December

Dec. 15, 2008   

Ravens in fight for wild-card spot

In a span of 2:53 late in the fourth quarter on Sunday, everything changed for the Ravens. Baltimore went from having a chance to close out a win vs. Pittsburgh and thus move into a tie for first place in the AFC North to losing 13-9 and being eliminated from division-title contention. In that span, the Steelers marched 92 yards on 12 plays on the Baltimore defense, with the drive culminating with a four-yard TD pass from ... More>

Dec. 1, 2008   

Ravens have look of team getting better and better

Updated 12:10 p.m. ET, Tuesday, Dec. 2

The Bengals have been beset by a wave of injuries, and they will not be confused with a powerhouse, but in their previous three games leading into their Week 13 matchup with Baltimore, they had defeated Jacksonville, tied Philadelphia and played Pittsburgh tough for almost three quarters on a short week of rest in a Thursday-night contest at Heinz Field. But the Ravens did not let them hang around very long on ... More>

November

Nov. 17, 2008   

Ravens' run defense has day to forget

The numbers were jarring to read for anyone who knows the Ravens' tradition of strong run defense:

 Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw: nine carries, 96 yards.
 Giants RB Brandon Jacobs: 11 carries, 73 yards, two TDs.
 Giants RB Derrick Ward: 11 carries, 41 yards.

Yes, the Giants ran repeatedly, and with great success, in a 30-10 win over Baltimore that left little doubt that the defending Super ... More>

Nov. 10, 2008   

Ravens' offense rolls into showdown with Giants

A look at the NFL's offensive statistics and a little perspective on Baltimore's problems moving the ball most seasons tells you why the 2008 Ravens are suddenly getting a lot of respect. Only four AFC teams — the Jets, Chargers, Broncos and Titans — are scoring more than Baltimore, which rolled up 41 points in a rout of Houston on Sunday and has averaged 33.5 points  during a four-game winning streak that has moved the Ravens into a first-place tie with ... More>

Nov. 3, 2008   

RB Rice emerging for Ravens

For the second time this season, Ravens RB Willis McGahee was active but didn’t receive a carry. And for the second time, it didn’t prevent Baltimore from winning. Just like they did in their season opener, reserve backs Ray Rice and LeRon McClain picked up the slack in McGahee’s absence, especially Rice, who helped lead Baltimore to a come-from-behind 37-27 win at Cleveland on Sunday. Rice rushed for a career-high 154 yards on 21 carries, with 102 ... More>

October

Oct. 13, 2008   

Ravens' latest loss highlights limitations

A promising season for the Ravens could be on the cusp of becoming, as so many had predicted, a rebuilding one. Baltimore has lost three straight games after falling 31-3 at Indianapolis on Sunday. In four previous ’08 contests, the Ravens never really had been taken out of their conservative offensive game plan that relies heavily on a strong running game and minimized the risks QB Joe Flacco would have to take, but Sunday’s game quickly ... More>

Oct. 7, 2008   

Ravens lose NT Gregg for season

Ravens NT Kelly Gregg will have season-ending microfracture surgery on his left knee on Tuesday, Gregg's agent, Jack Bechta, wrote on nationalfootballpost.com on Monday. The injury has sidelined Gregg all season. Gregg, 31, notched 80 tackles and three sacks for Baltimore last season. The 6-foot, 315-pound Gregg is regarded as one of the better 3-4 linemen in the game. Gregg plays with good leverage and is known for his relentlessness, which has contributed to his high ... More>

Oct. 6, 2008   

Could questionable call send Ravens reeling?

One week ago, the Ravens were unbeaten heading into a Monday-night game at Pittsburgh. Now, they are 2-2 as a trip to Indianapolis — a club that has beaten Baltimore in each of the past four seasons — looms. The Ravens’ latest loss, a 13-10 defeat to Tennessee, was especially painful, as Baltimore led for much of the second half. One disputed call helped tilt matters in the Titans’ favor late. With the Titans facing a 3rd-and-10 ... More>

September

Sept. 22, 2008   

Strong defense, running game and game-planning keying Ravens' fast start

The Ravens’ 28-10 win over Cleveland on Sunday had many of the elements that we’ve come to expect from formidable Baltimore teams. The Ravens generated consistent pass-rush pressure, sacking Browns QB Derek Anderson five times. When Anderson was able to get rid of the ball, the coverage was tight. SS Ed Reed, as he has done to so many other quarterbacks, baited Anderson into a bad throw, cutting in front ... More>

Sept. 8, 2008   

Is Flacco the Ravens' starting QB for the long term?

Ravens QB Joe Flacco's first NFL start had all the elements a defensive-minded team could ask for. Flacco completed 15-of-29 passes for 129 yards, but he did not turn the ball over, and the Ravens beat the Bengals, 17-10. What's more, he scored one of Baltimore's two touchdowns on a broken play. Flacco rumbled 38 yards down the sideline, evading surprised Bengals defenders en route, as the Ravens built a 14-point second-half lead. Flacco, who was not sacked, threw a ... More>