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At the Ravens' season-ending press conference, general manager Ozzie Newsome and head coach John Harbaugh said they'd be interested in having offensive tackle Jared Gaither back next season despite the fact he missed the entire 2010 campaign with a back injury. Now, the team is apparently getting to work on negotiating with the big fella. The Ravens are scheduled to talk with Gaither's camp about
Boy, what a thrilling Pro Bowl, huh? There were eight total turnovers, nobody was interested in making a tackle, the NFC led 42-0 in the second quarter ... and I watched about 12 seconds worth of the action. Why do I have a feeling that's 12 seconds more than most sports fans stuck around for? Something has to be done to make the Pro Bowl
Initially, the Ravens' firing of quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn seemed like a fairly minor story. Zorn never really clicked with the Ravens' coaching staff, the offensive scheme he's familiar with didn't mesh with the one offensive coordinator Cam Cameron runs here in Baltimore, and the Ravens' offense failed to live up to expectations this season. The Ravens wanted to go in another direction, and other
The Ravens might have finalized their coaching staff today. Although, at this rate, they could just decide to overhaul the entire group tomorrow. The Ravens announced that they have hired Teryl Austin as their new secondary coach. Austin will replace Chuck Pagano, who was elevated to the defensive coordinator position last week. "I have a long relationship with Teryl, going back to 1987 when I
After bouncing from team to team for much of his six-year career, Billy Cundiff will finally have some long-term job security. And he'll have a bit of cash as well. Cundiff's five-year contract extension with the Ravens, worth a reported $15 million, is now official, according to his agent. It's the 15th contract that Cundiff has signed in his journeyman career. Cundiff joined the Ravens
Who will the Ravens hire as their next quarterbacks coach now that Jim Zorn has been cut loose? Well, it looks like they won't be hiring anyone. A good portion of the QB coach's duties will apparently fall to offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. Head coach John Harbaugh said in a statement that Cameron, who came under fire because of the Ravens' offensive struggles this season,
That was quick. After just a year in Baltimore, Jim Zorn was fired as the Ravens' quarterbacks coach today, according to reports. Zorn and the Ravens didn't seem to mesh in his one season in Baltimore. Zorn is used to being a part of a West Coast offense featuring quick reads and short routes relying on timing, which contrasted with offensive coordinator Cam Cameron's scheme
So much for Snowpocalypse Part III, huh? We got about 5-6 inches here in the downtown area, but nothing near the 15 inches I was hearing some project for last night into this morning. Half a foot is still enough to bring this area into a standstill, however. Hope everyone got to work safely this morning. Anyone else see/hear the lightning and thunder during the
Ed Reed and his family might finally have the closure they've been searching for. Two and a half weeks after Reed's younger brother Brian jumped into the Mississippi River to elude the police, authorities believe that they've retrieved Brian's body. Identification of the body will be determined by an autopsy. Brian Reed, 28, went missing back on Jan. 7 after authorities saw him driving what
The Ravens had five players named to the Pro Bowl. Three of those guys also are now a part of the All-Pro team. Safety Ed Reed, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, and kicker Billy Cundiff all were named to the team, which is selected by a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL. It's Reed's seventh All-Pro team to go along with
It's been six months since training camp kicked off back in late July, and after yesterday's action, only two teams are left dancing. And one of them is a little familiar to those of us here in the Baltimore area. Baltimore's beloved Steelers will meet the Packers in Dallas two weeks from now, and one of the tradition-rich franchises will walk away with yet another
For the first time in a long time, football will be played this weekend, and the Ravens won't be a part of it. That means for once, I'll actually get to kick back on my sofa and watch games with friends. That's the plus side. The down side is that a number of those friends will probably be punching couch cushions in frustration when the
The Ravens have their kicker, and they don't want to let him go. According to reports, the first of which came from ESPN, Baltimore is closing in on a five-year, $15 million contract with kicker Billy Cundiff. The deal is not finalized yet, but it's expected to be signed sometime this week. The contract is well-deserved for Cundiff, who made the Pro Bowl this season
Maybe it was because he had put together such an impressive rookie season. Maybe it was in some way related to all the "Blind Side" hype. For whatever reason, we all expected Michael Oher to have a dominant 2010 season as the Ravens' starting left tackle. That didn't happen. Oher didn't perform poorly, but he did struggle at times. Penalties were an issue - Oher
I got a question a couple days ago from someone who was curious how the NFL's personal conduct policy applies to coaches and other team personnel that don't strap on helmets and pads on Sundays. The question came in the wake of news that the Ravens had fired offensive line coach John Matsko and named Andy Moeller (who was previously the assistant O-line coach) to
He might be an unrestricted free agent, but Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata said this week that he "(doesn't) want to go anywhere else". The feeling is mutual. General Manager Ozzie Newsome said yesterday that re-signing Ngata to a long-term contract is at the top of the Ravens' to-do list this offseason. That process will be made more difficult because of the possibility of a
For most teams, a 12-4 regular season record and an appearance in the divisional round of the playoffs would be considered a successful season. Yes, every team's ultimate goal is to be the one hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in early February, but 31 teams will come up short of that goal. And of those 31 teams, the majority of them would gladly take the Ravens'
At the end of today's 45 minute season-ending press conference, after answering questions on every aspect of his team, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said he wanted to make one final statement. I'll have much more from today's presser over the course of the next few days (because there really is that much to talk about), but wanted to pass along Bisciotti's thoughts, which he said
Normally, the Ravens raise ticket prices every other season. 2011 is going to be the exception. Ravens president Dick Cass announced today that the team won't be bumping their ticket prices next year. "We do look at ticket price increases every other year. We looked at it this year and decided it's not a good time to raise ticket prices, so ticket prices are remaining
Head coach John Harbaugh shot down a report today that Ravens linebackers coach Dean Pees will interview for the Eagles defensive coordinator position. "No, he's not interviewing with the Eagles," Harbaugh said. It's unclear if the Ravens denied the Eagles' request to interview Pees or whether that request never came. Pees joined the Ravens last year after serving as the Patriots' defensive coordinator for the
