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Ravens wear out Texans early, run them over late

Luke Jones

BALTIMORE — In his post-game comments following the Ravens’ 29-14 win over the Houston Texans, coach John Harbaugh offered a mission statement of what his football team tries to do to the opponent every week. And it certainly applied on Sunday despite an uneven performance by the offense in the second and third quarters. “What you want to do is to wear people out early, and then you want to run them over late,” coach John Harbaugh said. “That’s kind of the philosophy that we have.” The Ravens started fast against the Texans with a 16-play, 97-yard touchdown drive that shaved 8:47 off the clock in the first quarter before Joe Flacco bulled into the end zone from the 1 to give Baltimore a 7-0 lead. It was the first touchdown allowed by Houston in the first quarter all season. However, despite 310 total yards through the game’s first three quarters, the Ravens entered the final 15 minutes only leading by two as the offense continued to sputter inside the 35, settling for three Billy Cundiff field goals after the touchdown on their opening drive. That changed in the fourth quarter as the Ravens began running over the Texans just

Ravens-Texans: Five predictions for Sunday

Luke Jones

The Week 5 bye was supposed to take care of their injury woes, but the Ravens will again be without a minimum of four key contributors as Lee Evans, Chris Carr, Tom Zbikowski, and Jimmy Smith have been ruled out and Ben Grubbs’ status (listed as questionable ) remains very much in doubt against Houston on Sunday. Of course, the 3-2 Texans won’t feel any pity for Baltimore as they come to M&T Bank Stadium for the teams’ fifth all-time meeting. With defensive standout Mario Williams gone for the year after tearing a pectoral muscle last Sunday, the Texans have already ruled out star receiver Andre Johnson and an astonishing 20 other players are listed on the injury report for Sunday (19 of them probable, however). With the Texans already facing an uphill battle by playing in Baltimore for the first time since 2005, the loss of Williams and Johnson sucks the starch out of what looked to be a prime AFC matchup and one of the Ravens’ bigger challenges on the schedule entering the season. Here’s what to expect when Gary Kubiak’s Texans try to win their first ever game against the Ravens … 1. Fullback Vonta Leach had

Ravens injury report: Evans, three others ruled out against Texans

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Despite optimism that the bye week would return a fully-healthy roster, the Ravens know they will already be without four players for Sunday’s game against Houston. Wide receiver Lee Evans, safety Tom Zbikowski, and cornerbacks Chris Carr and Jimmy Smith were ruled out in Friday’s injury report. Evans will now miss his third straight game as he continues to deal with a left ankle injury. Optimism existed when the veteran wideout return to the practice field earlier in the week, but Evans did not practice on Thursday and Friday. “He’s going to need some practice,” Harbaugh said. “It’s been very disappointing. No one’s been more surprised than us. But, [we’ll] just wait and see if the doctors can figure it out. He has to keep working on it.” Zbikowski is still dealing with symptoms stemming from a concussion he suffered against the Jets on Oct. 2 and did not practice on Thursday or Friday after doing some individual work on Wednesday. Carr and Smith were expected to miss Sunday’s game as neither partook in practice all week. Starting left guard Ben Grubbs is listed as questionable for Sunday and has not played since the regular-season opener

Reed holding together battered, youthful Ravens secondary

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens entered the 2011 season with greater depth at cornerback than at any point in recent memory. Then, they began dropping like flies. Jimmy Smith and Chris Carr went down in the regular-season opener, neither one of them currently healthy a month later. Domonique Foxworth was placed on injured reserve after his surgically-repaired knee would not cooperate in getting the former starter back on the field. As a result, Cary Williams and Lardarius Webb — and the four career starts between them entering 2011 — have held down the starting cornerback positions through the quarter pole of the season. And, surprisingly, the Ravens are tied for eighth in pass defense. Much credit goes to an improved Baltimore pass rush and a more aggressive approach from new defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano, but the Ravens can also be thankful for their future Hall of Fame safety and the leadership he’s provided in an otherwise youthful secondary. A chronic nerve impingement in his neck and shoulder and a hip injury have severely hampered Ed Reed over the last three seasons, but the All-Pro playmaker appears healthier this season after participating in most training camp practices — Reed missed

Live from Owings Mills: Evans essentially ruled out, Grubbs game-time decision

Luke Jones

(Updated: 1:45 p.m.) OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Friday’s practice looked very similar to Thursday as the Ravens failed to receive any encouraging signs from wide receiver Lee Evans or left guard Ben Grubbs in terms of practice participation. Coach John Harbaugh essentially ruled out Evans for Sunday, citing his need to get back to practicing in order to play in games. “I don’t see him playing in a game right now.” Harbaugh also revealed to the media following Friday’s practice that Grubbs’ injured right toe was stepped on during practice earlier in the week, which has slowed his progress. He will be a game-time decision, according to the head coach. Evans (left ankle) was absent from the portion of practice open to the media after missing Thursday’s practice. Despite practicing earlier in the week, it’s appearing more likely the 30-year-old wideout will miss his third straight game. Grubbs (right toe) was seen walking on the Ravens’ indoor practice field as media exited, but he was not carrying a helmet or taped up. The offensive lineman was listed as limited on Thursday despite not wearing a helmet or appearing to take part in any drills during the open portion of practice.

