re working our tails
off to try to win – but we’ve got to look at every position and if they’re not
getting it done, we have to make changes.”

The Cardinals have lost three straight to the Ravens since a 16-13 win Nov.
23, 1997, in Baltimore.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. – For years, the Baltimore Ravens have tried — without success — to put together an offence that could match the play of its esteemed defence.

They hoped that several off-season moves and the maturation of quarterback Joe Flacco would make a difference this season. Over the first four weeks, it appeared as if the changes had successfully taken hold.

Then came Monday night’s performance in Jacksonville, a stinker of historical proportions that showed just how far Baltimore’s offence has to go to be a factor on a team with Super Bowl aspirations.

The Ravens didn’t make a first down until the third quarter, converted only two of 12 third-down opportunities and managed only 146 yards, including a franchise-record low 16 yards before halftime. It all added up to a 12-7 defeat that dropped Baltimore (4-2) out of first place in the AFC North.

Rather than dance around the subject, coach John Harbaugh on Tuesday acknowledged the obvious.

“No excuses. It has to be a lot better. Not even close to the way we’re capable of performing on offence,” he said. “Everybody realizes that. We have to do a better job, starting with me. I got to do a better job of making some decisions. We all have to do a better job of coaching, playing, executing, all those different things.”

The off-season addition of linemen Bryant McKinnie and Andre Gurode, along with fullback Vonta Leach and wide receiver Lee Evans, was supposed to improve an attack that sputtered at times last season. After the Ravens scored 35 in the opener against Pittsburgh and dropped 37 points on the St. Louis Rams, there was optimism that Baltimore had finally become a complete team.

Not quite.

Ray Rice gained only 28 yards on the ground against the Jaguars and Flacco received very little protection during a night that ended, appropriately, with an interception.

“That was a tough loss,” Harbaugh said. “We played bad on one side of the ball especially, and we didn’t play well enough on the other two sides to overcome that.”

Perhaps, but it’s tough to fault a defence that didn’t allow a touchdown or blame the special teams, even if Billy Cundiff did miss horribly on a 51-yard field goal try.

No, this one was all about the offence — or lack of it. Sure the line is a work in progress, and Evans has been missing for weeks with a sprained ankle. But there is no excuse for a performance that awful.

“We’ve been pretty wildly inconsistent, especially on offence,” Harbaugh said. “With our offensive line situation, I don’t think that’s completely unexpected.”

Offensive co-ordinator Cam Cameron said, “First of all you have to be fundamentally sound. We have some new moving parts. That’s not an excuse. That’s something we’re working through.”

Rice rushed only eight times, lost a fumble and spent long stretches on the bench. He never got into a groove, and the same can be said for the offence as a whole.

“He’s got to get more than eight carries,” Harbaugh said. “We were just trying to find a way to beat the defence and get a first down and get going. Because when you do that, that’s when those carries start adding up. You go three-and-out, three-and-out, three-and-out, it’s going to be hard to get those carries stacked up too much.

“You go first-down run and you get a yard, now you’ve got to find a way to get nine yards on the next two. By the same token, eight carries is never going to be a winning formula for Ray Rice, there’s no doubt about it.”

Harbaugh was asked if Cameron deserved much of the blame.

“It’s warranted for all of us,” he replied. “We all deserve to have fingers pointed at us when the offence plays like that. That’s tough. It’s just a bad performance and everyone knows it. … It’s still early in the season, but we can’t afford more performances like that. We all know that.”

OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Even when Joe Flacco spends half the afternoon on his back and the defence can’t force a turnover, the Baltimore Ravens still can find a way to win.

That’s a comforting thought for a team that’s very good — but far from perfect.

Not a whole lot went right for the Ravens on Sunday against the Houston Texans. Flacco was sacked twice, hurried seven times and intercepted once. He also lost a fumble. Baltimore failed to score touchdowns on half of its four trips inside the red zone, converted only three of 11 third downs and managed only 22 yards rushing on 11 attempts in the first half.

