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

Indianapolis —
While the Baltimore Ravens may be known for its tenacious, hard-hitting defense, the AFC North co-leaders also have a pretty good offense that is led by running back Ray Rice, quarterback Joe Flacco and coordinator Cam Cameron.

With Cameron — who grew up in Terre Haute while playing and coaching at Indiana University — calling the plays from the sidelines, Baltimore ranks sixth in the National Football League in scoring at 24.7 points per game, 15th in total offense (345 yards per game), 14th in passing offense (230.2) and tied for 14th in rushing offense (114.8).

Rice is the offensive anchor for the Ravens, leading the team in rushing for 926 yards and nine touchdowns in 208 carries. He has also caught a team-high 56 passes for 547 yards and two TDs. The former Rutgers standout had a career-best 204 rushing yards in last week’s 24-10 division win over Cleveland.

Flacco, meanwhile, has completed 240-of-434 passing attempts for 2,895 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Baltimore’s receiving corps, meanwhile, is talented and deep.

Anquan Bolden — at 6-foot-1, 223-pounds — is a physical load who has hauled in 50 passes for 779 yards and  three touchdowns. Tight end Ed Dickson has 46 catches and three touchdowns. And rookie Torrey Smith has added 32 receptions and a team-leading five TDs. The Ravens also added former Buffalo receiver Lee Evans in a mid-season trade.

“You look at them and they are a run-oriented team. But they can also throw the ball. Flacco can throw the ball well, but when you look at their game [against the Browns], I think they had 55 rushing attempts or something like that,” Indianapolis coach Jim Caldwell previewed.

“Ray Rice had a banner day. You’re going to have to contend with them from the standpoint that they’re a physical team that can hurt you in a number of different ways. They give you a lot of problems.”

Former Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams is Baltimore’s primary backup at running back and has rushed for 338 yards and a pair of touchdowns. But the Ravens’ offense is all about Rice first and foremost.

“Anytime that a guy can lead his team in rushing and lead his team in pass receiving, it’s pretty special. If you think about it, last week between he and Ricky Williams, they combined for 280 yards rushing. That’s ridiculous, and that’s a lot of yardage,” Caldwell said.

“That’s because of the fact that those guys are very, very good players. Ray Rice is one of those guys that has speed, he has power, he’s compact and he has excellent vision as well. He’s one of those guys that can also catch the ball out of the backfield, not only on screens, which he does, but also when they check it down to him he knows what to do with it when he gets it in open space. He’s pretty dangerous, so he’s a tough guy to handle.”

Rice has drawn favorable comparisons to Jacksonville running back Maurice Jones-Drew, both in stature and playing style.

“They’re similar guys. Both guys are fast guys. Both are compact. Both can catch and run it,. [And] both of them are very, very competitive and tough players. There are a lot of similarities between the two,” the Colts coach voiced.

The hard-to-tackle running back tries to downplay his importance to the Ravens’ offensive game plan.

“We know that we’ve got capable and great receivers on this team. When you find yourself in [a difficult] situation, I always try to be able to get Joe Flacco out of a situation. Him being able to find me, whether it’s a check-down, a route or a broken play, I just try to be a quarterback’s outlet. If he doesn’t have to take a sack, then I’ll be there for him,” Rice said.

How bad will the Indianapolis Colts lose this week? It will likely be pretty bad. There is almost no chance that Indianapolis has a chance to beat the Baltimore Ravens in their week 14 matchup. The two teams are headed in opposite directions this season. Indianapolis is 0-12 on the season and appears headed for the top pick in the 2012 NFL draft. Baltimore is 9-3 on the season and is preparing for the 2011 NFL playoffs. This game should prove the direction that each team is headed.

To make matters worse, Indianapolis this week lost three significant defensive players. Cornerbacks Jerraud Powers and Terrance Johnson as well as defensive tackle Drake Nevis were all placed on injured reserve this week. Indianapolis’ cornerbacks will be very inexperienced in this game and Joe Flacco will likely look to test them downfield. Jacob Lacey is the only player remaining with any NFL experience and even he was benched earlier this season for his poor play. If Baltimore can pass the ball well, it could be a long day for the Colts.

Good news for fans is that both tight end Dallas Clark and middle linebacker Pat Angerer are expected to play. Angerer is a key to the defense and has been arguably the most consistent player on the Indianapolis defense this year. Clark has missed the last three games with a leg injury. His return will certainly help the passing game but shouldn’t do much to help win the game.

Dan Orlovsky played well last week and provided a big spark for the offense. This Baltimore defense is very good though and will provide a challenge for the inexperienced Indianapolis offensive line. The offense should try to establish Joseph Addai and build upon the recent success of Donald Brown.

In the end, these two teams are headed in different directions and Indianapolis stands no chance to win the game. This loss will surely push them to 0-13 and leave them with just three chances remaining to get a win in the 2011 season. Fans should hope that this game ends quickly and they can move on to next week where they will try for their first win this year.

Prediction: Ravens 34, Colts 10

Kyle Rapoza is a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network and has been a lifelong fan of the Indianapolis Colts. He attended Super Bowl XLIV in Miami and follows the team closely. Follow him on Twitter @kyler11.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Ray Rice was preparing to face the Cleveland Browns last Sunday when he received a text message from Vonta Leach, his teammate on the Baltimore Ravens.

Leach was concerned about Rice’s position on the NFL list of rushing leaders. Seeing Rice in 14th place was unacceptable, so Leach, a fullback, attempted to do something about it.

“He sent me a text before the game and it showed all the guys’ rushing numbers,” Rice said. “His text was, ‘C’mon now, we’ve got to have a big one this week. Look where you’re at.’”

Leach, who led Arian Foster to the NFL rushing title with Houston last season, said, “It was kind of motivation for him and myself.”

The ploy produced the desired result. Rice ran for a career-high 204 yards in Baltimore’s 24-10 victory to climb into seventh place on the rushing list with 926 yards, 111 behind leader Maurice Jones-Drew of Jacksonville.

Now in his fourth pro season, the 5-foot-8 Rice is Baltimore’s biggest offensive star. He leads the Ravens (9-3) with 11 touchdowns and ranks second in the NFL with 1,473 total yards from scrimmage (14 yards behind Chicago’s Matt Forte).

Quarterback Joe Flacco has done a fine job this year, but Rice is the key to the Baltimore offense. After the Ravens beat San Francisco 16-6 on Thanksgiving night, linebacker Terrell Suggs outlined Baltimore’s best course of action for winning in December.

“As long as we always keep the game plan in our grasp and do what we do best, play Ravens football, feed every defense a lot of Rice, I think we’ve got a good chance of making a good run at this thing,” Suggs said.

Suggs reiterated his stance this week as Baltimore prepared to face the winless Indianapolis Colts.