Cameron with a vertical vision for Ravens passing game

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — With the Ravens enjoying their bye last week, offensive coordinator Cam Cameron spent time evaluating every aspect of the offense through four weeks of the season. His verdict was predictable, saying the Ravens aren’t really doing anything consistently great on the offensive side of the football, but he did make an interesting observation regarding opposing defenses. Despite Lee Evans playing only two games and the Ravens relying on rookie Torrey Smith as a starting receiver opposite Anquan Boldin, Cameron believes opposing defenses are respecting the potential of the Baltimore passing game despite only being ranked 18th in the NFL. “What I do really like is the fact [that] I sense that people feel like they better back up,” Cameron said. “And I think that fits our style as a team. We want to be a vertical passing team — that’s the first thing we talk about — and secondly, a high (completion) percentage team” Of course, potential is one thing and production is another as Joe Flacco’s 49.3 percent completion percentage must improve if the Ravens are to consistently move the chains and register enough points every week. Evans’ health will also play a major factor

Evans trending in wrong direction in Ravens' Thursday injury report

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — A day after it looked like veteran wide receiver Lee Evans was on the right track to making his return to the field against the Houston Texans on Sunday, he found himself back in a familiar position. Not participating in practice. Evans, along with safety Tom Zbikowski, did not practice on Thursday after being listed as limited participants a day earlier. Left guard Ben Grubbs was listed as limited for the second straight day, but the offensive lineman was not doing much during the portion of practice open to media and did not appear to have his helmet with him on the field. Zbikowski is still dealing with symptoms from a concussion sustained against the New York Jets on Oct. 2 and has not been cleared for contact. The four other players listed as limited on Wednesday’s report participated fully on Thursday, including safety Haruki Nakamura, who missed the Jets game with a torn PCL in his knee, and return specialist David Reed, who has not played since sustaining a shoulder injury against the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub participated in Thursday’s practice on a limited basis after sitting out Wednesday

Live from Owings Mills: Grubbs, Evans sidelined again after one-day return to practice

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — If Wednesday’s injury report was an encouraging shot in the arm as the banged-up Ravens officially turned their sights toward the Houston Texans, Thursday might feel like a swift kick to the gut. After returning to practice on a limited basis a day earlier, wide receiver Lee Evans (ankle) and left guard Ben Grubbs (toe) were not practicing during the portion of practice open to the media on Thursday, point the needle in the wrong direction in terms of their status for Sunday. Grubbs was on the field without a helmet as he watched his fellow offensive linemen participate in positional drills while Evans was not present during the first 30 minutes of practice. Safety Tom Zbikowski (concussion) was also missing during the open portion of the workout after practicing on a limited basis on Wednesday. The fourth-year safety had not been cleared of contact as of Wednesday and experienced concussion-related symptoms during the bye week. Evans, Grubbs, and Zbikowski joined cornerbacks Chris Carr (hamstring) and Jimmy Smith (ankle) as the five players not participating during the open portion of Wednesday’s workout. For the second straight day, Smith was on the field in street clothes, but

With Ravens fans snickering at Mason, has Boldin received a free pass in Baltimore?

Luke Jones

After Derrick Mason’s abrupt departure from the New York Jets on Tuesday night, many fans have offered their zingers and potshots at the former Ravens receiver, whose poor production and crumbling relationship with the Jets coaching staff led to him being traded to the Houston Texans for a seventh-round pick. While I couldn’t resist making a snide comment or two about the whole situation, I’m mystified at the amount of disdain hurled toward the Ravens’ all-time leading receiver who caught 29 touchdowns in his six seasons in Baltimore. Yes, he could be a cranky diva — not unlike most productive wide receivers, mind you — but far too many are discrediting his work. The reliability he provided for a rookie quarterback named Joe Flacco, who was thrown into the starting lineup out of necessity in 2008, turned a potentially disastrous situation into one of the most enjoyable seasons the Ravens have ever had and sparked a promising career of a franchise quarterback. Yes, it was time for Mason and the team to part ways, especially with the 37-year-old’s high salary-cap number in 2011, as many expected his production to be absorbed by veteran Anquan Boldin in his second season with

Ravens still hurting at cornerback in Wednesday's injury report

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Looking at their most favorable injury report in several weeks, the Ravens still must feel uneasy about their cornerback situation as the Houston Texans comes to Baltimore on Sunday. Jimmy Smith and Chris Carr did not practice while six other previously-injured players returned to practice in a limited fashion on the first official practice since the bye week. Smith will not play on Sunday as he was seen walking back and forth across the width of the side field on Wednesday in a level of activity not indicative of a player whose return is imminent. Carr, on the other hand, would not reveal any specifics of the setback he suffered late in the week leading up to the Jets game on Oct. 2, only saying he wouldn’t return to action until he was 100 percent. The veteran cornerback had labeled himself at roughly 90 percent when he returned to play against the St. Louis Rams in Week 3. Carr has dealt with the same left hamstring injury since the middle of August despite several different attempts to return to the field. With key offensive starters Lee Evans and Ben Grubbs practicing on a limited basis, a

Ravens aiming for fast start, strong finish to erase memory of last year's nail-biter with Texans

