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Sneak Preview - SNEAK PREVIEW: RAVENS @ CHIEFS

Photo by Sabina Moran
Posted On: 12/10/06
Written By:  
Tony Lombardi
SNEAK PREVIEW: RAVENS @ CHIEFS SNEAK PREVIEW: RAVENS @ CHIEFS
I GET KNOCKED DOWN BUT I GET UP AGAIN ~ The Ravens have a strong history of rebounding quickly after a loss, and this week, they will look to continue the trend following a tough defeat in Cincinnati. Dating back to the 2000 season, the Ravens are tied with the Eagles for the 2nd-best record in the NFL in games that occur following a loss with a 28-14 mark (.667). Denver is the league‘s best team responding to a loss during this time with a 27-10 record (.730).
 
LOOKING AHEAD TO SUNDAY ~ The Kansas City forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and highs of 57 degrees. The Chiefs have been installed as a 3 point favorite and the over/under line is set at 35 ½. Kansas City has won 22 consecutive games at Arrowhead when holding foes to 21 points or less, a mark that ties Seattle for the third-longest active streak in the league. Kansas City is 53-7 (.883) at Arrowhead when holding opponents to 21 points or less dating back to ‘95. Dating back to 2002, Baltimore is just 3-21 (.125) on the road when being held to 21 points or less. The Ravens have lost 12 of their last 13 games in such a circumstance with their only win during that stretch coming by a 15-14 count at Cleveland (9/24).
 
The Chiefs have allowed an average of 16.8 ppg at home this season and have permitted just 16.4 ppg in the club’s seven victories. Over the past five games KC has held four opponents to 17 points or less. Baltimore has averaged 24.3 ppg in its last six contests, but has averaged just 5.0 ppg in its two road losses in 2006.
 
IS THE AFC NORTH LIKE KRYPTONITE FOR THE CHIEFS? The Chiefs, in their 1st season under Herman Edwards, have won 5 in a row at home since losing the opener to the Bengals (23-10). Kansas City is 2-1 since QB Trent Green returned to the lineup against the Raiders on 11/19.
 
The loss to Cincinnati by the Chiefs is 1 of 3 versus the AFC North this season. The Chiefs also dropped a 45-7 decision at Pittsburgh (10/15), plus last Sunday's 31-28 overtime disappointment at Cleveland.
 
SINCE LAST WE MET ~ On October 4, 2004 at The Vault the Chiefs survived a late Ravens rally to escape with a 27-24 victory on Monday Night Football. The Chiefs survived a late rally by Baltimore, to escape town with a 27-24 victory in a Monday night contest. Former Ravens RB Priest Holmes rushed for 125 yards and 2 TDs on 33 carries. The Chiefs churned out 398 yards on 78 plays and controlled the ball for 39 minutes, 43 seconds. But, the Chiefs had to rely on their defense to save the game. Thanks to a bust-out performance by RS B.J. Sams, who had 250 return yards and a TD, the Ravens had a chance to win in the game’s final moments. The Chiefs’ win was their first of the season as they entered the game 0-3.
 
Playing without 3 offensive starters – TE Todd Heap, WR Travis Taylor and C Mike Flynn – the Ravens managed a season-low 207 yards of total offense. Two of their 3 TDs came just seconds after the Ravens’ defense forced a punt. On 1st-and-10 from the Ravens’ own 47, Boller traded laterals with RB Jamal Lewis and then connected with WR Randy Hymes on a perfectly-thrown bomb, good for a 53-yard TD pass. Boller finished 10-of-17 for 154 yards and a TD.
 
OVERALL AGAINST THE CHIEFS the Ravens are 0-3 losing all three games here in Baltimore at M&T Bank Stadium. Back on 10-21-99 the Ravens fell to the Chiefs by the convincing score of 35-8. On 9-28-03 the Ravens lost 17-10 after Dante Hall became the first player in NFL history to record a kickoff or punt return TD in three consecutive games as he returned a kickoff for a 97-yard TD with 5:27 left to play to give Dick Vermeil his 100th career coaching victory.
 
A TALE OF THE TAPE ~ Here’s how the two teams compare in key statistical categories:
 
RAVENS
CATEGORY
CHIEFS
9-3
2006 Record
7-5
L1
Current Streak
L1
L 7-13 @ Bengals
Last game
L 28-31 OT @ Browns
256
Points Scored
257
28
Touchdowns Scored
29
8
Rushing Touchdowns Scored
13
15
Passing Touchdowns Scored
15
5
Touchdowns on Returns
1
160
Points Against
236
16
Touchdowns Allowed
26
5
Rushing Touchdowns Allowed
8
11
Passing Touchdowns Allowed
16
0
TDs Allowed by Return
2
+14
Turnover Ratio
+4
42.5%
Red Zone TD Pct. For
60.5%
26.9%
Red Zone TD Pct. Against
57.6%
24.1
KOR Avg. For
22.1
22.3
KOR Avg. Against
21.6
9.8
PR Avg. For
8.4
9.8
PR Avg. Against
8.5
 
SO TAKE, TAKE ME HOME ~ Ravens special teams coordinator Frank Gansz Jr. and OLB Gary Stills are returning to Arrowhead for the 1st time since joining the Ravens in 2006. Gansz served in the same capacity for the Chiefs from 2001-05, when he coached special teams standouts Dante Hall, who returned 10 kicks for TDs, and Stills, who became the franchise leader in special teams tackles (148). Stills is also spending his 1st season in a different uniform, having played his previous 7 (1999-2005) with the Chiefs. With the Ravens, Stills and Gansz have continued their success, with Stills leading the team with 35 special teams tackles. Gansz’s kickoff return team ranks 5th in the NFL with an average starting position of 29.2.
 
