Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

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November 20

Indianapolis Star

"The buzz about Baltimore at the beginning of the NFL season centered on how these Ravens could score. They opened with three consecutive games of 30-plus points and have had two more since. Always associated with defense, the Ravens have bumped up their scoring to a 24.7-point average. The team's 24.1 average in 2008 was the second highest in its 14-year history. Much of that is attributed to a franchise in the second year of what has been a most successful transition -- coach John Harbaugh arrived last year, as did quarterback Joe Flacco and running back Ray Rice. The Ravens made it to the AFC title game. Flacco is building off that. His completion numbers are up 5 percent from his rookie ..."

Suggs: 'No doubt in my mind that I should be back'

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November 19

Baltimore Sun

"Speaking for the first time since getting hurt, linebacker-defensive end Terrell Suggs said his sprained right knee isn't a season-ending injury. "There is no doubt in my mind that I should be back this year," Suggs said. "That's the plan. That's where I'm at with it." Suggs was injured in Monday's 16-0 win at Cleveland when Browns quarterback Brady Quinn hit Suggs' knee on an interception return. The three-time Pro Bowl player said he hasn't seen the hit, but players have told him that it was a dirty hit. "That's exactly what it felt like," he said. "But I haven't seen it so I can't really say one way or another. I'm more upset that I'm going to miss this game. I've got to get back for ..."

Ravens' Dwan Edwards fined $5,000 for hit on Josh Cribbs

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November 19

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Baltimore Ravens defensive end Dwan Edwards was fined $5,000 by the NFL for the crushing forearm blow to Josh Cribbs' facemask that sent Cribbs to the Cleveland Clinic on a spine board, according to the Carroll County Times. Edwards said that his hit, on the final play of the game, was not a payback for Brady Quinn's low block on linebacker Terrell Suggs, one that resulted in a knee injury. Edwards was not flagged during the game and the Ravens were surprised he was fined, the Times reported."

Stover returns to Baltimore with Colts

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November 19

Baltimore Sun

"It's an emotional reunion for fans every time the Indianapolis Colts return to Baltimore, but there will be a stronger tug on the heartstrings Sunday. Matt Stover, one of the most beloved Ravens in team history, will kick against his former team for the first time as a member of the rival Colts. For 13 seasons, Stover remembers hearing thunderous cheers from Ravens fans after countless clutch kicks. When he takes the field Sunday - suiting up for a Colts team that crushed this city in 1984 by moving to Indianapolis - he doesn't know what reaction to expect. "I would hope that I have left a legacy here and that my reputation stands true and people honor that," Stover told The Baltimore Sun. ..."

Brackett knows all about Rice

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November 19

Indianapolis Star

"There was a time Indianapolis Colts middle linebacker Gary Brackett considered Ray Rice a protégé. Come Sunday, Brackett will treat him as a threat. Rice is the Baltimore Ravens' do-everything running back. He is a 5-8, 210-pound blur who has rushed for 662 yards with a 5.2-yard average. He has six touchdowns and has caught more passes than any NFL running back, 49 for 451 yards and one touchdown. Rice has 177 "touches" from scrimmage. Only nine players have more. "He definitely will get the ball. That's a guarantee," Brackett said. "He's a very talented football player: low center of gravity, runs the ball well, good vision and has that home run speed." Rice's long run of 50 yards and ..."

Story of Ravens' Oher about to hit big screen

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November 19

Washington Times

"It usually takes a little time for a movie about an athlete to come out. Rudy Ruettiger waited so long for the film bearing his name that Notre Dame football fell and rose again. Even LeBron James, for whom all processes are accelerated, was a grizzled, six-year NBA veteran before October's release of "More Than a Game." But Baltimore Ravens rookie offensive tackle Michael Oher doesn't have to wait. The movie about his rise to stardom, "The Blind Side," comes out Friday. Until the credits, the film actually has nothing to do with Oher's Ravens career. Those who read Michael Lewis' book "The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game" when it was first published in 2006 learned about Oher while he was ..."