The defence, meanwhile, failed to register a takeaway for the first time in 10 games since last November.

Baltimore won anyway, 29-14, to remain alone atop the AFC North. The Ravens (4-1) trailed in the third quarter before a 16-point run over the final 18 1/2 minutes turned things around.

It didn’t matter that Houston was without injured stars Andre Johnson and Mario Williams. This was a victory the Ravens could savour, mainly because they needed to reach deep to turn the momentum around.

“I’m proud of our team. The way we handled ourselves in the fourth quarter, running the ball, playing defence, making some big completions. That was big for us,” coach John Harbaugh said Monday. “To put a game away like that in the fourth quarter, it’s really important to be able to do that against a good football team.”

The victory made it easier to accept some of the flaws that Harbaugh knows must be corrected if the Ravens are to make a fourth straight trip to the playoffs and make a run to the Super Bowl.

The top priority is shoring up the protection for Flacco, who rarely had time to sit in the pocket and look for an open receiver.

“The thing that was a little bit disappointing was our pass protection,” Harbaugh said. “Joe made some great throws, especially in that first (97-yard scoring) drive, but he got hit every single time. That’s not good. It’s a testament to Joe and his toughness and all that, but we don’t want Joe getting hit like that.”

Harbaugh attributed the breakdown to missed 1-on-1 blocks and in some cases, misunderstood blocking assignments.

Another concern is Baltimore’s performance in the red zone. Although the Ravens scored two touchdowns after getting inside the Houston 20, they had to kick field goals after reaching the seven, 15 and 22.

“We couldn’t run the ball down there, and it hurt us,” Harbaugh said. “And the routes we tried to throw into the end zone were defending. I thought Joe made good decisions not throwing the ball into those coverages, because they probably would have been interceptions.”

That wasn’t the first time, though. Coming in, the Ravens had produced only five touchdowns and eight field goals from 15 trips inside the opponent’s 20.

“We’ve got to get better in the red zone,” Harbaugh said. “We’re happy with the field goals, but we’re not happy with the fact that they’re not touchdowns. We’re not good enough down there yet. We haven’t really been that spectacular down there all year. It’s an area that we have to get better at.”

The Ravens were resourceful enough to win without at their best, even on defence.

“We made some little mistakes, but as long as you play fast, it always makes up for it,” safety Bernard Pollard said. “At the end of the day, we still continued to play football and we came out with a W.”

Next up: A Monday night game at Jacksonville (1-5). The Ravens haven’t played a Monday night game at home since Dec. 3, 2007, and Harbaugh was asked if he was irritated over the slight. … Keeping in mind that his brother, San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, received some unwanted headlines for his post-game celebration and black-slap of Lions coach Jim Schwartz, John said with a chuckle, “Aren’t we in enough controversy in the family right now? We’re happy to go play wherever they put us.”

Not a whole lot went right for the Ravens on Sunday against the Houston Texans. Flacco was sacked twice, hurried seven times and intercepted once. He also lost a fumble. Baltimore failed to score touchdowns on half of its four trips inside the red zone, converted only three of 11 third downs and managed only 22 yards rushing on 11 attempts in the first half.

The defense, meanwhile, failed to register a takeaway for the first time in 10 games since last November.

Baltimore won anyway, 29-14, to remain alone atop the AFC North. The Ravens (4-1) trailed in the third quarter before a 16-point run over the final 18½ minutes turned things around.

It didn’t matter that Houston was without injured stars Andre Johnson and Mario Williams. This was a victory the Ravens could savor, mainly because they needed to reach deep to turn the momentum around.

“I’m proud of our team. The way we handled ourselves in the fourth quarter, running the ball, playing defense, making some big completions. That was big for us,” coach John Harbaugh said Monday. “To put a game away like that in the fourth quarter, it’s really important to be able to do that against a good football team.”

