Discuss the team that has won 3 games in a row and that Melanie & I are HUGE fans of.



During my Senior Year of High School, The Ravens Won The Super Bowl.

They play the Patriots this weekend.

Did my boys win?

They lost by one point. 27-26

DAMN IT! :angry:

That was the score against the Bengals. My bad.

Okay. My boys are doing excellent against the Giants today but I have a feeling that won't last.

They kicked New York's ass 37-14

HELL YEAH! I HATE NEW YORK!

Me too. But it has some good people there.

True.

Stanley is from New York.

I am not bashing him you know that.

I know. I just thought you should know that. I just got some cool Raven desktops.

Desktop wall paper? If so do you care to share them with me. Brian's getting sick of the daisy one.

There was a link in the last Baltimore Ravens e-mail I forwarded ya. But if you want me to, I'll attach the desktops and e-mail them directly to you.

That would be great. Thanks B.

They were part of the other Newsletter I sent you.

RAVENS RULE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did you get them, Melanie???

RAVENS KICK ASS!

They have been doing good though.

Yeah.

No chance for the playoffs.

My brother has been ranting and raving this week that the coach or manager(can't remember which)should be fired.

They beat Houston yesterday 16-15.

Boller outplays Favre as Ravens rout Packers
Baltimore QB makes case to keep his starting job
Nick Wass / Getty Images
Baltimore quarterback Kyle Boller throws a pass under pressure against the Green Bay Packers on Monday night.
BALTIMORE - Brett Favre shuffled off the field, a yellow parka pulled over his bowed head. He ignored the shouts of the people around him, many imploring the dejected quarterback to return next season.
At the other end of the field, a smiling Kyle Boller cheerfully gave an interview following his most effective game as a professional.
Boller put on a dazzling performance on a national stage, throwing three touchdown passes in leading the Baltimore Ravens to a 48-3 rout of the Green Bay Packers on Monday night.
Years from now, Boller won't care that the game meant nothing. He will remember that he outplayed Favre.
“It's really good just to be on the field with him,” Boller said. “I grew up watching him.”
Boller was 19-of-27 for 253 yards before leaving with 8 minutes to go. There's still no guarantee he will return as the starter next year, but for one night he looked like a No. 1 draft pick.
“It was a really good win,” Boller said. “My teammates, my guys, they allowed me to do that.”
It was the low point of an awful season for the Packers (3-11), who absorbed their most lopsided loss since a 61-7 defeat at Chicago in 1980.
“It was tough to watch any part of that game,” Green Bay coach Mike Sherman said. “We didn't execute in any phase.”
Certainly not on defense. The Ravens, who topped the 20-point mark only once earlier this season, had 24 by halftime.

Boller showed poise in the pocket, was accurate with his throws and didn't commit a turnover. Unfortunately for the Ravens (5-9), his solid performance, which produced a franchise record for points, came far too late to salvage a season that long ago turned sour.
“I'm going to keep working. I'm going to keep trying to get better,” Boller said. “My teammates have been behind me through everything. That's what really has kept me going.”
Favre, meanwhile, struggled from the outset in his final appearance on ABC's “Monday Night Football.” The 15-year veteran has enjoyed many memorable moments on Monday night, but this was one he would prefer to forget.
Favre was 14-of-29 for 144 yards and two interceptions before being replaced by Aaron Rodgers late in the third quarter.
“I thought it was time to take him out of the game,” Sherman said. “It was getting out of hand.”
Favre's two interceptions gave him a career-high 24 for the season, and it marked the first time in his illustrious career that he has gone three straight starts without a touchdown pass. One of the interceptions was by Deion Sanders, the 53rd of his career.
Favre refused to talk to the media after the game.
Green Bay played the final three quarters without running back Samkon Gado, who left with a knee injury after gaining 45 yards on six carries.
Todd Heap caught nine passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns. The fifth-year tight end has 2,841 career yards receiving, breaking the team mark held by Qadry Ismail.
“That was the most fun I've had this season,” Heap said. “Kyle and I said before the game, 'Let's just go out and have fun tonight.' And we did. It shows what we're capable of doing.”

Jamal Lewis ran for 105 yards and a touchdown for the Ravens, who are 5-2 at home and winless on the road.
Boller was 14-of-18 in the first half to stake Baltimore to a 24-3 lead. He added a 27-yard touchdown pass to Heap on the Ravens' first possession of the third quarter, leaving Favre with no chance of pulling off one of his patented comebacks.
Instead, Favre lasted only two more series before calling it a night.
Not long after that, many in the crowd of 70,604 - the largest to watch an NFL game in Baltimore - began filing out.
After the Packers went three-and-out on the game's opening series, B.J. Sams returned a punt 49 yards to the Green Bay 18. That set up a 2-yard scoring pass from Boller to Heap, the first time this season Baltimore scored a touchdown on its first drive.
The Ravens made it 14-0 on their next possession. A 17-yard run by Lewis and a 22-yard pass to Derrick Mason set up an 11-yard touchdown run by rookie wide receiver Mark Clayton, who took the snap in shotgun formation and sprinted around right end.
It was the most points the Ravens scored in the opening quarter this season, and more points than they scored in seven of their previous 13 games.
Ahmad Carroll took the ensuring kickoff 57 yards, setting up a 27-yard field goal by Ryan Longwell.
Baltimore made it 21-3 with the kind of drive that has eluded the offensively challenged team for much of the season. The 16-play, 96-yard march followed an interception by Samari Rolle and was extended by a third-down holding call against Green Bay safety Mark Roman.
On the fifth third-down play of the possession, Boller threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Randy Hymes, who made a leaping one-handed grab in the end zone in front of Carroll.
Notes: Green Bay hasn't been 3-11 since 1991. ... It was Rolle's first INT with the Ravens.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10539034/