Ravens Linebacker Suggs Out, Replaced By Rookie Kruger

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November 19

New York Times

"Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs, one of the NFL's best pass rushers, has been ruled out of Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts because of a knee injury, the team said on Wednesday. The three-times Pro Bowler suffered the injury when Cleveland Browns quarterback Brady Quinn struck him with an illegal low block during Baltimore's 16-0 win on Monday."

Suggs ruled out for the Colts game; Quinn apologizes again

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November 18

Baltimore Sun

"Terrell Suggs, as expected, won't play this week against the Colts. Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Suggs has a sprained ligament in his right knee, which he suffered when Browns quarterback Brady Quinn hit him low after throwing an interception in Monday's 16-0 win. "He's out this week, that's the ruling that we know," Harbaugh said. "It's got to heal on its own. There is no procedure that can be done. We'll just see how it goes." Suggs didn't speak with the media today, but he did limp down the hallway from the locker room to the lunchroom wearing a heavy brace on his knee. When teammate Ray Rice asked Suggs how he was doing, the linebacker just shook his head, which said plenty about ..."

Browns QB Brady Quinn fined for low hit on Baltimore Ravens LB Terrell Suggs

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November 18

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Browns quarterback Brady Quinn said this morning that he had been fined by the NFL for low hit on Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs during the Browns' 16-0 loss on Monday night at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Quinn had been penalized on the play as he hit Suggs around the knees following an interception by Chris Carr. Suggs limped off after the play and didn't return. Several Baltimore players were critical of Quinn for what they called a "cheap shot.""

Lewis asks NFL to fine Browns' Quinn for hit on Suggs

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November 18

Baltimore Sun

"At the end of a game punctuated by at least three disconcerting injuries, the Ravens' Ray Lewis asked the NFL to drop the hammer on Cleveland Browns quarterback Brady Quinn for his low bridge on Terrell Suggs. Lewis, who drew a $25,000 fine from the league for two incidents in the Ravens' Oct 11 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, said the hit on Suggs after a third-quarter interception was a dirty play. "Heck yeah, it was a cheap shot, when you're running down and you're looking at the quarterback going at somebody's knees who doesn't even have the ball," Lewis said after Baltimore's 16-0 win over the Browns on Monday night. "I want to see if he gets the same fine I got or even higher. ..."

Ravens sign Cundiff to replace Hauschka

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November 18

Baltimore Sun

"The Ravens signed Billy Cundiff to be their new kicker, the team announced Wednesday. The addition of Cundiff comes one day after the Ravens released Steve Hauschka, who missed three of his last seven field goals and had an extra point blocked. Cundiff, 29, has made 66 of 89 career field goals (74.2 percent). He last played for the Cleveland Browns (beating out Matt Stover in a workout), but he was released Nov. 3 after Phil Dawson recovered from a pulled right calf muscle. Cundiff converted all six field goals for the Browns this season."

Hauschka says he's 'a little surprised' at release by Ravens

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November 18

Baltimore Sun

"Five days before Matt Stover returns to M&T Bank Stadium, the Ravens acknowledged Tuesday they failed in their first attempt to replace him, cutting struggling kicker Steve Hauschka. Hauschka said he was "a little surprised" by his release, which came less than 24 hours after he missed a 36-yard field goal and had an extra point blocked in a 16-0 win at Cleveland. Team officials said the team will sign a new kicker - likely Mike Nugent or Billy Cundiff - by today's practice. "At this time, we need better," coach John Harbaugh said on his weekly radio show. "We needed to make a change." In his first season as an NFL placekicker, Hauschka couldn't rebound mentally, Harbaugh said. The ..."

With Suggs hurt, Ravens might need extra sizzle

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November 18

Baltimore Sun

columnist Mike Preston

"Ravens fans had been asking for rookie defensive end Paul Kruger, and now they just might get him. The Ravens coaching staff was eagerly awaiting the results of a magnetic resonance imagining on the knee of Pro Bowl defensive end/outside linebacker Terrell Suggs Tuesday afternoon. The initial diagnosis Monday night was a sprained knee. Suggs suffered the injury in the middle of the third quarter when Ravens cornerback Chris Carr intercepted a pass from Cleveland quarterback Brady Quinn, and Quinn cut Suggs at the knees without even attempting to tackle Carr. "There is no question that it's beyond the rules. It's absolutely illegal. I'm sure Brady knows that. I don't think for one second ..."