“The thing is, you want your best players with the ball,” Suggs said. “When Ray is getting the ball, good things happen for us. I am not a coach, I am not an offensive coordinator, but I know what wins.”

Since coming to the Ravens as a second-round pick out of Rutgers in 2008, Rice has developed into a dual threat. Sometimes he runs the ball, sometimes he catches it. Either way, opposing defenses have their hands full trying to account for him.

“He’s been tremendous,” Colts coach Jim Caldwell said. “To say he’s an integral part of what they do is an understatement.”

Rice broke into the NFL the same time John Harbaugh became Baltimore’s head coach. Harbaugh always respected Rice’s talent on the field, but over the years he’s noticed the running back taking a commanding role in the locker room.

“He’s become a tremendous leader as a young guy. But he’s not a young guy anymore, is he?” Harbaugh said. “He’s a premier player. He’s a playmaker. He’s a great guy, very mature, and one of the hardest working guys on the team.”

Rice amassed a combined 2,041 yards in 2009 and earned a berth in the Pro Bowl, but he believes he’s a better football player now because of the knowledge he gained from Leach and Ricky Williams, who has settled into the role of Rice’s backup.

“Between Vonta and Ricky Williams, they’ve been the best thing that’s happened to me since I’ve been a Raven,” Rice said. “I learn a lot from Vonta and Ricky. Vonta, essentially, is going to take me where I need to be, and that’s in the run game.”

Leach made the Pro Bowl last season for the job he did in front of Foster, and Rice is all for seeing Leach make a return trip.

“I’m a fan of sending Leach to the Beach,” Rice said, referring to the sandy shores of Honolulu.

Asked to compare Foster to the smaller Rice, Leach said, “Foster is more of an upright runner, and Ray has a low center of gravity. Both of them can be on the field for first, second and third downs. They make people miss, and that’s a home run. I’ve had the pleasure of blocking for both of them. I’m the lucky guy.”

Leach has provided holes for Rice to zip through, and Williams, 34, has given the 24-year-old Rice veteran guidance.

“With Ricky, he asks me questions and I ask him questions,” Rice said. “We’re always picking each other’s brain.”

But Williams has a hard time picking Rice’s best quality.

“He’s definitely a great running back, definitely a leader,” Williams said. “He’s strong, elusive and explosive. When you add all those things together, you understand why he’s so effective.”

Growing up in New Rochelle, N.Y., Rice often heard he was too small to play football. The refrain was repeated at Rutgers, and many wondered whether he could survive in the NFL.

The question has been answered.

“I’ve gotten over that part. That’s part of the proving part,” Rice said. “Look at (5-7) Jones-Drew. Nobody worries about his size anymore because he’s packing a powerful punch. I feel like my situation was the same thing. Once you get known as a great football player, you just go from there.”

The Indianapolis Colts have been a thorn in the side of the
Baltimore Ravens over the past 10 years, but the team has shown this season
that it has much less of a bite without Peyton Manning under center.

Involved in a tight race atop the AFC North, Baltimore will look to take
advantage of the Colts’ woes this Sunday and win a franchise-record ninth
straight game at M&T Bank Stadium.

The Ravens have won all six of their home outings in 2011 and have taken 16 of
their last 17 games as the hosting club. Their success at home this year has
helped them post a 9-3 record, good enough for a tie with Pittsburgh, Houston
and New England for the best in the AFC entering this week’s play. The Steelers
will own a half-game edge on the pack heading into Sunday’s games, however,
after defeating Cleveland on Thursday.

A win over the Colts would also place the Ravens back into a first-place tie
with the Steelers in the AFC North, but Baltimore owns the tie-breaker edge
thanks to a pair of triumphs over Pittsburgh this season. Both teams are coming
off Week 13 victories, with Baltimore running its current win streak to three
straight with a 24-10 victory at Cleveland last Sunday.

The Ravens used their ground game to keep the Browns in check, attempting a
franchise-record 55 rushes. Ray Rice got the bulk of the work and set a career
high with 204 yards rushing and also scored once.

“I have to give it all to my offensive line,” Rice said about his performance.
“I think it was my first 200-yard game. It felt good to get it against a
divisional opponent.”

Baltimore’s fifth victory in six games was also big from a mental standpoint,
as it had lost three road games this year against teams that were under .500 at
the time of the meeting. Two of those defeats followed wins over the Steelers,
but the Ravens were up to the task against a struggling team last weekend.

“We know we control our own destiny,” Rice said. “Regardless of who we play,
we’ve got to take care of business.”

Baltimore is aiming to reach 10-3 for just the second time in franchise
history, joining the 2006 squad, and snap an eight-game slide to Indianapolis
that includes the postseason. The Ravens haven’t beaten the Colts since Dec.
2, 2001.

The Colts would normally be a big test for the Ravens, but they haven’t given
any teams much trouble in 2011. Indianapolis has yet to win in 12 games and is
off to its worst start since beginning the 1986 season 0-13.

Indianapolis was a huge underdog last weekend versus New England and trailed by
28 points late in the third quarter before Dan Orlovsky helped engineer three
fourth-quarter touchdown drives in his first start at quarterback since Dec.
28, 2008 with Detroit.

Orlovsky threw a pair of touchdown passes, but the Colts still fell to 0-6 on
the road this season after the 31-24 loss. Orlovsky, taking over for a
struggling Curtis Painter under center, will get the start again this weekend.

“He played pretty well,” Indianapolis head coach Jim Caldwell said about
Orlovsky. “Obviously, that’s one thing that is quite evident and he certainly,
I think, did a nice job all around — in the running game and in the passing
game and just moving the ball. He was very poised out there. You’re going to
see him again.”

SERIES HISTORY

The Colts own a 7-2 advantage in their overall regular-season series with the
Ravens, the most recent being a 17-15 triumph at M&T Bank Stadium in 2009. The
Colts also topped the Ravens in Baltimore, the city the franchise had resided
in from 1953-83 before moving to Indianapolis, in both 2005 (24-7) and 2007
(44-20) in addition to a 31-3 rout at Lucas Oil Stadium in 2008.

Indianapolis has also defeated the Ravens twice in postseason play, including
a 15-6 decision at M&T Bank Stadium in a 2006 AFC Divisional Playoff en route
to a Super Bowl title. The Colts also bested Baltimore by a 20-3 count in a
2009 Divisional Round game held in Indiana, with Indianapolis reaching the
Super Bowl that year as well.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is winless in three lifetime matchups with the
Colts, which includes the 2009 playoff loss, while Caldwell is 2-0 against
Baltimore and in head-to-head encounters with Harbaugh as a head coach.

