The New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens
clash in Week Four of the National Football League (NFL) season
and while the teams have much in common there is a sense of
rivalry fired by Jets head coach, and former Raven, Rex Ryan.

Both teams are 2-1 this season, have been regulars in the
American Football Conference (AFC) playoffs in recent years but
neither has made the Super Bowl since the Ravens triumph did
following the 2000 season.

Each have outstanding players on defense – Ed Reed and Ray
Lewis for Baltimore, Darrelle Revis for the Jets – but have
some lingering question marks over their quarterbacks.

Ravens quarterback, 26-year-old Joe Flacco, and New York’s
Mark Sanchez, two years his junior, have both proven to be
worthy of their high ranking in the draft but neither have
sealed their status by taking their team to the biggest game.

But it is on the sidelines where the tension between the
two teams can be felt.

Ryan spent 10 years with the Ravens, ending as defensive
co-ordinator, and it still rankles that current Ravens coach
John Harbaugh pipped him to the top job at the club.

Although Ryan’s Jets lost to the Ravens last year he
believes he has proven his worth in New York and also feels the
need to spell that out.

“We have not beat them since I’ve been here, that’s for
sure, but the fact of the matter is, we all said we were going
to meet in the AFC championship game. Now, we haven’t won the
AFC championship game, but we’ve got there two years in a row.
The Ravens haven’t. So you can throw that one right back at
them as well,” Ryan said earlier this week.

“I’ve gone to the playoffs every year, and I’ve gone to the
championship game every year since I’ve been here as well. But
who cares? This is what it is. They know I did a great job
there for 10 years.”

It should be a gripping encounter in Baltimore on Sunday
that will conclude a day which is expected to offer some tests
for the NFL’s three undefeated teams.

The Buffalo Bills are the most surprising team at 3-0 and
they will fancy their chances of extending their winning start
to the season when they visit the Cincinnati Bengals (1-2).

The Detroit Lions (3-0) take on a Dallas Cowboys team that
were boosted by their victory over the Washington Redskins on
Monday while the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers will
expect a fourth victory at Denver.

The New England Patriots, who suffered a shock defeat to
Buffalo last week, face another tricky test on the road against
an Oakland Raiders (2-1) team that is showing signs of being a
playoff threat this season.

The Raiders have gone eight seasons without a winning
record and will test the Patriots defense against the run in
the first game between the two teams in three years.

Michael Vick’s rather bruising season for the Philadelphia
Eagles (1-2) should continue at home to the San Francisco 49ers
if he recovers from a hand injury in time.

The Eagles are smarting from their defeat to the New York
Giants and desperate to avoid a third straight loss while the
49ers (2-1) are looking for another road win after last week’s
13-8 win at Cincinnati.

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That’s all the news for today.

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Updated Aug 9, 2011 10:52 PM ET

Twelve-time Pro Bowl linebacker Ray Lewis said he will retire if the Baltimore Ravens win the Super Bowl this season.

The 36-year-old is about to embark on his 16th NFL season, having joined the Ravens as a first-round pick in 1996.

“My son will be a junior this year. I only play this game for another ring,” Lewis told CBSSports.com.

“If we can win it this year, and I’m being brutally honest with you, if we win it this year, I’m gone to then spend as much time as I can with him. I’m gone to be with my son. And I feel like now we have enough pieces in place to make a good run at the Super Bowl.”

Lewis already won Super Bowl XXXV with the Ravens, and was also named Super Bowl MVP.

Las Vegas has the Ravens at 14-1 to win the title.

Read more here

Gotta run!.

OWINGS MILLS – Sporting his new wedding ring and a bolder
attitude much different than his usually stoic personality,
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco delivered a message to his
legion of critics.

Used for target practice by national pundits who questioned his
leadership, ability in the clutch and whether he has the fire to
run a football team, Flacco lashed out Wednesday upon reporting for
training camp at the Ravens’ training complex. Just like the Ravens
are changing with tight end Todd Heap and wide receiver Derrick
Mason, about to be cut from the roster today, so is Flacco’s
outward mentality.

