BALTIMORE, Md. — Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco was thrilled with the gift he received from Browns rookie defensive tackle Phil Taylor at the end of the game: a jump on fourth-and-2 that cost the Browns a chance at a comeback in the 20-14 loss.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever been in position for that to happen,” Flacco said. “It’s never worked.”

With two minutes left in the game, the Ravens were clinging to the 20-14 lead and facing the crucial fourth down at the Browns’ 37. Everyone in M&T Bank Stadium knew the Ravens were going to try to draw the Browns offsides.

“In the timeout, we talked about the potential of that happening,” said coach Pat Shurmur. “I’ve seen it, and we had a nice huddle to discuss that might happen. And then you’re out there playing and you can’t do that.”

Sure enough, Taylor bolted off the line and wrecked the Browns’ hopes of tying or winning the game.

“We got them,” Flacco said. “[Coach] John [Harbaugh] was like ‘there’s no way they jump.’ In that situation, we got fortunate.”

Immediately afterward, linebacker D’Qwell Jackson put his hands on Taylor’s head and offered words of encouragement.

“He said ‘hold your head up,’” Taylor said. “It’s tough. Of course you feel bad, but you’ve just got to move on.”

Flacco executed the fake perfectly, then took a knee three straight times to end the game.

“They gave us a first hard count and we stayed onsides,” Taylor said. “The second time, I jumped.”

Jackson defended the mistake.

“We talked about it before the play, but it was the first time he had been in that situation,” Jackson said. “I was telling him, ‘You played a great game,’ and it’s a great learning experience for him. You hate to be that guy. I had my fair share of mishaps today, but you play in this league a long time and things like that are going to happen. You just have to be able to learn from them and try to minimize those mistakes.”

Added cornerback Sheldon Brown: “The only way to learn in this game as a young player is to be out there doing certain things. Unfortunately it happened, but we have to play faster and start faster. You can never point the blame or the finger at one person.”

Jackson said the bright side is that Taylor played the whole season and gained valuable experience as a rookie.

“He’s done a tremendous job all year,” Jackson said.

TDs on Jackson: Jackson gave up the Ravens’ two touchdown passes, a 5-yarder to tight end Ed Dickson and a 42-yarder to running back Ray Rice. Rice caught the ball at about the 25 and ran it in.

“Ray is a great back,” Jackson said. “He understood how I was manipulating a lot of running backs throughout the year. Being in man coverage, I’m able to hug. He took a chance. He got out real fast and once his feet are moving and he’s downhill, I tried to close the gap as quick as I could but it was a great ball by Flacco and there was no chance I was catching him.”

On the one to Dickson, Jackson had his back to the ball when it floated to Dickson.

“I’ve just got to close the air between him and the ball and I’ve just got to do a better job covering,” Jackson said.

Steelers game moved to later start: As a result of the NFL’s flex scheduling, the Browns-Steelers game Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium has been moved from 1 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Cribbs TD: Wasted in the loss was Josh Cribbs‘ career-long 84-yard punt return for a touchdown that pulled the Browns to within 20-7 in the third quarter. It was his third career punt return for a score and 11th total return touchdown of his career, which is the fifth-most in NFL history. It was his first punt return for a touchdown since the 2009 season opener, when he returned one 67 yards against Minnesota on Sept. 13. Cribbs has totaled 20 career touchdowns; two rushing, three on punt returns, seven receiving and eight on kickoffs.

“It felt great,” said Cribbs, who was questionable for the game with a groin injury. “‘I saw all of the great blocking around me. From there, it was easy. It was just a walk in.’”

Hillis sensational: Browns running back Peyton Hillis followed his 99-yard game in Arizona with a 112-yard effort against the Ravens’ second-ranked run defense. Heading in, the Ravens had allowed only eight 100-yard runners in its previous 81 games and 10 in its past 98 games. One of those was Hillis’ 144-yard outburst here last season.

“It was tough [this season] because I knew I was hurt and I was injured and trying to go back out there and trying to play when you’re not 100 percent is tough because you know you really can’t help your team,” he said. “Then a lot of people are doubting you or thinking that you’re not trying to play hard. I love this team and I love going out there and playing football. It?s what I love to do. I don’t like people questioning that because my heart’s big and I want to do great things for this team.”