The hot topic of discussion among Ravens fans following their team's playoff exit on Saturday has been the future of offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. Despite the addition of wide receivers Anquan Boldin, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Donte' Stallworth and two young, athletic tight ends, the Ravens' offense dropped from 13th in the league in 2009 to 22nd this season. They averaged 2.1 fewer points per game this
Just two days ago, Ravens defensive coordinator Greg Mattison left to take the same position at the University of Michigan. John Harbaugh confirmed yesterday that the Raiders have requested permission to talk to Ravens senior offensive assistant Al Saunders, presumably about Oakland's offensive coordinator job. Quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn has been rumored to be a candidate for the Browns' offensive coordinator position, although Harbaugh said
When Terrell Suggs heads to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl next weekend, two of his buddies will be missing from the AFC roster. Ravens safety Ed Reed has been replaced on the roster by the Titans' Michael Griffin. Reed has chosen not to play in the Pro Bowl because of injury and family reasons. Reed battled through rib and hip injuries this season, and also
You want an aggressive, blitz-heavy defensive scheme? You want a charismatic, fiery defensive coordinator who isn't afraid to toss a headset to the turf or get in a player's face when he feels like it needs doing? You want a guy who specifically plans on coaching from the sideline as compared to the coaches' box, because he feels like doing so allows him to be
The coaching carousel apparently continues to turn. The Ravens have fired offensive line coach John Matsko, and will promote assistant offensive line coach Andy Moeller, according to The Sun. Matsko had spent the last three years as the Ravens' O-line coach. This year, his group struggled up front, allowing 40 sacks. The issues with the line were also visible in the rushing game, where the
The defensive backs who have played for Chuck Pagano during his three years as the Ravens' secondary coach have incredibly positive things to say about him. But they're not alone. Defensive linemen, linebackers - they all rave about the type of coach that Pagano is and the personal relationship that they have with the guy who was announced as the Ravens' new defensive coordinator yesterday.
I just got out of the introductory press conference for new Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano, and will have plenty of notes to pass along from that 31 minute Q&A. Before I do so, however, here's an important little nugget which came from some post-presser chit-chat. Defensive tackle Haloti Ngata was among three players who were at the press conference to support their new coordinator
Is it too early to start talking about mock drafts? Maybe in my world, but certainly not in Mel Kiper's world. The ESPN draft guru has put up his first mock draft a full three months before the draft itself is set to kick off on April 28. With the 26th pick, Kiper has the Ravens selecting Miami cornerback Brandon Harris. Harris checks in at
Both wide receiver Derrick Mason and center Matt Birk are under contract with the Ravens for one more year. But as they wrap up their 14th and 13th NFL seasons, respectively, each guy acknowledges he will have one question lingering in the back of his mind through at least part of the offseason: Is it time for me to hang 'em up? Mason, 37, is
In five of his six NFL seasons, cornerback Fabian Washington has played under Chuck Pagano, and in that time, he's gotten to know the Ravens' new defensive coordinator pretty darn well. Pagano was Washington's secondary coach both with the Raiders from 2005-06 and here in Baltimore the last three years, and while Washington doesn't expect to return to the Ravens next season in Pagano's first
It looks like the Ravens will have a new defensive coordinator next season. Nothing is official yet, but I'm hearing that Greg Mattison, who has served as the Ravens' defensive coordinator for the last two seasons, is likely to take the same position at the University of Michigan. A source tells me that if Mattison does leave the Ravens, secondary coach Chuck Pagano would replace
All the coordinator-related talk the last few days has centered around offensive coordinator Cam Cameron and whether or not he'll return for the 2011 season. Head coach John Harbaugh says Cameron will be back, although the final decision will likely be dependent on the thoughts of team owner Steve Bisciotti. But now, it appears the Ravens might have another coordinator position to worry about. Defensive
The next contract Billy Cundiff signs will be his 15th in nine years in the NFL. You could understand if he hopes this one will give him a little more long-term security than the previous 14. Coming off a Pro Bowl season, Cundiff, an unrestricted free agent, should have plenty of suitors on the open market. But the 30-year old says he hopes to be
A two-time Pro Bowler who once topped 4,300 yards passing in a season, Marc Bulger will be one of the most sought-after quarterbacks on the free agent market this offseason. Bulger should have a number of opportunities to end up somewhere as a starting quarterback next year, where he will see significantly more snaps than the zero that he received this season as the Ravens'
As the Ravens filed into the locker room yesterday following a season-ending team meeting with head coach John Harbaugh, few wore smiles on their faces. Saturday's playoff loss to the Steelers still stung, for sure, but as the players started to clean out their lockers and pack their things, many turned their attention to the offseason and the uncertainty that faces this team going forward.
I wrote last week about the Ravens signing wide receiver James Hardy, a former second-round pick, to a reserve/future contract. Today, the team officially announced their deal with Hardy, and also announced future contracts for seven other players who have spent time on the Ravens' practice squad this season. Offensive tackle Brady Bond, quarterback Hunter Cantwell, cornerback Danny Gorrer, wide receiver Justin Harper, outside linebacker
A year ago yesterday, Ed Reed said that he was strongly considering retirement and that his chances of playing the 2010 season were "50-50". Reed didn't speak to reporters after the Ravens' 31-24 playoff loss to the Steelers on Saturday, but head coach John Harbaugh said today that he doesn't think Reed will seriously consider retirement this time around, and he expects to see his
We just got out of a 26 minute press conference with Ravens coach John Harbaugh, who graciously took question after question about his team's loss to the Steelers on Saturday, the season as a whole, and how the team will prepare for the offseason. Here are the major points from the presser (other than the news that Cam Cameron will return as offensive coordinator and
John Harbaugh currently has one year left on his contract as Ravens head coach, but he'll be receiving a contract extension sometime in the very near future. Ravens president Dick Cass said today that the team is nearing an extension to lock up Harbaugh for multiple seasons. "We're working on an extension for John and expect to have it done soon," Cass told reporters today.