“I’m think I’m pretty damn good,” Flacco said. “And I don’t need
to go out and tell everybody I play this game to be the best and it
doesn’t matter what other people say. I don’t need to go out and
tell everybody that and show it on every given day, every play,
every Sunday and do all that stuff. I go out there and I play.

“You can think what you want about me. The bottom line is: I’m
still going to think the way I think about myself and I feel pretty
good about myself no matter what you say. I would like some more
people than myself to think good about me, but they never do, they
never do.”

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley said that Flacco
will never win a Super Bowl in this lifetime.

Even after Flacco’s comments hit the airwaves, NFL Network
analyst Jamie Dukes continued to rip the quarterback for his
playoff track record. Flacco is 4-3 in the postseason, but his
statistics are better during the regular season. Dukes has
previously questioned Flacco’s work ethic even though the former
first-round draft pick is known for working long hours and studying
a lot of film.

And Cincinnati Bengals middle linebacker Dhani Jones said Flacco
simply makes too many mistakes, accusing him of caving under the
harassment of defenders.

“We’ve had a good team the last three years and I think I’ve
gotten better each year and played pretty darn good, so I don’t
understand it,” Flacco said. “People are going to say what they’re
going to say. We’ve just got to go out there and win football
games, continue to win football games really, because we’ve won
football games every year here.”

This isn’t the first time that Flacco has displayed his
willingness to speak out.

He was furious when the Ravens fired quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn
after he stuck up for him.

In three NFL seasons, Flacco has completed 62 percent of his
throws for 10,206 yards, 60 touchdowns and 34 interceptions for an
87.9 passer rating. Last season, he passed for a career-high 3,622
yards and 25 touchdowns.

“The world we live in today, there’s usually one good
quarterback at the end of the year and 31 other not-good ones,”
Flacco said. “My goal is to be that one good one at the end of the
year.”

“When you’re good, people are scared of you,” Mason told the
Times this summer. “Honestly, that’s what I’ve seen. When people
realize the potential that you have, they get very, very scared and
then you see them scrambling to say bad things about the guy.

“Joe doesn’t care. He really doesn’t. For the Woodleys and the
Dhani Jones and the rest of them, you see there aren’t no head
coaches or general manager and no smart players saying Joe can’t
play. The last thing you want to do is wake up a sleeping giant.
Whether he says it or not, they’ve given him added fuel.”

Flacco, 26, got married to his high school sweetheart, Dana,
this summer.

“It was a lot of fun,” Flacco said. “It was a really good
day.”

Now, he has to build new connections with his receivers with
Mason and Heap off the team.

“Definitely shocked to hear about it, those guys are both
friends of mine and both good targets of mine on the field,” Flacco
said. “So, I feel for them and I hope we can do everything we can
to get those guys back. I had no idea anything like that was going
to happen. I wasn’t even really thinking about that. I hope we can
go out there and operate no matter what.”

“If those guys aren’t there, it’s because we are confident with
the guys that we have. I would say if they’re not there, we know we
have a great group of guys. If they are there, then we’re only
going to benefit from that.”

Instead of throwing to Mason and Heap, Flacco’s targets, at
least for now, are expected to become tight end Ed Dickson and
rookie wide receiver Torrey Smith.

“I’m sure at first there will be an initial shock without those
guys being out there,” Flacco said. “I hope we can go out there and
operate no matter what.”

Now, Flacco is intent on leading the Ravens past the threshold
of a few rounds into the playoffs. He’s thinking much bigger. To
get to the Super Bowl, the Ravens will need him to play bigger.

“I want the ball to be put in my hands, I want to be in
control,” Flacco said. “I want to be in position to lose football
games. I’ve always said that. I want it to be on me. In order to do
that, you got to have trust in me, and I think we’re there.”

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.

Posted in
Local,
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on

Wednesday, July 27, 2011 11:25 pm.

| Tags:

Ravens

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

OWINGS MILLS – Sporting his new wedding ring and a bolder
attitude much different than his usually stoic personality,
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco delivered a message to his
legion of critics.