WHEN THE COLTS HAVE THE BALL

Orlovsky (475 passing yards, 2 TD, 1 INT) is the third quarterback given the
task of replacing Manning (4700 passing yards, 33 TD, 17 INT in 2010)
this year. When it was learned that a neck injury would keep the Colts’
franchise signal-caller on the sidelines, the club added Kerry Collins before
he was lost for the season early on. Painter (1541 passing yards, 6 TD, 9 INT)
then took over and was less than impressive, leading to Caldwell giving
Orlovsky a shot last week. With the journeyman under center, Indianapolis’
29th-ranked offense put up 437 total yards and Colts receivers combined for a
season-high 21 catches. Orlovsky himself set career highs with 30 completions
and 353 passing yards, finding wide receiver Pierre Garcon (55 receptions, 6
TD) twice for touchdowns while also getting intercepted once. Garcon logged
career bests with nine receptions and 150 yards, fellow wideout Austin Collie
(38 receptions) added seven grabs for 70 yards and Reggie Wayne (52 receptions,
2 TD) chipped in with five receptions for 55 yards. Perhaps Orlovsky is what
this talented group of receivers, which also includes tight end Jacob Tamme (16
receptions), going. Running backs Donald Brown (397 rushing yards, 4 TD) and
Joseph Addai (319 rushing yards, 1 TD) nearly split 27 carries against New
England and accounted for 80 of the Colts’ 99 rushing yards, while Brown
also scored a touchdown.

Orlovsky was sacked twice a week ago and figures to be under fire again this
Sunday against the league’s third-ranked defense. Baltimore is giving up just
287.3 yards per game and ranks second versus the run, while its 16.0 points
allowed per game also ranks third. The Ravens allowed the Browns to post only
233 yards of offense last weekend, and all but two of Cleveland’s possessions
came to an end with either a punt or a turnover. The bulk of the pressure on
Orlovsky should come from outside linebacker Terrell Suggs (53 tackles, 10
sacks, 2 INT), who had one of Baltimore’s three sacks a week ago as he reached
double-digits for the fourth time in his career. Suggs also ranks second in
the AFC in sacks, and the Ravens as a team are first in the NFL with 41 despite
linebacker Ray Lewis (68 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT) missing the past three games
with a toe injury. He may return this week, but if not expect linebackers
Jameel McClain (63 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) and Dannell Ellerbe (14 tackles) to
step up in the veteran’s absence. The two had seven tackles each versus the
Browns, while rookie defensive end Pernell McPhee (20 tackles, 6 sacks) logged
a pair of sacks. Rookie corner Jimmy Smith (6 tackles, 2 INT) also picked off a
pass and of course, the Colts must keep their eye on safety Ed Reed (40
tackles, 1 sack, 3 INT) as well.

WHEN THE RAVENS HAVE THE BALL

The Ravens have been using a balanced attack this season to rank sixth in the
league in points per game (24.7), but went run-heavy at Cleveland last weekend.
Rice (926 rushing yards, 56 receptions, 11 total TD), who also leads the team
in catches, rushed the ball 29 times and ripped off a 67-yard run while
averaging seven yards a carry. In an effort not to wear down their small back,
the Ravens also gave Ricky Williams (338 rushing yards, 2 TD) 16 carries, and
he responded with 76 yards and a touchdown as Baltimore finished the game with
290 yards on the ground, almost 200 over their season average of 114.8 per
week. With all that ground work, quarterback Joe Flacco (2895 passing yards, 13
TD, 8 INT) didn’t have much to do. He completed 10 of his 23 passes for 158
yards and was sacked once without an interception. Baltimore as a team has
given up only three sacks in the past four games, however. Even with limited
chances, wideout Anquan Boldin (50 receptions, 3 TD) made a pair of catches for
32 yards last week to reach 700 career receptions. Tight end Ed Dickson (46
receptions, 3 TD led the way against Cleveland with three receptions and 47
yards, while rookie wide receiver and deep threat Torrey Smith (32 receptions,
5 TD) made a 32-yard grab.

The Colts rank dead last in the NFL with an average of 29.8 points allowed per
game, and their meeting with the Patriots did little to help that fact. Indy is
also giving up 144.2 yards per game on the ground, 30th in the league. The
Colts did outgain the Pats a week ago, but New England still put up 362 yards
of offense, with quarterback Tom Brady throwing for 289 yards with a pair of
touchdowns. The Ravens aren’t likely to deploy the same strategy, but when
Flacco drops back he’ll be facing two of the game’s best ends in Dwight Freeney
(15 tackles, 5.5 sacks) and Robert Mathis (30 tackles, 5.5 sacks). Neither was
much of a factor versus the Pats, but the two have combined for 77 sacks in
their last 57 games. Freeney, meanwhile, remained a half-sack shy of 100 for
his career and would be the 26th player to reach that mark. With the two pass
rushers shut down, defensive tackle Fili Moala (15 tackles) logged his first
career sack. Safety Antoine Bethea (102 tackles) led the club with nine tackles
against New England, while outside linebacker Ernie Sims (31 tackles) added
eight and counterpart Philip Wheeler (75 tackles, 1 sack) made seven stops.
Indianapolis did lose leading tackler Pat Angerer (112 tackles, 1 sack) in the
game due to a knee injury that leaves the linebacker questionable for this
game, while a pair of cornerbacks in Terrence Johnson (37 tackles) and Jerraud
Powers (51 tackles, 2 INT) were lost for the season due to injuries. Cornerback
Jacob Lacey (42 tackles) did play for the first time since Oct. 16 and had six
tackles.

KEYS TO THE GAME

The Colts didn’t catch a break by having to travel to Baltimore, where the
Ravens have allowed the fewest points per game (13.4) and touchdowns (45) in
the league since 2008. The Ravens have also forced an NFL-high 72 turnovers in
that span and are second overall with an average of 272.2 yards allowed per
game at home.

One thing that helped the Colts catch up to the Patriots was their ability to
convert on third down. They went 10-for-15 in said scenario last weekend after
entering the game having converted only 32.4 percent of their third downs. A
repeat performance will help wear down a Ravens defense that got a lot of rest
versus the Browns.

Baltimore, in part because of the weather, really rode its ground game last
weekend, but given the Colts’ injury concerns in the secondary, it could be
Flacco in the spotlight for this one. Boldin will likely draw most of
Indianapolis’ attention, meaning Torrey Smith could have some room to make some
more big plays. Also expect the tight end duo of Dickson and Dennis Pitta to be
heavily involved as well as Rice out of the backfield.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

With a playoff berth almost nearly assured, the Ravens still need to finish
strong as they remain in the mix for the top spot in the conference. For the
Colts, that means they can’t bank on Baltimore looking past this game for next
Sunday’s road date against a desperate San Diego team. The Ravens have shown
an inability to get up for games like this season, but Harbaugh’s club
seemed to show last week it has learned its lesson and should be focused.
Expect plenty or Flacco and Rice in this rout.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Ravens 27, Colts 13

©2011 Sports Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

BALTIMORE – If Peyton Manning was playing football this season, the Baltimore Ravens would be talking about the importance of ending an eight-game losing streak against the Indianapolis Colts and their esteemed quarterback.