Ravens eliminate Vikings from playoff race
Boller tosses three touchdown passes in 2nd straight strong outing
BALTIMORE - All season long, the Minnesota Vikings relied on their defense to win.
The unit collapsed Sunday night, and so did Minnesota's flickering playoff hopes.
Kyle Boller went 24-for-34 for 289 yards and three touchdowns, and the Baltimore Ravens eliminated the Vikings from the postseason hunt with a 30-23 victory.
Needing a win to stay alive, the Vikings (8-7) came up with their worst defensive performance in two months. Minnesota, which hadn't given up more than 23 points since Oct. 30, allowed the Ravens to go 10-for-15 on third down.
“We didn't play well at all. Our offense gave us enough points to come out with a win,” cornerback Antoine Winfield said. “What hurt was third down. They kept drives going. We can't do that.”
The loss gave the New York Giants (10-5) a playoff berth.
“The two biggest things in the game are not staying on the field on third down, and not getting off the field on third down,” Minnesota coach Mike Tice said. “Defensively, the coaches tried a lot of different things.”
None of them worked.
“We're sick to our stomachs for not getting this win,” tight end Jim Kleinsasser said.
Baltimore (6-9) was long ago eliminated from playoff contention, but the Ravens came up with a solid performance anyway.
“We tried to frame it as a playoff-caliber game because it was for them, and therefore it was for us,” Ravens coach Brian Billick said. “The whole team - and Kyle - stepped up to the challenge.”
Baltimore trailed 20-17 before Boller threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Mason with 14:47 left. Then, after Minnesota punted from the Ravens 38, Boller directed a 68-yard drive that produced a 38-yard field goal by Matt Stover with 1:55 to go.
Any chance the Vikings had of winning their fourth straight road game vanished when Brad Johnson fumbled on a sack by Adalius Thomas. Baltimore turned it into a field goal with 1:03 remaining, and the Ravens followed Paul Edinger's 46-yard field goal by recovering the ensuing onside kick.

Boller backed up a breakthrough three-touchdown effort Monday night against Green Bay. The third-year quarterback still hasn't assured himself the starting job in 2006, but he has at least provided the Ravens a reason to consider the possibility.
“I haven't made bad decisions the past two games. That's given us a chance to win,” Boller said.
Mason had nine catches for 103 yards and a touchdown. He has 83 receptions this season, breaking the team record of 76 by Michael Jackson in 1996.
“It feels good,” Mason said. “This is what we envisioned happening at the beginning of the season.”
Johnson was 25-for-36 for 248 yards and two scores.
The announced crowd was 70,246, but several thousand fans decided to spend Christmas night at home rather than watch the Ravens conclude their home schedule.
Baltimore's Chester Taylor fumbled the opening kickoff of the second half and Minnesota's Raonall Smith recovered the loose ball, setting up a 26-yard field goal by Edinger for a 17-10 lead.
For the third time, the Ravens answered a Vikings score with one of their own. On a third-and-7 from the Minnesota 47, Boller hit Mark Clayton with a pass over the middle, and the rookie ran the final 20 yards to tie it.
On the ensuing drive, the Vikings moved 18 yards after a holding call on a third-down play by Baltimore's Chris McAlister, and Edinger kicked a 40-yard field goal that put Minnesota back in front.
The Ravens responded again, this time with a 79-yard drive that gave them their first lead. After Darren Sharper was called for roughing the passer on a third-and-9 incompletion, Mason got behind Dovonte Edwards for the score that made it 24-20.
“You have to answer, especially against a team that's going for the playoffs,” Boller said.
Minnesota scored touchdowns on its first and last possessions of the first half to take a 14-10 lead. The Vikings were 6-0 this season when leading at halftime.
Notes: Baltimore finished 6-2 at home. ... Heap's seven touchdown catches are a career high. ... Smith recorded his first career sack and recovered a fumble for the second time in as many games. ... Boller improved to 13-4 in home starts.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10604635/

Ravens Topple Titans
By Mike Duffy
November 12, 2006
Gameday Central / Gamebook
Brian Billick Transcript
Photo Gallery: Ravens at Titans Pregame / Ravens Playbook Media Center
Despite key contributions from the Ravens' offseason additions in their breathtaking 27-26 victory over the Tennessee Titans (2-7) Sunday, not a single player got the game ball in the end.
Instead, it was awarded to the man who brought all the new Ravens to Baltimore.
"The game ball goes to a partner," head coach Brian Billick earnestly said after the game. "No one in [the locker room], including myself, would be here if it wasn't for him. The game ball goes to [general manager] Ozzie Newsome."
The Ravens relied on a strong performance from quarterback Steve McNair, who rallied his team from a franchise-record 19-point deficit, and a game-saving blocked field goal from fellow newcomer Trevor Pryce to improve to 7-2 and lengthen their lead in the AFC North.
It was especially sweet for McNair, whose 29-of-47, 373-yard and three-touchdown performance outclassed his former team in his first game in Nashville wearing purple and black. In only his ninth contest starting for Baltimore, McNair passed for the second-most yards in Ravens history, behind Vinny Testaverde's 429 in a 1996 overtime win against the St. Louis Rams.
However much McNair downplayed the significance of the win, his teammates certainly acknowledged the gravity of the quarterback's unceremonious dismissal from the Titans.
The 12-year veteran was banned from working out at the Tennessee training facility last summer while the Titans' brass figured out what to do with his contract. Eventually, Newsome traded a draft pick to land the three-time Pro Bowler, and the Ravens couldn't be happier.
"Once we got here and he stepped on the field, you could tell he was ready to go," said wideout Derrick Mason, who spent eight years with McNair in Tennessee. "You could tell that this game meant just that little bit more to him than any other game thus far. He wanted to go out there and play well.
"That is expected when you were with an organization for 11 years and then they let you go. You want to come back and you want to play and you want to prove you can still play."
Fans were emotional when their beloved No. 9 took the field, and loud cheers erupted when a highlight film of the signal-caller's best moments came after the coin toss.
"I'm not going to sit here and tell you a lie and say, 'No, it wasn't [emotional for me],' McNair admitted. "It was pretty emotional before the game. I thought the tribute was very nice by the organization, but I knew two seconds after that they were going to try to knock me out."
Those same fans were the ones cheering when the Titans posted 26 first-half points. They were the same spectators screaming when McNair tossed his two interceptions to safety Lamont Thompson.
They were the same 69,143 fanatics that were silenced when Pryce extended his 6-foot-5 frame to block Rob Bironas' 43-yard field goal.
Pryce, who was signed as a free agent this offseason, burst through the line behind defensive tackle Justin Bannan, another newcomer to Baltimore. Bannan, a 6-3, 310-pounder, occupied two blockers up front.
"I was telling one of my teammates that that play might have been one of the biggest plays of my career," stated Pryce. "Justin Bannan made the play; I just have long arms. He cleared everybody out, and I felt like nobody touched me."

