If the Ravens hope to change their road luck in Sunday?s season opener at Tampa Bay, players would be wise to talk to Corey Ivy. The team?s cornerback and special teamer spent four seasons with the Buccaneers and was a member of their 2002 Super Bowl championship team.
According to Ivy, the Ravens have their work cut out for them in dealing with the 12th man at Raymond James Stadium.
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“It?s an extremely hostile environment ? cannons firings, flags waving, fans cheering,” Ivy said. “They really get behind their football team.”
Ravens players and coaches have been constantly reminded in the preseason about their struggles on the road. The team has not earned a road victory since 2004.
“Look, it?s not the media?s fault that we haven?t won on the road,” head coach Brian Billick said. “We own it. And until we win on the road, we?ll have to deal with all the questions.”
The Buccaneers have long featured one of the NFL?s toughest defenses, but Ivy said the team is not one-dimensional and that he looks forward to facing ex-teammates.
“It?s always going to be fun,” Ivy said. “I?ve got a lot of close friends down there. I played with those guys, and we won the championship together. I have the utmost respect for them. I know they?re a good team offensively, defensively and special teams, so we?re going to have put an A-game effort down there in a hostile environment.”
The Ravens begin the season with only two quarterbacks on the active roster, starter Steve McNair and Kyle Boller. Billick said the team has no plans to go outside of the organization to sign another quarterback and that he has never had a team have to ultimately rely on a third quarterback because of injuries in a game situation.
“If we go to that situation, we?ve got a couple of options,” Billick said. “[Receiver] Mark Clayton, for one. Obviously, it?s not what you hope to get to. A number of teams are beginning to do this type of thing.”
One position the Ravens appear solid in is running back, with Jamal Lewis, Mike Anderson and Musa Smith all looking strong in the preseason. Lewis, who sat out the last two preseason games, said he would be ready for the opener.
That?s a good thing since the Buccaneers boasted the top-ranked defense in the NFL last season. Until this point, no team has challenged the Ravens defensively like what they will likely face Sunday.
“They have some undersized linebackers,” Lewis said. “They run around and get to the ball.”
Smith, who shined in the preseason after recovering from a broken leg the last two seasons, said there are no pre-game jitters.
“It?s not nervous,” Smith said. “The real bullets start flying and you?re not playing a half of a game. This is a good feeling, playing football when it counts.”