The Ravens finished the season with the league's 22nd-ranked offense despite having eight Pro Bowlers in their offensive rotation, which led many fans to suggest that the Ravens look to replace Cam Cameron as offensive coordinator. Head coach John Harbaugh says that's not going to happen. "Cam Cameron is our offensive coordinator," Harbaugh said today in his season-ending press conference. "That's how we're going forward,
As an unrestricted free agent, fullback Le'Ron McClain will have the opportunity to test the market and sign with another team. And that seems like what he's interested in doing. The two-time Pro Bowler said today that he doesn't expect to return to the Ravens next season. "From the looks of it, I really don't know," McClain said today as he cleaned out his locker
Just like that, the Ravens have entered offseason mode. It all flips so quickly, huh? It's kind of strange to think about, given that just two days ago, the Ravens were completely focused on another win and continuing their run to the Super Bowl, but the 2010 season is now over, and the focus suddenly shifts to upgrading the roster and seeing where the team
Really? The Ravens would have been hosting the AFC championship game next weekend? Dagger. The Jets' shocking road upset over the Patriots tonight means that the Steelers will host Rex Ryan and company in the conference title game next weekend. And as if the loss yesterday in Pittsburgh doesn't sting enough on its own, we now know that if the Ravens had held on and
I'm back in good ol' Baltimore after a long day of traveling, and it appears that despite all the broken hearts throughout the mid-Atlantic region, the sun did indeed rise this morning here in Maryland. I had originally been booked for a 6:30 p.m. flight out of Pittsburgh this evening, but didn't feel like waiting around the Steel City all day, so I bummed a
Everyone wants to look for someone to blame for yesterday's crushing loss to the Steelers. Should we blame Anquan Boldin or T.J. Houshmandzadeh for their dropped passes late in the fourth quarter during the comeback efforts? Should we blame Marcus Smith for the dubious holding penalty that brought back Lardarius Webb's go-ahead touchdown? Should we blame the defense for allowing Ben Roethlisberger to convert a
For about five seconds, it looked like Lardarius Webb had given the Ravens the lead tonight with six minutes to go in the fourth quarter. With the Ravens trailing by three, Webb caught a punt from the Steelers' Jeremy Kapinos at the Baltimore 45-yard line, spun away from a tackler and danced his way down the field, avoiding black jerseys and gliding into the end
It was far from the most important play in the Ravens' loss to the Steelers today. It definitely didn't cost Baltimore the game. But T.J. Houshmandzadeh's dropped pass on fourth down and 19 with just over a minute left in the fourth quarter was what sealed the defeat and sent the Ravens packing from the postseason. And while it might not be the play that
Never one to hold back his distaste for the Ravens, Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward tossed a couple jabs at his team's arch rival after Pittsburgh's 31-24 win today. Here are a few of them: On the game: "We stayed the course and we found a way to win. And what a better way to win and put Baltimore out of the tournament. They asked
It all seemed like it was under control. A 14-point lead, with all the momentum, and only 30 minutes from a spot in the AFC title game. Where'd it go wrong? One word: turnovers. It started with Ray Rice's fumble on the Ravens' first possession of the second half. It continued with Joe Flacco's floating pass to Todd Heap which was intercepted by safety Ryan
Up 14 at the half, the Ravens appeared to have put their Steelers struggles behind them, and looked poised to make their way back to the AFC championship. If you were booking tickets to New England for next weekend, I wouldn't have blamed you. Then, it all fell apart. The Steelers outscored the Ravens 24-3 in the second half, forced three Baltimore turnovers and jumped
I'll go ahead and say it: The third quarter tonight is the worst third quarter in Ravens franchise history. The Ravens turned the ball over three times, all deep in their own territory. A Ray Rice fumble, a Joe Flacco fumble and a Flacco interception. They failed to pick up a first down on offense, and totaled minus-nine yards on four possessions combined. They blew
Heinz Field has gone silent as we head to halftime with the Ravens holding a 14-point lead. Here are a few quick-hit notes on the first half of play: - The Ravens have brought the pressure to Ben Roethlisberger on nearly every single play, blitzing linebackers, safeties, cornerbacks, punters and equipment managers. I think Joe Flacco has even been called on to blitz Big Ben
Twenty-one points in the first quarter, huh? How many of you expected that? For the first 14 minutes, we had as even a game as you could ask for. The Steelers blitzed the heck out of Joe Flacco. The Ravens blitzed the heck out of Ben Roethlisberger (with less effectiveness). Pittsburgh got the benefit of a huge pass interference call on Josh Wilson. Baltimore got
About half an hour from now, all the talk will be done. World War III, Armageddon, all that stuff will be over, and we'll get to see some actual football. Thank goodness. Heinz Field is starting to fill up, and the pregame intensity is increasing, even here in the press box. I see Ray Rice dancing around and moving well during pregame drills, showing all
First, the good news: The two Ravens starters listed as questionable for today's game - center Matt Birk and cornerback Chris Carr - are both active and will play today against the Steelers. Running back Ray Rice, who came down ill yesterday and was reportedly vomiting at the team hotel, is also active. Now, the not-so-good news: Wide receiver/kickoff returner David Reed, who led the
Boy, I love being at a hotel with hundreds of screaming kids in it. Those in town for the Pennsylvania Little League baseball convention at my hotel apparently had a track meet outside my room at 7 a.m. this morning (or at least it sounded like it) and left me tossing and turning for the next two hours or so. Lovely. It hasn't started to
Ray Rice reportedly spent a good portion of Friday vomiting at the Ravens' team hotel here in Pittsburgh, and for a while, there was some uncertainty about whether the Pro Bowl running back would be able to play this afternoon against the Steelers because of his illness. Worry no more, Ravens fans. Rice says he's playing. Rice took to his Twitter account just a little
Happy gameday. Let the countdown continue: We're less than eight hours away from kickoff between the Ravens and Steelers. Pittsburgh was abuzz with playoff fever yesterday. Everywhere you turned, someone was either wearing Steelers gear, talking about the matchup, or saying that Terrell Suggs can go you-know-what himself. Yes, they heard about Sizzle's t-shirt up here. With the game suddenly just hours away, here are