The block capped a monumental swing in momentum that played out to two entirely different halves. The Ravens saw a 7-3 lead, built on Mark Clayton's 65-yard touchdown reception on their third play from scrimmage, disappear when quarterback Vince Young and Tennessee's offense got rolling and capitalized on some McNair mistakes.
Young quickly answered Clayton with a 2-yard scoring run of his own. The Titans added eight points when McNair stepped out of the back of the end zone for a safety and built a touchdown drive on the following free kick.
They also turned the first McNair interception into a touchdown when running back Travis Henry bulled his way across the goal line at 9:55 in the second quarter.
"We were under adverse situations in the first half," said Mason. "Everything that could have possibly gone wrong to us as a team, it did."
Henry racked up 86 of his 107 rushing yards in the opening 30 minutes, while Drew Bennett added 103 of his 115 receiving yards. Meanwhile, aside from the early strike to Clayton, the Baltimore offense had trouble putting together substantial drives. A Ravens' defense that was without middle linebacker Ray Lewis (sore back) seemed to be lacking the punch to stop Young and Co.
"They hit us in the mouth early," affirmed linebacker Bart Scott. "They gave us the best they had (in the first half), took their best shot in the chin, but our offense did a great job of keeping us close where it was still a manageable game."
The energy shifted when fullback Ovie Mughelli bowled over two tacklers on his way to a career-first, 30-yard touchdown in rebuttal to Henry's scoring run. Bironas booted a field goal wide to the right, and his counterpart, Matt Stover, split the uprights as time expired in the first half.
Ed Reed rectified McNair's second interception with a pick of his own, leading to another Stover kick. A once-potent Titans attack was finally punch-less, giving McNair the time he needed to mount a four-play, game-winning drive that culminated in an 11-yard dart to Mason in the end zone.
The two former Titans had hooked up for scores 29 previous times, but this one was special.
"It was a little sweeter knowing where it happened and it being the go-ahead score and then our defense holding," Mason said. "It was a crucial time in the game. At crucial points, you have got to make a crucial play."
Baltimore was defeated by the Titans (and McNair) in last year's Week 2 matchup, but this season, the story was different. As the Ravens slipped away with a nail-biting, 27-26 win, it's pretty clear how important it is to bring in the right people.
Remember, the game ball went to Ozzie Newsome.
http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article.jsp?id=14104

Knockout Blow
By Mike Duffy
November 26, 2006
The message that Baltimore's coaches drove home to the Ravens all weekend was about "delivering the knockout blow" to a reeling Pittsburgh Steelers team. On the heels of a 27-0 shutout of the defending Super Bowl champions, the Ravens definitely connected.
With big hits coming on both sides of the ball, the Ravens improved their record to 9-2 and tightened their command on the AFC North. Running back Jamal Lewis hit the right holes en route to 66 rushing yards with one touchdown, while the defense registered a season-high nine sacks, terrorizing Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger all Sunday afternoon.
The story was basically set in the first half, where Bart Scott sent Roethlisberger to the sideline with a vicious second-quarter hit and the Ravens jumped out to a 17-point lead, outgaining Pittsburgh by 179 yards.
It was a change from what had become a typical Ravens showing of rallying in the second half to overcome some sort of deficit. Against a division foe like the Steelers, such late-game heroics might not have been enough.
"We've had this problem of only being a second-half team, coming back in the second half, doing great in the fourth quarter, and that's all well and good," said fullback Ovie Mughelli, who rushed four times for 21 yards. "But against a team like Pittsburgh, you've got to know they mean business."
Roethlisberger only missed one series, but he wasn't given any chance to recover, tossing two interceptions on a 21-of-41, 214-yard performance. The nine Baltimore sacks tied a Ravens' franchise record and were the most times Roethlisberger has ever been dropped in his career.
His counterpart, however, fared much better.
Steve McNair, upright the entire day, turned in a 102.8 passer rating by completing 18 of 24 attempts for 140 yards and one touchdown before he was relieved by backup Kyle Boller in the final quarter. The 12-year veteran hit nine different receivers, opening the scoring with a 20-yard scoring pass to tight end Todd Heap.
"Incredible win for us," said head coach Brian Billick. "It was a total team circumstance. All of the things that we said going in were valid, and it was a good day."
The Steelers were coming off two consecutive victories that sparked hopes for another postseason berth, but Baltimore's defense, with Ray Lewis in the lineup after missing two games due to a back injury, crushed any dreams beyond a slim chance that Pittsburgh would be playing into January.
"It's great to have No. 52 back in," said defensive coordinator Rex Ryan. "He just energized the whole team." The Ravens limited their rivals to only 21 rushing yards, the fewest since the Denver Broncos allowed the Steelers 18 in 1970, and effectively guarded their end of the field, which Pittsburgh sniffed only three times in the game. Going 1-for-12 on third down conversions, as Pittsburgh did, certainly limited how well the Steelers could move the ball.
Pittsburgh's offense, ranked fifth in the NFL, could only muster 172 total yards and was dominated in time of possession by nearly 10 minutes.
Even when they were in Baltimore territory, the Ravens stomped out the drives with a fumble recovery that Adalius Thomas took back for a touchdown, a Scott interception and a turnover on downs.
"The way the defense was playing, you had a sense that it would be that kind of day," explained Billick. "It was a little greedy on my part to want the shutout, but you can see we might have that kind of temperament."
It was the second time this season that the Ravens blanked an opponent, following a 27-0 win in Tampa Bay to open the year, and the importance of such an encompassing victory was not lost on the team.
"We got a rivalry game, and they didn't score," stated linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs. "You're not only sending a message for the next time you play them, you're sending a message for the next team you play. We just sent a message that we're here now."
Jamal Lewis did his part to deliver the memo with his pounding runs in a 61-yard opening half. The Ravens rode him to eat up both the clock and yards, and Lewis paid his team back with a 1-yard touchdown plunge to make the score 14-0.
"The way [Lewis] ran the ball, the way the offense really set the tone, where he started rolling over guys and started running in there like, 'I don't want any of this,' really set the tone for us," noted Thomas.
The linebacker's 57-yard romp, keyed when cornerback Corey Ivy sacked Roethlisberger and popped the ball loose, would prove to be salt in the Steelers' wounds.
Turning around on a short week, the Ravens will meet the Cincinnati Bengals - also of the AFC North - on Thursday with the potential to wrap up the division.
"We're on the top of our division so everyone's going to come in gunning for us," said wideout Derrick Mason. "We're going to get the best from each team. Yes, it was great that we beat Pittsburgh because they're a division team."
Now, the Ravens will look to do it again against another.
http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article.jsp?id=14674