The Colts don’t have Manning, or even a single victory. So the Ravens are approaching Sunday’s game with caution, because they know all about the danger of facing a winless team this late in the season.

In 2007, the Miami Dolphins were 0-13 before Cleo Lemon connected with Greg Camarillo on a 64-yard touchdown pass in overtime for a 22-16 victory. It turned out to be Miami’s only win of the season.

This Baltimore team is far superior to that one, but the memory of that embarrassing defeat still lingers among those Ravens who played that day.

Asked if there was concern about playing the winless Colts, linebacker Terrell Suggs replied, “Yeah, because I lost to an O-fer team. A little slant route got us. This is the NFL, and (the Colts) are professionals. We expect them to line up and come up in here and play. They are just as big a threat to us as if we were playing anybody else.”

That loss to Miami was the lowlight of a season during which the Ravens finished 5-11. Head coach Brian Billick was fired soon after the final game, and owner Steve Bisciotti hired John Harbaugh to bring the team back into prominence.

Harbaugh has done exactly that. Baltimore reached the playoffs in each of his first three seasons, and this year the Ravens (9-3) are poised to capture the AFC North title and perhaps the top seed in the conference.

The absolute last thing the Ravens need is to lose at home against the struggling Colts (0-12).

“We have to win the football game to achieve what we want to do,” Suggs said.

What the Colts want to do is avoid becoming the second team in NFL history to finish 0-16. Playing without Manning, who’s missed the entire season with a neck injury, has been far too big an obstacle to overcome.

“Obviously, you don’t want to ever have a season like this,” Indianapolis defensive end Dwight Freeney said. “Us especially, we are not used to this at all. We are used to making the playoffs nine years straight and all that. Winning records, and all of that. This is definitely a different feeling.”

Making up for the loss of Manning was tough enough, but the Colts also have been without linebacker Gary Brackett (shoulder) since the first week of the season, and safety Melvin Bullitt (shoulder) played in only the first two games.

“We’ve lost a lot of key guys at a lot of key positions,” Freeney said.

If the Colts are to pull off a monumental upset, they must duplicate some of their previous performances against the Ravens. Although Manning was certainly a factor in helping Indy go 8-0 against Baltimore since 2001, the defence was most responsible. The Colts haven’t given up a touchdown to the Ravens in three straight games, the last one a 20-3 win in the 2009 playoffs.

With Freeney on one end and Robert Mathis on the other, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco knows he won’t have the luxury of dropping back into the pocket and casually surveying the field.

“They have a lot of pursuit,” Flacco said. “They react to the ball quickly, and they’ve kept us out of the end zone because of that.” The Colts have also been tough against the run. Baltimore running back Ray Rice got 23 yards rushing in 2008, 71 in a regular-season game in 2009 and 67 in that aforementioned post-season defeat.

“That defence is very fast. We have not fared well against them,” Harbaugh said. “We’ve turned the ball over, we didn’t run the ball on them, we’ve gotten sacked, we’ve had plays for negative yards. It’s been a theme against that defence. So we’ve got our work cut out for us. We understand that.”

The biggest thing the Ravens have going for them is playing at home, where they’re 6-0 this season and have won 16 of 17. Baltimore will probably play a fourth straight game without injured middle linebacker Ray Lewis (right toe), but the league’s third-ranked defence is still plenty good enough to contain Dan Orlovsky, the Colts’ third different starting quarterback this season.

Most of all, the Ravens know they have to win to stay on course for the post-season.

“We know what we’re playing for. We know what they’re playing for,” Suggs said. “They are trying to get their first win; we are trying to pile these wins up and go on a playoff run. That’s what is most important to us. Here they come. Let’s do it.”

A three-game win streak has kept the Baltimore Ravens in the mix for the
AFC’s best record. Given their next opponent, they’ll almost certainly remain in
good position after this week.

The Ravens will try to extend their run and delight the Baltimore fans by
dropping the Indianapolis Colts to 0-13 on Sunday.

Baltimore (9-3) has needed its win streak to remain tied with Pittsburgh
atop the AFC North. Two other clubs in the conference – Houston and New England
- have the same record, but the Ravens have clinched tiebreakers over at least
the Steelers and Texans.

The Ravens rushed a team-record 55 times in their latest victory, getting
290 yards on the ground in a 24-10 win at Cleveland last Sunday. Ray Rice(notes) gained
a career-best 204 yards on his 29 carries.

“As long as we keep winning we are in control,” quarterback Joe Flacco(notes) said.
“We have some tough games left, but it’s all up to us.”

Another victory may seem like a given against the 0-12 Colts, but some of
Flacco’s teammates know the cost of taking a winless team too lightly. In 2007,
Baltimore lost 22-16 in overtime to an 0-13 Miami squad.

The Ravens also struggled that season, finishing 5-11, but the current club
is still on guard against an upset.

“This is the NFL and they’re professionals,” linebacker Terrell Suggs(notes) said.
“We’re expecting them to light up and come up in here and play. They’re just as
big a threat to us as if we were playing anybody else.”

The Colts showed some resilience in quarterback Dan Orlovsky’s(notes) first start
for the team last Sunday at New England. Orlovsky had 240 of his career-best 353
passing yards in the fourth quarter – along with two touchdowns to Pierre Garcon(notes)
- but he couldn’t help his team completely erase a 28-point deficit in a 31-24
defeat.

“My goal is to go out there and win a ballgame – bar none,” Orlovsky said
after dropping to 0-8 as an NFL starter. “The best chance for us to do that is
to play well at this position. I just didn’t play good enough to win.”

He might have difficulty playing as well in this game, with Baltimore among
the NFL leaders in a number of defensive categories. The Ravens are in the top
five with 16.0 points, 287.3 yards, 198.6 passing yards and 88.8 rushing yards
allowed per game.

New England, by contrast, currently ranks last in the NFL in average yards
(412.1) and average passing yards (310.0) given up.

“If you look at statistical categories, (Baltimore) is near the top in every
one. They do a tremendous job on defense,” Indianapolis coach Jim Caldwell said.
“This week is going to be another challenge (for Orlovsky). It’s going to be a
bit more complicated. Once again, we can’t put it all on his shoulders. We’ve
got to be able to give him some help.”

Orlovsky will certainly need assistance if the Colts are to avoid falling to
0-13 for the first time since 1986, the franchise’s third season in Indianapolis
after abruptly leaving Baltimore.