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Only a Josh Wilson interception return for a touchdown saved the Ravens from an absolute nightmare against the Houston Texans last season. Having squandered a 28-7 second-half lead as they were held to just four first downs after halftime, the Ravens survived as much as they won a 34-28 overtime thriller in Houston last December. With that uncomfortable memory fresh in their minds, nobody in Baltimore is taking the Texans lightly, even after they lost two of their best players in outside linebacker Mario Williams and wide receiver Andre Johnson. “The one thing I tell the guys about Houston is that they never quit,” safety Ed Reed said. “They have a playbook — I’ve always said they have a great playbook — and they have plays to get them up and down that football field. You’ve just got to play 60 minutes against them. They do not quit.” The Texans relied on a 393-yard passing performance by quarterback Matt Schaub, who completed two touchdown passes to Johnson, including the game-tying score with 21 seconds remaining in regulation. Schaub was 24 for 41 in the second half after completely just 7 of 21 passes in the first

Live from Owings Mills: Six injured Ravens return to practice

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — After John Harbaugh’s Monday press conference cast doubt on the status of the eight injured Ravens players entering the bye week, Wednesday afternoon’s practice might lift spirits as six of the wounded returned to the practice field. The most notable returns were wide receiver Lee Evans (ankle) and left guard Ben Grubbs (toe), but the two offensive starters were joined by safeties Tom Zbikowski (concussion) and Haruki Nakamura (knee), return specialist David Reed (shoulder), and linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (hamstring) as participants during the portion of practice open to the media. Cornerbacks Jimmy Smith (ankle) and Chris Carr (hamstring) were not practicing during the open portion. However, Smith was dressed in street clothes and only walking across the width of the side field. It wasn’t a level of activity indicative of a player close to returning to the field. Carr was not present and indicated in the locker room that he would only return to the field at 100 percent after experiencing a setback on the Thursday leading up to the Jets game. Evans and Grubbs had reportedly practiced on Monday — a workout closed to the media — and were dressed in full gear for Wednesday’s

Ravens to see Derrick Mason for second straight game

Luke Jones

Several Ravens defensive players reveled in the opportunity to hit former teammate Derrick Mason when the New York Jets came to M&T Bank Stadium two Sundays ago. They’ll apparently get another opportunity this week as the Houston Texans have traded a conditional draft pick to the New York Jets for the 37-year-old wide receiver, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. The compensation will reportedly be a seventh-round pick, per Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Needing help at the receiver position after losing dynamic playmaker Andre Johnson against the Steelers two weeks ago, the Texans will hope Mason has something left in the tank after he played five unproductive games with the Jets. It was apparent Mason’s relationship with the New York coaching staff was crumbling after he was benched in the first half of the Jets’ loss to the Patriots on Sunday amid reports of Mason complaining about his role in the offense. Mason had just 13 catches for 115 yards in five games for the Jets and was supplanted by Jeremy Kerley as the Jets’ No. 3 receiver on Sunday.

Ravens offense in familiar position trying to find itself

Luke Jones

It’s that time of year again. Just as the foliage changes colors, the Ravens once again find themselves searching for their true identity on the offensive side of the football. At 3-1 and sitting in first place in the AFC North after the Week 5 bye, it’s not as if the Ravens haven’t had their share of offensive success through the first quarter of the season. A balanced attack via the air and ground in a 35-7 stomping of Pittsburgh and a franchise-record 553-yard assault in St. Louis certainly support that notion. Maintaining that success from week to week and, at times, quarter to quarter has been the problem. It’s a dilemma coach John Harbaugh, offensive coordinator, Cam Cameron, and the Ravens are trying to solve as they currently rank 9th in rushing and 18th in passing in the NFL. “We talked about it with our team [Monday], you know, what’s our identity?” Harbaugh said. “Well, our identity is a lot of things, but I think first and foremost, we’re going to attack people. And what does that mean? It means you attack people running the ball, you attack people throwing short, intermediate and deep. You attack people in pass

Morning Reaction Tuesday Top 7 Surprises of NFL season

Luke Jones

With the Ravens enjoying their bye in Week 5, we step away from our weekly ritual of selecting our Tuesday Top 7 Ravens, instead offering our biggest surprises — good and bad — through the first five weeks of the 2011 season. If you missed the full breakdown of our lists on The Morning Reaction, click HERE for Drew’s Top 7 bad surprises and HERE for my Top 7 good surprises of the 2011 NFL season. Luke Jones’ Top 7 Good Surprises… 7) Cincinnati Bengals 6) Strong quarterback play (six players entered Week 5 on pace to throw for over 5,000 yards) 5) San Francisco 49ers 4) Wes Welker 3) Buffalo Bills 2) Detroit Lions 1) Cam Newton Drew Forrester’s Top 7 Bad Surprises… 7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6) NFC East mediocrity 5) Miami Dolphins 4) Tony Romo 3) Philadelphia Eagles 2) Donovan McNabb 1) St. Louis Rams

