Published: Sunday, December 17, 2006
Higher seeding propels Ravens
Cleveland hopes to snap its recent tendency to lose.
BALTIMORE (AP) — If incentive and talent were the only factors, the game would probably be a blowout.
The Baltimore Ravens are playing for a postseason berth, a first-round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. They are 10-3, have won six of seven and rank first in the NFL in total defense.
The Cleveland Browns (4-9) sit in the AFC North cellar and have lost three of four, including a 30-0 defeat at home against Cincinnati and a 27-7 drubbing in Pittsburgh last week. The Browns' starting quarterback will be Derek Anderson, a former Ravens sixth-round pick who never climbed above No. 3 on the depth chart in Baltimore.
Browns coach Romeo Crennel has attempted to transfer the success he enjoyed as an assistant with the New England Patriots into the Cleveland organization. But he acknowledged this week it can't be done "until we can get to the point where we have enough championship-type players on the team."
Contenders
The Ravens are already there. But that won't guarantee them a victory today against a division rival that earlier this year gave Baltimore all it could handle before falling, 15-14.
"These guys know about that. I don't have to beat that drum," Ravens coach Brian Billick said. "They are focused in the meetings. They are on top of it. There is too much at stake."
With nothing left to play for but pride, the Browns would love to upset the franchise that once owned its name. The Ravens can't afford to let that happen — not if they want to stay alive for one of the top two seeds in the AFC playoffs.
"I just want to win this game, then whatever needs to happen for us to get a bye, I'll be rooting for whatever team I need to root for," left tackle Jonathan Ogden said. "But we need to win against Cleveland. Then we'll look at that other stuff, because if we don't do what we have to do against Cleveland, then all the other stuff is pointless."
McNair is key
With Ogden leading the way, the Baltimore offensive line has done a masterful job of protecting quarterback Steve McNair, who remains the key figure in the Ravens' bid to reach the Super Bowl.
McNair has not missed a game this season. Although he received a concussion in an Oct. 15 loss to Carolina, he has for the most part been provided with blanket protection by the makeshift Baltimore line.
Despite losing guard Edwin Mulitalo for the season in October and playing without injured guard Keydrick Vincent for three games, the Ravens have allowed only 16 sacks, including only four over the last seven games, fewest in the NFL over that span.
"They try to run through and around and over you, but as long as they don't touch the quarterback, it's OK," Ogden said. "Any time Steve gets hit, we feel bad. We need to try to keep that from happening because he is a very big part of our success, and we need to keep him healthy."
Frye still out
The Browns know all about losing a starting quarterback to injury: Charlie Frye has missed the last game-and-a-half and is out with a bruised right wrist.
Anderson will face the team that drafted him.
"I would say it could be pretty strange. I could be an interesting prospect," Anderson said.
Especially if he runs into Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis.
"We never really saw that much of him, of course, because he was always a backup player," Lewis said. "Derek was always a good guy, a guy who understood the game."
A guy who could, if the Ravens aren't careful, ruin Baltimore's bid to finish the season strong.
"We won't get caught like that," Lewis insisted. "We're going to prepare like we always do, as if he's a 10-year vet."
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Cleveland hopes to snap its recent tendency to lose.
BALTIMORE (AP) — If incentive and talent were the only factors, the game would probably be a blowout.
The Baltimore Ravens are playing for a postseason berth, a first-round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. They are 10-3, have won six of seven and rank first in the NFL in total defense.
The Cleveland Browns (4-9) sit in the AFC North cellar and have lost three of four, including a 30-0 defeat at home against Cincinnati and a 27-7 drubbing in Pittsburgh last week. The Browns' starting quarterback will be Derek Anderson, a former Ravens sixth-round pick who never climbed above No. 3 on the depth chart in Baltimore.
Browns coach Romeo Crennel has attempted to transfer the success he enjoyed as an assistant with the New England Patriots into the Cleveland organization. But he acknowledged this week it can't be done "until we can get to the point where we have enough championship-type players on the team."
Contenders
The Ravens are already there. But that won't guarantee them a victory today against a division rival that earlier this year gave Baltimore all it could handle before falling, 15-14.
"These guys know about that. I don't have to beat that drum," Ravens coach Brian Billick said. "They are focused in the meetings. They are on top of it. There is too much at stake."
With nothing left to play for but pride, the Browns would love to upset the franchise that once owned its name. The Ravens can't afford to let that happen — not if they want to stay alive for one of the top two seeds in the AFC playoffs.
"I just want to win this game, then whatever needs to happen for us to get a bye, I'll be rooting for whatever team I need to root for," left tackle Jonathan Ogden said. "But we need to win against Cleveland. Then we'll look at that other stuff, because if we don't do what we have to do against Cleveland, then all the other stuff is pointless."
McNair is key
With Ogden leading the way, the Baltimore offensive line has done a masterful job of protecting quarterback Steve McNair, who remains the key figure in the Ravens' bid to reach the Super Bowl.
McNair has not missed a game this season. Although he received a concussion in an Oct. 15 loss to Carolina, he has for the most part been provided with blanket protection by the makeshift Baltimore line.
Despite losing guard Edwin Mulitalo for the season in October and playing without injured guard Keydrick Vincent for three games, the Ravens have allowed only 16 sacks, including only four over the last seven games, fewest in the NFL over that span.
"They try to run through and around and over you, but as long as they don't touch the quarterback, it's OK," Ogden said. "Any time Steve gets hit, we feel bad. We need to try to keep that from happening because he is a very big part of our success, and we need to keep him healthy."
Frye still out
The Browns know all about losing a starting quarterback to injury: Charlie Frye has missed the last game-and-a-half and is out with a bruised right wrist.
Anderson will face the team that drafted him.
"I would say it could be pretty strange. I could be an interesting prospect," Anderson said.
Especially if he runs into Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis.
"We never really saw that much of him, of course, because he was always a backup player," Lewis said. "Derek was always a good guy, a guy who understood the game."
A guy who could, if the Ravens aren't careful, ruin Baltimore's bid to finish the season strong.
"We won't get caught like that," Lewis insisted. "We're going to prepare like we always do, as if he's a 10-year vet."
Sunday, December 17, 2006
If incentive and talent were the only factors, the game would probably be a blowout.
The Baltimore Ravens are playing...
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