The Ravens are aware how thin the line is between being a good team and a bad team in the NFL. After missing the playoffs the last two seasons and going 6-10 in 2005, they are careful not to be boastful following their season-opening win over the Buccaneers. They also realize they are just an injury or chemistry-issue away from being the Oakland Raiders, their opponents Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium.
The Raiders were shut out by the Chargers last week, while the Ravens were the ones shutting out Tampa Bay.
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“I don?t care what your background is or what you come from, [being shut out] is a hard thing to go through,” Ravens head coach Brian Billick said. “[The Raiders] will respond, just like every team that is on that side of the ledger.”
The Raiders, just one week into the season, are already in a state of emergency. Offensive weapons like receiver Randy Moss (4 catches, 47 yards), running back LaMont Jordan (10 rushes, 20 yards) and quarterback Aaron Brooks (6 of 14, 68 yards) failed to find the end zone, thanks to a wafer-thin offensive line. Defensively, the team was torched by San Diego?s potent running game in Art Shell?s debut game in his second tenure as Oakland?s head coach.
“We?ve got things that we?ve got to patch up,” Shell said in a conference call earlier this week. “We know we are playing a very good football team in the Ravens; the talent speaks for itself. Coming there, we know we?ve got to shore up things as far as pass protection is concerned, and we need to be able to stop the run.”
The Chargers sacked Brooks seven times in the loss.
“I am hoping that we will all rebound well,” Jordan said. “We weren?t playing physical. We didn?t play physical up front.”
One Raven familiar with the Raiders is defensive end Trevor Pryce, who spent nine seasons with the Broncos, the Raiders? AFC West foes.
“Oakland is an explosive team,” Pryce said. “You see the guys that they have. I?ve never played against a receiver as fast as Randy Moss.”
Ravens defensive backs like Samari Rolle, Chris McAlister and safety Ed Reed will likely be given the task of holding Moss in check.
“You try to sneak that 12th guy on the field and hope the officials don?t notice,” Billick said. “Sometimes, that seems like the only way to stop him.”
Billick was offensive coordinator for Moss? rookie season in Minnesota. It was the start of a career that has been equal parts controversial and fantastic. In nine years, Moss has 637 catches for 10,194 yards and 98 touchdowns.
Off the field, his confessions of smoking marijuana and his criticisms of his former and current teams have made headlines.
Both Rolle and McAlister have chosen their words about Moss carefully, with Rolle speaking little about the impact wideout.
“I think basically you have to stick to doing what you do best and play your technique and play your coverage,” McAlister said.
Raiders (0-1) at Ravens (1-0)
When: Sunday, 1 p.m.
Where: M&T Bank Stadium
TV: CBS Radio: 97.9 FM/1090 AM