Ravens say Quinn's hit a cheap shot

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November 18

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis and the agent for linebacker Terrell Suggs accused Browns quarterback Brady Quinn of a cheap shot after Quinn's low hit on Suggs knocked him out of Monday night's game -- and maybe the season -- with a knee injury. "Heck, yeah, it was a cheap shot," Lewis told reporters after the Ravens' 16-0 victory. "When you're running down and you're looking at the quarterback going at somebody's knees who doesn't even have the ball. I want to see if he gets the same fine I got or even higher. Now this man is out four or five weeks because of some baloney like that. That's an illegal blow. I don't care how you want to look at it." Lewis was fined $25,000 last month for a ..."

Ravens Release Hauschka

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November 17

Baltimore Sun

"Ravens kicker Steve Hauschka was cut by the Ravens on Wednesday, one day after missing a 36-yard field goal and getting an extra-point blocked in a 16-0 win over the Cleveland Browns. General manager Ozzie Newsome said the team will sign a new kicker -- possibly Mike Nugent or Billy Cundiff -- before Wednesday's practice. "I'm definitely disappointed," Hauschka told The Baltimore Sun about a half-hour after the team made the announcement. "I appreciate the opportunity that they gave me here. I wish I had done better with a couple of the kicks there. But I don't have any regrets. I'm just going to keep playing and working hard, and I think I'll be on a team sooner or later." Not re-signing ..."

Ray Lewis accuses Cleveland Browns' Brady Quinn of cheap shot

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November 17

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis accused Browns quarterback Brady Quinn of "a cheap shot'' when Quinn dove low after an interception and knocked linebacker Terrell Suggs out of the game with a knee injury. "Heck yeah it was a cheap shot," Lewis told reporters after the Ravens' 16-0 win. "When you're running down and you're looking at the quarterback going at somebody's knees who doesn't even have the ball. I want to see if he gets the same fine I got or even higher. Now this man is out four or five weeks because of some baloney like that. That's an illegal blow. I don't care how you want to look at it.'' After Suggs went down, Quinn went over and talked to him. Quinn also wore a pained ..."

Ravens defeat Browns, 16-0

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November 17

Baltimore Sun

"At least Brady Quinn played four quarters this time. Starting his first game since Sept. 27 at Baltimore, Quinn went 13-of-31 for 99 yards and two interceptions in the Browns' 16-0 loss to the Ravens at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Browns standout Josh Cribbs was injured on the game's final play and taken off the field on a cart. Moments after catching a pass and flipping the ball to Robert Royal, Cribbs was crushed by a Raven. Players from both teams remained on the field as the medical staff tended to Cribbs. In the first meeting between the teams, Quinn was yanked at halftime and replaced by Derek Anderson. The Browns fell, 34-3. The Ravens (5-4) snapped a five-game losing streak on ..."

Different QB, same result: Browns offense is down and out in 16-0 loss to Baltimore

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November 17

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"The Browns' 16-0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens Monday night lasted one play too many. On the final play of another dismal offensive performance, Josh Cribbs was injured on a vicious, legal hit to his face by Baltimore's Dwan Edwards while lateraling the ball after a catch. Cribbs was strapped to a board and carefully carted off the field. He was taken out of Cleveland Browns Stadium in an ambulance still wearing his helmet. Coach Eric Mangini said the measures were precautionary and reported that Cribbs had movement and feeling in arms and legs. "He's got feeling in all parts of his body," Mangini said. "Taking him off on a board was more a precautionary measure, from what I understand. ..."

Cleveland Browns' Jamal Lewis and Dave Zastudil questionable for Ravens game

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November 15

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Running back Jamal Lewis and punter Dave Zastudil are among eight Browns who are questionable for Monday night's game against the Ravens. Both were limited in practice on Saturday, a session that was closed to the media. On Friday, the Browns worked out punters after practice in the event Zastudil can't go. Leading the NFL with 25 punts inside the 20, Zastudil has been one of the lone bright spots for the Browns this season. He was also named Special Teams Player of the Week after the Buffalo game Oct. 11, during which he landed seven of nine punts inside the 20 and grossed 42.9 yards. Lewis could be playing in his last game against his former team and his mentor Ray Lewis, who thinks he ..."