The victory made it easier to accept some of the flaws that Harbaugh knows must be corrected if the Ravens are to make a fourth straight trip to the playoffs and make a run to the Super Bowl.

The top priority is shoring up the protection for Flacco, who rarely had time to sit in the pocket and look for an open receiver.

“The thing that was a little bit disappointing was our pass protection,” Harbaugh said. “Joe made some great throws, especially in that first (97-yard scoring) drive, but he got hit every single time. That’s not good. It’s a testament to Joe and his toughness and all that, but we don’t want Joe getting hit like that.”

Harbaugh attributed the breakdown to missed 1-on-1 blocks and in some cases, misunderstood blocking assignments.

Another concern is Baltimore’s performance in the red zone. Although the Ravens scored two touchdowns after getting inside the Houston 20, they had to kick field goals after reaching the 7, 15 and 22.

“We couldn’t run the ball down there, and it hurt us,” Harbaugh said. “And the routes we tried to throw into the end zone were defending. I thought Joe made good decisions not throwing the ball into those coverages, because they probably would have been interceptions.”

That wasn’t the first time, though. Coming in, the Ravens had produced only five touchdowns and eight field goals from 15 trips inside the opponent’s 20.

“We’ve got to get better in the red zone,” Harbaugh said. “We’re happy with the field goals, but we’re not happy with the fact that they’re not touchdowns. We’re not good enough down there yet. We haven’t really been that spectacular down there all year. It’s an area that we have to get better at.”

The Ravens were resourceful enough to win without at their best, even on defense.

“We made some little mistakes, but as long as you play fast, it always makes up for it,” safety Bernard Pollard said. “At the end of the day, we still continued to play football and we came out with a W.”

Next up: A Monday night game at Jacksonville (1-5). The Ravens haven’t played a Monday night game at home since Dec. 3, 2007, and Harbaugh was asked if he was irritated over the slight.

Keeping in mind that his brother, San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, received some unwanted headlines for his postgame celebration and black-slap of Lions coach Jim Schwartz, John said with a chuckle, “Aren’t we in enough controversy in the family right now? We’re happy to go play wherever they put us.”

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

Even when Joe Flacco spends half the afternoon on his back and the defense can’t force a turnover, the Baltimore Ravens still can find a way to win.

That’s a comforting thought for a team that’s very good — but far from perfect.

Not a whole lot went right for the Ravens on Sunday against the Houston Texans. Flacco was sacked twice, hurried seven times and intercepted once. He also lost a fumble. Baltimore failed to score touchdowns on half of its four trips inside the red zone, converted only three of 11 third downs and managed only 22 yards rushing on 11 attempts in the first half.

The defense, meanwhile, failed to register a takeaway for the first time in 10 games since last November.

Baltimore won anyway, 29-14, to remain alone atop the AFC North. The Ravens (4-1) trailed in the third quarter before a 16-point run over the final 18½ minutes turned things around.

It didn’t matter that Houston was without injured stars Andre Johnson and Mario Williams. This was a victory the Ravens could savor, mainly because they needed to reach deep to turn the momentum around.

“I’m proud of our team. The way we handled ourselves in the fourth quarter, running the ball, playing defense, making some big completions. That was big for us,” coach John Harbaugh said Monday. “To put a game away like that in the fourth quarter, it’s really important to be able to do that against a good football team.”

The victory made it easier to accept some of the flaws that Harbaugh knows must be corrected if the Ravens are to make a fourth straight trip to the playoffs and make a run to the Super Bowl.

The top priority is shoring up the protection for Flacco, who rarely had time to sit in the pocket and look for an open receiver.

“The thing that was a little bit disappointing was our pass protection,” Harbaugh said. “Joe made some great throws, especially in that first (97-yard scoring) drive, but he got hit every single time. That’s not good. It’s a testament to Joe and his toughness and all that, but we don’t want Joe getting hit like that.”