Ravens fans would relish the chance to witness that dubious feat and see
their team break an eight-game skid to the Colts, which includes two playoff
defeats.

Baltimore has dropped the last four home meetings, the most recent a 17-15
defeat Nov. 22, 2009. That win was part of a 14-0 start for the Colts, who had
won 10 or more games in nine straight seasons before their disastrous 2011.

Peyton Manning’s(notes) absence following neck surgery and a number of other
injuries have hurt Indianapolis. Pro Bowl tight end Dallas Clark(notes), however,
returned to practice this week after missing the past three games with an ailing
left leg.

The status of middle linebacker Pat Angerer(notes), tied for second in the league
with 112 tackles, remains unknown after he suffered an apparent right knee
injury early in the loss to New England.

The Ravens are hoping to get their star linebacker in the lineup for this
game, but Ray Lewis(notes) was still out for Wednesday’s practice with his lingering
turf toe injury, which has cost him a chance to contribute to the three-game win
streak.

“He’s got some orthotics that may give him a chance to be able to do that,”
coach John Harbaugh told the team’s official website. “We have, probably, been
somewhat cautious. We want to make sure that he doesn’t reinjure it. So, we’ll
just have to see how it goes again this week.”

Cornerback Chris Carr’s(notes) status is also unknown because of an ailing back.
Center Matt Birk(notes) (shoulder) and guard Ben Grubbs(notes) (toe) are among the other
Ravens dealing with injuries.

If Birk and Grubbs play, they’ll try to protect Flacco, who has thrown six
interceptions and zero touchdowns in three career matchups with Indianapolis.

With 10 sacks this season, Suggs is two shy of matching his career high set
in his 2003 rookie campaign, but he has none in six career games against the
Colts.

The Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t face each other on the field for the rest of the regular season, but the AFC North rivals are engaged in the NFL’s best battle over the next four weeks.

Both teams boast 9-3 records, the best marks in the division as well as the AFC. Both teams realize they can’t afford another loss. And both teams know what’s at stake.

The winner takes the AFC North title, a home playoff game and likely a first-round bye. The loser gets to pack its bags and head on the road for the postseason.

So, the Ravens and Steelers aren’t fighting over supremacy of the division. They’re fighting for a trip to the Super Bowl, based on recent history in the AFC and between the franchises.

The past four AFC champions have either been a No. 1 or No. 2 seed. The last fifth or sixth seed in the AFC to reach the Super Bowl was the 2005 Steelers.

The Ravens began talking about their quest for a top seed before the season began. Getting home field in this rivalry isn’t only an advantage, it’s a necessity. Baltimore is 7-2 against the Steelers at home since 2003, while two of the Ravens’ past three seasons have ended in Pittsburgh.

Players on both teams anticipate Baltimore and Pittsburgh meeting in the playoffs once again.

“We’re going to have to see this team in January,” Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs said after the Ravens won in Pittsburgh last month. “We just positioned ourselves for them to have to come to M&T [Bank Stadium] so we can do it.”

The Ravens and Steelers are the class of the AFC, even though they have the same record as New England and Houston. It’s just difficult to think of the Patriots and Texans as serious contenders when New England has the NFL’s worst defense and Houston has a third-string rookie starting at quarterback.

It’s also difficult to think the Ravens or the Steelers will go to the stadium of their fiercest rival and leave with a victory. That’s not to say it’s impossible. Joe Flacco has led the Ravens on last-minute, game-winning touchdown drives on his last two regular-season trips to Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field. And Ben Roethlisberger has thrown two winning, fourth-quarter touchdown passes in Baltimore in 2008 and 2010.

Still, both teams and their defenses are playing at a different level when they’re in front of their home crowd. The Ravens have won eight straight games at M&T Bank Stadium, the second-longest current streak in the NFL (behind the Green Bay Packers). Baltimore has outscored opponents at home 175-95, beating the likes of Pittsburgh, Houston, San Francisco, Cincinnati and the New York Jets.

The Steelers are 29-9 (.763) at Heinz Field under coach Mike Tomlin, including 5-1 this season. Pittsburgh has outscored teams at home 159-77, defeating the likes of New England, Tennessee and Cincinnati.

What makes it so tough to beat these teams at their own place is Ray Lewis, Suggs, Troy Polamalu and James Harrison. Since 2008, the Ravens have given up the fewest points at home (13.4) and the Steelers have allowed the second fewest (15.7). Over that same span, Pittsburgh has given up the fewest yards at home (268.6) and Baltimore has allowed the second fewest (272.2).

The difference is the Ravens can decide their playoff future. If Baltimore wins the final four games, the Ravens will host their first playoff game since 2006.

“We know we control our own destiny,” Ravens running back Ray Rice said. “Regardless of who we play, we’ve got to take care of business.”

The reason the Ravens control their destiny is because they swept Pittsburgh in the regular season for only the second time in their history. Giving up that 92-yard drive to Flacco in the final minutes represents the difference between the Steelers leading the Ravens and trailing them.

Now, in order for the Steelers to win their sixth AFC North title, they have to finish one game ahead of Baltimore. That means Pittsburgh needs to win its last four games (home against Cleveland, at San Francisco, home against St. Louis and at Cleveland) and the Ravens need to lose at least one of their remaining games (home against winless Indianapolis, at San Diego, home against Cleveland and at Cincinnati).

“Coach Tomlin always talks about just playing,” Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward said. “Don’t look at Baltimore. We just have to worry about what we can do [and] take it one game at a time.”

Ward added: “We just have to keep playing. We can’t control what Baltimore does. If we do what we do, at the end, we might be there in the hunt of things.”

For the Ravens and Steelers, the end of this season has a different feel because the teams aren’t playing each other in December for the first time in five years. Instead of delivering knockout blows to one another, the Ravens and Steelers know that beating the other teams could hurt their rival just as much.

If Baltimore wins out, it likely will earn the top seed in the AFC based on a better strength of victory over New England and Houston. That would mean the road to the Super Bowl would go through Baltimore for the first time in the Ravens’ 16-year existence.

“Our guys understand the importance of where we’re at,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said, “because if you’re going to be at this level, you’re not just competing against the team you have to play on Sunday.”

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP)—The Baltimore Ravens appear to be at their best
offensively when quarterback Joe Flacco(notes) spends most of the game handing off the
football instead of dropping back to throw.

That’s how the Ravens beat Cleveland on Sunday, and that just might be their
best course of action right up to and through the playoffs.

Baltimore (9-3) set a franchise record with 55 rushing attempts against the
Browns in a 24-10 victory. Ray Rice(notes) led the way with a career-best 204 yards
rushing on 29 carries, and Ricky Williams(notes) chipped in with 76 yards on 16
attempts.