Hillis hobbled off for one play with an ankle injury but came right back in.

“My ankle popped there for a second,” he said. “I got a little concerned, but it wasn’t hurting. So they just took me to the sideline and cut off the tape and [re-taped] me then I was fine after that. I was just a little worried and concerned I didn’t hurt anything, which I didn’t.”

Hillis passes: Hillis tried to make something happen on back-to-back passes in the fourth quarter, but Wallace threw too short to him on third-and-5 at the 45 because of pressure by Ed Reed and Paul Kruger, and he was stopped for no gain on fourth-and-5.

“I think they were pretty much playing zero coverage there toward the end trying to hurry up and get the ball out,” Hillis said. “The second one that came to me, I caught and maybe I could have made something happen, but the defender was on me pretty quick. And the first time, if the ball got to me I think something great would’ve happened. But Seneca did a great job. He threw off his back foot there but he made a lot of crucial throws throughout the whole game, so you’ve gotta be proud of him about that.”

Maynard superb: Punter Brad Maynard recorded three more punts inside the 20-yard line. On the season, he has placed 30 of his 75 punts inside the 20 and has zero touchbacks. His inside-the-20 total is the second-most in Browns history. Bryan Wagner holds the record with 32 in 1989.

Draft order: The Browns’ draft order ranges from No. 3 to No. 9. Here are the scenarios:

If the Browns lose to Pittsburgh and finish with a 4-12 record:

They draft No. 3 if Jacksonville beats Indianapolis and Minnesota beats Chicago.

They draft No. 4 if Jacksonville beats Indianapolis and Chicago beats Minnesota.

They draft No. 4 if Indianapolis beats Jacksonville and Minnesota beats Chicago.

They draft No. 5 if Indianapolis beats Jacksonville and Chicago beats Minnesota.

If the Browns beat Pittsburgh and finish with a 5-11 record:

They draft anywhere from No. 6 to No. 9, depending on several outcomes.

Plain Dealer reporter Tony Grossi contributed to this report.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Gotta run!.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP)—Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh isn’t
interested in the complicated tiebreaking procedure that will ultimately
determine the top seed in the AFC playoffs.

His focus, and that of the team, is solely on Sunday night’s game against
the San Diego Chargers. With a victory, Baltimore (10-3) will be assured a
fourth straight trip to the postseason.

“The object is just to win the next game, more than anything probably,”
Harbaugh said Monday. “If that happens, we pretty much know where the chips are
going to fall.”

The immediate goal is to get into the playoffs, but the Ravens want more.
Locked in a four-way tie for the best record in the conference, Baltimore has a
chance to receive a first-round bye, followed by two home playoff games.

If the Ravens win out, they are expected to become the top seed in the AFC—
regardless of how Pittsburgh, New England and Houston fare. Although it’s too
early to determine, if all four teams finish 13-3, it appears Baltimore will win
the tiebreaker based on strength of victories.

The Ravens don’t care about that right now.

“We have to play the San Diego Chargers. That’s the next task at hand,”
running back Ray Rice said.

Minutes after Baltimore completed a 24-10 victory over the winless
Indianapolis Colts 24-10 on Sunday, Houston rallied past Cincinnati and New
England held off Washington. The results did not go unnoticed in the Ravens
locker room.

“It’s out there, so you always see it,” Flacco said. “It looked like
there were a couple close games, couple of shots, looked like Houston might go
down and they didn’t. Looked like New England might go down, and they didn’t.
But I’m not really banking on that anyway. I’m looking at the rest of the season
saying we’ve got to win the rest of our games.”

Baltimore’s only defeats this season have been on the road against teams
that entered with losing records (Tennessee, Jacksonville and Seattle). San
Diego is 6-7. But the Ravens have won four straight by a combined 55 points and
are riding a crest of confidence.

“You’re always trying to gain momentum, you’re always trying to be as good
as you can be and improve,” Harbaugh said.