Harbaugh attributed the breakdown to missed 1-on-1 blocks and in some cases, misunderstood blocking assignments.

Another concern is Baltimore’s performance in the red zone. Although the Ravens scored two touchdowns after getting inside the Houston 20, they had to kick field goals after reaching the 7, 15 and 22.

“We couldn’t run the ball down there, and it hurt us,” Harbaugh said. “And the routes we tried to throw into the end zone were defending. I thought Joe made good decisions not throwing the ball into those coverages, because they probably would have been interceptions.”

That wasn’t the first time, though. Coming in, the Ravens had produced only five touchdowns and eight field goals from 15 trips inside the opponent’s 20.

“We’ve got to get better in the red zone,” Harbaugh said. “We’re happy with the field goals, but we’re not happy with the fact that they’re not touchdowns. We’re not good enough down there yet. We haven’t really been that spectacular down there all year. It’s an area that we have to get better at.”

The Ravens were resourceful enough to win without at their best, even on defense.

“We made some little mistakes, but as long as you play fast, it always makes up for it,” safety Bernard Pollard said. “At the end of the day, we still continued to play football and we came out with a W.”

Next up: A Monday night game at Jacksonville (1-5). The Ravens haven’t played a Monday night game at home since Dec. 3, 2007, and Harbaugh was asked if he was irritated over the slight.

Keeping in mind that his brother, San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, received some unwanted headlines for his postgame celebration and black-slap of Lions coach Jim Schwartz, John said with a chuckle, “Aren’t we in enough controversy in the family right now? We’re happy to go play wherever they put us.”

Updated Oct 14, 2011 8:56 PM ET

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP)

The NFL has fined Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice $7,500 for grabbing the facemask of St. Louis Rams cornerback Bradley Fletcher.

Rice plans to appeal. No penalty was called on the play.

It is not illegal to stiff-arm an opponent, but the league said offensive players are not allowed to grab an opponent’s facemask. Raven coach John Harbaugh says ”he didn’t really see” whether Rice grabbed or twisted Fletcher’s facemask.

The play occurred in the Ravens’ 37-7 win over the Rams on Sept. 25.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The NFL has fined Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice $7,500 for grabbing the facemask of St. Louis Rams cornerback Bradley Fletcher.

Rice plans to appeal. No penalty was called on the play.

It is not illegal to stiff-arm an opponent, but the league said offensive players are not allowed to grab an opponent’s facemask. Raven coach John Harbaugh said “he didn’t really see” whether Rice grabbed or twisted Fletcher’s facemask.

The play occurred in the Ravens’ 37-7 win over the Rams on Sept. 25.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP)—The NFL has fined Baltimore Ravens running back Ray
Rice(notes) $7,500 for grabbing the facemask of St. Louis Rams cornerback Bradley
Fletcher(notes).

Rice plans to appeal. No penalty was called on the play.

It is not illegal to stiff-arm an opponent, but the league said offensive
players are not allowed to grab an opponent’s facemask. Raven coach John
Harbaugh says “he didn’t really see” whether Rice grabbed or twisted
Fletcher’s facemask.

The play occurred in the Ravens’ 37-7 win over the Rams on Sept. 25.

“We knew this was coming and we prepared for it,” Ravens Coach John Harbaugh said.

Todd Washington, a former NFL player who was hired as the Ravens’ assistant line coach this year, will take over for Moeller during the suspension.

“Todd’s done a very good job,” Harbaugh said. “Obviously, it’s always a group effort. Andy set things up very well.”

Moeller, 47, was stopped Sept. 18 by a state trooper on the outer loop of the Beltway at Greenspring Avenue after going 70 mph in a 55-mph zone, according to police records. He had a strong odor of alcohol and stumbled during a sobriety test, according to the statement of facts presented by the prosecution.