Let the conspiracy theories begin. According to ESPN, Ravens running back Ray Rice started feeling sick Friday afternoon and spent the early portion of Friday evening vomiting at the team's hotel in Pittsburgh. The report says it's unclear whether Rice's illness will affect his status for tomorrow afternoon's game against the Steelers. Let's hear it: He was poisoned by Steelers employees who infiltrated the Ravens'
I'm smack-dab in the middle of Steelers country after landing in Pittsburgh about an hour and a half ago, and there is black and gold everywhere throughout this city. Seriously. Everywhere. Pittsburgh residents of all ages are draped in Steelers jerseys, my cab driver was decked out in a gold hat and scarf, and a giant model of a dinosaur in the Pittsburgh airport had
Mike Wallace possesses blazing speed that few in the NFL can match. Luckily for the Ravens, Lardarius Webb is one of the few. Wallace, a second-year wide receiver out of Ole Miss, has quickly turned into the Steelers' biggest offensive weapon. He's a true big-play artist, as he caught just 60 passes this season, but turned that into a monster campaign. Wallace posted 1,257 receiving
Twenty-eight hours before their divisional round matchup with the Steelers, the Ravens made a roster move, waiving fullback Jason McKie and promoting guard/center Bryan Mattison from their practice squad to the active roster. It's possible that the move indicates that starting center Matt Birk's knee injury is a serious concern to the coaches and front office. Birk is listed as questionable for tomorrow's game, and
The Ravens are much healthier going into their Divisional Round game with the Steelers than they were at this time last week, but they still list three players as questionable for tomorrow's game at Pittsburgh, including two starters. Center Matt Birk (knee), cornerback Chris Carr (thigh) and safety Tom Zbikowski (back) are all questionable for the Ravens. Carr said yesterday that he hopes to be
For the third time this year, the Ravens and Steelers will square off in what the majority of those around the NFL can agree is the league's most physical rivalry. The loser of each of the first two meetings went home disappointed. This time, the loser will go home...and schedule tee times for next week. A Ravens-Steelers matchup is intense enough when it takes place
The last time the Ravens met the Steelers, Todd Heap was on the field for just one play. Heap pulled a hamstring on the first play from scrimmage in the Week 13 matchup, and the two-time Pro Bowler had to miss the rest of the game as well as the Ravens' subsequent three contests because of the injury. Saturday, Heap will not only be back
The Steelers had All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu back at practice today after he missed yesterday's session with an Achilles injury. Polamalu had a full practice, and appears set to play Saturday. The Ravens were without center Matt Birk (knee) and cornerback Chris Carr (thigh) today. Birk missed his second straight day of practice, while Carr rested today, but said he hopes to be ready to
Starting cornerback Chris Carr is dealing with a thigh injury, but he plans on suiting up on Saturday in the Ravens' Divisional Round game against the Steelers. "I'm feeling all right," Carr said today. "It's later in the year, so nobody is feeling great, I guess. I'm planning on playing. I'm doing everything to prepare the same way. Hopefully, I'll be ready to go." Carr
In the midst of a serious week of legitimate football buildup, we've had a few comical moments out at Ravens headquarters the last few days. Not surprisingly, most of them have involved Terrell Suggs. Yesterday, there was Suggs sporting a t-shirt that flipped the bird at the Steelers. The day before, Suggs said that he doesn't like Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward, but that he'd
Over the last four seasons, the Ravens have beaten the Steelers three times. There's one major problem with that, and it's especially concerning for the Ravens faithful entering this weekend's divisional round game against Pittsburgh: Every one of those victories has come without Ben Roethlisberger under center for the Steelers. Roethlisberger has not lost to the Ravens in six games, and he has posted an
It's been a year to forget for Ravens rookie outside linebacker Sergio Kindle. Kindle fractured his skull after falling down two flights of stairs back in July, which landed him on the non-football injury list and ended his season. Then, two and a half weeks ago, Kindle was arrested for driving under the influence. In the Ravens' locker room today, Kindle said that he hopes
The Ravens had seven players listed as questionable for their playoff game against the Chiefs last weekend, including four starters. This week, they appear much healthier. The only starter to miss practice today was center Matt Birk (knee). Birk has been given a day off here and there the last couple weeks to rest his bumps and bruises, but he doesn't appear to be in
Stuck on the sidelines for the Ravens' last three games because of a wrist injury, rookie wide receiver/kickoff returner David Reed says he's getting closer to returning to action. "It's getting there," Reed said today. "It's good. It's back." Reed says his wrist is "getting close" to 100 percent, and while he's optimistic about his chances of suiting up for this Saturday's Divisional Round game
Last summer, Terrell Suggs wore a t-shirt to training camp that read: "You bet your sweet ass I hate the Steelers". Today, with the Ravens preparing to face their arch rivals in the divisional round of the playoffs, Suggs went with a different look, but it had the same type of message. The t-shirt he wore today, seen at right, featured the words "Hey Pittsburgh"
Watch any Steelers game and you can see just how much James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley affect the opposing team's offensive strategy. The two outside linebackers (who posted 20.5 combined sacks this season) are the key cogs in the Steelers' vaunted pass rush, and they force teams to adjust their protection schemes and keep in extra bodies to help account for the pressure coming in
The focus on the practice fields and players meeting rooms at Ravens headquarters is 100 percent on the divisional round showdown with the Steelers this Saturday. But, as always, the focus in the Ravens' front office is on the bigger picture and improving the roster for future seasons. As such, the Ravens have signed free agent wide receiver James Hardy to a reserve/future contract, according
During his Monday afternoon press conference, John Harbaugh was asked how he would evaluate his team's pass protection of late. He paused for a second. "I think it's good enough," Harbaugh responded. The play of the Ravens offensive line might have been "good enough" to get them to this point, but if the pass protection isn't bumped up a notch this weekend, the divisional round