The Ravens are clicking on defense, offense and special teams. Baltimore has
allowed only 36 points over its last three games—and that’s without injured
middle linebacker Ray Lewis. Baltimore got two touchdown passes from Flacco
against the Colts, Rice has run for 307 yards over the past two weeks and
Lardarius Webb has rejuvenated the punt return unit.

And yet, the Ravens aren’t satisfied.

“Championship teams, they don’t settle for what’s happening right now.
Every week, they try to get better,” said linebacker Terrell Suggs, who had
three sacks against the Colts. “We’re doing a lot of things good, but we have
to correct things and get better at the things we’re not doing so well. We’re
still not satisfied. This team is hungry.”

After the Chargers, Baltimore hosts the Cleveland Browns and concludes the
regular season at Cincinnati. Even if they don’t get the top seed in the AFC,
the Ravens can get a home game by winning the AFC North. And playing at home is
no small advantage, given that Baltimore is 7-0 at M&T Bank Stadium and 3-3 on
the road.

No matter how it turns out, the Ravens intend to be at their best once the
postseason gets under way.

“Keep working hard. Keep getting better,” center Matt Birk said. “We can
get where we want to go, but all the stuff, all the external stuff, about
playoff scenarios and what ifs, it doesn’t matter. All we have to do is focus on
our opponents this week.”

Harbaugh said Monday he’s “very hopeful” of having Lewis back as soon as
Sunday night. The 12-time Pro Bowl linebacker has missed four straight games
with an injured right toe, and although Baltimore is 4-0 without him, he remains
the team’s leading tackler.

.

.

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

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.

Gotta run!.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP)—Ray Lewis(notes) usually helps the Baltimore Ravens win by
yelling in the huddle, setting the defense and chasing down the guy with the
football.

Lately, the 12-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker has been forced to play the
role of cheerleader and sideline coach.

And he’s getting pretty darn tired of it.

The 36-year-old Lewis has missed Baltimore’s past two games with an injured
right toe. He was held out of practice Wednesday, but hopes to be back in action
Sunday when the Ravens (8-3) face the Cleveland Browns (4-7).

“There is not even a question, I want to be out there with my teammates,”
Lewis said. “As a leader it is hard to watch your team go out there and
compete, but I can’t be selfish. I didn’t want to push it and play if I wasn’t
100 percent.”

So, while the Ravens were battling against Cincinnati and San Francisco,
Lewis watched from the sideline. Before this injury, he started in 57 straight
games and was factor in just about every one of them.

“Even though I wasn’t physically out there the last two games, I was with
my teammates the whole time cheering them on and in their ears every time I saw
something that might help,” Lewis said. “I’m doing everything I can to get
back and help this team get where we want to go.”

The Ravens proved they can win without Lewis by defeating the Bengals and
49ers, but Baltimore is clearly better with him in the middle of the defense.

“Even pregame, he motivates us and gives us what we need,” Ravens outside
linebacker Paul Kruger(notes) said. “I think we just need to get him back as quickly
as we can. His presence is definitely missed.”

Without Lewis in the huddle, Jameel McClain(notes) has done a fine job of calling
plays and setting the defense. McClain even had eight tackles against the 49ers,
tied with Bernard Pollard(notes) for the team lead.

But he’s no Lewis, and isn’t embarrassed to say so.

“Nobody can be Ray Lewis’ replacement. Ray Lewis is someone phenomenal,”
McClain said.

Still, the Ravens have performed remarkably well with McClain in the middle,
and his performance as Lewis’ backup has not gone unnoticed by his teammates.

“I’ve always trusted Jameel,” outside linebacker Terrell Suggs(notes) 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.”

McClain has played well, but he’s not alone. The Baltimore defense is
comprised mostly of veterans who understand that injuries are part of the game,
and virtually everyone on the unit stepped up against San Francisco, including
Cory Redding(notes) (2 1/2 sacks), Suggs (three sacks) and Haloti Ngata(notes) (two sacks).

