The Baltimore Ravens managed to extend their winning streak over the Cleveland Browns to nine straight games Thursday night, when they recorded a 23-16 victory at the M&T Bank Stadium. The game ends a period that saw the Ravens play four games in just 17 days, and Head Coach John Harbaugh will likely be satisfied to have escaped the game with a victory, albeit a hard fought one, and allow his players some much needed time to rest.

The first quarter was fairly uneventful as neither team’s offense got themselves into rhythm, allowing defenses to dominate the game. Two notable plays came late in the quarter when a huge hit on Josh Cribbs on a punt return dislodged both his helmet and the ball, allowing the Ravens to dive on the ball and regain possession. Unfortunately for the home side however, their subsequent drive ended in quarterback Joe Flacco throwing an interception in the end zone by Craig Robertson.

Fortunately for fans of both sides, the game exploded into action in the second quarter. Flacco lead an excellent drive down the field, finding multiple receivers before linking up with Torrey Smith in the end zone for the opening score of the game. The score remained at 6-0 as holder Sam Koch could not take the ball cleanly on the extra point opportunity and the play collapsed.

Ravens kicker Justin Tucker added a 45-yard field goal later in the quarter before rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden took Cleveland on a 94-yard drive, which culminated in a 1-yard touchdown run by Trent Richardson.

If Flacco had been responsible for the Ravens first touchdown drive, then wide receiver Anquan Boldin was responsible for their second. Boldin was targeted successfully four times on the 89-yard drive, before Flacco ran into the end zone himself to re-establish Baltimore’s nine point lead.

Cleveland pulled back to within one score of Baltimore with a 51-yard field goal, but then gave momentum back to the Ravens at the end of the third quarter. Weeden threw an interception, which cornerback Cary Williams returned for a 61-yard touchdown, giving Baltimore a 23-10 lead heading into the final quarter.

The Browns cut the deficit to just seven points with two successful field goals, but the visiting fans were left wondering what could have been when wide receiver Greg Little was unable to connect with a Weeden pass in the end zone, as the ball seemed to slip through his outstretched hands.

An almost perfectly orchestrated drive from Weeden with just over a minute left on the clock came close to tying the game up and sending it to overtime, but clutch defensive moments from the likes of Ed Reed did enough to ensure Baltimore would emerge victorious with a score line of 23-16.

Cleveland put in a performance which belied their 0-4 record, and there were certainly positives for the Browns, even if it will be hard to take for their frustrated fans. Weeden looked calm and composed, and had his offensive line and receivers shown more consistency, then the game could quite easily have finished with a different result.

The Ravens will be pleased with the victory as they move to 3-1, especially with such a short turnover since their previous game against the New England Patriots. There are still concerns about both their pass rush and their pass defense. Whilst their secondary has not been diminished at all since last season, there is a general consensus that if Baltimore can improve their pass rush, the secondary will also improve as a result. Needless to say, the Ravens are praying for a swift return for 2011 Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs, especially given the destruction Haloti Ngata is causing amongst interior offensive linesmen.

Both teams will now have a lengthy break till their next games, allowing their injured players extra time to recover from their knocks. Cleveland will visit current Super Bowl champions the New York Giants, whilst the Ravens head west to play the Kansas City Chiefs, with both games on October 7.

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The Baltimore Ravens had a good, albeit frustrating, season in 2011. They recorded victories home and away against their arch-rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers, but also missed out on a trip to the Super Bowl after one dropped catch, and then failed to take the game to overtime because of a missed field goal. Such are the fine margins between success and failure in the NFL.

The losses of Jarret Johnson and Cory Redding have hurt the notorious Ravens’ defense, not to mention the potentially season-long injury to reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Terrell Suggs. The Ravens’ defense is nothing but resilient, however; players such as Paul Kruger and Pernell McPhee look ready to step up after an impressive last season. Second-round draft pick, Courtney Upshaw, also seems an even more inspired pick following the injury to Suggs just days after the draft.

With Ray Rice secured to a long term contract, one of Baltimore’s primary concerns was to find other backs to share the load with their premiere running back. Both third-round pick Bernard Pierce and undrafted rookie Bobby Rainey look to be favorites for this role. Pierce offers the Ravens a physical runner who can be used in third and short situations, while Rainey plays in a fashion very similar to Rice and has looked effective in the passing game also.