Third-year safety Tom Zbikowski returned to practice last week after missing the previous three games with a bulging disc in his back, and while he wasn't yet 100 percent, he had hoped to play Sunday against the Chiefs. That didn't end up happening, as Zbikowski was declared a gameday inactive yet again. This week, however, the Notre Dame product feels like he has his legs
As the lone Auburn alum in the Ravens locker room, left guard Ben Grubbs wore a big smile today, a day after his Tigers earned the BCS National Championship with a 22-19 victory over Oregon. Grubbs, who spent four years at Auburn prior to being taken by the Ravens in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft, experienced an undefeated season with the Tigers
After spending yesterday with his family down in Louisiana as they dealt with the disappearance of his younger brother, Ed Reed was back at Ravens headquarters today. Reed's brother Brian, 29, is still missing after jumping into the Mississippi River to elude police on Friday. The search has since been called off, and there has been no news on the situation out of that area
I could be wrong here, but I think Terrell Suggs is a little pumped up for Saturday's AFC divisional round matchup with the Steelers. He's already called the game Armageddon and World War III, and with all the hyperbole, is making it sound like the losers on Saturday literally will not come out Heinz Field alive. Let's hope that doesn't actually happen. The Ravens got
Ravens fans and beat writers for MASNsports.com weren't the only ones impressed with Joe Flacco's effort against the Chiefs on Sunday. His head coach was as well. Flacco had his playoff coming out party in Kansas City, going 25-of-34 for 265 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He led the Ravens on six scoring drives and fought off a ferocious Chiefs pass rush which rarely
As a reward for winning the AFC North and slotting in as the conference's No. 2 seed, the Steelers earned a first-round bye, allowing them to rest up and get a week of extra time to prepare for their rubber match with the Ravens. Sounds nice. Meanwhile, the Ravens had to travel to Kansas City for a wild card game against the Chiefs, and now
I was flipping channels last night after watching the BCS national championship game (congrats go out to Ben Grubbs' Auburn Tigers) when I stumbled upon an NFL Network replay of this season's Week 4 matchup between the Ravens and Steelers up at Heinz Field. Boy, do I need a new hobby. After writing about football all day, I got home and proceeded to watch about
One of the lasting images from the last time the Ravens and Steelers met back in Week 13 was blood trickling down Ben Roethlisberger's face after catching an inadvertent left hand to the nose from defensive tackle Haloti Ngata. Roethlisberger suffered a broken nose as a result of the first quarter hit, but played through the injury and threw for 253 yards and the game-winning
Still dealing with the disappearance of his younger brother, Ed Reed flew down to Louisiana after yesterday's 30-7 win over the Chiefs to be with his family, and Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said today that the team will let Reed decide when he's ready to return to practice. Brian Reed, 29, still has not been found after jumping into the Mississippi River in an
On Saturday, I broke down Joe Flacco's stats through his first five postseason games, and made the claim that it was time for the third-year quarterback to step up and deliver a big playoff performance now that he had the experience and the health. He did just that yesterday against the Chiefs. Here's Flacco's stat line from yesterday: 25-for-34, 265 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions.
Ed Reed has been terrifying Ravens coaches for years with his penchant for lateraling. Now, his teammates are getting in on the act, and head coach John Harbaugh can't be thrilled about it. Safety Haruki Nakamura was the one at fault yesterday, when he picked off a tipped Matt Cassel pass three plays into the third quarter and then promptly gave the ball right back
For possibly the first time all season, there's very little for Ravens fans - or needy reporters, like myself - to criticize coming out of a game. The Ravens delivered a full team effort yesterday in Kansas City. Joe Flacco looked like the playoff-tested quarterback everyone hoped he'd be this time around, the defense did well to contain Kansas City's offensive playmakers (especially in the
So much for home-field advantage playing a major factor in the playoffs. Believe it or not, the only home team to win this weekend was, remarkably, the Seattle Seahawks. Yes, the same Seattle Seahawks who went 7-9 in the regular season and became the only sub-.500 team to ever make the postseason. That's just weird, wild stuff. Because of road wins by the Ravens and
The Chiefs tried defending Todd Heap with cornerback Brandon Flowers. That didn't work. They tried matching up against him with safety Eric Berry. No dice. Kansas City put linebacker Jon McGraw on the Ravens tight end, hoping to slow him down. Nope, not gonna happen. Heap was unstoppable today against the Chiefs, regardless of who was covering him. The 10-year veteran recorded 10 catches for
With his brother's health very much at the front of his mind as he suited up for this afternoon's playoff game against the Chiefs, Ed Reed gave an inspired performance. Reed's stat line (four tackles, no interceptions) wasn't the finest of his career, and he was seemingly the only member of the Ravens defense not to contribute a turnover - a tribute to the defense,
How many times this season have the Ravens played down to the level of their competition or been unable to put a game away in the second half? How many times have they failed to deliver the knockout blow or let a team come crawling back into a game in the fourth quarter? Today, playing a less talented, less playoff-tested Chiefs team, the Ravens finally
Now that's what we're talkin' about. The Ravens saved their most dominating performance of the season for the perfect time, as they rolled off 27 straight points, shut the Chiefs out for the final 47 minutes and strutted their way to a 30-7 win over Kansas City in the opening round of the playoffs. Baltimore dominated the AFC West champion Chiefs from the get-go and
It's clear that the Ravens have been the superior team today. They've forced three Chiefs turnovers, have outgained them by nearly 100 yards, and have dominated time of possession. But they're only 1-for-4 in red zone efficiency, and lead just 16-7 with four minutes and change left in the third quarter. As has been the case through much of the season, the Ravens have lacked