Ravens Clobber Kansas City
By Mike Duffy
December 10, 2006
The Ravens saved their offensive fireworks for late in the game, but the defense was explosive all day long, as Baltimore came away from Arrowhead Stadium with a 20-10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
By the time Jamal Lewis punched in a 1-yard touchdown run to finish a grinding 16-play, 86-yard drive in the fourth quarter, the outcome was clear. The Ravens (10-3) would be the first team in a decade to beat Kansas City (7-6) on their home turf in December, and the Chiefs found their playoff hopes all but disappear.
"That's as good of a road win that we've ever had given the circumstances - where we're at, what's at stake, their record at home in December - so it's as good of a win as I can remember," said Brian Billick, who made his first visit to Arrowhead as a head coach.
Safety Ed Reed came up with the 25th and 26th interceptions of his career, while Terrell Suggs recorded the triple crown for a defender with a sack, forced fumble and recovery on quarterback Trent Green.
Even though the turnovers - two that were deep in Baltimore territory - took the wind out of the typically frenzied Arrowhead crowd, gusts were certainly blowing around the stadium, where Chiefs kicker Lawrence Tynes missed a 32-yard field goal and Green seemed to have trouble cutting his passes through the elements.
Reed snared a tipped pass at the end of the first quarter at the Kansas City 34-yard line to set up Matt Stover's 23-yard field goal, and then stepped in front of wideout Samie Parker at the Baltimore 6.
"The first one was just a good read," explained a humble Reed. "Really both of them kind of came to me. I felt like it was going to be tipped because the wind was blowing, and it had an effect on the passing game."
Stover's earlier 41-yarder to open the scoring gave him 400 career field goals, putting him in rarified air he now shares with three other kickers in the history of the NFL.
Meanwhile, quarterback Steve McNair turned in yet another solid performance under center for the Ravens, going 21-of-27 (77.8 percent) for 283 yards and a 122.7 passer rating - his best in Baltimore purple. His current 142-attempt streak without throwing an interception, dating back to Week 10 at Tennessee, is a career-high, as well.
Perhaps what is most impressive is a second half that saw the 12-year veteran complete nine of 10 throws for 165 yards, including an 87-yard touchdown to wideout Mark Clayton. The quick-strike to Clayton, helped by a fake curl route that sprung the receiver free behind the secondary, capped a two-play drive the put the Chiefs down 13 points in a blink of an eye.
McNair, as well as the rest of the Ravens, benefited from five days off after last Thursday's 13-7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
"Coming off a rest like that, you've got to take advantage of it," said McNair, whose 87-yarder marked the longest play of his career. "I wanted my arm to be fresh, and it was."
Kansas City again squandered an opportunity in Ravens field position when cornerback Patrick Surtain recovered a fumble by Ovie Mughelli with 13:11 left in the final period. Although the fullback looked like he could have been down before he coughed up the ball, Baltimore head coach Brian Billick opted not to challenge the play in a gamble for the defense.
Rolling the dice paid off in sevens, as the Baltimore defense forced a crucial three-and-out, giving the ball back to McNair to begin the final drive.
With Lewis, who totaled 81 yards on 21 carries, keeping the defense honest by pounding runs up the middle, McNair was able to convert a third down with a 33-yard connection to rookie Demetrius Williams.
"That was impressive," Billick said of the game-clinching possession. "The resolve and the ability to run when we had to run and to make the plays in the passing game when you have to in critical situations. . . Credit goes to Steve McNair and a young Demetrius Williams making a huge play on the third-and-whatever."
The quarterback even took matters into his own hands to sneak up the middle on two more third-down conversions.
"You need to get a big push," stated McNair with a laugh. "You want to have the perfect call - right or left - and just go with it. With me being 240 pounds helps a lot. Those are the keys to keeping the chains moving."
When Green and Co. took the field for a last gasp, less than three minutes remained in the game, just enough time for receiver Dante Hall to notch a 5-yard touchdown catch and slightly lessen the margin.
After being sidelined for eight contests from a concussion sustained against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1, Green was next in line to feel the heat of a relentless Ravens pass rush. The Chiefs signal-caller, who completed 15 of 27 passes for 178 yards, was brought down five times on Sunday, many of them coming in key situations.
In addition to Suggs' second-quarter takedown, defensive lineman Trevor Pryce and linebacker Bart Scott sacked Green on the same series to quell a drive that ended the first half.
Linebacker Ray Lewis forced a punt with his third-down sack, while linebacker Adalius Thomas limited the Chiefs to a 49-yard field goal from Tynes when he brought down Green near the red zone.
"Our defense is well-orchestrated; they've got a lot of pride and a lot of passion for what they do," Billick said. "They don't like giving up plays and they've shown a propensity to stiffen."
A main goal heading into the game, however, was stopping the NFL's second-leading rusher in Kansas City's Larry Johnson. Although he finished with 120 yards on 23 attempts, much of that came on a 47-yard burst in the second period where he cut up the middle, broke two tackles and raced up the sideline.
Without the gain, the 6-1, 230-pounder would only have 73 yards to show on the afternoon, including a mere 40 yards in the second half.
"He plays hard-nosed football and everybody wants a guy like that on their team," observed Reed, who spoiled Johnson's party with his second interception three plays later. "Our thing was to get to him, just everybody around him and if he breaks one, he breaks one. As you saw, when he did break one, they came back and threw an interception."
With the win, the Ravens moved closer to achieving their goal of locking up one of the top two seeds for AFC postseason play. At 10-3 and atop the AFC North, not even a decade-long streak could get in the way of Baltimore's best start in franchise history.
http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article.jsp?id=15203