Koch's eye on punts, not his contract

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November 14

Baltimore Sun

"One of punter Sam Koch's responsibilities is pinning opponents deep in their territory. Landing a long-term deal with the Ravens can be just as strenuous. Koch is in the final year of a four-year contract he signed as a rookie after the Ravens selected him in the sixth round of the NFL draft in 2006. Talks regarding an extension likely won't take place until season's end, but Koch said he can't afford to be distracted by potential negotiations. "It's at the end of the season, and I'm just kind of seeing what happens," he said. "I'm not really thinking about it. It's hard to say how things are going to go. I'm just going out there and focusing more on the things that I'm doing rather than ..."

Ravens need to score early, or it may be too late

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November 13

Baltimore Sun

"Backed against a wall of 4-4 mediocrity, the Ravens will come out fighting Monday night in Cleveland. But will they come out scoring? A fast start would alleviate growing concern about the state of the offense and provide a much-needed breather for the overworked defense. As trends go, this one is glaring: The Ravens haven't scored an offensive touchdown in the first half in their past four games. A scoreless first half in Cincinnati stretched the drought to nine quarters and 25 possessions, going back to a touchdown catch Oct. 4 by Derrick Mason in New England. The question of the week is, how do they resolve the first-half end zone blackout? "There's nothing the coaches can do about it," ..."

Ravens' pass defense needs to return to its opportunistic ways

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November 13

Baltimore Sun

"The Ravens' pass defense has allowed big plays in the past. The biggest difference with the defensive backs this year is they don't make big plays in return. The Ravens are tied for 17th in the NFL with seven interceptions, but that number is misleading. They made four interceptions against the Cleveland Browns two months ago and have picked off just three passes in the other seven games. In fact, the Ravens have only one interception in the past five games (it was Ed Reed's 52-yard interception return for a touchdown). The team's interception drought has lasted 14 quarters (the Ravens have allowed five touchdown passes during this span). The lack of interceptions shouldn't come as a ..."

Browns avoid blackout

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November 13

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"The Browns averted their first local TV blackout of their expansion era when they teamed with ESPN, Bud Light and WJW Channel 8 to purchase the remaining tickets for Monday night's game against the Baltimore Ravens. The club said the four entities will distribute remaining tickets to the USO and other local organizations. ESPN is televising the game and it is additionally being shown locally on Channel 8. League rules require any game shown on cable TV to be simulcast on a local over-air station. WJW won the bidding. The last NFL game on ESPN to be blacked out locally was Saturday, Dec. 31, 2005, in Oakland."

Jamal Lewis will consider himself a Raven at retirement

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November 12

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Jamal Lewis said on a Ravens conference call Wednesday that he's retiring "just because I'm tired of it, tired of it and that was my goal, and that's all I wanted. So, time to move on." The Browns running back re-iterated that he "made that decision before the season even started." He admitted that Monday night's game -- his last against his former Ravens -- will be special. "Oh yeah, most definitely," he said. "That will be a great one. Being that I will be playing these guys for the last time, being able to suit up against Ray [Lewis] for the last time, it's a good thing. It will be a memorable moment." He said he'll look back at himself as a Raven as opposed to a Raven and a Brown. ..."

Harbaugh apologizes to Jerry Jones for comment

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November 11

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh created a stir last week with his quote about the Cowboys standing "for everything that is wrong with the NFL" in an excerpt from the book Game Changers: The 50 Greatest Plays in Philadelphia Eagles Football History. Harbaugh called Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on Saturday and apologized, Jones said on his radio show Tuesday. Jones was understanding and accepted the apology. "I was able to be a little bit forgiving," Jones said. "In 20 years, I know firsthand, I've had my foot in my mouth plenty of times.""