The departure of Ben Grubbs was also a blow to the Ravens, but they seemed to have found a ready-made replacement in second-round pick Kelechi Osemele. The rookie from Iowa State has performed well in preseason, whether it be at tackle or guard, and has a wealth of experience to learn from including Marshall Yanda, Bobbie Williams and Michael Oher.

Although preseason performances are not necessarily a true measurement of ability, early signs have been good for quarterback, Joe Flacco, and the new no-huddle offense. It remains to be seen whether this is due to the arrival of Jim Caldwell as the new quarterback’s coach, the increased maturity of Flacco, the improvements in the receiving corps, or a combination of all three.

Despite the Ravens offense being the focus of attention this preseason, the defense cannot be underestimated when it boasts the talents of Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Haloti Ngata and Lardarius Webb, all of whom will be eager to make up for the loss of Suggs and maintain Baltimore’s status as an elite defensive team.

With the offense looking to be in better shape than last season, there is no reason why Baltimore won’t be able to replicate their success from last season and once again make it to the AFC Championship game. However, whether or not they will have the firepower to beat the likes of the New England Patriots, who they could well meet again at that stage of the playoffs, remains to be seen.

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Reminiscent of the infamous ‘Wide Right’ miss by Scott Norwood in Super Bowl XXV, Billy Cundiff’s failed 32-yard field goal attempt against the New England Patriots broke the hearts of Ravens’ fans worldwide. In addition to being a missed opportunity for Baltimore, it raises widespread concerns over whether or not the current side can mount another genuine shot at Super Bowl glory.

With defensive talismans Ray Lewis and Ed Reed both winding down their illustrious careers, it remains to be seen whether they will be able to maintain their high level performances for another season. Although Lewis has already moved to reassure fans he will be back next season, and remains confident of being able to challenge for the Super Bowl once more, he is not the only issue Baltimore will have to contend with as they move into the offseason.

Primary amongst Baltimore’s concerns will be resolving questionmarks over both defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. Pagano has orchestrated another great season for the Ravens, helping them maintain their position as one of the best defenses in the league, ending the regular season ranked 3^rd in Total Defense, 3^rd in Sacks and 1^st in Forced Fumbles.

These kind of statistics are hard to ignore and Pagano has been linked with several of the vacant Head Coach positions around the league, and as such, ensuring his continued position at the Ravens must be a priority for Baltimore.

Questions of a different kind abound over the future of Cameron however, with the OC coming in for widespread criticism from both fans and pundits alike. Most prominent of these criticisms have been Cameron’s inability to get Ray Rice the touches he needs to be a dominant force in games, and his persistence to try and shoehorn Joe Flacco into a system which the quarterback is clearly not comfortable in.

Highlighting this problem has been the fact that some of Flacco’s best plays this season have come either in the no huddle offense or when he is escaping the pocket and giving his receivers more time to find space. Whether they stick with Cameron or decide to pursue an alternative, Baltimore need to make a decision quickly in order to ensure the least possible disruption come the preseason.

In terms of personnel on the playing field, the Ravens have key opportunities in the upcoming draft to address positions which are in need of an injection in both quality and depth. The first of these positions is the inside linebacker. Although Lewis has performed exceptionally given his age this season, he no longer has the pace to make himself a force in coverage, which means both he and Jameel McClain are focused on stopping the run, and leave the vaunted Ravens defense susceptible to the pass and feeling unbalanced.

Another receiver would also be top of the Ravens wish list, whether he is a tight end or a wide receiver. Rookie Torrey Smith has done well in his first sseason, but has yet to develop the ability to catch the ball consistently, whilst Ed Dickson showed signs of his potential early in the season, but like Smith, has a penchant for dropping passes which are relatively pressure free.

Anquan Boldin and Dennis Pitta have both acquitted themselves well this season, but the lack of reliable targets in his receiving core has led to Flacco recording his lowest completion rate since he entered the NFL, as well as his quarterback rating dropping to a similar level that he recorded in his rookie year.

Come the Ravens’ pick in the first round, inside linebacker Vontaze Burfict of Arizona State could be available, but would represent a high-risk reward scenario for Baltimore. None can doubt his talent, and he possess the speed that would make him an excellent tandem with both Lewis and McClain, but his form has been highly inconsistent this season and he has been known to give away unnecessary penalties when he lets his anger get the better of him.