It's been quite an entertaining first half between the Ravens and Chiefs, and Baltimore holds a 10-7 lead at the break after a late scoring drive at the end of the second quarter. Here are a few quick-hit notes on the first 30 minutes of play: - Don't look now, but Joe Flacco had a dynamite first half. He went 17-of-24 passing for 196 yards
The Kansas City Chiefs went three-and-out on their first offensive possession of the game and held the ball for less than two and a half minutes in the first quarter. The Ravens had seven first downs, 140 yards, and dominated time of possession. Yet, somehow, the Ravens trail 7-3 at the end of the first 15 minutes of play. Two plays after the Chiefs recovered
While four Ravens defensive starters listed as questionable - notably linebacker Terrell Suggs and tackle Haloti Ngata - will play today against the Chiefs, wide receiver/kickoff returner David Reed is inactive for the third straight week because of injury. Reed, who led the NFL in kickoff return average this season, has been battling a wrist injury the last few weeks. While he had full practices
Another year will pass without Art Modell entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Modell, the former Ravens majority owner and current minority owner, was not among the 15 finalists that will be considered for election to the Hall of Fame when the Hall's selection committee meets in North Texas in early February. The Ravens have two players with ties to the franchise that are
Playoff Sunday is here, and in just a couple short hours, the Ravens will take the field against a 10-6 Chiefs team that is playing its first home playoff game since 2003. A win today would earn the Ravens a third matchup of the year with the Steelers, and would get them going on their journey to Dallas and the Super Bowl. Here are three
I love the NFL playoffs. Two games have been played and both have been fantastic finishes. Not to be a jinx or anything, but because of the Jets' win over the Colts, if the Ravens happen to beat the Chiefs tomorrow, they will travel to Heinz Field and play the Steelers next Saturday at 4:30 p.m.. The Jets are the lowest-seeded team remaining, so they
Many of us might not know a ton about the Chiefs seeing as how the Ravens have only faced them five times in their history, and that, well, the Chiefs hail from Kansas City. But one thing you should know as the Ravens head into the BBQ capital of the world for tomorrow's wild card matchup is that the Chiefs play incredibly well at home.
Despite not knowing the whereabouts of his younger brother Brian, who is still missing after jumping into the Mississippi River to elude police, Ed Reed will play in Sunday's playoff game against the Chiefs. I've been told that the Ravens safety is on the team's charter flight to Kansas City, and plans to suit up on Sunday. ESPN's Rachel Nichols got a comment from Reed,
Last night was a rough one for me, as the University of Delaware - my alma mater - blew a 19-point second half lead in the FCS Championship game and lost a shot at a seventh national title. I thought they had it in the bag and started celebrating a bit prematurely, which made the loss all the more painful. See, the Ravens aren't the
The Ravens family received some troubling news yesterday when it was reported that Ed Reed's younger brother went missing after jumping into the Mississippi River to elude police. Brian Reed, 29, has not yet been found, and there's word out of Louisiana that because of water conditions, the search for the brother of the Ravens safety has been called off. The Ravens are supporting Ed
The Ravens have listed seven players as questionable for Sunday's playoff game against the Chiefs, including four defensive starters. Defensive tackle Halot Ngata (thigh), safety Ed Reed (chest), linebacker Terrell Suggs (knee) and cornerback Josh Wilson (head) headline the list of players who are questionable for Sunday. Joining them are linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (head), linebacker Tavares Gooden (shoulder) and safety Tom Zbikowski (back). All seven
In the latest Jim Harbaugh twist, the former Stanford coach has reportedly agreed to a five-year deal to become the San Francisco 49ers head coach. That news comes according to multiple reports. Assuming it's true, we'll have a Harbaugh Bowl in 2011. The 49ers are scheduled to come to Baltimore next season to face the Ravens, so Jim and John will face off on the
Are you tired about hearing all the "Where will Jim Harbaugh go?" talk? Good, because I'm tired of writing about it and seeing it everywhere I turn on TV and the Internet. Ravens coach John Harbaugh is getting just a little tired of answering questions about it, too. Asked again today about where he thinks his younger brother, who coaches Stanford, will end up coaching
After missing the last two days of practice, linebacker Terrell Suggs and defensive tackle Haloti Ngata both returned to the practice field today. Suggs has been limited by a knee injury and Ngata a thigh injury, but head coach John Harbaugh said that the last two days of rest helped those two, and he expects to have both Pro Bowl defensive players on Sunday in
When you've allowed an average of 3.5 sacks per game over your last six games, one of the last guys you want to face is Tamba Hali. Why? "The guy is just relentless," Ravens right tackle Marshal Yanda said. "He's all over the field making plays. You see his effort when you put on the film, and he just doesn't stop. Wherever the ball's at,
As Ray Lewis likes to say: Here we go. It's a clean slate, folks. Everything that happened in the regular season - the 12-4 record, the frustrating performances - that's all over and done with. It's time for The Dance. The Tournament. The Party. The ... OK, I'm done. The Ravens travel to Kansas City this weekend to face the AFC West champion Chiefs, a
As Cam Cameron goes about preparing for the Kansas City Chiefs and their 14th-ranked defense, the Ravens' offensive coordinator is willing to get some advice from his friends in the business. That includes Hue Jackson, whose Raiders put up 31 points and 344 yards of total offense on the Chiefs last weekend. Jackson served under Cameron as the Ravens' quarterbacks coach in 2008 and 2009,
While safety Ed Reed and center Matt Birk returned to practice today after sitting out Wednesday's session, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata and linebacker Terrell Suggs both missed their second straight day. Ngata (thigh) and Suggs (knee) got another day of rest today, but defensive coordinator Greg Mattison confirmed that neither is in jeopardy of missing Sunday's playoff game against the Chiefs. "They're boycotting. They don't
Following his two-interception performance in the Ravens' regular-season finale against the Bengals, safety Ed Reed has been named the AFC's Defensive Player of the Month for December/January. Yes, that's kind of clunky, having a player of the month for two months, but you get the idea. Overall, in the five games played in December and January, Reed registered 22 tackles and an NFL-best four interceptions.