“When one of your brothers goes down, you just have to rally around him,
pick him up and let him know, `We’re still going to ride, man,”’ Redding said.
“We’re still going to go out there and do our thing, and play hard. Nothing’s
going to change. Yes, we miss you. We want you back on the field like crazy. But
you know what? We’re still fighting the mission at hand. We cannot dwell on the
situation. If someone is not in the game, you can’t say, `Oh my God, what are we
going to do?’ You have to keep your eyes on the prize, keep pressing forward.”

If all goes well for Lewis this week, he will return Sunday in a game the
Ravens need to win to stay atop the AFC North. The Browns wouldn’t be surprised
at all if No. 52 is back in uniform for the first time since Nov. 13 in Seattle.

“I’m thinking he’s going to play,” Cleveland coach Pat Shurmur said. “I
know he’s a competitor and he wants to be out there and help the team, so my
guess is he’ll play. They have talent and leadership at all levels of the
defense, but he’s obviously the leader of the linebacking corps there. I’m sure
with him in the lineup, it helps them be better. We’re anticipating he’ll be in
there.”

And if Lewis isn’t ready, the Ravens will again hand over the reins to
McClain.

“Without Ray in the huddle we still have to go about the same business as
scheduled,” Redding said. “Seeing Ray for so many years, Jameel knows what to
do. He studies, he prepares, he’s always where he’s supposed to be and makes
plays. That builds confidence among the rest of us, knowing that even though Ray
isn’t in the game, we still have Jameel to come out and lead us.”

With an assist from Lewis on the sideline.

“Ray is still pretty much out there,” Suggs said. “He’s not playing, but
we’re still getting the calls, making adjustments on what he sees. It’s still
standard operating procedure.”

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

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From Baltimore — On Tuesdays, when the rest of the NFL takes a day off, the Baltimore Ravens go full pads.

Full iPads, that is.

Instead of asking their players to lug around massive three-ring binders and stacks of DVDs, the Ravens provide each with an iPad 2 and distribute that information electronically on a weekly basis.

“The guys really like doing it this way,” Coach John Harbaugh said. “They won’t flip through a playbook anymore. This is so much easier for them.”

Harbaugh said the Ravens and Tampa Bay are the only teams to do away with traditional playbooks at this point, but he expects every NFL franchise will make the switch in the near future. One of the many advantages: Players can download that week’s game plan Tuesday, typically their day off, rather than waiting to see it for the first time Wednesday.

“I take the iPad everywhere I go, so if something comes up I always have it with me,” Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo said. “I could be at the grocery store, and if something pops in my mind I’ll just look in the iPad and it’s there for me.”

Nick Fusee, the team’s director of information technology, developed an application that uses specific tabs to separate the material, so players can quickly locate sections such as down-and-distance reports, personnel groups and formations, the perimeter attack, plays for the red zone and short-yardage situations and the like. For instance, the scouting report and game plan for the Ravens’ game against Arizona last month was 285 pages.

Harbaugh also keeps an ongoing motivational file, with additional information on historical or Biblical figures he refers to in his talks to the team. So if the players want to read more on the subject, they have that option.

The next version of the app will allow players to tap on the drawing of a play, making video of that play instantly appear. Fusee also envisions an animated playbook that would allow a user to draw a play with a finger, then hit “play” and watch it go.

Fusee’s main concern in developing the app was making sure the system was secure and that the information could not be obtained by anyone not with the Ravens. To activate his tablet, a player first has to enter a five-digit code. Then, a user name and password are required to launch the playbook app, and if those are entered incorrectly more than three times in a row, all the information in the app is destroyed.

The game plans come with “time bombs,” which erase that week’s information by midnight Sunday after the game. And Fusee has the ability to remotely erase the information on any of the 120 units, so even if the device winds up in the wrong hands, the information will not.

“If Ray Lewis loses his in a McDonald’s and somebody picks it up and walks away with it, I can click a button and remotely wipe it,” Fusee said. “Peace of mind.”

The tablets are collected on game day and returned to the players by the following afternoon, loaded with video of the next opponent. Only the video needs to be installed by the Ravens; everything else is downloaded by the players.

Megan McLaughlin, executive assistant to the coaches, handles the collecting and redistributing of the tablets. She said she is using about 5,000 fewer sheets of paper each week, paper that was then shredded at the end of each week.