These are flaws which can be corrected however, and there is arguably no better guy for him to learn from and have as a positive role model than Lewis. In terms of taking a receiver with their first round pick, the Ravens could do far worse than Mohamed Sanu of Rutgers who, whilst not quite possessing the top end speed of Smith, is a good route runner and has reliable hands.

An alternative to both of these could be Nick Perry of USC who is an outside linebacker with a great ability to rush the passer, making him the perfect option to line up opposite of Terrell Suggs and really torment opposition quarterbacks.

Whichever way Baltimore decides to go this offseason, fans can be left fairly assured that GM Ozzie Newsome has rarely led the Ravens astray in recent seasons and that between himself and Head Coach John Harbaugh, the Ravens will be in a good place come preseason and ready to give both Lewis and Reed probably their last shot at Super Bowl glory.

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Ray Lewis might have wished that he had waited another week before he returned from his toe injury, as the Baltimore Ravens (10-4) fell to a comprehensive 34-14 defeat to the San Diego Chargers (7-7).

The Ravens marched down the field confidently on their opening possession and looked certain to take the lead in the game. However, kicker Billy Cundiff, who is carrying an injury to his left thigh, was unable to convert the simple field goal, and gifted possession back to the Chargers. San Diego proved to be more clinical on their opening drive, with Mike Tolbert going over from the 1-yard line to end the Ravens streak of not allowing any kind of score on their oppositions opening drive.

Baltimore did manage to level the scores early in second quarter, quarterback Joe Flacco finding Ed Dickson with the 15-yard touchdown pass, and Cundiff was on target with the extra point. San Diego were exposing a Ravens secondary which, without Ladarius Webb on most plays, was allowing big yards to Phillip Rivers in the passing game, and retook their lead through a field goal initially, and then extended it with a rushing touchdown from Ryan Matthews as the game went into halftime.

The Chargers heaped even more misery onto the misfiring Ravens defense early in the third quarter, with Rivers finding Malcolm Floyd for a 28-yard touchdown, and moving San Diego into  a 17-point lead.  A Takeo Spikes interception then led to another rushing touchdown for Matthews, as they took the game beyond Baltimore, consigning the Ravens to their fourth loss of the season.

Rookie wide receiver Torrey Smith did grab a consolation touchdown for the Ravens in the fourth quarter, with a 36-yard touchdown, but it was too little too late for Baltimore who looked uncharacteristically poor in defense.

The Chargers will be thrilled with Rivers, who put in a masterful performance, throwing for 270 yards on just 17 completions, and although he only managed one touchdown, his accurate passing set up the rushing touchdowns of Matthews and Tolbert.

Baltimore Head Coach John Harbaugh will now be hoping that his brother Jim can do the Ravens a favor and beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, which would keep Baltimore at the top of the AFC North.

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The Baltimore Ravens (7-3) moved to top position in the AFC North with a well-earned 31-24 victory over divisional rivals the Cincinnati Bengals (6-4). The most noteworthy injury news prior to this game revolved around Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis.

A toe injury, which had ruled Lewis out of practice in the week running up to the game, brought to an end a streak of 57 consecutive games started for the 16-year Raven. The Bengals were not without injury concerns of their own, however, having ruled wide receiver A. J. Green inactive following a knee injury sustained a week ago during their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Both teams went three and out on their opening plays, perhaps inevitably, considering the inconsistencies of the Ravens offense recently and the fact, the Ravens are the only team in the N.F.L. to have not conceded points on the opening drive of the game. Despite having home field advantage, the Ravens were the first to give away points, running back Cedric Benson powering into the end zone.

Cincinnati’s lead was short lived, however, with quarterback Joe Flacco rolling right from the snap, and with plenty of time for his receivers to escape their coverage, found Anquan Boldin for a 35-yard touchdown pass.

Baltimore then added another touchdown, this time Ray Rice going over from the one-yard line after a couple of excellent catches from wide receiver Torrey Smith had allowed the Ravens to advance down the field.

The Bengals responded well after the half, answering a Ravens field goal with another rushing touchdown for Benson, reducing Baltimore’s lead to just three points. As in the first half, Ravens struck back quickly with rookie Jimmy Smith grabbing his first interception in the N.F.L.

