Baltimore Ravens

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Billick Retained

2005-12-30T08:34:00.000-05:00

Brian Billick will return next year as coach of the Baltimore Ravens in what will be his eighth season. It was an underachieving season - similar to last years but the team and owners stand by their long term coach.

Answering questions regarding his future, Billick was obviously happy about his immediate future being secured but said his thoughts were on the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore's final opponents of the season.

It's been a tough season under Billick, matching the worst start in franchise history at 3-8 which virtually obliterated any hope of a Super Bowl appearance early on. Yet they have finished strongly, winning three out of four games which will bolster hopes for next season.

In a game that really means very little from a betting perspective - Baltimore are three point favorites on the spread at -3.

Big Win For Ravens

2005-11-21T10:53:00.000-05:00

The Baltimore Ravens finally ended their starvation diet in terms of touchdowns and broke their four games losing streak - they chose to do it against a tough team too, in the Pittsburgh Steelers. It came with a Stover overtime field goal, for a 16-13 victory

"We need a win around here. It's been a while since we've won, and it means a lot, man," Kyle Boller said Sunday.

Boller completed 21 of 36 passes for 163 yards. His three yard TD pass to Hymes in the second quarter put an end to 190 minutes of without TD score.

The Ravens made the most of a Steelers offense run by Tommy Maddox, who produced only one touchdown. The injured Ben Roethlisberger missed a third straight game since having knee surgery.

Boller Carries Weight Of Expectation

2005-11-17T11:03:00.000-05:00

Kyle Boller has been taking hits for the Ravens all season long - not just physical ones either. Sharpe made the point recently that Boller "plays just good enough to get him cut but the coach fired - which is a lose-lose situation."

Comments like that don't help the Ravens who are already worried that Boller may not hold up phsically for the whole season.

The Ravens are 2-7 and play the Steelers, 7-2, at M&T Bank Stadium, Boller will probably be heckled..as he is thought of as not being up to the task.

Coach Brian Billick admitted he is concerned about his quarterback's psyche.

"He's a tough kid," Billick said. "You can only hold so much of it (criticism) at arm's length. The press can get cranked up pretty good sometimes and quite frankly, you make it a little personal. 'Nothing personal, just business' is hard to understand sometimes for a 23-year-old."

Boller has been under pressure since day one. After drafting him in 2003, Billick named him the starter immediately rather than allowing him to learn from the sidelines. He has never had the luxury of rookie status. Now, years on, Boller still finds has to prove he is a worthy quarterback.

Boller had a rough return from injury on Sunday, in a 30-3 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, throwing three interceptions.

Ravens Need a Miracle.

2005-11-05T22:27:00.000-05:00

A lot of what has gone bad for the Ravens has to do with their last game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Last December, the Ravens gave up 24 points in the fourth quarter, to lose 27-26 - it has proved to be their most crippling defeat. The fallout has been bad - they have lost 8 of 12 games since then.

Now the Ravens have the chance to reverse their fortunes - against the team that hurt them so badly. They need to or their season will in effect be over.

Coach Brian Billick's 2-5 Ravens have virtually no shot at capturing the AFC North and have to win eight of their last nine games to earn a wild-card spot.

"We would have to get on a heck of a run," Billick said. "Until someone tells us that mathematically it isn't going to happen, that's the hook you have to hold onto. That's where you generate your enthusiasm. Why give up on that hope?"

"The way these guys played (against Pittsburgh)... tells me that they're holding onto that. It was painful (losing to Pittsburgh) but there was a sense of accomplishment to the degree they stepped up to the challenge."

Their schedule is working against them too. The Ravens' next four games are against winning teams: the AFC North-leading Bengals (6-2) twice, at the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3) and home against the Steelers (5-2). The Ravens haven't beaten a team with a winning record since the New York Jets last November, losing their last four meetings with teams above .500.

Baltimore Standing Still.

2005-11-01T22:46:00.000-05:00

When Baltimore Ravens gave up a touchdown in the first quarter, little did they know their game against the Bears was over. Baltimore held Chicago to a field goal the rest of the way, but the Ravens could manage only two field goals and 199 total net yards in a loss of 10-6 at the Bears' Soldier Field. Stover connected twice in the second quarter but the Ravens were forced to punt on all nine of their other possessions. Anthony Wright passed for 164 yards and there were no turnovers in the game, but Jamal Lewis was limited to 34 yards.

"Probably the most disappointing thing was our inability to run the ball," Ravens Brian Billick said. The Ravens are now 2-4 and have scored 10 points or fewer in three games this season all of which they lost. Their road form is also dipping as they have now lost six in a row.