Ravens News

Rosburg: No advice for Reed
Comment
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
Comment
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
Comment
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
Comment
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
Comment
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 didn’t know I was an underdog, so it doesn’t matter what we are," he said Wednesday. "We’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. It’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
Comment
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
Comment
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?
Comment
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
Comment
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
Comment
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
Comment
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
Comment
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
Comment
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'
Comment
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
Comment
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
Comment
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
Comment
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 ..."
Ravens concoct winning recipe on offense
Comment
November 2
Baltimore Sun
 
"After weeks of trying, the Ravens seem to have discovered their offensive formula for winning football games again. It's not pretty, and it certainly isn't what you'd expect from a franchise-caliber quarterback like Joe Flacco. But for this team at this time, it's the ideal game plan. Instead of having Flacco throwing the ball all over the stadium like he did in the opening weeks of the season, the Ravens came out trying to establish the run. They nickel and dime teams down the field with their passing attack using running back Ray Rice and wide receiver Derrick Mason. And by midway in the second quarter, the Ravens are opening up the offense, allowing Flacco to take some shots down the ..."
Ravens played like Ravens of old
Comment
November 2
Baltimore Sun
 
"Oh, did the Ravens need this one. For their playoff chances. For their self-esteem. To get the media off their backs. To get their nervous fans back onto the bandwagon. Here's all you need to know about Sunday's 30-7 knockout of the previously undefeated Denver Broncos at M"
RavensBroncos 30-7
Comment
November 2
Denver Post
 
"Perhaps it was the bye-week blues. Or maybe it was nothing more than odds catching up to an undefeated team in a long NFL season. As Broncos safety Brian Dawkins, the last man out of the losing team's locker room, pointed out on his way to the team bus Sunday, only the 1972 Miami Dolphins won them all. The Broncos also suffered a game-ending toe injury to offensive tackle Ryan Harris early in the second quarter. That hurt. A two-hour time difference forward on a day when the nation fell an hour back had to have confused the human condition."
Ravens hand Broncos first loss
Comment
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 halt Broncos' surprising streak
Comment
November 2
Washington Post
 
"This was more like the way it was supposed to go for the Denver Broncos this season, with a first-year coach and a new quarterback and a team coming off an offseason of change and conflict. The Broncos were perhaps the NFL's most surprising success story of the season's early weeks when they won their first six games. But they fell from the ranks of the unbeaten Sunday and they did so with a major thud, being overwhelmed by the Baltimore Ravens in a 30-7 defeat at M&T Bank Stadium. It was the first loss for the Broncos' Josh McDaniels as an NFL head coach, and it left the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints as the league's only undefeated teams. "It's hard to go through the season ..."
Defenseless Ravens in unfamiliar territory
Comment
November 1
Washington Times
 
"These are not your father's Baltimore Ravens, at least if your father was a Ravens fan for the past 10 years or so. The club is on a record-setting pace for points. But the defense, the organization's true identity going back beyond the 2000 championship season, is barely keeping up. The result so far is three straight losses (by a total of 11 points) after three straight wins going into Sunday's game at M&T Bank Stadium against 6-0 Denver. "It's painful because there's so much pride in the locker room and this city in the defense, and we haven't lived up to it," said cornerback Domonique Foxworth, who joined the Ravens from the Broncos via free agency before the season. "We've played ..."
Ravens vs. Broncos: 3 things that could go wrong
Comment
October 31
Baltimore Sun
 
"1. Brandon Marshall rips the secondary. The Ravens have struggled to contain big receivers downfield (remember Vincent Jackson, Chad Ochocinco and Sidney Rice?). And Marshall, 6 feet 4 and 230 pounds, might be better than those wide-outs. 2. Denver's pass rush closes the pocket on Joe Flacco. The Broncos are tied for second in the NFL with 21 sacks. Flacco was sacked a season-high three times last game."
Ravens vs. Broncos: 3 things that need to go right
Comment
October 31
Baltimore Sun
 