 INSIDER TRADING? Chiefs defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham began his NFL career coaching the defensive line for the Baltimore Colts in 1982, serving in that capacity until 1984.
 
Cunningham crossed paths with Ravens QBs coach Rick Neuheisel, who played quarterback for the San Diego Chargers in 1987 while Cunningham was a defensive line coach there. Cunningham went on to work with the linebackers and serve as the assistant head coach for the Tennessee Titans from 2000-03 while Ravens QB Steve McNair, WR Derrick Mason and CB Samari Rolle were on the team.
 
 TO KNOW THE ENEMY ~ Mike Anderson, who played in the AFC West with the Denver Broncos for 6 years, has faced the Chiefs 9 times. In those games, Anderson averaged 4.7 yards per carry (115 rushes for 539 yards), with 11 runs of 10 or more yards. Anderson has also rushed for 27 1st downs, 5 TDs and has a long of 62 (for a TD) against Kansas City.
 
NEVER GOIN’ BACK TO MY OLD SCHOOL? Some old college buddies will be reacquainted this week in Kansas City. Chiefs T Jordan Black and Ravens S Gerome Sapp were teammates at Notre Dame from 1999-2002…Ravens DT Aubrayo Franklin and Chiefs P Dustin Colquitt played together at Tennessee from 2001-02…Chiefs LB Keyaron Fox, Ravens RB P.J. Daniels and S Dawan Landry were all members of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets from 2001-2003…Ravens RB Musa Smith and Chiefs LB Kendrell Bell played together at Georgia in 1999 and 2000…Chiefs C Rudy Niswanger and Ravens CB Ronnie Prude were 4-year teammates at LSU from 2002-05…Ravens WR Demetrius Williams (‘01-03), NT Haloti Ngata (‘03) and Chiefs WR Samie Parker (‘01-03) played at Oregon…Chiefs CB Patrick Surtain and Ravens OLB Adalius Thomas played together at Southern Mississippi from 1996-97… Chiefs DT Ryan Sims and Ravens G Jason Brown were teammates at UNC in 2001…Ravens T Adam Terry, Chiefs T Kevin Sampson and LB Rich Scanlon played 3 seasons at Syracuse (‘01-03)…Chiefs DE Jimmy Wilkerson played at Oklahoma with Ravens WR Mark Clayton, DE Dan Cody, and G/C Chris Chester from 2001-02.
 
THEY’VE GOT MAC’S BACK ~ The Ravens have only given up 16 sacks through 12 games (including none the past 2 weeks vs. Pittsburgh and at Cincinnati), and are on pace to shatter their all-time best single-season sacks allowed mark (35 in 2004). Currently, Baltimore is on track to finish the season with 21 sacks. Over the past 6 games, the Ravens have only given up 4 sacks, a mark that set a franchise record for least amount of sacks permitted over a 6-game span (the next best figures came in games 7-12 of the 1997 season and games 11-16 of 1998, when Baltimore permitted 9 sacks). Only the Redskins (15), Saints (14) and Colts (12) have given up fewer sacks than the Ravens.
 
HE AIN’T HEAVY…HE’S MY BROTHER ~ Last week to the chagrin of many we were “treated” to the broadcast team of Bryant Gumbel and Cris Collinsworth. This week little brother and his sidekick take over the microphone for CBS when Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf manage the booth.
 
HOW ABOUT THAT RAVENS DEFENSE? “I’ve been taking a close look at the Ravens’ defense, and it’s one of the best, both from a personnel standpoint and a strategic standpoint. There isn’t a more talented group of defenders in the NFL. The defense has everything. To make this unit complete, coordinator Rex Ryan is coming up with innovative, unpredictable game plans. If the Ravens don’t beat you physically, they can do it mentally. Ryan is a coach who should get some play as a head coach after this season.” ~ THE SPORTING NEWS’ DAN POMPEI
 
GIVE IT AWAY, GIVE IT AWAY, GIVE IT AWAY NOW ~ The Ravens lead the NFL with a +14 turnover ratio, a huge factor in the Ravens’ 9-3 start. In 6 of those victories, Baltimore produced a plus ratio, while it was negative in 2 of the 3 losses. The message from Brian Billick: “Don’t turn the ball over, and take it away with an aggressive, attacking defense.” The Ravens are 49-5 under Billick when they have a plus-turnover margin.
 
KICKIN’ BACK WITH C-MAC ~ After a tough loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, how do you expect the Ravens to maintain that focus?
 
“We’ll respond the way we always have, the way we did when we lost two in a row and then ran off five in a row. It’s a matter of coming out and executing against Kansas City.”
 
What are you listening to right now? Does music help you focus?
 
“Actually, I’ve got Al Green in my CD player right now. A little Marvin Gaye, too. That is timeless music.”
 
So, you like that 70s soul and R&B?
 
“Definitely, but it depends on what kind of mood I’m in. Right now, I’m pretty mellowed out, but on gameday, I won’t be listening to Marvin and Al. I can promise you that. Game day, I’m listening to a little bit of 2Pac or Scarface. That gets me going.”
 
If you could own your dream car, what would you get?
 
“Actually, it’s funny because I already owned my dream car, and then got rid of it. It just wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.”
 
What car was that?
 
“It was a black, ’06 Lamborghini. It was just a sports car, but a really fast one. It could really move.”
 
Why did you sell it?
 
“The bottom line is that you pay so much money for something that nice and that exclusive, but at the end of the day, it rides so rough that it’s not even worth owning. I liked it, but it wasn’t for me.”
 
Here’s to a rough ride for the Chiefs this Sunday!

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Posted On: 12/10/06
Written By:  
Tony Lombardi

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