The Ravens won their only Super Bowl in 2001 with an offense dominated by
running back Jamal Lewis(notes) and a defense centered around middle linebacker Ray
Lewis(notes). Jamal Lewis is retired and Ray Lewis has missed three straight games with
a toe injury, but the formula for success hasn’t changed.

“We believe in running the football, absolutely,” coach John Harbaugh said
Monday. “We think you have to run the ball and stop the run to be the kind of
physical football team we want to be.”

Flacco threw only 23 passes against the Browns, but Harbaugh attributed the
run-pass imbalance in part to the muddy field in Cleveland.

“We felt like we could run the ball, possibly. We wanted to be able to do
that,” the coach said. “On the same token, it was rainy and it was windy and
the field was real sloppy. The conditions for throwing the ball weren’t really
ideal. … We try to be built for all weather conditions, but I think the way
the game played out, the type of game it was, the best approach was to run the
ball and keep running the ball because we were having some success doing it.”

In losses to Jacksonville and Seattle, the Ravens abandoned the run and
attempted to win through the air. Baltimore has won its share of games on the
strength of Flacco’s throwing arm, but this team seems to be at its best when it
uses the run to set up the pass.

Against the Browns, the offensive line was only too happy to surge forward
instead of drop back into pass protection.

“The guys up front did a great job,” fullback Vonta Leach(notes) said. “Ray did
a good job of hitting those holes. Obviously with the weather the way it was and
the field the way it was, you got to run the ball. We established the run and we
kept with it.”

Center Matt Birk(notes) said, “That’s what we need to do. It was that kind of
game. As an offense, we were able to run the ball.”

The Ravens have thrown 412 passes this season and have 284 rushes. That is,
in part, because the NFL has become a passing league and Baltimore has a host of
capable receivers, including Anquan Boldin(notes) and Torrey Smith(notes).

So Harbaugh isn’t about to commit entirely to the run as the Ravens seek to
stay on course to capture the AFC North title—and perhaps the top seed in the
conference.

“The teams that are scoring the most points are the teams that are throwing
the ball the most,” Harbaugh said. “But our objective here is not to score the
most points, per se. It’s to score more points than our opponent on any given
Sunday. That’s why we’re really not willing to sit here and say that we are a
run-first outfit.”

But to win in December, when the weather gets cold and the pressure to win
intensifies, the Ravens have found that smashmouth football is far more
effective than finesse.

“We’ve always had good teams. We play good defense. We’ve been able to run
the ball,” Harbaugh said. “Some years we’ve been better running the ball. We’d
like to believe that we’re built for December. Everything we do is built for
December. We’re trying to be our best in December and January.”

The Ravens have four games left, the next three against losing teams. The
winless Indianapolis Colts (0-12) come to Baltimore on Sunday, and although it
seems as if the Ravens could afford to let Lewis rest his ailing right toe
another week, Harbaugh doesn’t see it that way.

“We’re going to try to win the game against the Colts,” Harbaugh said.
“We want to go in there full strength. Obviously a healthy Ray Lewis, playing
at the caliber he’s capable of playing at, helps us beat the Colts. Is he going
to be ready to do that? We don’t know. He says he’s going to be ready to do it.
He’s got some orthotics that may give him a chance.”

Baltimore has won three straight without Lewis, who has watched from the
sideline in each instance.

“We have, probably, been somewhat cautious,” Harbaugh acknowledged. “We
want to make sure that he doesn’t re-injure it. So, we’ll just have to see how
it goes again this week.”

By AARON WILSON, Landmark News Service

OWINGS MILLS – Baltimore Ravens All-Pro middle linebacker Ray Lewis didn’t practice yesterday because of a right turf toe injury that has sidelined him for the past two games.

The former NFL Defensive Player of the Year was the lone player to not practice after being extremely limited in practice last week. He was listed as questionable on the injury report heading into the Ravens’ 16-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers.

The Ravens have won both of their games without Lewis, 36, in the lineup while he provides his teammates with advice. With Lewis out against the 49ers, Jameel McClain started at middle linebacker with Albert McClellan lining up at inside linebacker next to him.

“Ray is still pretty much out there,” outside linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “He’s not playing, but we are still getting the calls. We are still getting adjustments on what he sees when we come to the sidelines. So, he’s still there. It’s still standard operating procedure.”

Added defensive end Cory Redding: “Without Ray in the huddle, we still have to go about same business as scheduled. When one of your brothers goes down with an injury or a family issue or anything like that, you just have to rally around them. We are still going to go out there and do our thing. Nothing is going to change. We’re fighting for the mission at hand.”

Heading into Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns, coach John Harbaugh gave no update yesterday on whether Lewis would play. On Monday, Harbaugh said that Lewis was the furthest away from returning of all of the Ravens’ injured players.

However, Browns coach Pat Shurmur expects to see No. 52 back on the field and is preparing with the Ravens’ leading tackler in mind.

“I’m thinking he’s going to play,” Shurmur said during a conference call with Baltimore reporters. “There’s been 10 days since the last game where he almost played. I know he’s a competitor and he wants to get out there and help his team. So, my guess is he’ll play.”

McClain tied with strong safety Bernard Pollard for the team lead in tackles against the 49ers, also calling the defensive signals.

“I’ve always trusted Jameel,” Suggs said. “I think he’s getting an opportunity to show you all exactly who he is and what he can do, but we always knew what he can do.”

EVANS RETURN: The Ravens envisioned having a dangerous receiving tandem when they traded for veteran wide receiver Lee Evans, hoping to pair him opposite speedy rookie Torrey Smith.

A left ankle injury that sidelined Evans for seven games prevented that from becoming a reality for most of this season.

Now, the prospects for Evans are beginning to change.

Although Evans hasn’t played a lot and Smith and Anquan Boldin are established as the starters, Evans did catch his first pass since coming back during a 16-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers. And the third-down conversion led to the Ravens’ game-winning touchdown.

It was his first catch since the second game of the season.,

“It felt good, it had been a long time,” Evans said. “It was a good start and a good way to contribute.”

And Evans’ ankle held up despite playing two games in five days. He’s no longer listed on the injury report.

“It was as tough as it gets, but it came out fine,” Evans said. “I’m feeling good.”

The Ravens are hoping to expand Evans’ role going forward.

“Lee is a guy we want to work in more and more,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “I think we can continue to work him into the two-receiver packages and rotate him with Torrey and Anquan, give those guys a break.”

Smith has emerged as a threat while Evans was out, catching 31 passes for 613 yards and five touchdowns.

Both Smith and Evans have the speed to stretch the defense.

“When you can do that, the defense always has to keep that in mind,” Evans said. “It puts players who can make plays out onto the field.

“Everyone on the field has proven they can make plays. It presents challenges for the defense. Everybody can run and make plays. When you have that, it works well for the offense.”