This marked the third time since December 2007 that Moeller had been arrested on alcohol-related charges. He was acquitted of driving while under the influence in May and was given probation for driving while visibly impaired in Ann Arbor, Mich., in 2007.

Moeller was promoted from assistant offensive line coach when the Ravens fired John Matsko four days after the playoff loss at Pittsburgh.

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti indicated at the end of the season that this is Moeller’s “final chance.”

“He’s either going to get it under control or he’s going to spend a lifetime of misery like other people that are affected by that,” Bisciotti said in January. “We’re behind him as long as he earns trust and continues to earn that trust. But he knows he’s one step away from not being a Raven and then probably not being in the NFL at all.”

Ravens center Matt Birk said he was surprised to hear about Moeller’s suspension, but he didn’t feel there would be many changes with Washington stepping in.

“It’s pretty much the same,” Birk said. “They’re different personalities, different guys, but coming into training camp, Coach Moeller and Coach Washington are on the same page on how we do things around here.”

Birk appears ready to start

Birk has fully participated in the Ravens’ last three days of practice — a promising sign that the 14-year veteran will start Sunday.

Birk, who underwent surgery on his left knee on Aug. 3, declined to put a percentage on the knee’s strength and stability, but he sounded optimistic that he would suit up against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“I don’t like to do the percentages or anything,” he said. “I’ll keep treating it and [get] it to feel as good as it can on Sunday. And then we’ll just give it everything we’ve got.”

Starting left guard Ben Grubbs did not practice because of what the team has described as a thigh injury, but he is listed as probable. Backup inside linebacker Jason Phillips is questionable despite overcoming a concussion and fully practicing on Friday.

“He was good today,” Harbaugh said of Phillips after practice. “He banged his nose. He’s got such a great-looking nose anyway. But he’s okay.”

The Steelers have an injury concern in wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery, who did not practice for the second consecutive day. Cotchery, who has been bothered by a hamstring injury, is listed as doubtful. Pittsburgh ruled out backup linebacker Chris Carter (hamstring).

— Baltimore Sun

OWINGS MILLS – In a contrast to previous years, the Baltimore
Ravens are currently planning to play several offensive starters
during a preseason finale Thursday night against the Atlanta
Falcons.

That would include quarterback Joe Flacco and the Ravens’ new-look
offensive line consisting of left tackle Bryant McKinnie, left
guard Ben Grubbs, center Matt Birk, right guard Marshal Yanda and
right tackle Michael Oher.

“Yeah as of now, I think I will,” said Flacco, who hasn’t played in
the fourth preseason game for the past two years. “I don’t know how
much.”

McKinnie was just signed last week to a two-year deal worth up to
$7.5 million.

Birk missed the first three preseason games after undergoing knee
surgery.

Yanda has been sidelined with back spasms.

And Oher is moving over from left tackle.

Grubbs is the lone lineman to play every preseason game at his
usual spot.

“Any work is good work,” Grubbs said. “They call our number, we’ll
be ready.”

Ravens coach John Harbaugh declined to get into any specifics when
asked how he’ll utilize his starters against Atlanta.

The lack of preparation time due to the NFL lockout wiping out the
entire offseason is a factor in the decision.

“We’ll see,” Harbaugh said. “That’s my thoughts on it. We’re just
going to see how we’re going to handle it. It’s really to be
determined.

“We’ve talked about it and we’re going to figure it out, but it is
different and that’s why it’s not as cut and dry as it usually
is.”

Building timing with the offensive line, though, could be a
valuable reason to do something out of the box.

“It would help, it’d be better than them not playing, but there’s
risks involved with that,” Harbaugh said. “So, that’s the
dilemma.”

BIG GAME: This marks a big game for veteran wide
receiver James Hardy.

The former Buffalo Bills second-round pick hasn’t played in any
preseason games and has rarely practiced due to a chronic hamstring
injury.

He has been practicing this week and is expected to play
extensively against the Falcons. It’s his last shot to impress the
coaching staff and earn a roster spot.

