Sponsor




Home  >  Columns   >  Sneak Preview  >  SNEAK PREVIEW Ravens v. Rams

Columns

Sneak Preview - SNEAK PREVIEW: Ravens v. Rams

Posted On: 10/14/07
Written By:  
Tony Lombardi
SNEAK PREVIEW: Ravens v. Rams
THE NOTABLES AND THE QUOTABLES
 
“We don’t need to panic or make big changes. It’s some fine tuning that we need. We have to finish, and we haven’t done that all the time. The coaches showed us plays from the best red zone teams in the league, and we’re all running the same plays. We just haven’t executed the way we can. It’s little things, including me. We need to be more perfect. We’ll be okay. We’re close. I think touchdowns will come.” ~ Steve McNair
 
Baltimore is 15-5-1 at home against the NFC and has a 24-19-1 overall record... The Ravens are 11-6 vs. the NFC dating back to 2003 and are 7-1 in the last 8 games against the “other conference.”
 
“I’M HERE EVERY DAY. I SEE RAY’S INTERACTION WITH THE PLAYERS AT BREAKFAST AND AT LUNCH.WHEN I’M IN THE WEIGHT ROOM, I SEE HIM BRINGING IN TWO OR THREE YOUNG PLAYERS. HIS IMPACT WITH THE TEAM GOES FAR BEYOND HIS PERFORMANCE ON THE FIELD. IT’S VERY RARE THAT YOU HAVE A PLAYER WHO COMMANDS THAT MUCH RESPECT. HE’S EARNED IT, AND HE ENJOYS IMPARTING WISDOM TO THE YOUNGER GUYS. HE’S THE HEARTBEAT. EVERYTHING RUNS TROUGH RAY.” – GM OZZIE NEWSOME ON LB RAY LEWIS
 
Baltimore is 8-4 all-time vs. the NFC West. The Ravens are 2-0 (26-23 win vs. Arizona and 9-7 win at San Fran) against the NFC in 2007...The Ravens own a 1-2 record against the St. Louis Rams, including an 0-2 mark under head coach Brian Billick. Baltimore is looking to stop a 2-game skid vs. the Rams.
 
“When I walk away from this game, or they pull me away, I want receivers, cornerbacks and offensive coordinators to respect me as a player and a person. I want them to remember that football is a physical game, and that I played it that way. I want them to know that I played it that way from the time I entered the league until the time I left.”  ~ CHRIS MCALISTER ON WHEN HE LEAVES FOOTBALL 
 
SAFETY IN NUMBERS
 
34:44: Time of possession the Ravens are averaging through 5 games this season. That stands as the 2nd-highest average in the NFL, only behind Pittsburgh (35:12). New England is 3rd at 34:37.
 
66.6: Rushing yards the Ravens have yielded per game this season, ranking as the NFL’s 2nd fewest after Minnesota’s 62.0 ypg. Last Sunday, Baltimore held the 49ers to 49 rush yards. Dating back to ‘06, the Ravens have not permitted a team to gain 100 net rush yards in 8 straight games.
 
100: All-time franchise victories (including playoffs) the Ravens can reach this Sunday with a win over St. Louis.
 
PICK YOUR POISON?
 
What was it like playing in the XFL for the Chicago Enforcers? You led the league with 5 INTs in its lone season.
 
“It was fun. You got to travel to different states like you do in the NFL. It was just football outside of all the sideshows. That league opened a lot of people’s eyes that I could play in the NFL. It helped me get the shot and I’m trying to make the most of it so far.”
 
What was written on the back of your jersey?
 
“I had just Ivy. They wanted me to put ‘Poison Ivy,’ but I didn’t. I just wanted my name. If they had paid me, maybe I would’ve put ‘Poison Ivy.’”
 
As a cornerback, what is your favorite route to cover?
 
“Probably the ‘dig.’ You can really see the quarterback and the receiver in your peripheral vision at the same time. As a defensive back, you always want to get an interception. If you get a break on the quarterback, like I said, it’s probably one of the easier routes to intercept.”
 
And your least?
 
“Probably the ‘out’ because it’s such a timing route. You have to pretty much guess sometimes to break on it.”
 
Your teammates call you a pit bull. What teammate looks the most like some other kind of animal?
 
“Antwan Barnes. He’s a catfish because of his flat head.”
 
Who is the best dancer on the team?
 
“Gerome Sapp. We’ll take our wives and go out every once in a while, and he’s a dancer. He thinks he’s bilingual and all multicultural, so he thinks he can really dance La Bamba and Reggae and all that stuff.”
 