"1. Stop the big plays. The Ravens have given up 22 pass plays of 20 yards or more. They can't afford to have that trend continue against Denver quarterback Kyle Orton, who is 25 of 56 (44.6 percent) on throws over 10 yards. 2. Win field-position battle on punt returns. This needs to be the game in which Chris Carr or Ed Reed repeatedly puts the offense in good starting position. The Broncos rank next-to-last in punt coverage (an average of 14.9 yards)."
Fast start key to happy finish
Comment
October 31
Baltimore Sun
 
"When the Ravens opened their game in New England on Oct. 4 with a first-drive touchdown, the offense was humming. Quarterback Joe Flacco was precise and efficient; wide-out Derrick Mason was unstoppable right up to his 20-yard catch in the end zone. That series seems like a long time ago. In fact, the Ravens haven't scored a touchdown in the first half since. That drought - five quarters, 15 possessions and 75 plays - doesn't begin to match the end zone blackout they endured in 2000, when they went five full games without an offensive touchdown and still won the Super Bowl. But it did launch a three-game losing streak that threatens to spoil Super Bowl plans this season. Indeed, if the 3-3 ..."
Harbaugh refuses to talk about injuries
Comment
October 30
Baltimore Sun
 
"Ravens coach John Harbaugh didn't want to talk about injuries Friday, especially the status of offensive tackle Jared Gaither. Asked if Gaither would be a game-time decision, Harbaugh responded tersely, "I'm not even going to comment on injuries. We'll see. If he's out there on Sunday, you'll see him. If he's not, you won't." As practice ended, Gaither (neck) and linebacker Tavares Gooden (head) walked off the field with helmets in hand, which likely means both participated in some portion of practice."
Shoring up the run defense
Comment
October 30
Baltimore Sun
 
"Despite surrendering at least 100 rushing yards to an individual running back in back-to-back games, the Ravens rank seventh in the NFL against the run. Still, allowing the Cincinnati Bengals' Cedric Benson to rush for 120 yards and a touchdown and the Minnesota Vikings' Adrian Peterson to compile 143 yards has been an unusual sight for a defense that had once prevented an opposing running back to reach the century mark for 39 consecutive games. Defensive coordinator Greg Mattison said players have been pressing to make a play in the past two games, which has opened up running lanes. "It's common when that happens, when you don't have success or when something happens, it's common for a ..."
Vikings' Allen: Ravens' Oher just talking himself up
Comment
October 20
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"Vikings defensive end Jared Allen didn't hold back as he responded to strong comments from Baltimore Ravens rookie offensive tackle Michael Oher. Oher told the Baltimore Sun he felt he "shut him out" in the second half. "Well, that's just some idiot trying to talk himself up," Allen said on the "After Party" show on FoxSports.com. "I beat that dude like a red-headed stepchild. Let's be honest. If he was so good, why did they have to chip me all day? Ask him that. "That's just a rookie trying to build his self-confidence up. Besides, you lost, and your quarterback spent his whole day on the back of his head until the fourth quarter. That guy (Oher) will watch film today and realize. ..."
Birk left disappointed in return
Comment
October 19
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 columnist Sid Hartman
"When you spend 11 years with your hometown team, change uniforms and go with another team and lose your return visit to your old stadium on a missed field goal in the last second, it has to hurt. "It's always disappointing when you lose," said Matt Birk, blood dripping off his nose in the Ravens locker room after the Vikings held on to beat Baltimore 33-31 Sunday. "No matter how you lose it or where you lose it, it's always disappointing. I never really feel like there's a silver lining when you lose." However, Birk, who left as a free agent after last season to join the Ravens, acknowledged that his team fought very hard. Baltimore came back to take a lead after falling behind 27-10 in ..."
What concussion? Vikings' Benny Sapp says he's fine
Comment
October 19
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"Vikings cornerback Benny Sapp appreciated his training staff's concern, but he was confident he didn't suffer a concussion Sunday, even though he admitted his head was ringing. "I ruled it out," he said. Sapp suffered the injury during the second quarter of the Vikings' 33-31 win over Baltimore, then had his helmet taken away for the remainder of the quarter, while tests were conducted. Meanwhile, after an injury to starting cornerback Antoine Winfield, the Vikings had to put safety Husain Abdullah into the lineup as a nickel cornerback. Abdullah, who played some cornerback at Washington State, did a solid job. "It was tough. Those guys that came in played pretty good," Sapp said of ..."
Reports: Harvin will play today
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October 18
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"For the second time this season, there was doubt about whether Percy Harvin would play in a game. And for the second time Harvin is going to give it a go. Harvin, who suffered a shoulder injury last week at St. Louis and was listed as questionable on the injury report, will be active for today's game against the Baltimore Ravens. Harvin did not practice on Wednesday but was able to do limited work on Thursday and Friday. Harvin battled migraine headaches in the days leading up to the Vikings' victory over San Francisco in Week 3 but was able to play and returned a kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown. Harvin is third on the Vikings with 18 receptions for 233 yards with two touchdowns. Rookie ..."
A complete game could complete task
Comment
October 18
Baltimore Sun
 columnist Peter Schmuck
"It probably seems like a simple enough equation. The Ravens have to find a way to stop one of the best running backs of this era and also get sufficient pressure on one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history if they are to go into Minneapolis and score an important road victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Except that nothing is ever exactly as it seems and the real formula for success requires more than just a strong performance by a defensive unit that was vulnerable to the running game and another marquee quarterback a week ago. Of course, the Ravens have to stop Adrian Peterson and force Brett Favre to make some mistakes, but they must go a couple of steps further to re-establish ..."
Harbaugh on making a trade: "There are possibilities"
Comment
October 17
Baltimore Sun
 
"Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Friday that "there are possibilities" of a trade but he couldn't gauge whether the team would make a move before Tuesday's NFL deadline. There has been speculation -- ESPN started the rumor but nothing confirmed by either team -- that the Ravens will send a second- and fifth-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs for wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, who seems to have had a falling out with new coach Todd Haley. A 2007 first-round pick, Bowe has caught at least 70 passes in his first two seasons and has scored 15 career touchdowns. "It's so hard to anticipate activity," Harbaugh said when asked about the possibility of a trade. "We work on a lot of things. I know ..."
Gaither listed as doubtful
Comment
October 17
Baltimore Sun
 
"Left tackle Jared Gaither, who has not practiced the last two weeks because of a neck injury, is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against Minnesota. Still, coach John Harbaugh refused to count him out of the Week 6 game. Otherwise, the Ravens appear to be in good health for this game. Linebacker Jarret Johnson (shoulder), tight end Edgar Jones (hamstring), defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (back) and new wide receiver David Tyree (hamstring) are all listed as probable."
Lewis hit with fines for actions vs. Bengals
Comment
October 17
Washington Times
 
"By From combined dispatches The NFL fined Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis $25,000 on Friday for two plays, including a helmet-to-helmet hit on Cincinnati receiver Chad Ochocinco. The Ravens said Lewis will appeal the fine. Both plays occurred in the fourth quarter of Baltimore's 17-14 loss Sunday. The league deemed Lewis "unnecessarily kicked the opponent" and later "unnecessarily struck a defenseless receiver." During the latter play, Lewis hit Ochocinco after a pass from Carson Palmer sailed incomplete, and the 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness helped set up the winning touchdown with 22 seconds left. Ochocinco lost his helmet during the collision but immediately popped up. After ..."
NFL fines Ravens' Lewis $25,000
Comment
October 17
Baltimore Sun
 
"The NFL fined Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis a total of $25,000 for two separate incidents in the fourth quarter of last week's game against the Cincinnati Bengals, believed to be the biggest fine in the league this season. Lewis not only delivered a vicious hit that knocked Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco's helmet off, but he also was punished for kicking at another player in the fourth quarter. ESPN reported that Lewis will appeal the fine, but the 14-year veteran wouldn't take any questions in the locker room Friday. "I'm on Minnesota, I'm not talking about no fines," Lewis said, referring to Sunday's game in Minneapolis against the Vikings. An NFL spokesman said in an e-mail that ..."
Opposing tight ends giving defense fits
Comment
October 16
Baltimore Sun
 