Reed just had off day

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November 10

Baltimore Sun

"A week after Ed Reed blasted the Denver Broncos' Knowshon Moreno to force a big fumble, the Ravens safety was conspicuous for three missed arm tackles in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Although it was an uncharacteristic performance for Reed, coach John Harbaugh said he doesn't believe it was the result of Reed's playing hurt. "I think he's tackled very well this year, up until this game," Harbaugh said at his weekly news conference Monday. "Obviously, the hit against Denver was as good a tackle as you're ever going to see. From my understanding, the neck is as good as it's been in two years, but I think it's a factor. But it's not a dangerous type thing where he's at risk, ..."

4-4 isn't the end of the world for Ravens

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November 10

Baltimore Sun

"NFL history says the struggling Ravens still have a decent shot at making the playoffs. Since 2000, 22 teams have started 4-4 like the Ravens and reached the playoffs, including three each in the past three seasons. But the reality of the situation says the Ravens have work to do before thinking about the postseason. From a faltering defense to a slow-starting offense to an unreliable kicking game, the Ravens' problems are mounting along with the losses. "This is the turning point now," outside linebacker Jarret Johnson said after the Ravens' 17-7 loss at Cincinnati on Sunday. "If you don't start winning, you've got problems. We left ourselves with no room for error." Turning around the ..."

Ravens are middling team at midseason

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November 10

Baltimore Sun

"It's midseason, and it's at this point when the good teams start separating themselves from the bad ones. The Ravens are in no-man's land. They aren't good. They aren't bad. They're average, and no one can tell where they're heading. It's still too early to write the Ravens (4-4) off as a playoff team with eight games remaining. It's an uphill challenge, but the NFL is unpredictable. Unfortunately, what we've seen with the Ravens is something we're going to see the rest of the season. If they somehow make it into the postseason, it will likely be a one-and-done venture. It's no longer a debate about the talent of defensive coordinator Greg Mattison. The Ravens can't cover because they lack ..."

Browns-Ravens blackout still possible

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November 10

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"The Browns have a "a few thousand tickets" remaining for next Monday night's game against the Ravens on ESPN, and the possibility of a blackout remains, according to team spokesman Neal Gulkis. The deadline to sell the remaining tickets, believed to be a little more than 3,000, is Friday at 8:30 p.m. Gulkis said it's premature to say whether or not the Browns would purchase the remaining tickets. Local rights to the game are owned by WJW Channel 8. A call to WJW General Manager Greg Easterly to inquire whether or not they'd purchase tickets was not immediately returned. The Browns have not had a game blacked out since they returned in 1999. If the game is blacked out, it will not be ..."

Five Things We Learned From The Ravens-Bengals game

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November 9

Baltimore Sun

"1. It's time to admit it, this team lacks discipline. For the most part, players are to blame for penalties, but when it becomes a reoccurring problem, week after week, it's time to start asking whether the coaching staff made some mistakes in training camp this year by forgetting fundamentals. Holding calls, pass interference calls, roughing the passer calls -- it's all adding up. And this team doesn't have a margin for error anymore. At some point, blaming the referees is counter productive. Let the fans buy into conspiracy theories, but the players and coaches need to look in the mirror. There might have been some bad calls against New England, but crying about it seems to have ..."

Bengals dominate Ravens

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November 9

Cincinnati Enquirer

"For years, the formula for success in the AFC North has hinged on a successful running game, stout defenses and controlling field position. On Sunday, the Bengals showed that they grasped that equation and beat Baltimore at its own game. The Bengals scored on their first three drives and once again flustered Baltimore's offense in a 17-7 victory at Paul Brown Stadium that should silence a lot of doubts about whether Cincinnati had enough staying power to contend this year. "We're legit. The tape doesn't lie," safety Chris Crocker said. "That's our whole thing is to earn our respect. We don't care if we're underdogs at the end of the day our job is to make you or whoever is out there a ..."