Used for target practice by national pundits who questioned his
leadership, ability in the clutch and whether he has the fire to
run a football team, Flacco lashed out Wednesday upon reporting for
training camp at the Ravens’ training complex. Just like the Ravens
are changing with tight end Todd Heap and wide receiver Derrick
Mason, about to be cut from the roster today, so is Flacco’s
outward mentality.

“I’m think I’m pretty damn good,” Flacco said. “And I don’t need
to go out and tell everybody I play this game to be the best and it
doesn’t matter what other people say. I don’t need to go out and
tell everybody that and show it on every given day, every play,
every Sunday and do all that stuff. I go out there and I play.

“You can think what you want about me. The bottom line is: I’m
still going to think the way I think about myself and I feel pretty
good about myself no matter what you say. I would like some more
people than myself to think good about me, but they never do, they
never do.”

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley said that Flacco
will never win a Super Bowl in this lifetime.

Even after Flacco’s comments hit the airwaves, NFL Network
analyst Jamie Dukes continued to rip the quarterback for his
playoff track record. Flacco is 4-3 in the postseason, but his
statistics are better during the regular season. Dukes has
previously questioned Flacco’s work ethic even though the former
first-round draft pick is known for working long hours and studying
a lot of film.

And Cincinnati Bengals middle linebacker Dhani Jones said Flacco
simply makes too many mistakes, accusing him of caving under the
harassment of defenders.

“We’ve had a good team the last three years and I think I’ve
gotten better each year and played pretty darn good, so I don’t
understand it,” Flacco said. “People are going to say what they’re
going to say. We’ve just got to go out there and win football
games, continue to win football games really, because we’ve won
football games every year here.”

This isn’t the first time that Flacco has displayed his
willingness to speak out.

He was furious when the Ravens fired quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn
after he stuck up for him.

In three NFL seasons, Flacco has completed 62 percent of his
throws for 10,206 yards, 60 touchdowns and 34 interceptions for an
87.9 passer rating. Last season, he passed for a career-high 3,622
yards and 25 touchdowns.

“The world we live in today, there’s usually one good
quarterback at the end of the year and 31 other not-good ones,”
Flacco said. “My goal is to be that one good one at the end of the
year.”

“When you’re good, people are scared of you,” Mason told the
Times this summer. “Honestly, that’s what I’ve seen. When people
realize the potential that you have, they get very, very scared and
then you see them scrambling to say bad things about the guy.

“Joe doesn’t care. He really doesn’t. For the Woodleys and the
Dhani Jones and the rest of them, you see there aren’t no head
coaches or general manager and no smart players saying Joe can’t
play. The last thing you want to do is wake up a sleeping giant.
Whether he says it or not, they’ve given him added fuel.”

Flacco, 26, got married to his high school sweetheart, Dana,
this summer.

“It was a lot of fun,” Flacco said. “It was a really good
day.”

Now, he has to build new connections with his receivers with
Mason and Heap off the team.

“Definitely shocked to hear about it, those guys are both
friends of mine and both good targets of mine on the field,” Flacco
said. “So, I feel for them and I hope we can do everything we can
to get those guys back. I had no idea anything like that was going
to happen. I wasn’t even really thinking about that. I hope we can
go out there and operate no matter what.”

“If those guys aren’t there, it’s because we are confident with
the guys that we have. I would say if they’re not there, we know we
have a great group of guys. If they are there, then we’re only
going to benefit from that.”

Instead of throwing to Mason and Heap, Flacco’s targets, at
least for now, are expected to become tight end Ed Dickson and
rookie wide receiver Torrey Smith.

“I’m sure at first there will be an initial shock without those
guys being out there,” Flacco said. “I hope we can go out there and
operate no matter what.”

Now, Flacco is intent on leading the Ravens past the threshold
of a few rounds into the playoffs. He’s thinking much bigger. To
get to the Super Bowl, the Ravens will need him to play bigger.