“We just haven’t seen him, and it’s no fault of his own,” Harbaugh
said. “He’s worked really hard to get that hamstring back. The
trainers will tell you, he’s been a model citizen in there. But
this was a big camp for him and he missed it. So, this is his one
shot.”

LAWRENCE PLACED ON IR: Running back Matt Lawrence
was placed on injured reserve due to a concussion, ending his
season and getting the Ravens down to the NFL roster limit of 80
players.

This marks the third year in a row that the former University of
Massachusetts player has been placed on injured reserve.

Lawrence missed last season due to a knee injury after beginning
the year on the physically unable to perform list.

The Ravens could opt to remove Lawrence from injured reserve and
shed his salary by negotiating an injury settlement.

INJURY UPDATES: Wide receiver Lee Evans (left
foot) didn’t practice for the third day in a row.

Cornerback Chris Carr (left hamstring) and offensive lineman Mark
LeVoir (undisclosed) didn’t practice for the second consecutive
day.

LeVoir’s unspecified injury isn’t believed to be serious and he’s
expected to return soon.

QUICK HITS: Once Flacco and rookie Tyrod Taylor
are out of the game, the coaches plan to look at third quarterback
Hunter Cantwell. “You just look for him to play well,” Harbaugh
said. “He’s made some throws and he’s gotten better in practice.
I’d like to see that show up in a game. “Run the offense, make the
protection adjustments, all those different things. It’s a great
opportunity for Hunter, just like all the other guys.” … This is
the Ravens’ first road trip of the season where they have to board
an airplane to get there. “For the veterans, it’s no big deal,”
Harbaugh said. “For the young guys, it’ll be interesting for them.
That’s a loud stadium even in the preseason. We’ve been there
before. For the guys that make the team, it’s really important
because they’ll understand how that works now for the regular
season.” … The Ravens didn’t use offensive guard Jason Murphy
against the Redskins after signing him to a one-year deal. He’s
slated to play a lot against the Falcons, though. “This is my
chance, really,” said Murphy, a Baltimore native. “It’s a great
line. I think I can be a great supporting help to them.”

Reach staff writer Aaron Wilson at 410-857-7896 or
sports@carrollcountytimes.com.

© 2011 Carroll County Times. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

OWINGS MILLS – It was three years ago that Rex Ryan parked his
red pickup truck in the spot designated for the Baltimore Ravens’
head coach when he showed up for his job interview.

The Ravens wound up hiring former Philadelphia Eagles special teams
coordinator John Harbaugh instead of Ryan, their swaggering,
popular defensive coordinator.

Three years later, Ryan has led the Jets to consecutive AFC title
game appearances while Harbaugh has coached Baltimore to three
consecutive playoff appearances with one trip to the AFC
championship

Why did owner Steve Bisciotti and the rest of the hiring committee
opt for Harbaugh?

“From a chemistry standpoint, we really liked John and we
thought it was going to be tougher for Rex to bring the whole team
together after him spending 10 years on one side of the ball that
was the dominant side of the ball,” Bisciotti said during a
conference call with personal-seat license holders. “I’ve known Rex
for an awful long time. We had struggled for so long on the
offensive side of the ball, and we were so dominant on the
defensive side of the ball. Through no fault of Rex’s, I think it
created a little bit of the haves and have-nots, kind of a big
brother-little brother syndrome here.”

The personalities of Harbaugh and Ryan, an outspoken coach prone to
bravado, are vastly different. Plus, Ryan wasn’t completely
accountable during his interview about how some of his defensive
players were disrespectful to former coach Brian Billick.

Harbaugh has won 32 of 48 games and four of seven playoff
games.

“I will always be second-guessed,” Bisciotti said. “Some people
will agree with me and some people won’t. I just had to make a gut
decision, and so far it’s worked out pretty well. I hope it gets us
to the Super Bowl and brings back a couple of trophies to
Baltimore.”