Benson's play silences Ray Lewis

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November 9

Cincinnati Enquirer

"The man who is the face of the Baltimore Ravens defense was not impressed with Cedric Benson's Week 5 performance in which the running back gained 120 yards on 27 carries, chalking most of those yards up to a couple long runs. "You give up two big runs to somebody just because you didn't keep your leverage," veteran linebacker Ray Lewis said earlier this week. "Do you give credit to him? Hey, we'll see this week. ... You have to come do it again." Lewis was nowhere to be found in the Ravens locker room following a 17-7 Bengals win Sunday in which Benson did it again, rumbling for a second-straight 100-plus yard performance against a defense that has now given up just three such games in ..."

Bengals-Ravens scouting report

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November 8

Cincinnati Enquirer

"When the Bengals runCedric Benson ran for 120 yards and ended the Ravens' 39-game streak of holding a back under 100 yards in the first meeting, but linebacker Ray Lewis has been saying all week that Benson's success was a result of the Ravens' mistakes. Benson has three 100-yard games and is second in the league with 720 yards and will surpass his total from last year with 28 more yards. Expect the Ravens to use more run blitzes on early downs to try to limit Benson's yards on first and second down. When the Bengals passStarting with the first Baltimore game, Carson Palmer has done a nice job of spreading the ball out among his receivers and is starting to take his shots downfield. Palmer ..."

Rosburg: No advice for Reed

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November 7

Baltimore Sun

"Ravens special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg was as amazed as everyone else that Mitch Berger's second punt of the game got past rushing Ed Reed last week. Reed came from the outside and was in the air when Berger seemingly launched the punt UNDERNEATH Reed. "I'm not exactly sure where it went," Rosburg said this week. "I think Harbs [John Harbaugh] said it well: 'We think the ball actually vaporized and went through his body and came out the other side, because we can't see any space in there.' But it got past him some way or another. We still haven't figured it out yet.""

Bad memories for Kelley Washington

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November 7

Baltimore Sun

"Ravens wide-out Kelley Washington spent the first four years of his NFL career in Cincinnati, and it was a long, steady decline from prospect to disappointment. Washington has good memories of his former teammates, but not-so-good for Bengals coach Marvin Lewis and owner Mike Brown. Washington said he had issues with "select" coaches in Cincinnati, although he liked offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski ("he was a great coordinator"). Washington said he didn't learn much from Lewis, and that there were double standards for certain players. "The only thing I learned how to do is not to do the right thing," he said. On Bengals' management: "I don't really favor the way they do things.""

Bengals Avoid Blackout, Free Tickets For Military

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November 7

KYPost.com

"The Cincinnati Bengals game against the Baltimore Ravens this Sunday will be shown on local television, the team announced Friday. The team says in spite of the blackout being lifted, there are seats remaining for the game. They can be purchased by phone through the Bengals Ticket Hotline at 513-621-8383 (TDTD) until 8 p.m. Friday or between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday. Tickets may be ordered at any time Friday or Saturday through www.ticketmaster.com. Also, tickets may be purchased in person at the Bengals ticket office at Paul Brown Stadium until 5 p.m. Friday, between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday and on game day beginning at 9 a.m."

Lewis not one to back down

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November 7

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Say one thing for Ray Lewis. The man has chutzpah. Here's what the Ravens linebacker says about his hit four weeks ago on Chad Ochocinco (the hit for which he would later be fined $25,000 by the league) helped keep the Bengals game-winning drive alive. "You look at the hit I had on him - you don't go helmet-to-helmet, you're running toward the ball, you make a clean hit, and then you still get penalized for it," Lewis said. "So then you can ask yourself: 'Are you going to slow down the way you play or are you going to keep playing football the way you know how to play football?' For us, it's an easy process: Just keep playing football the way you play football, and everything will take its ..."

Bengals not worried about being 'dogs against Ravens

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November 6

Baltimore Sun

"Even though the Cincinnati Bengals won the first meeting and get to stay home and play host to the Ravens this Sunday, the Ravens are three-point favorites. Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis said he was unaware of what could be perceived as a major slight. "Well, I didnâ€™t know I was an underdog, so it doesnâ€™t matter what we are," he said Wednesday. "Weâ€™ve just got to play. We have a nine-game season and our first week is this week against the Ravens, and what counts is this game. This one counts, and all the other stuff is peripheral. Itâ€™s good for people to talk about, but when you come out there on Sunday the team that executes, runs and tackles and takes care of the football will ..."