"Vikings opponents clearly have felt comfortable throwing the ball to their tight ends this season. In five games, an opposing tight end has either led his team or been tied for the team lead in receptions on four occasions. That might not stop Sunday when the Vikings go against Todd Heap, who is second on the Ravens with 21 receptions for 211 yards and two touchdowns. "I expect to see him a good bit," Vikings coach Brad Childress said. "He is a good player. He doesn't have to play standing next to a tackle. They can open him up. They also have L.J. Smith there from Philadelphia. ... I'm sure we'll see a good diet of those guys. They both have way above-average receiving skills, too.""
Peterson's admiration for Lewis runs strong
Comment
October 16
Baltimore Sun
 
"Adrian Peterson never shies from contact or avoids an opportunity to lower his shoulder on a tackler. Punish or be punished is his credo as a running back. Peterson said his approach won't change if he finds himself in the cross hairs of the Ravens' menacing middle linebacker Ray Lewis on Sunday. "I have so much respect for Ray, but it's the game of football and I don't discriminate against anyone," Peterson said. "I'm sure if he gets the opportunity he's going to try and lay the wood to me. I will guarantee you that." A Peterson-Lewis collision would qualify as a super heavyweight matchup, one built on mutual respect. Peterson often expresses his admiration for how certain guys play the ..."
Ravens players talk about Harbaugh, Childress
Comment
October 15
Baltimore Sun
 
"Thursday's edition of The Sun included an article on the friendship between Ravens coach John Harbaugh and the Minnesota Vikings' Brad Childress, both of whom served on Andy Reid's inaugural staff with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1999. Only a few current Ravens players played for both Harbaugh and Childress. Center Matt Birk played for Childress between 2006 and 2008 before leaving Minnesota for the Ravens this season. "I think it's a generic answer, but they both know football," Birk said. "They've both been around football their entire lives, but each has their own personality, their own philosophies and their own way they do things. There are some similarities there from both being with ..."
Pat Williams on Birk: 'He's all right'
Comment
October 15
Baltimore Sun
 
"Pat Williams had never met a center he wasn't willing to trash verbally in the days leading up to a game. Wednesday, he made an exception, calling former teammate Matt Birk one of the top five centers in the league. "He's all right," Williams said. "He's a pretty good center. But that's the most I want to give it up for any center though." Considering the source, it was enough to speak volumes about the respect the Vikings have for the St. Paul native who spent 11 seasons -- six of them as a Pro Bowl player -- with his hometown team before signing with the Baltimore Ravens on March 11. Birk returns to the Metrodome for the first time on Sunday when the Ravens, 3-2 and riding a two-game ..."
Ravens sign wide receiver David Tyree
Comment
October 13
Baltimore Sun
 
"The Ravens have signed former New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree, the team announced today. Tyree, who spent six seasons in New York, is best remembered for a 32-yard catch that he trapped against his helmet to keep the Giants' game-winning drive alive against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. Tyree, 6-0, 206 pounds, was a sixth-round draft pick by the Giants in 2003. He has 54 catches for 650 yards and four touchdowns in his career."
Ravens' John Harbaugh continues complaints, questions officiating in loss to Patriots, Tom Brady
Comment
October 13
USA Today
 
"The Ravens' dissatisfaction with the officiating in Sunday's 27-21 loss at New England continued on Monday when coach John Harbaugh considered if Patriots QB Tom Brady gets more favorable calls than his opponents. "I sure hope not," Harbaugh told reporters, via the AP, when asked if Brady's superstar status affects offcials' decision-making. "I'd like to think it's not engrained in their subconscious in some way. If it is, I would like to think they're professional enough to not take it that way. That would be very important that it's not the case." Ravens LBs Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs blasted the officials on Sunday after Baltimore was flagged for roughing-the-passer penalties on two ..."
Benson key to Bengals victory
Comment
October 12
Cincinnati Enquirer
 
"If Cedric Benson hit holes as slowly as he dresses, he'd never make it out of the backfield. Most of his teammates are dressed and headed for the buses. Benson is throwing powder on his feet and sliding a pair of brown lace-ups over a pair of sky-blue socks. (The man also is wearing a pair of black and white houndstooth slacks and a white button-down with his initials monogrammed on it. Very GQ.) After seizing the day, he is savoring the moment. He is entitled. It was a gratifying day for everyone in orange and black, but they all took a back seat to Ced Benson. When it came to overcoming, he had them all beat. "So, Cedric, what were you doing a year ago today, 12 months before you ran ..."
Bengals thrill in final minute again
Comment
October 11
Cincinnati Enquirer
 