Ravens Headed To Playoffs
By Mike Duffy
December 17, 2006
Gameday Central
Even though it was Steve McNair that led the Ravens to the precipice of the playoffs, it was backup Kyle Boller that pushed the team over the edge.
With a gritty 27-17 victory against the Cleveland Browns, Boller helped Baltimore officially clinch a playoff spot by tossing two touchdowns in relief duty for McNair, who left in the first quarter due to a hand injury.
By booking their ticket to the postseason for the first time since 2003 - and their fourth trip in the last seven seasons - the Ravens were able to cross one important item off their to-do list.
"It was a great win," said head coach Brian Billick in his post-game press conference. "Beautiful day, making the playoffs. That's step one. Every team, when they show up in training camp, their first goal is making the playoffs. That's the first step, but only the first step."
Boller filled in admirably, going 13-of-21 for 238 yards after Cleveland linebacker Andra Davis stepped on and cut McNair's throwing hand during the game's second series. Boller also threw an interception and lost a fumble, but it wasn't enough to bring the incumbent starter off the sideline.
The fourth-year quarterback was helped by a Baltimore defense that grabbed two interceptions, tallied six sacks and allowed only 68 rushing yards. The Browns failed to capitalize on any Baltimore turnovers, as the interception led to a Cleveland punt, and a missed 47-yard field goal followed Boller's fumble.
"In this position, if you let little things bother you, a fumble, a bad pick, you've got to just keep grinding, keep going out there, keep your head up," assessed Boller, who started 34 games for the Ravens before McNair's offseason addition. "I've got a great defense. They got the ball right back for me on that fumble. You just keep fighting; that's the only thing you can do."
Boller came out swinging in the third quarter after he watched a 14-point lead disappear. His 77-yard touchdown pass to rookie Demetrius Williams at 5:24 would prove to be the deciding points, although Matt Stover would split the uprights for a sealing 22-yard field goal towards the end of the game.
The Ravens were in good shape from the start. Jamal Lewis, who posted 109 yards on 22 attempts, rumbled 7 yards for an opening touchdown, then fullback Ovie Mughelli took a short dump-off from Boller 9 yards for a diving score.
Stover added a 38-yard field goal to end the first half with the Ravens up 17-3.
But, former Ravens draft pick Derek Anderson, who started for the Browns in place of Charlie Frye (wrist injury), would even the margin by engineering 70- and 84-yard drives that culminated in touchdowns to receivers Joe Jurevicius and Braylon Edwards, respectively.
"You know, we remained patient the whole time and everyone just stayed focused," said Williams, who caught his first-career touchdown and finished with 100 yards on the day. "We have people who can make plays, and we just knew what we had to do."
What fire Cleveland had when Edwards came across the middle for his 14-yard score in the third quarter was doused after Williams dove to meet the pylon. The 6-2, 197-pound wideout slipped behind the defense and ran under Boller's bomb at the 20-yard line, hitting an extra gear to outrun the Browns' defenders to paydirt.
"I just wanted to throw it up there nice and high for him, let him run underneath it," Boller explained about his career-long connection. "He made a great play and got the ball in the end zone."
The Ravens had to overcome losing not only McNair, but also defensive backs Samari Rolle (shoulder sprain and stinger) and Corey Ivy (concussion). Their replacements, Evan Oglesby for Rolle and Ronnie Prude for Ivy, came up big in the secondary, helping the defense get after Anderson all afternoon.
Six Baltimore sacks - led by two from Trevor Pryce - upped the team's season total to 52, beating the previous franchise record of 49 that was set in 1999.
"We have to give a lot of credit to the guys in the back, because a lot of those sacks [Anderson] held the ball and those guys were doing a great job and we were able to get there," said linebacker Bart Scott, who recorded one sack. "It's just a testament to the guys in the secondary. Today, some guys went down and the young guys stepped up."
Despite completing 13-straight passes at one point in the game, Anderson gave away interceptions to rookie safety Dawan Landry, which he returned for 37 yards en route to Lewis' touchdown, and cornerback Chris McAlister. The respective picks marked Landry's fourth theft this season and McAlister career-high-tying fifth.
Where the defense was most thorough, however, was on third down. Baltimore forced the Browns to go 0-for-11 in third-down conversions, its best showing of the year.
The Ravens' win is just one notch on a postseason register that also has designs of capturing the AFC North crown, top seed in the AFC (with home-field advantage and a first-round bye) and a Super Bowl bid.
"It's been a little while for us," stated tight end Todd Heap, not allowing himself to bask in the playoff glow just yet. "We've still got some goals ahead of us and that's what we need to focus on right now. We've accomplished one goal, but we've got some bigger ones we want to accomplish."
http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article.jsp?id=15407