3rd down is the charm for Ravens' K. Washington

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November 6

Baltimore Sun

"In May, Kelley Washington was an unemployed wide receiver, tripped up by his own medical charts. The job market was tight, and the former Tennessee star was reduced to accepting tryouts, the NFL equivalent of bargain-basement shopping. Six months later, he is the missing piece in the Ravens' offensive puzzle, the slot receiver who keeps drives going with clutch third-down catches over the middle. All Washington had to do was wipe out a six-year history of chronic injury and unfulfilled potential. Sunday, when he goes back to Cincinnati - where his pro career began - he will go back a new man and a better player. "I think I'm a more mature player, more professional," he said. "When I was in ..."

Ravens' secondary can't catch a break

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November 6

Baltimore Sun

"After grounding a potent Denver Broncos air attack, the Ravens' secondary has little time to bask in any adulation. That's because the unit must now prepare for the Cincinnati Bengals, who feature quarterback Carson Palmer and wide receivers Chad Ochocinco, Chris Henry and Andre Caldwell. "That was a pretty tall task against that [Denver] receiving corps, but it was something that I think we've done throughout the course of the year. We just haven't been consistent," cornerback Domonique Foxworth said. "We've played stretches where we've been phenomenal, but last week and probably the Cleveland game have been the only times we've put it together from start to finish, which is something we ..."

Can the Ravens stop Vikings' Peterson?

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November 6

Baltimore Sun

"A chance at redemption awaits the Ravens' run defense at an uninviting Metrodome today. After their streak of not allowing a 100-yard rusher was trampled last week by the Cincinnati Bengals' Cedric Benson - "sickening," as linebacker Jarret Johnson describes it - the next assignment for the Ravens (3-2) is the most dynamic running back in the NFL: Adrian Peterson of the undefeated Minnesota Vikings (5-0). Most would consider this a tough break. The Ravens' prideful front seven sees this as the ultimate opportunity to regain respect. "I think it's a perfect opponent for us," Johnson said without even a hint of sarcasm. Stopping the run has been the foundation of the Ravens' defense during ..."

No toss-up: Flacco is the Ravens' MVP

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November 6

Baltimore Sun

"Joe Flacco stood in the warm sunshine outside the Castle on Wednesday, in the only place where he doesn't look totally comfortable: in front of a microphone. The Ravens had just finished their morning walk-through in preparation for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Now it was time to talk to the media. Flacco looked like a man who had just discovered a flat tire. "Joe," went the first question, "was the way you played last week especially satisfying?" Flacco shook his head no. Wait a minute, you wanted to say. Fourteen straight completions in a 30-7 rout of the Denver Broncos, 20-for-25 passing for 175 yards, including a 20-yard laser to Derrick Mason for a touchdown - that ..."

Ravens' Flacco knows how to finish

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November 6

Baltimore Sun

"Joe Flacco has to figure out how to start faster in games, but the Ravens' quarterback certainly knows how to finish them. He is the NFL's third-highest-rated quarterback in the fourth quarter this year. Flacco ranks ahead of the likes of Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady. No quarterback has thrown for more yards in the fourth quarter than Flacco has (684). No quarterback has passed for more touchdowns in the fourth than he has (seven). Flacco has really heated up in the fourth quarter the past two games. In rallying the Ravens from a 17-point deficit at Minnesota, he was 10-for-16 passing for 196 yards and two touchdowns. In finishing off the Denver Broncos ..."

In a down economy, NFL viewership is up

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November 6

Washington Post

"When this NFL season began with some franchises struggling to sell tickets, there were concerns about the impact that the uncertain U.S. economy would have on the nation's most prosperous sport. While those concerns have turned out to be justified in a few NFL cities and unfounded in others, there has been an unforeseen development: The NFL's television ratings are soaring this season, and some analysts say it appears to be the result of consumers cutting back on other, more costly leisure activities in favor of watching pro football on TV. "I think there's only one answer and that is the NFL and television are actually getting the so-called 'benefit' of the recession," said Neal Pilson, ..."