Injured players continue to heal with Ravens' bye week history

Luke Jones

With eight players shelved with injuries as the Ravens entered their Week 5 bye, the early-season respite was viewed as the perfect elixir to build upon a 3-1 start and an early lead in the AFC North. However, after coach John Harbaugh expressed optimism last week that the Ravens would have their full regiment of players available against the Houston Texans on Sunday, the early post-bye prognosis had mixed results following Monday’s practice. The week’s first official injury report will not be released until Wednesday afternoon, but the biggest headline was the revelation that rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith would likely miss his fourth straight game while recovering from a high ankle sprain. The status of others, including starting left guard Ben Grubbs (toe) and starting wide receiver Lee Evans (ankle), remains in question. Grubbs and Evans reportedly practiced on Monday, but both players must wait to see how their bodies respond after long layoffs. Grubbs practiced on a limited basis on the Thursday prior to the Jets game in his only work since the Ravens’ season-opening win over Pittsburgh. Evans has not practiced or played since the Week 2 loss to the Titans. “I haven’t really gotten anything definitive,” said

Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith unlikely to play Sunday

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — With the Ravens back to work after their Week 5 bye, some optimism had existed that cornerback Jimmy Smith would return against the Houston Texans on Sunday after injuring his left ankle early in the regular-season opener against Pittsburgh on Sept. 11. Apparently, the Ravens will have to wait a little longer to get their top draft pick back on the field — even if coach John Harbaugh wasn’t ready to disclose that piece of news. Smith shared his reservations about playing on Sunday afternoon before the Ravens head coach interrupted the rookie’s interview with gathered media following Monday’s practice. Harbaugh reprimanded Smith for discussing his status and reminded him players are not supposed to comment on injury matters. However, the cornerback had already said enough by the time the interview came to an abrupt end. “I’m optimistic about everything,” Smith said, “but, realistically, I doubt it.” Harbaugh said the Ravens are in “wait-and-see” mode with several injured players, but Smith will likely miss his fourth straight game after injuring his ankle in kickoff coverage early in the first quarter of the Pittsburgh game. “I don’t know the percentage on it,” Harbaugh said in his Monday

Comparisons to 2000 Ravens premature, but this year's defense could be exceptional

Luke Jones

We just can’t help ourselves, can we? After more than a decade of defensive excellence in Baltimore, we always compare the latest eye-popping Ravens defense to the platinum standard of that 2000 unit. It was that group, of course, that lifted a caretaker offense — rookie running back Jamal Lewis being the lone exception — to the franchise’s lone Super Bowl championship. It was a once-in-a-generation defense, yet we refuse to acknowledge that type of group won’t come along again — even if we say otherwise. We did it in 2003 when Ray Lewis led a young group of budding defensive stars to the No. 3 overall defensive ranking and an AFC North title. It happened again in 2006 as the Ravens finished 13-3 and first overall in both points and yardage allowed, something the 2000 group wasn’t able to do. And the similarities were examined between that championship group and the 2008 defense – ranked second overall behind only the Steelers — coached by Rex Ryan in his final year in Baltimore before taking his antics to the Big Apple. It sure feels a lot like 2000, doesn’t it? It’s not surprising the whispers have already started about the

Grading the Ravens' veteran acquisitions at the quarter pole

Luke Jones

In the immediate aftermath of the lockout coming to an end in late July, the hammer fell on the Baltimore Ravens as we knew them from past seasons. Gone were established veterans Todd Heap, Derrick Mason, Kelly Gregg, and Willis McGahee in a wave of releases to create salary cap room. Key contributors such as Le’Ron McClain, Dawan Landry, Chris Chester, and Josh Wilson found homes in other NFL cities. Fans panicked as general manager Ozzie Newsome worked methodically instead of snatching up any recognizable name from a market suddenly saturated with hundreds of veteran free agents. When the dust settled in time for the regular-season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Ravens were not only younger but had a new batch of veteran acquisitions to aid in a potential Super Bowl run in 2011. With the Ravens entering the bye week at 3-1 and atop the AFC North, an overwhelming majority of those outside additions have provided positive returns through the quarter pole of the season. Six noteworthy veterans were acquired in the preseason as I take a stab at grading them through the first four games of the season. WR Lee Evans (8th year) Skinny: Despite having rapidly

Gurode steps in at guard for Ravens, but what's next for former Pro Bowler?

Luke Jones

When the Ravens signed five-time Pro Bowl center Andre Gurode a week before the regular-season opener, many expected the former Cowboy to be the insurance policy — or potential replacement — for veteran center Matt Birk. But Gurode has instead been forced to play left guard in place of the team’s best offensive lineman Ben Grubbs, who has missed the Ravens’ last three games with a right toe injury. After veteran Mark LeVoir was ineffective in a Week 2 loss to the Titans, Gurode has filled in admirably at left guard over the last two weeks despite having never played the position — he played right guard early in his career in Dallas. He’s been especially potent as a run blocker, getting a good push off the line of scrimmage to help open running lanes for Ray Rice and Ricky Williams. “It has been difficult, but, at the same time, you need to do your best,” Gurode said. “Going from center to guard, you know you’re used to making calls, snapping the ball with your right hand, and then you find yourself getting comfortable..at the start of the play.” Gurode’s play is a major reason why the Ravens find themselves