Ravens officially end Steelers' Super reign
McNair throws 3 TDs as Baltimore moves closer to clinching first-round bye
PITTSBURGH - Minutes after they ended the Pittsburgh Steelers’ run as the Super Bowl champion, the Baltimore Ravens were ready to proclaim a new NFL title favorite — themselves.
Steve McNair, masterfully running an offense that was productive and efficient, threw three touchdown passes and Baltimore took a big step toward securing a first-round AFC playoffs bye with a 31-7 victory over the Steelers on Sunday.
The Ravens (12-3) matched a franchise record for victories in a season set by their Super Bowl championship team in 2000 and swept the series from the despised Steelers (7-8) for the first time since the former Cleveland Browns moved to Baltimore in 1996. They also won in Heinz Field for the first time since their initial game there in 2001.
“The satisfaction is what we’re trying to accomplish, it’s not about ending the Steelers’ season,” cornerback Chris McAlister said.
The Ravens got some unexpected help from the Houston Texans, who upset the Indianapolis Colts 27-24 to move Baltimore ahead of the Colts (11-4) for the No. 2 seeding in the AFC playoffs. Baltimore, which still can surpass San Diego and be seeded No. 1, will finish at home next Sunday against Buffalo (8-7).
“We’re in a prime position to get home-field advantage,” linebacker Ray Lewis said. “With the way we’re playing defense and the way our offense is clicking, we’re going to be a hard team to beat in the playoffs.”
If this was Bill Cowher’s last home game as Steelers coach, and there is a possibility it was, his players didn’t throw much of a going-away party.
With Ben Roethlisberger (156 yards passing, 2 interceptions) and Willie Parker (29 yards on 13 carries) again having rough afternoons against one of the NFL’s top defenses, the Steelers (7-8) became the first defending Super Bowl champions since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002 to miss the playoffs.
“We just didn’t play the way we played last year,” wide receiver Hines Ward said, pointing to a season-long problem with turnovers — 35, including three more Sunday. “You never give yourself a chance to win when you turn it over.”
The Steelers tried to rally by winning five of six following a 2-6 start, but now can finish no better than 8-8 — the same record they had in 1980, the year after they won the fourth and last of the Super Bowls under coach Chuck Noll.
“Nobody expected us to be in this position,” linebacker James Farrior said. “Everybody is going to have to pick themselves up after this.”
Parker, a Pro Bowl running back, had averaged 144 yards rushing in the previous four home games only to be held below 30 yards for the second time in a month by Baltimore. He had 22 yards on 10 carries in the Ravens’ 27-0 rout on Nov. 26. The Steelers were outgained 634-423 and outscored 58-7 in the two losses to the Ravens.
The Ravens’ defense wasn’t quite as good as the first matchup, when it sacked Roethlisberger nine times and forced three turnovers, but it didn’t have to be the way McNair (21-of-31, 256 yards, two interceptions) took advantage of repeatedly good field position.
“To me, he’s the secret weapon this year,” Steelers lineman Brett Keisel said of McNair, acquired from Tennessee in a trade earlier this year. “He’s the reason they are where they are. He came into a new system and now he’s taking them to the playoffs.”
Jamal Lewis helped out with 77 yards, giving him 1,063 yards for the season, and a 1-yard touchdown run.
After Baltimore got the ball at the Steelers 43 late in the first quarter following a short punt by Chris Gardocki, McNair found Mark Clayton behind Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu on a 35-yard scoring play. The touchdown came one play after McNair kept the drive going by barely gaining enough ground on a fourth-and-1 sneak.
Another short punt by Gardocki on Pittsburgh’s next possession led to McNair’s 1-yard scoring pass to tight end Dan Wilcox on fourth-and-goal.
The Steelers had gained only 34 yards in the first half until a McNair-thrown interception on a tipped pass led to Roethlisberger’s 1-yard TD pass to Heath Miller seven seconds before halftime.
The Ravens regained control on their opening drive of the second half, with McNair finding Demetrius Williams open behind Polamalu down the Baltimore sideline for a 25-yard touchdown. That made it 21-7, and the Steelers were so desperate to score after that they went for it on a fourth-and-2 at their 37 midway through the quarter. They didn’t get the first down — a perfect summation of their failed season.
Polamalu, an All-Pro safety last season, returned after missing the Steelers’ previous three games with a knee injury.
Notes: McNair is 10-4 against Pittsburgh. ... Baltimore has won eight of nine. ... The Steelers were 2-of-14 on third downs, with both conversions coming on penalties, and 3-of-26 against Baltimore this season. ... Six of the last eight Super Bowl winners held a first-round bye. ... McNair had thrown 163 passes without an interception. ... The Ravens have allowed 57 points in their last six games. ... Baltimore finished 5-1 in the division. The Steelers are 2-3.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16347248/