Smith later fumbled the ball; fortunately for Ravens’ fans, the ball was recovered by Brendon Ayanbadejo, and set up Rice for the one-yard touchdown run. Things quickly went from bad to worse for Cincinnati with Ladarius Webb acrobatically picking off an Andy Dalton pass on the Bengals’ 38-yard line, and Flacco proceeded to throw a touchdown pass to Smith on the first play of Baltimore’s possession, lengthening their lead to 17 points.

Jimmy Smith could not continue to live up to the high standards he had set for himself with his first-ever interception in the N.F.L. as he let Bengals wide receiver Andre Caldwell get away from him and collect a 49-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter, the longest scoring play allowed by the Ravens all season.

Hopes of a Cincinnati comeback ignited when tight end Jermaine Gresham juggled the ball as he moved into the end zone, managing to take control of the ball just before he was pushed out of bounds. The Bengals had to settle for a field goal, bringing them to within seven points of Baltimore.

With less than a minute to play, and the Bengals in a first and goal situation, the Baltimore defense, shorn of its on-field leader Lewis, put in a titanic effort, forcing the Bengals to go four and out and secure victory for the home side.

The Ravens’ stuttering performance last week against the Seattle Seahawks was put to bed after this vital victory over the Bengals, although question marks will remain over the consistency of the Ravens, especially against lesser opposition.

Head Coach John Harbaugh will be pleased with a number of players performances, notably wide receiver Smith, who had 165 yards on just six receptions, including one for a touchdown, as well as tailback Rice, who helped his side with 104 yards on 20 carries.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) suffered a devastating loss to the Baltimore Ravens (6-2) during a 23-20 defeat to their bitter rivals at Heinz Field, as they gave up top spot in the AFC North.

Whilst the Ravens were still missing wide receiver Lee Evans, guard Ben Grubbs was able to return to duty, and they had no new major injury concerns, unlike the Steelers.  Pittsburgh did welcome back James Harrison after he recovered from his eye injury, but were without linebackers LaMarr Woodley and James Farrior for this crucial match.

Baltimore almost made the perfect start when Ray Rice found a hole on the Ravens first possession, and ran for a 76-yard touchdown, only for a flag to be thrown for holding by wide receiver Torrey Smith. The Ravens did take the lead soon after however, with the Steelers holding them out despite being on the one-yard line, and Baltimore had to make do with a field goal from Billy Cundiff.

Both teams proceeded to trade field goals and ended the second quarter with Baltimore leading 9-6. As predicted, both teams’ defenses seemed to be dominating the play, and limiting the opposition to field goals.

With the Steelers advancing down the field, and finding a couple of big gains through the air, it felt like only a matter of time before Ben Roethlisberger found someone for a touchdown pass, but then the veteran quarterback threw a ball straight at Terrel Suggs, and the linebacker picked up the interception.

The drive following Suggs’ interception was turned into a touchdown when Ike Turner was called for pass interference on Anquan Boldin, which brought the Ravens to the 10-yard line, and Rice had no trouble finding a hole and getting the touchdown, making it 16-6 to Baltimore.

Pittsburgh hit back in similar fashion however, going on an 80-yard drive, which culminated in Rashard Mendenhall going over for a one-yard touchdown, and cutting the Ravens lead to three points with most of the fourth quarter left to play.

Roethlisberger then put the Steelers into the lead for the first time on the night, passing on the run to Mike Wallace for a 35-yard touchdown pass, making the score 20-16 to Pittsburgh. The Ravens were not finished though, and went on a 92-yard drive, and Joe Flacco found Smith in the endzone for a 26-yard touchdown pass, securing the win for the visitors with just eight seconds left to play.

Head Coach Mike Tomlin will be disheartened with the loss, but can be content with the performance of Roethlisberger, as the quarterback continues from where he left off against the Patriots last week.

The Ravens, who have now recorded a sweep over the Steelers this year, will be encouraged by the return of Grubbs and the solidity that he brought to an offensive line which has been heavily criticised so far this season. Flacco’s proficiency on third down, and his contributions to the game-winning drive, will also have pleased Offensice Coordinator Cam Cameron, even if there are still large question marks over the quarterback.

The Steelers will head into Week 10 having to play AFC North surprise package the Cincinnati Bengals, and will need to maintain their focus after emotionally charged matches with rivals New England Patriots and the Ravens. The Ravens, meanwhile, will travel to Seattle to take on the Seahawks, and will be fairly confident of getting the win but will need to ensure they do not slip up in the same way they did two weeks ago against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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