Ravens sign cornerback Bryan McCann to boost depth in secondary

Luke Jones

Looking to add depth to a depleted secondary, the Ravens have signed cornerback Bryan McCann to a two-year deal. To clear room on the 53-man roster, the Ravens have released linebacker Prescott Burgess, who played only one game after being re-signed last week. With Domonique Foxworth being placed on injured reserve last Wednesday and Chris Carr suffering a setback with his left hamstring late last week, the Ravens were forced to use Danny Gorrer and rookie Chykie Brown as their only reserve corners in the 34-17 win over the Jets on Sunday night. This marks McCann’s second stint with the Ravens, though you’re excused if you don’t recall his first stay with the team. After being signed as a rookie free agent by the Dallas Cowboys in 2010, McCann spent a brief time with Baltimore at the start of the 2010 season before being released following the Ravens’ season-opening win against the New York Jets. The Cowboys re-signed McCann to their practice squad before he was promoted to the active roster on Nov. 4, 2010. McCann played nine games with Dallas and returned an interception 101 yards for a touchdown against the Giants in his second NFL game. The Southern

Ravens get surprising early start to bye week

Luke Jones

After a convincing 34-17 win over the New York Jets to improve their record to 3-1 heading into their bye week, Ravens players received more good news on Monday afternoon. Instead of working for a few days this week before receiving five straight days off, a new wrinkle in the collective bargaining agreement, players were cut loose to start their mini-vacations early after careful consideration from John Harbaugh and the coaching staff. Many players assumed the break wouldn’t begin until Wednesday or Thursday, but the end result of Sunday night’s game probably didn’t hurt the decision-making process. “We had a conversation with the key veterans and also with the coaches,” coach John Harbaugh said. “I’ll tell you, nobody likes practice more than me. That’s proven out to be true, but our guys do like practice. They are not afraid of work, but really with our numbers, we just didn’t see a way we could put together a viable practice with our numbers. The rehab is more important, I thought. We think the practices really would have done us more harm than they would have done us good in the next two days.” With all seven players on the inactive list

Behind throwback defensive effort, banged-up Ravens enter bye week at 3-1

Luke Jones

BALTIMORE — The Ravens’ 34-17 victory over the New York Jets was far more bizarre than it was convincing in how Baltimore displayed its supremacy over Rex Ryan’s mistake-prone football team on Sunday night. A combined five touchdowns were produced via takeaways and special teams, including a franchise-record three defensive touchdowns by the Ravens. The quarterbacks, Joe Flacco and Mark Sanchez, combined to complete just 21 of 66 passes and were responsible for six turnovers. The Ravens produced a robust 165 yards of offense in the first quarter but followed the hot start with a sickly negative-2 yards in the second quarter while carrying a 27-17 lead into halftime. Flacco was 8-for-17 for 142 yards in the game’s first 15 minutes before going more than two hours until he completed his next pass to rookie LaQuan Williams with 11:50 remaining in the fourth quarter. It was one of the worst performances of Flacco’s four-year career, but it did come against a Jets secondary widely-regarded by many as the best in the NFL and entered Sunday as the sixth-best in the league. But, the Ravens won the game and improved to 3-1 atop the AFC North as they head into their

Live from M&T Bank Stadium: Inactives and pre-game notes

Luke Jones

BALTIMORE — With the Ravens hosting the New York Jets in a nationally-televised game Sunday night, their bye week is coming at a perfect time as seven key players are inactive tonight due to injury. Starting left guard Ben Grubbs will miss his third straight game while dealing with a right toe injury and will be replaced by Andre Gurode in the starting lineup. Grubbs practiced on a limited basis on Thursday but did not participate in Friday’s practice, a good indication that he would be sat down until after the bye. Perhaps the most concerning news is cornerback Chris Carr being inactive after re-aggravating the hamstring injury he’s dealt with since the middle of August. Carr returned to action last week in St. Louis and practice fully on Wednesday and Thursday before sitting out Friday’s practice. With Carr joining rookie Jimmy Smith on the inactive list, the Ravens will rely on former practice-squad defensive back Danny Gorrer and rookie Chykie Brown as their No. 3 and No. 4 corners behind starters Lardarius Webb and Cary Williams. On the opposing side, the Jets will be without starting center Nick Mangold, who will be replaced by rookie Colin Baxter. This news

Ravens-Jets: Five predictions for Sunday night

Luke Jones

Three weeks into the season, I’m still trying to figure out just how good the Ravens really are — or will be — in 2011. A seven-turnover blowout win over their bitter rival, an embarrassing loss in Tennessee, and a 30-point victory over the hapless Rams don’t exactly allow you to draw a definitive conclusion, but that’s why they play the games. On the other hand, the Jets’ two wins over Dallas and Jacksonville before being shredded by the Oakland Raiders leave you scratching your head even more. The storylines don’t need to be rehashed again. These coaches and players know each other very well, making for a highly-competitive matchup at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday night. It’s a conference game with possible playoff implications down the road, so don’t let the early Week 4 billing fool you in its significance. Here’s what to expect when Rex Ryan’s Jets visit John Harbaugh’s Ravens on Sunday night … 1. The Jets will spread out the Baltimore defense with three- and four-receiver sets to exploit a thin secondary. A tenuous situation at cornerback grew even worse on Friday with the news that veteran Chris Carr is questionable for Sunday after re-aggravating the