Bisciotti remains upbeat about the prospects of the team brokering
a long-term contract extension with franchise defensive tackle
Haloti Ngata.

“I have no doubt in my mind that Haloti is going to be with us,”
Bisciotti said. “We’re just trying to work out the details. I’m
having a hard time giving away $60 million. That whole hometown
discount with Ray Lewis didn’t work out so well for me. I don’t
know if that’s going to happen with Haloti.”

Although no deal is imminent as talks continue between Ravens vice
president of football administration Pat Moriarty and Ngata’s
agents, Bisciotti doesn’t ask general manager Ozzie Newsome for
constant updates.

Under NFL rules governing franchise players, the Ravens have until
Sept. 20 to sign the Pro Bowl defensive lineman. It’s going to be a
very expensive undertaking to lock up Ngata, one of the top
defensive players in the game regardless of position.

“I don’t ask Oz if they are close or not,” Bisciotti said. “I just
have a feeling that things are going to work out.”

The Ravens are roughly $2.8 million under the NFL salary cap limit
of $120.375 million.

Signing Ngata would create several million dollars of salary-cap
space since he’s currently taking up $12.476 million on a one-year
franchise tender.

Bisciotti said he doesn’t get involved in contract talks.

“The players are real nice to me on the sidelines,” Bisciotti said.
“When I talk to them about signing, they tell me to talk to their
agents.”

The Ravens need depth on the offensive line and a backup
quarterback, not to mention an emergency fund in case starters get
hurt and need to be replaced.

“I sure wish we could get a little more cap room,” Bisciotti said.
“We are up against it, and there’s still some good players out
there and I think there is going to be more. I think there are
going to a lot of veterans that get released.

“And a lot of veterans are going to want to play for a team like
the Ravens for the minimum or a little more than that with some
incentives. We still have a little room. We are still in the hunt
for some offensive linemen and anything else that drops in our
laps.”

The Ravens prefer to not have to move offensive guard Marshal Yanda
to right tackle.

“We know the best spot for Marshal Yanda is guard,” Bisciotti
said.

Although six-time Pro Bowl center Matt Birk has been sidelined
since undergoing surgery on his left knee, Steve Bisciotti
anticipates that he’ll be ready for the first game against the
Pittsburgh Steelers.

Birk is expected to miss the majority of the preseason while
recovering from having a bursa sac injury repaired.

“Every indication is that he’s going to play, we’re counting on
him,” Bisciotti said. “The original prognosis was three or four
weeks, which would put us right up against the season opener. I
haven’t heard anything different. ..

“We are hoping to have him, and we were planning on limiting his
snaps like we do with a lot of the veterans anyway. After his
exceptional career, I don’t know that a lack of snaps is going to
be important at a position like that. Say your prayers, I think
he’s going to be starting against Pittsburgh on Sept. 11.”

Bisciotti expressed support for offensive coordinator Cam Cameron
whose offense didn’t perform as expected last season. The Ravens
wound up firing offensive line coach John Matsko and quarterbacks
coach Jim Zorn rather than dismiss Cameron.

“I have faith in Cam,” Bisciotti said. “We fire coaches around here
and we will continue to fire coaches. He’s a good guy, a brilliant
mind. I understand all the pressure that was put on Cam in the
offseason. I like a Cam Cameron under pressure.”

Bisciotti said he’s an advocate of warm-weather sites for Super
Bowls. What about Baltimore hosting a Super Bowl since New York is
getting one?

“We got to get through this New York one first,” Bisciotti said.
“If it works, we’ll be in line like everyone else. If they have bad
weather, it might never come again. I’m not thrilled to have it in
New York.”

Bisciotti wants the Ravens to be competitive on an annual
basis.

“My goal is to never have a 4-12 team out on the field,” Bisciotti
said. “I’m going to work my butt off to make sure that doesn’t
happen.’