Once Tom Zbikowski learned that he wouldn't need surgery on his ailing back, he knew it was just a matter of time before he got healthy and would be able to return to the field. With the postseason arriving this weekend, the Ravens' third-year safety couldn't have picked a better time to start feeling healthy enough to practice. Zbikowski has missed the last three weeks
We're all aware of the importance of the kicking game. (Insert your Steve Hauschka joke here.) In any game, the placekicker and punter play a huge role in not only putting points on the board but also determining field position. In the playoffs, that's all magnified. Every touchback registered, every punt downed inside the 20-yard line, means that the opposing team's offense has to put
Three Saturdays ago, the night before the Ravens' Week 15 game against the Saints, Ray Lewis stood up in the team hotel and gave a passionate speech reminding his teammates of their ultimate goal. Everyone sitting in front of Lewis had watched the Saints go on their Super Bowl run last year, and had seen New Orleans celebrate as its players brought home the Lombardi
Amid all the playoff hoopla, it might be easy to overlook the year that Ed Reed put together. All the talk around Ravens headquarters right now is about Jamaal Charles, Tamba Hali and the Kansas City Chiefs, and rightfully so. But what Reed has done this season is so insanely impressive, I'm considering it worthy of its own post in the middle of wild card
It was a bit of a media madhouse here today at Ravens headquarters with reporters from ESPN and the NFL Network as well as a handful of other national media types joining the normal crowd in Owings Mills. As much as the players and coaches love postseason football, they're not big fans of the media time during these weeks, when they're overrun with interview requests,
It's not a shock that safety Ed Reed missed practice today, but it is somewhat surprising that defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, linebacker Terrell Suggs and center Matt Birk joined Reed on the sidelines this afternoon. Reed said earlier today that he still expects to play this weekend against the Chiefs after suffering a rib injury in Sunday's win over the Bengals, but as expected, the
Ravens fans might be frustrated with the way their team limped into the playoffs with two close, sloppy wins over mediocre opponents. But the Ravens have nothing on the Chiefs when it comes to frustrating finishes to the regular season. Kansas City got demolished by the Raiders 31-10 on Sunday, spoiling the Chiefs' previously spotless home record, bumping them down to the No. 4 seed
The Ravens could be without the NFL's top kickoff returner for their opening-round playoff game against the Chiefs this Sunday. Rookie David Reed has missed the last two games since suffering a concussion and a right wrist injury against the Saints back in Week 15. It's the wrist which is still bothering him, and Reed says he'll probably have to undergo surgery to repair damaged
A report from the kansas City Star's Kent Babb says that Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe did not participate during the open media portion of practice today. Bowe led the league with 15 touchdown receptions this year, and if he's unable to play Sunday against the Ravens or is limited, the Baltimore secondary could breathe a mini sigh of relief. Adding intrigue to the situation
The Ravens are banged up entering the postseason, as a number of key contributors have suffered various bumps and bruises over the last couple weeks. That left me with a pen and pad in my hand out at practice today, taking roll call as the Ravens came outside and started to get into their afternoon drills. The good news for Ravens fans is that left
Safety Ed Reed and left tackle Michael Oher limped out of M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday with injuries, but both players are expected to suit up this weekend in the Ravens' playoff game against the Chiefs. Reed suffered a rib injury in the Ravens' win over the Bengals on Sunday, but he says he intends to fight through the injury and play against Kansas City
Acquired this offseason to be the playmaking wide receiver that the Ravens have lacked for years, Anquan Boldin hasn't been given the opportunity to make many plays lately. Boldin had a handful of huge years with the Cardinals, posting five seasons of at least 83 catches and 1,000 yards. And this is despite missing at least one game to injury in five of seven seasons
By now, we all know that the Ravens will travel to Kansas City to face the Chiefs this weekend in the wild card round of the playoffs. As least, I hope we all do. If you're just learning this now, wake up for cryin' out loud. It's the playoffs. Seeing as how the Chiefs play in the AFC West and the Ravens haven't faced them
Out of work two years ago, Billy Cundiff seems to be doing OK for himself now. The Ravens placekicker is heading to his first career Pro Bowl after having made 26 of 29 field goals, and on Sunday, he tied the NFL single-season record with his 40th touchback. Yeah, I have a feeling Cundiff won't be looking for a kicking job again anytime soon. Sunday
I know we're fully entrenched in playoff mode right now, but I'd kick myself if I failed to pass along a couple notes about the 2011 season. Assuming it happens, of course. First of all, now that the 2010 regular season is complete, we know what the Ravens schedule will look like next season. We don't yet know when each game will be played (that's
Most seasons, a 12-4 record is enough to earn you a division title, a home game and, likely, a first-round bye. That wasn't the case for John Harbaugh's Ravens this season. Thanks to a lost division tiebreaker, Baltimore slots in as the AFC's No. 5 seed, and as a wild card team, they'll have to try and get the job done away from home. Again.