Torrey Smith agrees with lack of concern from Cromartie, Jets

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — With starting wide receiver Lee Evans sidelined for the second straight week, a starting role will once again be entrusted to rookie Torrey Smith. What will he do for an encore? After becoming the first rookie — and 12th player overall — in NFL history to catch three touchdown passes in a single quarter of play in the Ravens’ 37-7 win over the St. Louis Rams last Sunday, Smith certainly grabbed the attention of the New York Jets, who will come to Baltimore in a nationally-televised game on Sunday night. However, Jets head coach Rex Ryan expressed little concern over Smith’s five-catch, 152-yard performance. The former Maryland standout abused Rams cornerback Justin King for three touchdowns of 74, 41, and 18 yards in the opening quarter, but matching up against New York cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie is a much different task. “He’s a fast guy and all that kind of stuff, but I don’t think he’ll have equal success this week,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “If he does, then I’ll just stay in Baltimore. “If we just based everything on that performance then we’d have our cornerbacks about 20 yards deep. We’ve played

Ravens injury report: Evans ruled out; Carr, Grubbs questionable against Jets

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens will once again be without starting wide receiver Lee Evans and suddenly have reason to be more concerned in the secondary. The Ravens ruled out Evans as well as Jimmy Smith, Haruki Nakamura, and David Reed for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets, but a more concerning development may have been cornerback Chris Carr’s return to the injury report after not practicing on Friday. He is listed as questionable along with left guard Ben Grubbs, who will be a game-time decision, according to coach John Harbaugh. With Domonique Foxworth being placed on injured reserve on Wednesday and the rookie Smith sidelined until after the bye, the Ravens were already thin at cornerback and counting on Carr to hold down the No. 3 corner spot behind Lardarius Webb and Cary Williams. Carr made it through the Week 3 win over the Rams without incident and was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday. If Carr cannot play or is limited against the Jets, the Ravens would be looking at former practice-squad defensive back Danny Gorrer and rookie Chykie Brown as the No. 3 and 4 corners. Baltimore would normally turn to Haruki

Live from Owings Mills: Grubbs absent on Friday, putting status against Jets in doubt

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The optimism stirred by Ben Grubbs’ return to the Ravens’ practice field on Thursday appears to have dissipated a day later as the left guard was absent from the portion of practice open to the media. After practicing on a limited basis, Grubbs was not on the field with the rest of the offensive line as veteran Andre Gurode once again assumed his duties at left guard. Grubbs has not played since the Ravens’ Week 1 win over Pittsburgh on Sept. 11 as he recovers from a right toe injury. Wide receiver Lee Evans (ankle), linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (hamstring), return specialist David Reed (shoulder), cornerback Jimmy Smith (ankle), and safety Haruki Nakamura (knee) were not seen during the portion of practice open to media. It’s appearing more unlikely that the Ravens will have Grubbs and Evans available against the New York Jets on Sunday night, once again pushing Gurode and rookie Torrey Smith into starting roles. Referee Mike Carey and his officiating crew will call Sunday night’s game being televised on NBC. Carey served as the referee in the Ravens’ infamous 21-penalty fiasco against the Detroit Lions in 2005, a game in which linebacker Terrell Suggs

Three Ravens upgraded on Thursday's injury report

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens received good news on Thursday’s injury report with left guard Ben Grubbs returning to practice for the first time since starting in the season-opening win over Pittsburgh on Sept. 11. Grubbs returned to the practice field on a limited basis and deemed himself a game-time decision earlier in the day. The fifth-year lineman had not missed a game in his career before sitting out against Tennessee and St. Louis the last two weeks. As expected, center Matt Birk and defensive end Cory Redding were only receiving a day off on Wednesday before returning as full participants a day later. The New York Jets also received promising news on the injury front as cornerback Antonio Cromartie was a full participant on Thursday and deemed himself ready to play despite suffering bruised lungs and ribs in a loss against the Oakland Raiders last weekend. However, the Jets placed wide receiver Plaxico Burress on the Thursday injury report as a limited participant with a hamstring injury. BALTIMORE DID NOT PARTICIPATE – WR Lee Evans (ankle), LB Dannell Ellerbe (thigh), S Haruki Nakamura (knee), WR David Reed, CB Jimmy Smith (ankle) LIMITED – G Ben Grubbs (toe) FULL

Live from Owings Mills: Grubbs returns to practice for first time since Steelers game

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Despite revealing he’s only begun jogging over the last couple days, left guard Ben Grubbs returned to the practice field on Thursday for the first time since the Ravens’ 35-7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the season opener on Sept. 11. Grubbs missed the last two games with a right toe injury but was doing individual work and firing out of his three-point stance with the rest of the starting offensive line during the portion of practice open to the media. The fifth-year veteran said earlier in the day he would be a game-time decision and is still experiencing discomfort in the toe. Center Matt Birk (knee) and defensive end Cory Redding also returned to practice after not participating on Wednesday. Both players were on the injury report last week before playing against the St. Louis Rams in Week 3. Five players were not working for the second straight day during the open portion of practice on Thursday, including wide receiver Lee Evans (ankle), linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (hamstring), return specialist David Reed (shoulder), safety Haruki Nakamura (knee), and cornerback Jimmy Smith (ankle). Smith’s left foot is finally out of the walking boot he’s worn since