Christmas Sweep
By Mike Duffy
December 24, 2006
The Ravens' road to the playoffs stopped off in Pittsburgh on Sunday, which is exactly where the Steelers' ended. With a dominating 31-7 victory, Baltimore completed its first-ever season sweep of the Steelers and officially eliminated the defending Super Bowl champions from postseason contention.
And it couldn't have come at a better time, as a little extra-curricular scoreboard watching revealed that the Indianapolis Colts fell to the Houston Texans on a last-second field goal, moving the Ravens into the AFC's second seed and closer to a first-round playoff bye.
"[Today is] a great moment for us that puts us in position to get things we coveted," said head coach Brian Billick. "Coming on the road, anytime you play like that playing against an outstanding team, a very hot team for the last half of the season, it was very good."
The Steelers had spun three-straight wins since their last trip to Baltimore, a 27-0 shutout on Nov. 26. To beat the streaking Pittsburgh squad on their home turf, something that hadn't happened since 2001, the Ravens cooled off their opponent with stifling defense and a high-powered aerial attack.
In a repeat performance of their nine-sack showing against their AFC North rivals one month ago, the Ravens dropped quarterback Ben Roethlisberger five times before he was pulled for the final series.
"Coming from the last game, those couple of hits from last time, [Roethlisberger] was probably thinking about them," stated safety Ed Reed. "I'm sure he had that in the back of his head that we were coming."
Roethlisberger, who went 15-of-31 for 156 yards, looked rattled in the pocket, tossing errant balls all over the field, and the Ravens made him pay with two interceptions.
Steve McNair, on the other hand, demonstrated that the palm he cut in Week 15 against the Cleveland Browns was in working order, as he completed 21 of 31 attempts for 256 yards. Standing tall behind an offensive line that has only allowed one sack in the last five games, he operated with surgeon-like precision to dissect the Pittsburgh defense.
"He shows his personality and it shows the personality that we've taken on as a team," explained tight end Todd Heap. "We've got a lot of guys battling through a lot of things and when we're winning like this it seems to feel a little better.
Baltimore mainly drew blood through the air, with McNair throwing three touchdown passes for the second time this season. He hit eight different receivers, but his favorite was Mark Clayton, who had seven catches for 108 yards, the fifth 100-yard receiving day of his career.
The passing attack was tempered by powerful runs from Jamal Lewis, who topped the 1,000-yard milestone on Sunday for the fifth time in his career. The seven-year veteran finished with 77 yards and a 1-yard touchdown run on 24 attempts.
Clayton opened up the scoring in a punt-filled first quarter. With 11 seconds remaining in the period, Clayton snuck behind safety Troy Polamalu, who cheated up in coverage. McNair hit the wideout in-stride for a 35-yard touchdown connection.
"The last game we played them, we had opportunities over the middle," Clayton said. "We had the perfect timing, the perfect call and they lined up in the same defense, so we were able to execute it."
That drive, which only took 2:45 off the clock, was contrasted by a 14-play march that lasted over six minutes in the second quarter. McNair capped it by running a textbook play-action fake and zipped a pass to tight end Daniel Wilcox wide open in the end zone.
The only Pittsburgh points came when a McNair attempt deflected off Clayton's outstretched hands and into Steelers' cornerback Deshea Townsend's in Baltimore territory. Roethlisberger used the short field to move within striking distance, eventually hitting tight end Heath Miller for a 1-yard touchdown.
It was a rare bright spot for the quarterback, who seemed baffled by the Baltimore onslaught that had him running for his life at times. In fact, the 6-5, 241-pound quarterback even managed lead the Steelers in rushing, carrying the ball four times for 33 yards.
First-time Pro Bowler Willie Parker, who entered Sunday's contest as the NFL's fifth-leading ground gainer, couldn't get past the Baltimore front seven to break one of the big runs he's become known for. Parker owns 11 runs of 20 or more yards this season, but he barely made it over that mark on the day, finishing with only 29 yards on 13 attempts.
Miller's touchdown could have swung momentum Pittsburgh's direction, but the Ravens wouldn't hang their heads. On the first drive of the second half, McNair led a 69-yard scoring drive that culminated in a 25-yard touchdown pass to rookie Demetrius Williams.
Williams was the second Ravens receiver to burn Polamalu.
"I came in motion, it was an out and up," Williams said. "[I] sold the fake on the out and then just turned it upfield. Steve made a great throw."
Taking a cue from the rookie's second touchdown in as many games, the defense clamped down further on the Steelers to prevent any points from two Baltimore turnovers in the third quarter.
The unit forced a three-and-out after tight end Daniel Wilcox fumbled, and then Reed picked up a fumble recovery of his own when Parker coughed up the ball on the Ravens' 11-yard line.
The Ravens added interceptions by safety Dawan Landry and Reed, which led to a 26-yard field goal by Matt Stover and Lewis' touchdown plunge, respectively.
With the Colts' loss, Baltimore controls its own destiny when it comes to the first-round bye. A win on Dec. 31 against the Buffalo Bills secures the Ravens one of the top two seeds in the conference, along with the San Diego Chargers.
"We've got to finish things out," Billick said. "There is no doubt about what we got to do next week. [There is] no ambiguity about it, and that makes my job a whole lot easier."
http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article.jsp?id=15650

Rarefied Air
By Mike Duffy
December 28, 2006
During last week's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, one national broadcaster likened quarterback Steve McNair's use of the Ravens' assorted targets to "shooting fish in a barrel." After the game, Baltimore boasted three of those fish with over 60 receptions, a trio that only three other teams in the NFL can claim.
In fact, what tight end Todd Heap (68 catches) and wideouts Mark Clayton (65) and Derrick Mason (63) have each eclipsed this season hasn't even been achieved by one player on 10 different rosters.
The St. Louis Rams (Steven Jackson, Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce), Detroit Lions (Mike Furrey, Roy Williams, Kevin Jones) and Dallas Cowboys (Terrell Owens, Terry Glenn, Jason Witten) are the only other teams that are in the Ravens' rarefied air this season.
"That's typically what it is, at best - two or three teams that have guys with 60 or 70 catches," said head coach Brian Billick. "That is the expertise and presence that Steve gives you. The way he's spreading it around shows a grasp of what we're doing offensively, of his situation, of the abilities of the players around him."
McNair's ability to distribute the ball is no secret to opposing defenses. In six of the past seven contests, the quarterback has found at least eight different receivers, with Heap, Clayton and Mason typically heading the class when it comes to grabs.
But recently, the Ravens have had members of the supporting cast step up with big games, as well.
In the Pittsburgh matchup, wideout Demetrius Williams was explosive, hauling in two balls for 45 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown that essentially took the game's momentum away from the Steelers. The 6-2, 197-pound rookie's nose for the long ball - he also posted a 77-yard scoring grab from quarterback Kyle Boller in Week 15 - gives Baltimore yet another option to spread the field.
If McNair needs a short-yardage completion, he's often looked for fullback Ovie Mughelli, who has 9- and 30-yard touchdown catches while being a crucial receiver in third-down situations.
The multi-pronged aerial attack is the result of McNair's emerging confidence with each new target as the season has worn on, starting with Mason, who enjoyed eight productive years as a Tennessee Titan with McNair at the helm.
"That shows the diversity in your passing attack, not to mention guys like Demetrius Williams," Billick stated. "Now you throw him into it, and [there is also] Ovie Mughelli, whom we are able to find in some unique ways.
"Obviously, [McNair] had a relationship with Derrick Mason. He developed one with Todd Heap. He's expanded his relationship with Mark Clayton. Now, he's expanding that relationship with Demetrius Williams, and that's just going to grow and grow."
The windfall of the Ravens' growing passing statistics has settled on the entire offense. With so many threats to worry about, the Ravens are able to create mismatches for defenses, whether it's the 252-pound Heap lining up across a smaller nickelback or the lightning-quick Clayton facing a burly linebacker or safety.
In addition, running back Jamal Lewis has enjoyed the benefit of running against less stacked fronts when more defensive backs are pushed into the game.
"I think it takes a lot of pressure off of all of us," said Heap. "It takes pressure off Jamal in the backfield, knowing that when we complete balls down the field, he's going to see fewer guys in the box.
"All of us look forward to the fact that we're going to catch some favorable coverages sometimes."
Heap is referring to occurrences like when Clayton snuck behind Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu last week for a 35-yard touchdown reception, his fifth on the season. Or, when Williams streaked down the sideline to haul in his 25-yarder in-stride and untouched.
"Like coach Billick says every week, everybody's viable in our offense, and Steve does a great job of finding whoever the open person is," Williams explained. "It just takes time to get comfortable with each other, and Steve is just getting comfortable with his receivers. I feel like Steve is doing a great job of getting the ball to whoever's open."
http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article.jsp?id=15727