At the moment, the tablets are used purely for football. The cameras on the units have been deactivated, and the players don’t have the capability to use the iPads for games, music or surfing the Web. That hasn’t stopped them from asking.

“Right now, in our first year of using them, that’s been the biggest thing, how to lock things down,” McLaughlin said. “It’s going to be one of those things where they keep trying to convince us, ‘Oh, we could use this. It would be beneficial.’ “

As it is, Baltimore players figure the iPads will help them swipe their way to more takeaways, and drag-and-drop their way to more sacks.

The goal is simple.

On Sundays, the Ravens want to play like — you guessed it — angry birds.

sam.farmer@latimes.com

twitter.com/latimesfarmer

That’s all for today.

Penalties are absolutely killing the Seattle Seahawks this season, and the game against the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 13 was no exception. Even though the Seahawks won that game 22-17, it got made much harder by all the penalties getting called.

The Seahawks got called for 13 penalties against the Ravens, accounting for a total of 100 yards. The Ravens got 4 first downs off those penalties, and secured pretty good field position on a number of others. It was hard to watch at times, because it seemed like a yellow flag was getting tossed at a Seahawks players every other play at some points. This is something that can’t continue to happen if the Seahawks are going to put together a nice win streak over the next few weeks.

For the year, the Seahawks have now lost 623 penalty yards in just nine games. That pace would put the Seahawks into four-digits for penalty yards in 2011, and that certainly does not lend itself well to winning football games. One of the most ridiculous penalties against the Ravens was a delay of game penalty called on quarterback Tarvaris Jackson. He got the team up to the line with plenty of time, but simply didn’t get the play off before the clock expired. In another instance, Mike Williams got called for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for pushing another player coming out of the pile.

This doesn’t even get into the penalties committed by the offensive line and an almost overaggressive style y Brandon Browner in the secondary. The penalties in the secondary come with the territory if they are trying to continue being aggressive on every opposing receiver. It’s not necessarily a bad thing either, because then the receivers start thinking about getting hit and not catching the ball. The false start and offsides penalties are something entirely different though, because they should never happen during important game situations.

Getting called for penalties is certainly a part of the game of football, but getting called for 100 yards of infractions is just ridiculous. That’s not typically going to happen during a game where the team wins, but Seattle was just playing that much better than the Ravens when it happened.

More From YCN :

Seahawks_Crush_Ravens

Best_Seahawks_Of_2011

Marshawn_Lynch_Game_Fluke?

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2011_Team_Not_Worst_for_Seahawks

References:

Seahawks_2011_Stats

Seattle_Seahawks_Roster

Seattle_Seahawks_Schedule/Results

*Ryan Christopher DeVault is a lifelong fan of the Seattle Seahawks that continues to hold out hope that the team is heading in the right direction with a new coach, a weak NFC West, and some great young players on defense.

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

That’s all for today.

The Baltimore Ravens and Seattle Seahawks will meet up on Sunday, Nov. 13 for a game that most analysts feel is almost too easy for the Ravens. The logic would dictate that the Ravens are easily favored to win this game, and even though the Seahawks are playing at home they will get called severe underdogs.

If the Seahawks passing attack can do better and Marshawn Lynch(notes) can prove his game against the Cowboys on Nov. 6 wasn’t a fluke, this game could turn into an upset. Both of those points are big question marks, especially because the Seahawks have failed to stay consistent on offense at any point this year. If Lynch and Tarvaris Jackson(notes) can have a good game on the same day though, the Ravens could head home very frustrated.

The big advantage for Baltimore, just like in recent years, is a defense that ranks among the best in the NFL. The Ravens rank second in the NFL in how many points the team gives up (16.3 per game). The team also gives up just 280 yards per game, which is also second best in the league. That is a miniscule number, and it shows how difficult it is for any offense to find a rhythm. That probably means it is twice has hard for Seattle, and that everyone is going to have to play better in Week 10 to get this done.