Evans, Grubbs, six other Ravens on Wednesday's injury report

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — After deciding to place cornerback Domonique Foxworth on injured reserve earlier in the day, the Ravens saw eight more players missing from Wednesday’s practice as they begin preparations for the New York Jets on Sunday night. Wide receiver Lee Evans and left guard Ben Grubbs headline the list after both missed Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Rams. Evans continues to rest the sore left ankle that’s given him problems since the aftermath of the third preseason game against Washington in August. He told reporters he will likely be a game-time decision, but also admitted the coaching staff will make the decision whether he plays. “We’re just trying to do what’s best all the way around,” Evans said. “So, we’ll have to see. Right now, it does feel better having a little rest on it, so it’s progress.” Grubbs appears to be unlikely to play and would miss his third straight game with an injured right toe. The swelling has decreased, but the fifth-year lineman has barely begun jogging and still feels pain in the toe. With the Ravens having their bye in Week 5, could they elect to be more conservative than usual with Grubbs

Foxworth helps save NFL season, but can't save his own

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Without the efforts of Domonique Foxworth, there may not have been an NFL season to talk about this year. However, the veteran cornerback was unable to save his own. The Ravens placed Foxworth on injured reserve Wednesday, ending his season after it was becoming more apparent the 28-year-old’s recovery from surgery on a torn ACL last year was not progressing quickly enough for the defensive back to contribute in the secondary. Coach John Harbaugh said the Ravens began discussing the possibility a week ago, and Foxworth was included in the discussion. In the Ravens’ 37-7 win in St. Louis on Sunday, Foxworth was inactive despite having practiced the entire week. Foxworth missed the entire 2010 season after tearing the ACL in his right knee at the beginning of training camp on the eve of the first veteran workout in late July. With his heavy involvement in the labor negotiations during the 134-day lockout, Foxworth was unable to devote as much time rehabbing the surgically-repaired knee as a player might have in a regular offseason. His inability to have any contact with the Ravens organization during the work stoppage also impacted his slow recovery. “There was a

Ravens place CB Foxworth on IR, ending his season

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens have placed cornerback Domonique Foxworth on injured reserve, ending his season after the veteran was unable to regain the form he enjoyed before a torn ACL ended his 2010 season. Foxworth had struggled to rehabilitate his surgically-repaired knee despite hitting the practice field at the start of training camp in late July. The Ravens could have elected to place Foxworth on the active physically unable to perform list to begin camp and would have had the option to place him on the reserve PUP list, where he would have missed the first six weeks of the regular season while opening a spot on the 53-man roster. Instead, Foxworth attempted to push through the pain and clearly looked overmatched when going against opposing receivers. The 28-year-old was inactive against St. Louis on Sunday despite practicing throughout the week leading up to the game. Coach John Harbaugh said last Monday that Foxworth would not play if he was unable to perform at a level needed to help the Baltimore defense. In a subsequent move, the Ravens have re-signed linebacker Prescott Burgess to add depth at linebacker and to boost the special teams’ units. The loss of

Ravens-Jets week: The calm before the media storm?

Luke Jones

Perhaps the only matchup that can even approach the same stratosphere as the Ravens’ biannual meetings — and a third, if we’re lucky — with the Pittsburgh Steelers is the occasional confrontation with Rex Ryan and the New York Jets. If the bright lights of Sunday Night Football weren’t enough, the Ravens will be donning their all-black uniforms while the 2-1 Jets try to snap a six-game losing streak against Baltimore that dates all the way back to 1998. Since winning the first meeting between the teams in 1997 (played at Giants Stadium), the Jets have been beaten three times each in Baltimore and in their home stadium. To the surprise of no one, a heated dynamic — if not a full-fledged rivalry — was born when Ryan left the Ravens to become the head coach of the Jets in 2009. Their meeting in Week 1 of last season spawned comments from Ray Lewis usually reserved solely for the Pittsburgh Steelers. “I’m going to be very careful with this, we’re talking about the Jets like we’re talking about the Saints,” Lewis said prior to the Week 1 meeting last season. “That’s the Super Bowl champs. Until they play tonight, that’s

Morning Reaction Tuesday Top 7 Ravens for Week 3

Luke Jones

Below are our Top 7 Ravens players in the convincing 37-7 win over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday. We’ll track our rankings throughout the 2011 season with the following point system: No. 1 – 7 points No. 2 – 6 points No. 3 – 5 points No. 4 – 4 points No. 5 – 3 points No. 6 – 2 points No. 7 – 1 point Luke Jones’ Top 7… 7) Anquan Boldin 6) Ray Lewis 5) Cory Redding 4) Terrell Suggs 3) Ray Rice 2) Torrey Smith 1) Joe Flacco Drew Forrester’s Top 7… 7) Haloti Ngata 6) Andre Gurode 5) Anquan Boldin 4) Terrell Suggs 3) Ray Rice 2) Joe Flacco 1) Torrey Smith SEASON TO DATE: Luke: 1. Ray Rice (15 points) 2. Terrell Suggs (13 points) 3. Joe Flacco (11 points) 4. Haloti Ngata (10 points) 5. David Reed (6 points) 5. Torrey Smith (6 points) 7. Bryant McKinnie (5 points) 7.Terrence Cody (5 points) 9. Ray Lewis (3 points) 9. Billy Cundiff (3 points) 9. Cory Redding (3 points) 12. Ed Reed (2 points) 13. Matt Birk (1 point) 13. Anquan Boldin (1 point) Drew: 1. Ray Rice (14 points) 2. Terrell Suggs (12