Evans still has ground to make up as far as regaining his timing with quarterback Joe Flacco, though.

JONES CLEARED: Ravens defensive tackle Arthur Jones has been cleared to play following a concussion suffered against the Seattle Seahawks that sidelined him for two games.

Jones said he no longer has post-concussion symptoms, including a sensitivity to light that prompted him to wear sunglasses indoors.

He participated fully in practice yesterday.

“They did a really good job,” Jones said of the Ravens’ trainers. “They had me in the Bat Cave, in a dark room, doing the things that were necessary to get me back to where I was at. It’s the little things, getting balance and everything together.

“It was frustrating at times, but I’m happy to be back.”

---

Aaron Wilson is the Ravens beat reporter with the Carroll County Times.

BEREA, Ohio — If anyone knows the value of a deep-threat wide receiver, it is Baltimore Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome. He’s been searching for one for years.

“Once you have the quarterback, eventually you have to get that [receiver] piece,” Newsome said Tuesday in a phone interview. “You have to have somebody to throw to.”

Since drafting strong-armed quarterback Joe Flacco in the first round in 2008, Newsome has tried, mostly in vain, to acquire a fast, reliable receiver to complete his offense. Famously known for their dominating defense, the Ravens had all the other offensive pieces in place, notably all-purpose running back Ray Rice and a strong line. But even though the Ravens reached the postseason in each of Flacco’s first three seasons, the team exited each time because of a lack of firepower.

In 2010, Newsome traded for Anquan Boldin and signed Donte Stallworth and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. This year, he thought he had the problem solved through a trade for Lee Evans, but Evans missed seven games with an ankle injury. In stepped second-round rookie Torrey Smith, who has Newsome believing his search is over.

“Having his presence on the field is huge, because now people know we can take the top off the defense,” Newsome said.

Smith was taken with the 58th overall pick — exactly one spot before the Browns chose Greg Little in the second round. Smith’s impact on the Ravens has been similar to that on the Cincinnati Bengals by A.J. Green, who was the draft’s fourth overall selection.

Smith has had a three-touchdown game against St. Louis, set up a game-winning field goal with a long catch against Arizona, and hauled in the game-winning touchdown against Pittsburgh (after a few drops). He’s had two of the top five receiving games in Ravens history — 152 yards vs. St. Louis and 165 vs. Cincinnati — and is second in the NFL with a yards per catch average of 19.8. Smith has five touchdowns among his 31 catches.

“Our whole passing game has become complete because we have a vertical presence now, two young tight ends that can convert against linebackers and safeties, and Anquan who can make plays all over the field, as well as having one of the best [receiving] backs out of the backfield,” Newsome said.

Newsome talked of the importance of having that dangerous speed receiver after reviewing the coaches tape of Green snatching victory for the Bengals out of the air against the Browns on Sunday.

“What it does, it’s like having a great tailback,” Newsome said. “When you go into a game and you have a player like that, the first thing as an offensive staff you say, ‘OK, what are they going to do to take him away?’ Then when you find that out, that helps you to be able to dictate how you’re going to play the game. Whatever they’re going to do, it allows you to say, ‘OK, this is how we need to play the game.’ Because they’ll have some type of plan of taking him away.

“You have to be able to get the cheap touchdown,” Newsome went on. “At the end of the day, we’re still going to run the football. People know when we show up, you’re gonna have to stop the run. Then people put that eighth and ninth guy in the box. How do you defeat the eighth and ninth guy in the box? You have to go on top of them.

“It’s hand in hand. If you can’t run, they’re just gonna play cover 2 and that takes the vertical game right out it. But if they play cover 2 and try to defend the run with six or seven in the box, you’re out there to run it. So you have to field a team, not just one aspect of it. This league is so good, they can take one thing away.”

The trouble is finding that special receiver to strike fear in defenses.

“I think you have to look at three ways of trying to make that happen,” Newsome said. “You can go through the draft, do it through free agency if one of them makes it, or do it through trade.

“In order to get one of those guys, you probably have to be picking in the top five of the draft. I don’t want that as an option. So then, the next viable option is, you try to get one and you try to develop one. Right now, if Torrey continues the way he’s going, then people will have to do something to take him away, because he’s a home run threat.”

As Newsome’s fortune would have it, Evans is healthy now as the Ravens embark on the final rounds of a knockdown, drag-out fight for the AFC North.

“Lee Evans proved to us that he can do it, then he got hurt. So now we have basically two guys that can take the top off the defense,” Newsome said.

On Twitter: @TonyGrossi

Tony Grossi’s Scouting Report

Browns vs. Baltimore Ravens

Sunday, 4:05 p.m., in Cleveland Browns Stadium

Record: 8-3.

Last game: Beat 49ers, 16-9, Nov. 24, in Baltimore.

Coach: John Harbaugh, 44-22, fourth year.

Series record: Ravens lead, 17-7.

Last meeting: Ravens won, 20-10, Dec. 26, in Cleveland.

League rankings: Offense is 17th overall (26th rushing, 13th passing), defense is third (third rushing, fifth passing) and turnover differential is plus-4.

Offensive overview: Coordinator Cam Cameron has taken grief for throwing too much and ignoring all-purpose running back Ray Rice. Conversations with the coach and management, plus the onset of inclement weather, have taken care of that oversight. Early on, Cameron was preoccupied with developing quarterback Joe Flacco’s deep passing game. While it may have cost the team a win or two, the benefit has been the development of rookie Torrey Smith, who is a bona fide deep threat but still suffers an occasional drop. Smith got playing time while veteran trade acquisition Lee Evans missed seven games with an ankle injury. With Evans back, Flacco has two vertical targets, a fairly dependable intermediate target in Anquan Boldin, tight ends Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta, and Rice to throw to. Quite a cockpit for Flacco to operate from.

Defensive overview: Former Browns DB coach Chuck Pagano took over as coordinator with the marching orders to restore a pass rush in the defensive attack. Boy, has he. After a nine-sack tour de force against the 49ers on Thanksgiving night, the club leads the NFL with 38 sacks and 16 forced fumbles, and is second with 10 recoveries. Their formula is simple: stop the run on early downs (yielding league-low 3.4 yards per rush), force the opponent into third-and-longs and then pressure the quarterback into turnovers or, at worst, sacks. Experienced playmakers such as tackle Haloti Ngata, linebacker Terrell Suggs and safety Ed Reed make this unit a coordinator’s dream. It registered the nine sacks last game without linebacker Ray Lewis (turf toe). The new name on the unit is cornerback Jimmy Smith, a first-round draft pick, who has one interception and is developing his rookie year as the third corner.