The Ravens are now in the driver’s seat in the AFC North, but must keep winning games to stay in first place. Trying to hold off the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers for the rest of the year isn’t going to get any easier, and that makes it important to win games against teams that are just 2-6. The Steelers took care of Seattle earlier this year (24-0), so the bar has already been set for what Baltimore has to do.

The kickoff for the Nov. 13 game is at 1:05 p.m. PT, and the Seattle crowd has to become a factor early to help keep this game close. Succeeding at staying within striking distance may turn into the game plan, and then the Seahawks have to hope for good games from Jackson, Lynch and even Sidney Rice(notes) to put this one in the win column.

More From YCN :

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Cowboys_Take_Down_Seahawks

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References:

Seahawks_2011_Stats

Seattle_Seahawks_Roster

Seattle_Seahawks_Schedule/Results

*Ryan Christopher DeVault is a lifelong fan of the Seattle Seahawks that continues to hold out hope that the team is heading in the right direction with a new coach, a weak NFC West, and some great young players on defense.

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

Thanks for visiting our blog =).

by Kent Somers – Oct. 29, 2011 12:19 PM
The Arizona Republic | azcentral.com

Gotta run!.

BALTIMORE — The scariest part about the Baltimore Ravens’ defense is that it doesn’t fear anything.

The Ravens aren’t afraid of blitzing on every play. They’re not afraid of sending a safety or a nickel back after the quarterback. They’re not afraid of leaving a cornerback one-on-one with a receiver.

After a couple of years of playing it safe, the Baltimore defense showed a national television audience and its former boss that the Ravens haven’t just dusted off their old, aggressive game plan. They’ve expanded it.

Three defensive touchdowns in the Ravens’ 34-17 victory over the New York Jets at M&T Bank Stadium came as the result of relentless pressure. Past Ravens defenses prided themselves on leading the NFL in fewest yards given up or setting the record for fewest points allowed.

This Ravens defense wants turnovers, and they want to turn them into touchdowns. Baltimore’s defense outscored the Jets’ offense 21-3. Actually, Baltimore’s defense outscored its own offense.

So, how great can this Ravens defense become?

“We can be special,” Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “It all depends on where we go from here.”

Defenses in Baltimore are defined by championships, which means there is a ways to go before you can rank this group. All you can say is that Baltimore is on the right path.

The Ravens are relentless and it started with the defense’s first snap. Baltimore safety Ed Reed came unblocked and stripped Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez from the blind side, which led to Jameel McClain’s 6-yard fumble return for a touchdown.

In the second quarter, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata crashed into Sanchez’s back, forcing the ball loose and leading to a 26-yard fumble return by Jarret Johnson. In the third quarter, Suggs’ pressure caused Sanchez to hurry a throw to the outside, where cornerback Lardarius Webb jumped in front of Santonio Holmes and ran back the interception 73 yards for a touchdown.

“It reminded me of the 2000 and 2006 defenses,” said Jets coach Rex Ryan, who was on the Ravens’ staff for both of those defenses. “They were coming after us.”

This defense, though, accomplished something the the defenses in 2000 (which set the NFL record for fewest points) and 2006 (which is the only Ravens defense that finished No. 1 in a season) never did — score three touchdowns in one game.

It didn’t matter that the special teams allowed a 107-yard kickoff return or quarterback Joe Flacco had an interception returned for a score. What made the Baltimore defense’s effort amazing was how it carried the team.

In 2000, the Ravens’ defense remained strong through a five-game touchdown drought. On Sunday night, the defense didn’t bend despite a 35 1/2-minute drought for Flacco, who didn’t complete a pass in the second or third quarters.

With the Ravens holding a 28-17 lead in the third quarter, Flacco fumbled to give the ball to the Jets at the Baltimore 27-yard line. On the next play, Webb once again showed there was no panic on defense when he delivered his interception return for a touchdown.

[+] Enlarge

Mitch Stringer/US PresswireThe Ravens were able to pressure Mark Sanchez all night and forced the Jets to cough up three fumbles.

“Any defense that can create turnovers and score touchdowns is pretty much unstoppable,” Ngata said.