“I want the ball to be put in my hands, I want to be in
control,” Flacco said. “I want to be in position to lose football
games. I’ve always said that. I want it to be on me. In order to do
that, you got to have trust in me, and I think we’re there.”

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.

Posted in
Local,
Ravens

on

Wednesday, July 27, 2011 11:25 pm.

| Tags:

Ravens

There is the quick update of the day.

Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.

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OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP)—What a crazy offseason it was for Baltimore Ravens
quarterback Joe Flacco(notes).

Instead of working with coaches and teammates to prepare for the 2011
season, Flacco got married and took some flagrant hits from a few outspoken
critics.

Then, almost immediately after the NFL lockout ended, Flacco learned he
might be without two of his favorite targets: tight end Todd Heap(notes) and wide
receiver Derrick Mason(notes), who have been told by the Ravens they will be cut.

Flacco has taken the Ravens to the playoffs in each of his three seasons,
yet some people aren’t impressed.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley(notes) said the Ravens won’t win a
Super Bowl with Flacco “in this lifetime.” NFL analyst Jaime Dukes questioned
the quarterback’s work ethic, and Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones(notes)
said, “If you put a lot of pressure on him, he makes bad decisions.”

After taking his physical and conditioning test Wednesday at Baltimore’s
training complex, Flacco addressed the criticism with his head held high.

“We’ve had a good team the last three years and I think I’ve gotten better
each year and played pretty darn good, so I don’t understand it,” he said.
“People are going to say what they’re going to say. We’ve just got to go out
there and win football games, continue to win football games really, because
we’ve won football games every year here.”

Flacco gets it. The Ravens haven’t reached the Super Bowl during his tenure,
and until that happens he knows there will be people who question his
performance.

“The world we live in today, there’s usually one good quarterback at the
end of the year and 31 other not-good ones,” he said.

That, however, is not his perspective.

“I think I’m pretty (darn) good, and I don’t need to go out and tell
everybody that and show it on every given day, every play, every Sunday and do
all that stuff. I go out there and I play,” he said. “You can think what you
want about me. The bottom line is, I’m still going to think the way I think
about myself, and I feel pretty good about myself. I would like some more people
than myself to think good about me, but they never do. They never do.”

Sporting a wedding ring on his left hand, the 26-year-old quarterback
declared himself in excellent shape and ready to get back on the field. He spoke
hopefully about getting back Heap and Mason, who haven’t signed yet with another
team and could still return if the price is right.

“I had no idea anything like that was going to happen,” Flacco said. “You
expect to come back and see some new faces just like every year. But I
definitely was not expecting (Baltimore) to get rid of Derrick and Todd. I
wasn’t even really thinking about that. I was thinking about getting back to
playing football, getting back to normal life for us.”

It’s going to take Flacco a while to get used to playing without Mason, the
team’s career leader in receptions, and Heap, the starting tight end for the
past 10 years.

“I’m sure at first there will be an initial shock without those guys being
out there,” Flacco said. “I hope we can go out there and operate no matter
what. If those guys aren’t there, it’s because we are confident with the guys
that we have. I would say if they’re not there, we know we have a great group of
guys. If they are there, then we’re only going to benefit from that.”

Replacing Heap, at least initially, is second-year tight end Ed Dickson(notes). He
doesn’t have the credentials of Heap, but is not backing down from the
challenge.

“It means a lot to me that they have that much faith in me,” Dickson said.
“I’ve got a year under my belt, so I’ll definitely be more comfortable in our
playbook.”

But it’s going to be up to Flacco to make the offense work, and he’s ready
to do just that.

“I just want to go out there and win football games. I want the ball to be
put in my hands. I want to be in control,” he said. “I want to be in position
to lose football games, I’ve always said that. I want it to be on me. … In
order to do that, you got to have trust in me, and I think we’re there. I think
we just need to go out there and put it all forward and do what we need to do to
get to that next step, get past the hump and win these really big football
games.”

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