"With two minutes, 15 seconds remaining and the Bengals having the ball down by four, did you have the feeling that this scene was all too familiar? Facing a hostile crowd at M&T Bank Stadium, the Bengals produced their third straight come-from-behind victory when Andre Caldwell caught a 20 yard touchdown pass from Carson Palmer with 22 seconds remaining for a 17-14 win over the Ravens. The victory not only gives the Bengals the sole lead in the AFC North, but it has them off to their first 4-1 start since 2005, which coincidentally is the last time they won the division. The win also capped an emotional 72 hours for the entire team following the death of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s ..."
Bengals Look for Baltimore Weakness
Comment
October 9
KYPost.com
 
"Great defenses have earned great nicknames over the years. The Rams had the Fearsome Foursome. Pittsburgh had the Steel Curtain, and Dallas dominated with its Doomsday Defense. The Baltimore Ravens defense never had a catchy nickname, it didn't need one. "The Baltimore Ravens Defense" says it all. Aggressive, cocky, physical. Just go to your thesaurus and look up synonyms for nasty, violent and stingy. Most apply to the Ravens defense. "Eleven guys playing sound fundamentals." That's how Marvin Lewis responded when asked why Baltimore has fielded a dominant defense for years. He should know. He was Baltimore's defensive coordinator in 2000 when the Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV. Mike ..."
Flacco flying high for Ravens
Comment
October 9
Cincinnati Enquirer
 
"Some guys got it, some guys don't. Your browser does not support JavaScript, therefore the poll can not be rendered.Vovici Online Survey Software What else can you say about Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco, who sat on the bench at the University of Pittsburgh, transferred to the lower profile University of Delaware and now is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL? Says Bengals defensive tackle Tank Johnson of the Flacco-led Ravens: "It's an offense where you really have to be on your toes. It's an offense that can run for 300 yards. If you're not careful, they can pass for 300 yards. You have to prepare for the whole offense." Sound scary? That's because it is. Much of it is because of ..."
Brady is unapologetic about roughing calls
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October 8
Boston Globe
 
"Tom Brady conceded that the Patriots were "fortunate'' to get a pair of roughing-the-passer penalties that extended touchdown drives last Sunday in their win over Baltimore, but the quarterback wasn't about to apologize for the flags, which Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis and coach John Harbaugh have insinuated were the result of special treatment for Brady. "I want the penalty call,'' said Brady. "I want 15 yards. I don't care whether they hit me or not, that's an advantage for our offense.'' He added with a grin, "I go hug the ref before the game, ask about his kids and stuff like that. I'm trying to get him on our side.''"
Former Raven Tony Fein dies in Washington
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October 7
Baltimore Sun
 
"Tony Fein, an Iraq War veteran who was a member of the Ravens during the preseason, died Tuesday morning in Port Orchard, Wash., according to his agent. The cause of death remained unclear Wednesday. Al Gerdes, chief deputy coroner for Washington's Kitsap County, said Fein was found unconscious at a friend's house early Tuesday. Medics took him to Harrison Medical Center, in nearby Bremerton, where he was pronounced dead at 9:48 a.m. Gerdes said he could not speculate on a cause of death until an autopsy and toxicology tests were completed. "It's safe to say there is no indication of criminal activity," Gerdes told The Baltimore Sun. Fein's agent, Milton D. Hobbs, called the death "a very ..."
Yellow flags this season have Ravens seeing red
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October 7
Camden Courier-Post
 
"The questionable roughing-the-passer penalties in the Ravens' 27-21 loss Sunday to the New England Patriots have spurred a national debate on whether Tom Brady is being overprotected by officials. But there is another issue: Are the Ravens being overscrutinized? Through the first quarter of the season, the Ravens have been penalized four times for roughing the quarterback. In contrast, the rest of the AFC North (the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns) have been flagged a combined two times for that penalty. Asked whether the Ravens' aggressive reputation has drawn more attention from officials, Harbaugh said: "I sure hope not. That goes back to the credibility of ..."
Ravens Forum Top 5
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