Ravens show Steelers how to beat Broncos

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November 3

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

columnist Ron Cook

"Kyle Orton might not be John Elway, but he's playing great football and doesn't make huge mistakes. That's what Steelers coach Mike Tomlin will have you believe when he does his weekly sit-down with the media today and looks ahead to the next opponent, the Denver Broncos Monday night at Invesco Field at Mile High. The stage isn't too big for rookie running back Knowshon Moreno. Wide receiver Brandon Marshall can take the rock to the house on any play. Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan's unit is rock-solid. Linebacker Elvis Dumervil's motor never stops and he has an AFC-best 10 sacks to prove it. Eight-time Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey might be the best football player on the planet. ..."

Ravens hand Broncos first loss

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November 2

Washington Times

"Before they were even halfway through their schedule, the Baltimore Ravens already had experienced the highs and lows of an NFL season. An impressive first three weeks of the season had the Ravens in the company of the NFL's elite. But a three-game skid in October - by a combined 11 points - left the Ravens searching for answers. And in overwhelming the previously undefeated Denver Broncos 30-7 at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday, the Ravens made a critical step in righting their season. "What you got to understand about this league is that everything isn't always going to go the way you want it to go," receiver Derrick Mason said. "And even when it does go your way, it might be hard. We were ..."

Ravens' special teams played with 'hair on fire'

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November 2

Baltimore Sun

"On the day the Ravens rediscovered the joy of victory, everything came together for Jerry Rosburg's schizophrenic special teams. Steve Hauschka didn't miss, Eddie Royal didn't run and Lardarius Webb weaved like a champ. "We were playing like our hair was on fire," Jameel McClain said about the smothering effort of the Ravens' special teamers in Sunday's 30-7 rout of the Denver Broncos. It was as apt a description as any. Indeed, the Ravens swarmed to Royal, one of the NFL's most dangerous kick returners. He was stopped three times inside the Denver 20 on kickoff returns and got just five yards out of two punt returns. The description also fit Hauschka, who cost the Ravens a comeback ..."

Baltimore offers blueprint for beating Broncos

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November 2

Baltimore Sun

"It took the Broncos six games to earn the NFL's respect, and one snap to be exposed. From the first snap of this lopsided 30-7 loss to Baltimore, quarterback Kyle Orton ate turf, while the conservative game plan of coach Josh McDaniels got fed to the shredder. Perfection was gone in less than 60 seconds. "Who said we'd go 16-0?" linebacker Andra Davis asked after the Broncos came undone Sunday. Answer: Nobody. The league has been handed a formula to beat Denver, which had won six straight times with sound fundamentals unencumbered by anything resembling pizzazz. The big question now: Are the Broncos and McDaniels bold enough to do anything about it? "It would be naïve think, 'Hey, we'll be ..."

Broncos punter Berger has rusty start

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November 2

Baltimore Sun

"Players are like machines. Especially when not used. Ignition a car that hasn't been started in a while, and it will cough, sputter and whir before catching. New Broncos punter Mitch Berger initially kicked Sunday as if stiff from inactivity this season. Which was the case until the Broncos released Brett Kern last week and signed Berger, a 16-year veteran who is with his 12th NFL team. "I was a little rusty, especially in the first half," said Berger, who long ago punted for the University of Colorado. "I was trying to get the ball up nice and high and get some fair catches, but I caught them a little bit short. I want the fair catches but I don't want them that short." In the first half ..."

Kicker Hauschka is 3-for-3 against Broncos

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November 2

Baltimore Sun

"The irony was not lost on Steve Hauschka. Two weeks after narrowly missing a game-winning 44-yard field goal in the waning seconds of the Ravens' 33-31 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 18, the second-year kicker found himself staring at a 43-yard attempt with 56 seconds left in the first quarter of Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos. "It was almost the exact same 44-yarder," Hauschka said. "I learned my lesson, and I stayed down on that one and kicked it straight." The successful kick set the tone for Hauschka, who made all three field-goal attempts in the Ravens' 30-7 victory over Denver. Hauschka's performance was -- in a small way -- his attempt to atone for the kick against ..."

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