Bye-bye Bills
By Mike Duffy
December 31, 2006
Before their personal New Year's Eve celebrations begin, 70,913 fans were treated to a rockin' pre-party, as the Ravens downed the Buffalo Bills 19-7 Sunday evening at M&T Bank Stadium.
With help from cornerback Chris McAlister's 31-yard interception return for a touchdown, the Ravens rode Matt Stover's leg to kick off 2007 on a positive note. Stover split the uprights four times to outscore the Bills and seal Baltimore's first-round playoff bye.
Baltimore got a dominating defensive performance that limited Buffalo to only 39 yards on the ground, and an efficient showing from the offense to earn a franchise-best 13-3 record.
"Fabulous win for us," said head coach Brian Billick after the game. "[It's a] great way to finish the season. Going 13-3 is not easy to do. I hope the guys will dwell on that a little bit. Obviously, when you're in this position, you immediately move on to the playoffs, but we've got a little time, and I hope they can appreciate what they did on the season."
For the first time in team history, the Ravens leap-frog into the second round of the postseason.
"It's something that gives us an advantage more so than anything else, because now we have a week off and somebody has to come here to play us - no matter who it is," explained defensive lineman Trevor Pryce. "That's the biggest thing about the bye; you're guaranteed a second-round playoff game."
Perhaps even more coveted is a week off to rest, relax and prepare for their opening playoff opponent. With this, the Ravens are also hoping to get offensive linemen Jonathan Ogden (toe) and Keydrick Vincent (groin) back on the field.
"It's big, because at this time of the year, there's nobody that's healthy," said quarterback Steve McNair. "So it's good to rest your body and to go out and get away from the game a little bit and concentrate on what you have going on in your personal life. We want to come back next week, focus again, re-energize and be ready to play."
Buffalo, who posted its lone score on a 44-yard touchdown by wideout Lee Evans, was forced to get things done through the air. Running back Willis McGahee entered the game needing only 33 yards to top 1,000 yards for the third-consecutive season, but he was held to a stingy 23 yards on 11 carries.
Constant pressure from the Ravens' front seven harassed quarterback J.P. Losman into making critical mistakes. The signal-caller was sacked three times and hurried another seven, en route to a 20-of-35, 237-yard night that saw him toss two back-breaking interceptions.
McAlister's pick came at a crucial moment in the contest. In the third quarter, the Ravens were hanging on to a 9-7 lead, but the three-time Pro Bowler out-jumped wideout Peerless Price and raced untouched to the end zone. The theft was the cornerback's sixth this season - also ranking as a career high and team best in 2006 - and his second touchdown, matching a 60-yard score in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It was the perfect answer to Losman's 44-yard touchdown pass to Evans mere minutes prior.
"This is an excellent football team with all that's at stake, and we were up and down the football field and couldn't punch it away," Billick reflected. "Then, we settled there a little bit, but gave up a big play. We couldn't move the ball until Chris McAlister changed [things] and put it back to a two-score game. Huge."
With Buffalo making a last-ditch effort to lessen the margin, cornerback Samari Rolle logged Losman's second interception, this time in the end zone with 2:26 left to play.
McNair turned in one pick, to linebacker London Fletcher-Baker in the first quarter, but the 12-year veteran gunslinger went 23-of-35 for 216 yards. While the Ravens achieved team records in the victory, McNair added his name in the NFL annals by becoming the third quarterback in league history to top 30,000 yards passing (30,191) and 3,000 yards rushing (3,558), joining Hall of Famers Steve Young and Fran Tarkenton.
Still, the Baltimore offense seemed dominant at times and was stagnant at others. Besides the game's final drive that ended with two kneel-downs, the Ravens had two drives in Buffalo territory end in punts, and Stover's boots came as concessions to touchdowns.
"It definitely wasn't pretty offensively, but we're going to have to fix a lot of those things going into the next week," said tight end Todd Heap, who finished with five catches for 60 yards, converting four first downs. "I have confidence in our guys."
When it mattered most, though, McNair and running back Jamal Lewis, who ground out 69 yards on 20 carries, were efficient and stingy with the football. McNair hit eight different receivers, most notably Heap, Mason (five catches, 30 yards) and fullback Ovie Mughelli (a career-high five catches, 49 yards), to control the time of possession by nearly 13 minutes.
"This time of year, that's what it's about," Mason said of the ball-control offense. "We have to take what the defense gives us in the passing game, and with the running game, we're just going to grind this thing out."
A jubilant post-game locker room wasn't letting the streamers fly for a New Year's celebration - moreso for a postseason party. The smiling faces were from a team that believes it can accomplish the goal set at the beginning of the 2006 campaign: winning a Super Bowl title.
"When you have the No. 1 defense in football, when you have Steve McNair and you have our defense playing the way they are," linebacker Ray Lewis said, "we're going to be a hard team to deal with in the playoffs."

Colts at Ravens
Time, TV: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET, Fox
Preview: The Colts showed a surprising run defense against the Chiefs, but the Ravens will be a much tougher opponent.
Baltimore is in a great position this season. They’re playing at home, the defense is as dangerous as ever, and the offense is balanced. The Ravens can fall behind now, whereas they couldn’t in the past.
The Colts might jump out to a 14-0 lead, but Steve McNair has never panicked in his life, and he’ll lead the Ravens back.
Players to watch: McNair is the key for Baltimore. I expect the Colts to be fired up and jump out to a lead, but the Ravens will keep plugging, stick to their gameplan, and pull ahead. For Indy, Joseph Addai is the man. He needs to be successful in keeping the Ravens defense off balance, then the Colts will be in this.
Pick: Ravens, 24-17.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3690072/

I'm sad that there isn't any football anymore for awhile. I'm not really a baseball fan.