This is a drastically different look from last season, when the Ravens had a more conservative approach under defensive coordinator Greg Mattison. They didn’t give up many points (third-fewest in the NFL). But they didn’t put much pressure on the quarterback (the 27 sacks were a franchise low).

When Mattison left to become the defensive coordinator at the University of Michigan, Baltimore promoted secondary coach Chuck Pagano, who said the Ravens would “wreak havoc” in his first news conference.

He has lived up to those words, especially against the Jets. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Ravens blitzed at least one defensive back on 13 of Sanchez’s 38 dropbacks. Only twice this season had a quarterback taken more snaps against blitzing defensive backs (Jay Cutler and Sam Bradford, both in Week 2).

Those blitzes resulted in nearly as many turnovers (two) as completions (three).

“He’s not afraid of anything,” linebacker Ray Lewis said of Pagano.

The real fear must be for quarterbacks when they watch the Ravens’ defense get announced before the game. You get the sense that’s what pitchers must have felt when they went against the Yankees’ Murderers’ Row in 1927. Out of the Ravens’ tunnel comes Ngata. Then Suggs. Then Reed. And of course, Lewis.

What must quarterbacks think when they watch film of the Ravens hammering Sanchez, Ben Roethlisberger and Bradford?

“Get the ball out quick or you’re going to get hit,” Suggs said with a laugh.

But quarterbacks aren’t getting the ball out quickly enough. Last week in St. Louis, Baltimore recorded 11 quarterback hits. On Sunday night, there were 10 quarterback hits which were delivered by seven players.

The performance was more special because it was against Ryan, the Ravens’ defensive coordinator from 2005 to 2008.

“He created us,” Johnson said, “now he had to deal with us.”

Baltimore’s defense could become stronger after this week’s bye with the return of two injured cornerbacks, rookie first-round pick Jimmy Smith and veteran Chris Carr.

“I do sense something special with this defense and with this team,” Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh said. “I think there’s a spirit in this team that’s hard to describe and I wish I could put it into words for you. I saw it the first day the guys came back. We’ll see where it takes us.”

Note: Harbaugh handed out game balls to Pagano; O.J. Brigance, the team’s director of of player development who celebrated his birthday last week while still battling ALS; and Pat Modell, the wife of former majority owner Art Modell. Pat Modell is seriously ill.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

Leave any suggestions in the comment box.

OWINGS MILLS — The Baltimore Ravens cut linebacker Tavares
Gooden from the roster Saturday after haggling with the San
Francisco 49ers in trade discussions that fizzled out.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He was placed on injured reserve for the second year in a row
after a magnetic resonance imaging exam revealed a torn ligament in
his ankle that will require surgery to repair the damage.

A sixth-round draft pick from Morehouse last year, Harewood
missed his entire rookie season after undergoing surgeries on both
knees. Dr. Robert Anderson, a specialist in Charlotte, N.C., is set
to perform the procedure.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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
Ravens

on

Saturday, September 3, 2011 9:32 pm.

| Tags:

Ravens,

Football

| Location Tags:

Owings mills

Thanks for visiting our blog =).

OWINGS MILLS — The Baltimore Ravens cut linebacker Tavares
Gooden from the roster Saturday after haggling with the San
Francisco 49ers in trade discussions that fizzled out.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He was placed on injured reserve for the second year in a row
after a magnetic resonance imaging exam revealed a torn ligament in
his ankle that will require surgery to repair the damage.

A sixth-round draft pick from Morehouse last year, Harewood
missed his entire rookie season after undergoing surgeries on both
knees. Dr. Robert Anderson, a specialist in Charlotte, N.C., is set
to perform the procedure.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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
Ravens

on

Saturday, September 3, 2011 9:32 pm.

| Tags:

Ravens,

Football

| Location Tags:

Owings mills

Not much else going on in the NFL world today.

Posted: Thursday, September 1, 2011 12:00 am
|


Updated: 8:45 am, Thu Sep 1, 2011.

Posted in
Local,
Ravens

on

Thursday, September 1, 2011 12:00 am.

| Tags:

Ravens

There is the quick update of the day.

Not much else going on in the NFL world today.