RAVENS/RAMS CONNECTIVITY
 
Ravens CB Corey Ivy spent the 2005 season in St. Louis, starting 5 games and posting a career-high 57 tackles. The defensive standout amassed 7 PD, 2 sacks, 1 INT, and 17 special teams tackles while appearing in all 16 regular season games for the Rams…Ravens OLB Gary Stills played 3 years with Rams QB Marc Bulger at West Virginia and 6 seasons with RS Dante Hall in Kansas City. Stills and Hall each earned Pro Bowl honors with the Chiefs in 2003 for their special teams achievements…Rams WR Drew Bennett played for the Titans for 6 years, catching passes from Ravens QB Steve McNair from 2001-05. Bennett lined up opposite current Ravens WR Derrick Mason from 2001-04. With Mason’s 96 receptions for 1,168 yards in 2004, the duo combined to catch 176 receptions for 2,415 yards that season...
 
Rams QB Gus Frerotte spent the 1999-2001 seasons with the Denver Broncos, playing alongside Ravens RB Mike Anderson and DT Trevor Pryce…Rams assistant head coach/LBs Rick Venturi is in his 26th year in the NFL. He got his start with the Baltimore Colts as the LBs coach in 1982…Ravens TE Quinn Sypniewski and Rams TE Joe Klopfenstein played together for 4 years at the University of Colorado. In 2005 the tandem combined for 62 receptions for 915 yards and 9 TDS, the best production from a Buffalo TE set in over 20 years…Rams RB Steven Jackson and Ravens DT Dwan Edwards played 3 years together at Oregon State. Both entered the 2005 NFL Draft and were selected in the 1st and 2nd rounds, respectively…Ravens RB Cory Ross and P Sam Koch played with Rams NT Adam Carriker and G Richie Incognito at Nebraska…Ravens RB Musa Smith and Rams TE Randy McMichael and MLB Will Witherspoon played together for 2 years at the University of Georgia.
 
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
 
The Ravens have been the NFL’s most dominant team at home since 2000 with a mark of 44-14. Here are several trends Baltimore has established when playing at M&T Bank Stadium since then:
 
When posting 3 or more sacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31-4
When registering 4 or more sacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19-1
When totaling at least 2 INTs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29-2
When holding opponent to 14 points or fewer . . . . . . . 30-3
When allowing 225 total net yards or fewer . . . . . . . . . 18-1
When allowing 70 net rush yards or fewer . . . . . . . . . . 22-2
When allowing 200 net passing yards or fewer . . . . . . .28-6
When scoring 26-plus points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26-1
When making at least 3 FGs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...21-2
When rushing for 100 or more net yards . . . . . . . . . . . 36-8
When posting an overall QB rating of 79.6 or better . .27-1
 
TALE OF THE TAPE
 
RAVENS
CATEGORY
RAMS
3-2
2007 Record
0-5
W2
Current Streak
L5
W 9-7 @ 49ers
Last game
L, 31-34 vs Ari
88
Points Scored
70
6
Touchdowns Scored
10
1
Rushing Touchdowns Scored
0
4
Passing Touchdowns Scored
5
2
Touchdowns on Returns
1
97
Points Against
137
10
Touchdowns Allowed
17
1
Rushing Touchdowns Allowed
8
8
Passing Touchdowns Allowed
7
1
TDs Allowed by Return
2
-2
Turnover Ratio
-4
31.3%
Red Zone TD Pct. For
28.6%
55.6%
Red Zone TD Pct. Against
61.1%
28.9
KOR Avg. For
23.9
24.0
KOR Avg. Against
22.1
15.5
PR Avg. For
15.1
7.1
PR Avg. Against
12.5
 

Post your comment

Your Name:
Your Email:
Your Comment:
There are no comments. be the first to post a comment.


«Go back to the previous page.
Posted On: 10/14/07
Written By:  
Tony Lombardi

Polls

Who will sign a long term deal/extension first?


Twitter

Check us out on Twitter
  • 5/23/12: @cacaw410 @masnroch I agree. Pinch hitting could have helped. Oh and their fundamental ineptness on the bases didn't help either. Next time!
  • 5/23/12: Somebody hit me up...at O's game and Flaherty can't hit his way out of a wet paper bag...is something wrong W/ Hardy?
  • 5/22/12: There's a Betemit Sandwich!

View all tweets & follow us!

Got Poker Face?

E-News

Sign up for Email Alerts and get the best deals and news in your inbox.



Copyright © 2012 24x7 Network, LLC, All Rights Reserved
Website Design by D3Corp Ocean City Maryland