And he predicted that the Ravens will make the playoffs and
defended quarterback Joe Flacco.

“I believe in our team,” he said. “I believe in Joe. I believe in
our coaches.”

Bisciotti said he’s aware that he’s not a trained football expert,
but said: “I’ve got a little bit of a feel.”

The Anne Arundel County businessman said he tries to play devil’s
advocate when it comes to personnel decisions and reminds the
football people about the financial ramifications.

Although the Ravens haven’t been contacted by the NFL about playing
a game in London, he’s all for it.

“I would love to get some more Ravens fans across the pond,”
Bisciotti said. “They haven’t come to me. My time is going to come
up and I’m going to accept it when it does.”

Bisciotti closed the call by expressing his appreciation for the
fans .

“Baltimore fans, Ravens fans, I love you,” Bisciotti said. “You’re
the best. Everything I do is trying to bring you a winner. I
appreciate your support. We’re not perfect here, but lord knows we
try. Hopefully, we’ll be setting up a parade in the near future. I
certainly hope so.”

Reach staff writer Aaron Wilson at 410-85-7896 or
sports@carrollcountytimes.com.

© 2011 Carroll County Times. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

for another wideout

OWINGS MILLS – Unable to convince imposing wide receiver Malcom Floyd to leave San Diego – he signed a two-year deal with the Chargers – the Baltimore Ravens are still hoping to get Derrick Mason to rejoin them.

Mason is mulling whether to return to Baltimore after being cut days into training camp due to his scheduled $4.5 million salary. His other choices are a veteran minimum offer with the New York Jets or going back to the Tennessee Titans, where he began his career. The Ravens are believed to be the front-runners for Mason.

“I’m carefully considering all the options available to me right now,” Mason said in a statement provided to the Times. “I’ve been speaking with my family and my agent and hope to come to a decision very shortly.”

A two-time Pro Bowl selection and the Ravens’ all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards, Mason’s decision is expected to come down to three factors as he approaches the end of his career: chances of winning a Super Bowl, financial package, his projected role and proximity to family.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh had been texting back and forth with Mason, 37, but said he hasn’t in the past day.

“Not in the last 24 hours,” Harbaugh said. “I’ve been on the practice field; I don’t bring a phone out here, as you all well know.”

If the Ravens are unable to get Mason back on the team, then they could turn their attention toward former Jets wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery.

Cotchery underwent back surgery after last season, but has resumed running and cutting. However, he was cut by the Jets after failing a physical.

“There are several teams interested in Jerricho,” said Jack Scharf, Cotchery’s agent. “Jerricho is healthy now and we’re looking for the right fit for him. He’s cleared to play football. The back is fine.”

It’s a thin group of currently available free agent wideouts, including retired Randy Moss, hobbled Terrell Owens, Steve Smith, former Ravens receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Bryant Johnson.

The Ravens haven’t ruled out getting another veteran wide receiver to work in tandem with former Pro Bowl selection Anquan Boldin. The Ravens added former Buffalo Bills second-round wide receiver James Hardy after last season, but he has struggled with hamstring issues and dropped passes so far during training camp.

“It’s a possibility,” Harbaugh said of signing another veteran. “We’re not going to shy away from adding players … I think we’d be happy to bring in a really good player.

“We definitely have room for one. That doesn’t mean that we’re not looking at guys like Hardy out here. There are some really good players out there with the veterans, too.”

It was a disappointment for the Ravens to not land Floyd after several days of discussions with the athletic 6-foot-5, 225-pounder.

Floyd played for Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron for three seasons in San Diego.

The Ravens were willing to give Floyd over $3 million annually on a long-term deal, but he decided to stick with the Chargers.

“I’m not surprised Floyd stayed in San Diego,” Houshmandzadeh said in a telephone interview. “That makes sense. If you have a chance to stay with your old team, that’s always a good thing.”