After stating commitment to run, Ravens came out firing through air

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — In the week leading up to the Ravens’ 37-7 win in St. Louis, countless players and coaches spoke about the need for a commitment to run the football effectively. After being held to just 45 rushing yards on 17 carries against a stout Tennessee run defense and the Rams entering Week 3 as the 32nd-ranked unit against the run, the Ravens’ perfect tonic seemed to be heavy doses of Ray Rice and Ricky Williams to establish the ground game in hopes of wearing down the St. Louis defense. Instead, the Ravens came out firing, dropping back to pass on 16 of their first 18 plays as quarterback Joe Flacco and rookie wideout Torrey Smith shredded the Rams secondary for three touchdown passes in the opening quarter. So much for a conservative game plan. All along, the Ravens’ stated desire to run the football may have been an exercise in mind games rather than any real indication of how they planned to attack Steve Spagnuolo’s defense. “They were defending the run,” coach John Harbaugh said. “There’s no question, I think they expected us to come out running the ball, too, so they gave us looks that were

Ravens safety Nakamura to miss "month or so" with PCL injury

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Nearly everything went right for the Baltimore Ravens in their 37-7 demolition of the St. Louis Rams on Sunday except for another blow to an already-depleted secondary. Backup safety Haruki Nakamura injured the PCL in his right knee during the first quarter of action in St. Louis and did not return. Results of an MRI were not available when head coach John Harbaugh addressed the media on Monday afternoon, but the team is optimistic about the versatile defensive back’s prognosis. “It looks promising in terms of him being able to come back [in] maybe a month or so,” Harbaugh said. The Ravens will discuss the possibility of adding another safety, but Harbaugh mentioned the versatility of cornerback Chris Carr as well as starting corner Lardarius Webb, who are both capable of playing safety. Nakamura has been an invaluable member of the secondary with Carr, Jimmy Smith, and Domonique Foxworth battling injuries at the start of the season. The fourth-year safety has played as the nickel on a number of occasions when a fifth defensive back comes on the field in passing situations. Harbaugh was unsure of the status of Foxworth and wide receiver Lee Evans for

Torrey Smith silences critics with breakout performance in Ravens' win

Luke Jones

The whispers that started in the preseason had grown much louder through the first two weeks of Torrey Smith’s NFL career. A growing number of critics wondered why the Ravens had used a second-round pick on the wide receiver from the University of Maryland. A few even went as far as labeling him a “bust” after two games, no matter how foolish the proclamation sounded after such a short amount of time. He looked confused, overwhelmed, and in over his head against opposing defenses. At one point during the preseason, coach John Harbaugh pleaded with media and fans to “lay off the kid” and to give him time to develop. He had even been razzed in practice by linebacker Terrell Suggs and the Baltimore defense after dropping passes in an effort to toughen him up, according to Harbaugh. Smith had even dropped a pass in the portion of practice open to the media on Friday, not exactly inspiring confidence with Flacco and the coaching staff. With veteran receiver Lee Evans out with an ankle injury, Smith found himself back in the starting lineup with the Ravens needing him to grow up quickly against the St. Louis Rams. Smith showed immediate

Torrey Smith silences critics with breakout performance in Ravens’ win

Luke Jones

The whispers that started in the preseason had grown much louder through the first two weeks of Torrey Smith’s NFL career. A growing number of critics wondered why the Ravens had used a second-round pick on the wide receiver from the University of Maryland. A few even went as far as labeling him a “bust” after two games, no matter how foolish the proclamation sounded after such a short amount of time. He looked confused, overwhelmed, and in over his head against opposing defenses. At one point during the preseason, coach John Harbaugh pleaded with media and fans to “lay off the kid” and to give him time to develop. He had even been razzed in practice by linebacker Terrell Suggs and the Baltimore defense after dropping passes in an effort to toughen him up, according to Harbaugh. Smith had even dropped a pass in the portion of practice open to the media on Friday, not exactly inspiring confidence with Flacco and the coaching staff. With veteran receiver Lee Evans out with an ankle injury, Smith found himself back in the starting lineup with the Ravens needing him to grow up quickly against the St. Louis Rams. Smith showed immediate

Ravens-Rams inactives for Sunday

Luke Jones

***For inactives and breaking news sent directly to your mobile device, subscribe to the WNST Text Service right here. And, as always, for the quickest updates and analysis regarding everything purple, follow WNST on Twitter.*** The Ravens will try to jump-start an offense that stalled last week against Tennessee, but they’ll be without two key offensive starters while trying to do it. Starting left guard Ben Grubbs will miss his second consecutive game after failing to practice all week while trying to recover from a right toe injury. There had been cautious optimism that Grubbs might try to play after being listed as questionable — he was doubtful against the Titans — but the fifth-year lineman has not practiced since the Ravens’ season-opening win against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 11. With offensive lineman Mark LeVoir also inactive, veteran Andre Gurode will make the start at left guard. Wide receiver Lee Evans (ankle) was ruled out on Friday along with cornerback Jimmy Smith (ankle) and return specialist David Reed (shoulder). Evans has battled a left ankle injury since the Ravens’ win over the Redskins in the third preseason game last month. With Evans out, Baltimore will rely on rookies Torrey

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