It's been more than nine months since the NFL passed a new overtime policy, and there's been very little talk about the new system as we prepare for the start of the playoffs. We should discuss the rule, however, because this weekend will be the first time it's ever been implemented. Back in March, NFL owners voted to change the overtime rules for this year's
Jim Harbaugh's Stanford team might be preparing to face Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl tonight, but the head coach of the Cardinal has been in the news today for a different reason. Jim, the younger brother of Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, has been linked to a number of vacant NFL head coaching positions, and is also being talked about as an option at
The Ravens put up just 13 points and 199 total yards yesterday in a win over the four-win Bengals, which left John Harbaugh spending a few minutes of his Monday afternoon press conference addressing why his offense has failed to click over the last couple of weeks. Baltimore scored just 20 points two weeks ago against a 22nd-ranked Browns defense, and yesterday's offensive effort -
A day after seven-time Pro Bowl safety Ed Reed suffered a rib injury in the Ravens' win over the Bengals, head coach John Harbaugh said that he expects Reed to be able to play in the team's first-round playoff game against the Chiefs. "He's getting treatment and all that," Harbaugh said. "I'll be surprised if he's not ready to go, but you never know." Reed
After finishing the regular season with a 12-4 record and earning the No. 5 seed in the AFC, the Ravens are listed as a 12/1 shot to win the Super Bowl by Bodog.com. According to the rest of the odds set by Bodog, the Ravens trail the Patriots (2/1), Falcons (11/2), Steelers (11/2), Saints (10/1) and Eagles (11/1) as the most likely teams to hoist
Terrell Suggs says he rarely comes away from any physical altercations after the whistle without a flag being thrown in his direction. The Ravens linebacker knows he caught a break yesterday, however. On a fourth-and-1 play from the Ravens' 26-yard line late in the fourth quarter, Suggs got tangled up with Bengals left tackle Andrew Whitworth. Whitworth got his hands up under Suggs' face mask
With the playoffs approaching, Todd Heap could have played it super-safe and sat out yesterday's game against the Bengals. Instead, Heap felt that his hamstring injury had recovered enough to give it a go versus Cincinnati. After missing the previous three games with the injury, the Ravens' tight end wanted to get some game action under his belt before postseason action came around. "For me,
Facing a four-win Bengals team with the league's 19th-ranked defense, the Ravens had a chance to roll into the playoffs with a big offensive effort and get some momentum on their side. Yeah, about that ... As has been the case quite a few times this season, the Ravens struggled mightily on the offensive side of the ball yesterday. They put up 199 yards of
As Ravens were dropping like flies this afternoon, the question kept getting whispered throughout the press box: "When is John Harbaugh finally going to pull his starters?" The Steelers were up big over the Browns and had all but clinched the AFC North title, rendering the Ravens' game against the Bengals meaningless. But despite multiple starters limping off the field with trainers by their side,
As soon as Adam Vinatieri's 43-yard field goal split the uprights in Indianapolis, the Ravens knew their first-round playoff opponent. Baltimore will be traveling to Kansas City next weekend to face the Chiefs. UPDATE: The game will be played Sunday at 1 p.m. Book your tickets and schedule your weekend plans accordingly. While it looked like the Ravens would face the Colts when we woke
Head trainer Bill Tessendorf was a busy man today, which is never a good sign. The Ravens had number of injury scares this afternoon, including a few to key contributors on each side of the ball. Safety Ed Reed, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, cornerback Josh Wilson and left tackle Michael Oher all left the game because of various bumps and bruises and did not return.
For the most part, those in the Ravens locker room were upbeat after their 13-6 win over the Bengals in the regular season finale. And they should be. The Ravens are heading back to the playoffs for a third straight year, and with today's victory, they finish the season with a sparkling 12-4 record, their best mark since 2006. But while the Steelers were busy
Ravens fans might have a preference what team their squad faces in the first round of the playoffs next weekend. Ravens players insist that they don't care one way or another. Whether they end up squaring off against the Chiefs, the Colts or the Jaguars, the Ravens know they're heading on the road regardless. They know they're going to face a talented team. And they
They won't be AFC North champs, but they will end the regular season with an impressive 12-4 record. As the Steelers were busy crushing the Browns and locking up the AFC North title, the Ravens were fighting through an uninspired performance against the four-win Bengals. Despite an ineffective offense and a defense which allowed a few long drives late in the game, the Ravens benefited
The Steelers have all but clinched the AFC North, and now the Ravens top priority is to stay healthy. Unfortunately, they've already lost two players for the rest of today's game. Starting cornerback Josh Wilson and linebacker Dannell Ellerbe both suffered shoulder stingers in the first half, and will not return. Wilson got nicked up when he came up to make a hit on Bengals
With the Steelers up 78,000-3 over the Browns - I'm sorry, 31-3 - the Ravens' shot at a division title appears to be gone. There are now two questions: 1. Will the Ravens face the Colts, Chiefs or Jaguars next weekend; and 2. Will John Harbaugh pull his starters in the second half? The answer to the first question could hinge on the Chiefs-Raiders game,
Just before the Ravens took a 3-0 lead here at M&T Bank Stadium, word started to spread throughout the press box that the Steelers had already jumped out on top of Cleveland 7-0. A Troy Polamalu interception was followed immediately by a Ben Roethlisberger 56-yard touchdown pass to Mike Wallace, and Pittsburgh has a very early lead over the Browns. Pittsburgh, of course, can clinch
Boy, this doesn't feel like your typical January football weather. It's a mild 50 degrees here at M&T Bank Stadium, and it looks like we'll avoid any rain that might be rolling in through the area this afternoon. The Ravens will have their starting tight end for today's contest with the Bengals, as Todd Heap is active and will play for the first time since
The 2010 regular season comes to a close today, and the Ravens will look to end it in style by picking up their 12th win on the year. Baltimore hosts the 4-11 Bengals today, a team that won the AFC North last season but has struggled mightily this year, losing 10 games in a row at one point. Here are three keys to today's game
A few years ago, with the Ravens closing in on a playoff spot, their head coach at the time, Brian Billick, blocked certain scores from being shown throughout the stadium during a home game. Billick's thought was that he didn't want his team distracted by watching how various games crucial to the Ravens' postseason hopes would turn out. Current head coach John Harbaugh said he
Well hello, 2011. Hope you all had a very happy New Year and weren't feeling like your head was going to explode this morning. I'm hurting a bit right now, but all things considered, I could be much worse. As the Ravens prepare for tomorrow's regular season finale against the Bengals, they have one make priority on their mind - stopping running back Cedric Benson.
