McNair, defense seek to stabilize Ravens

By Darrell Laurant  |   Thursday, December 07, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

Baltimore Ravens
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After last Thursday's 13-7 loss to Cincinnati, Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick sounded a little bit like an airline pilot addressing nervous passengers.

OK, folks, we've hit a little turbulence. We're still on course. There is no reason to panic.

And, actually, there isn't. Although Sunday's game at Kansas City is a little scary -- the Chiefs are 19-1 in home games played in December and January -- Baltimore can still afford a loss as far as clinching the AFC North is concerned. Hapless Cleveland pops up on the schedule the following week, then Pittsburgh, then Buffalo. The Ravens only need to win one of these.

"We wanted to close it out last week, but we didn't," said Ravens QB Steve McNair. "It gets tougher from here on out."

But it is just for situations like this that the Ravens signed McNair. Although he hasn't put up Pro Bowl numbers thus far (12 touchdown passes, nine interceptions), he won't be flustered by the raucous atmosphere at Arrowhead Stadium, either. And if can generate even a reasonable simulation of an offense, the Ravens' defense will take care of the rest.

Baltimore is allowing just 75.6 rushing yards a game, considerably below the per-game average of Chiefs RB Larry Johnson. How that matchup plays out may well determine which team bounces back after a loss last week (the Chiefs were upset in Cleveland).

The Ravens got a bad break -- literally -- when mercurial kick returner B.J. Sams suffered a fractured fibula against Cincinnati. He'll be replaced on kickoff returns by 5-foot-6 Corey Sams, an undrafted rookie out of Nebraska who may be the shortest player in the NFL.

What Billick is hoping is that Kansas City won't be kicking off very often.

At the same time the Ravens will be in Kansas City, Cincinnati hosts the struggling Oakland Raiders. By the end of the day, Baltimore's lead could be cut to a single game.

Still, a team with a defense as formidable as Baltimore's isn't likely to crash and burn. Not with Trevor Pryce, Terrell Suggs and Adalius Thomas mounting an overwhelming pass rush and linebackers Ray Lewis and Bart Scott standing by as the second line of defense.

And if Baltimore needed any more incentive, the Ravens are a three-point underdog.
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