Special teams overview: Kicker Billy Cundiff is 25 of 31 on field goals with a long of 51 yards, his only conversion in six attempts over 50. He is second in the NFL with 38 touchbacks. When Cundiff doesn’t knock them out of the end zone, the Ravens’ kick coverage ranks 31st and has given up a 107-yard touchdown return. Punter Sam Koch is 10th in gross average (46.8 yards) and 11th in net (39.8).

Players to watch:

• Linebacker Terrell Suggs: One of the most prolific sack artists of his time, he has 12 career sacks and seven forced fumbles against the Browns. His nine sacks rank second in the AFC and seventh in the league overall.

• Safety Ed Reed: Talk about Browns-killer. He has more interceptions (10), interceptions for touchdowns (three) and passes defensed (18) against the Browns than any other opponent.

• Receiver Torrey Smith: This second-round rookie already owns two of the franchise’s top five receiving days. His 19.8-yard average — 30 catches for 613 yards and five TD — ranks second among NFL receivers.

Injury report: LB Ray Lewis (toe) has missed the last two games. DB Chris Carr (back), LB Dannell Ellerbe (groin), DT Arthur Jones (concussion), and RB Anthony Allen (thigh) all missed the last game.

Small world: Among the many players, coaches and executives who formerly worked or played for the Browns are: General Manager Ozzie Newsome, senior personnel assistant George Kokinis, defensive line coach Clarence Brooks, defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano, director of pro personnel Vince Newsome, vice president of football administration Pat Moriarty, assistant special teams coach Marwan Maalouf and special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg. … Receiver Lee Evans attended Bedford High School. … Safety Haruki Nakamura is a Cleveland native who attended St. Edward High School. … Scout Jack Glowik is a Cleveland native who attended Benedictine High School. … Linebackers coach Dean Pees is a former head coach at Kent State.

– Tony Grossi

More In Sports

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OWINGS MILLS – With the emotions of a victorious Harbaugh bowl and a rare sweep of the Pittsburgh Steelers already behind them, the Baltimore Ravens are bracing for a familiar, recurring challenge for the remainder of the season.

How will they handle success after three previous losses to losing teams immediately following big wins?

To earn the elusive home-field advantage granted to the top seed in the AFC, the Ravens will have to take care of business against teams they’re expected to beat.

Only one of the Ravens’ upcoming five opponents sports a winning record, and Baltimore travels to play those emerging Cincinnati Bengals in the season finale after defeating them last week at home.

For the next month, the Ravens (8-3) will square off with teams with losing records starting with the Cleveland Browns next Sunday followed by the winless Indianapolis Colts, the slumping San Diego Chargers and the Browns again.

“It’s an opportunity going forward, it positions us really well,” Harbaugh said. “Now, we have to conquer a game in Cleveland, one that’s been plaguing us all year. You’ve all written about it extensively. It’s a big challenge we have, but we have an opportunity now to get healthy. And that’s what we have to take advantage of in the next couple of days.”

The Ravens are competing with the Steelers to remain atop the AFC North division, and the title would grant them at least one home playoff game.

If the Ravens can finish with a superior record to the New England Patriots and the Steelers, it would ensure playing all of their playoff games at M&T Bank Stadium.

That could provide an easier path to the Super Bowl considering the Ravens have won 16 of their last 17 home games, including a 6-0 mark this season and nine consecutive wins dating back to last year.

“Obviously playing here, we’re pretty tough to beat because we’ve got a great atmosphere the fans created,” quarterback Joe Flacco said. “We haven’t had one since I’ve been here. It would really be beneficial to get one.”

The home-field advantage conversation grew new life after the Ravens’ 16-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Thanksgiving.

“Well, it’s probably too early because you have five games left,” Harbaugh said. “But it’s December football, and that’s when you start thinking about things like that. The only thing we need to be focused on is getting healthy, first of all, and the Cleveland Browns.

“That’s something we’ve struggled with on the road, and we have to go conquer that. That’s going to be a really tough task. I know all of our guys are going to focus on that and take care of first things first.”

In order to do so, they’ll need to handle a Cleveland team they swept last year.

With embarrassing losses to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Seattle Seahawks and a setback against the Tennessee Titans, the Ravens have proven that they’re vulnerable against teams they were favored to beat.

That has raised questions about whether the Ravens overlooked teams that were regarded as inferior to them.

“We’ve always had focus,” Pro Bowl outside linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “Sometimes the game or the game plan gets away from us and we’ve given away a few games. As long we always keep the game plan in our grasp and do what we do best, play Ravens football, feed every defense a lot of Rice, I think we’ve got a good chance of making a good run at this thing. When we get away from ourselves, that’s when you never know what’s going to happen.”

Suggs was referencing how the Ravens abandoned the running game and star running back Ray Rice in losses to Seattle, Jacksonville and Tennessee when they fell behind.

However, the Ravens were stubborn with the run against the 49ers’ top-ranked run defense even though Rice finished with just 59 yards on 21 carries. That kept the defense honest and created manageable third-down situations.

The Ravens haven’t played a home playoff game since the 2006 season when they lost to the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC divisional round following a first-round bye.

“That’s key,” Suggs said. “You know when you get home-field advantage you have a good chance of making it to the big dance. I think we have the best fans in the world. We win all of our home games and that’s because it’s loud and because our fans give us the energy, and we want to play well for them.

“We haven’t had a home playoff game since coach has been here. We just want to take it one game at a time, but that’s definitely an overall goal: win the division, get it at home-field.”

Under Harbaugh, the Ravens have gone 8-4 in December games dating back to the 2008 season.

“It’s a long season, and you all know November and December football is tricky,” Suggs said. “You can’t afford to give any away. You have to win the games you’re supposed to win, and try to steal the ones that you aren’t.

“We’re going to enjoy this win and after the long weekend we’re going to come back and get ready for Cleveland. November and December football is very important, and we’re just going to focus on the next point.”

The Baltimore Ravens sacked Alex Smith nine times and beat the San Francisco 49ers 16-6 Thursday night, giving John Harbaugh an emotional charge in the first NFL game featuring brothers as opposing head coaches.

The Ravens (8-3) chased, hindered and battered Smith for much of the night despite playing without middle linebacker Ray Lewis, the team’s leading tackler and spiritual leader. Lewis was inactive for a second straight game with a foot injury.

The nine sacks tied a franchise record, accomplished twice previously.

San Francisco (9-2) had its eight-game winning streak broken under rookie coach Jim Harbaugh.

John, 49, and Jim, 47, grew up dueling each other in all sorts of games. Competing this time on a national stage, John got the best of his little brother.

Baltimore broke a 6-6 tie with a 76-yard, 16-play drive that last more than 7½ minutes and ended with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco to tight end Dennis Pitta with 14:56 left. Flacco went 4 for 4 on third down during the drive.