Vonta Leach has only been in a Ravens uniform for one time in a Baltimore-Pittsburgh grudge match, but his impact certainly showed in the Ravens’ 35-7 victory Sunday.

Leach was one of the integral pieces for running back Ray Rice rushing for 107 yards and a touchdown, and the Ravens rushing for a game-high 170 yards against Pittsburgh, and he joined Glenn Clark on “The Reality Check” to talk about the win and his fellow backfield mate’s performance.

“You know Ray Rice obviously being a Pro-Bowl player even before I got here…he knows how the run the ball.”

While several of the Ravens this week are still reliving the win, Leach was all business and beating the Steelers seemed new to him with the lack of familiarity.

“It was good to go out there and get the jump on a divisional opponent,” Leach said. “You’re just glad to get the win on Sunday.”

But he feels like if he continues to have that familiarity with Rice and the rest of the offensive line, those wins are going to keep on coming.

“With McKinnie, Oher, Grubbs, Birk, Yanda, there are a lot of veterans up there,” Leach said. “Communication is key and we have a lot of stuff to communicate.”

“You always talk about plays in practice,” Leach continued. “Whether it’s on or off the practice field, we’re always talking.”

However, Leach had a little bit more to talk about the Ravens next opponent in the Tennessee Titans- a team he went up against twice a year when he was with the Houston Texans from 2006-2010. In a sense, he has been a good source for Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron on how to best attack their defense.

“I’ve been telling the guys about some of the players they have on this team, and what they like to do,” Leach said. “I’m kind of familiar with them.”

He knows them-and their aggressive defensive line-all too well.

“They always have it coming with their front four,” Leach noted. “They like to get out there [and they] would blitz their safeties and stuff like that.  We just have to be ready still to protect Flacco and give him some time to get the ball off.”

The biggest concern on Leach’s part? Feeling too good about the Pittsbugh win and taking the Tennessee Titans for granted.

“From the best team to the worst team, every team has a lot of good players so week in and week out, it’s going to be a battle.”

WNST thanks Vonta Leach for joining us! Be sure to tune in to WNST Sunday for your Nasty Purple Pre & Post-Game Show two hours before and after Sunday vs. the Titans! WNST-We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports!

Ravens coach John Harbaugh and similar coaches around the NFL sometimes institute a policy known as “The 24-hour rule.”

This particular practice essentially allows the team that amount of time to either celebrate or dwell on a win/loss that Sunday before moving on to next week.

24 hours. 1,440 minutes. 86,400 seconds.

And not one minute more.

But rules are meant to be broken right? And what more reason to do so when you annihilate your divisional rivals 35-7?

Ravens guard Marshal Yanda said that there was no better time than Monday to push the envelope.

“We’ve all been there,” Yanda told Glenn Clark on “The Reality Check” Monday after the Ravens 35-7 victory over the Steelers Sunday. “It’s a huge win. No doubt about it. Everybody was really excited.”

He could tell right off the bat in their film sessions from the lightheartedness and congratulations for guys like Jarret Johnson punishing WR Hines Ward, he knew that the excitement of Sunday couldn’t be contained to a day-long time frame.

“It was great to go over the film, and to watch guys flying around making plays. It’s always good when you get a win, especially against Pittsburgh which is our rivalry,” Yanda said.

Yanda said that win immediately popped up to his all-time favorite one in a Baltimore uniform.

“For me with my career with the Ravens, that Pittsburgh win was the big one as far as getting after them well,” Yanda told Clark.  “And to play that well for a week one game of the season, we couldn’t get off to a better start.”

Yanda was an essential part in the Ravens churning out 170 yards rushing against a stout Steelers defense, including 107 yards from RB Ray Rice.

That was the game-plan from the start, Yanda admitted.

“We planned on getting after them. But we didn’t think we were going to gash them that much. For Ray to get over 100 and for Ricky to get 60, that’s pretty good versus the Steelers. They usually don’t give up too many yards on the ground, and for us to do that, we’re excited.”

He along with the rest of a veteran offensive line-debuting the likes of tackle Bryant McKinnie and the return of center Matt Birk-also performed the difficult task of protecting quarterback Joe Flacco to its purest form.

Yanda said if there was anyone who deserved profiting off their hard work Sunday, it was Flacco.

“Joe has that quiet calmness to him. We all love Joe, and the man’s a competitor. He’s become quite the tough SOB,” Yanda said. “We love him back there. He’s a great quarterback, and it’s good  to put all that media stuff behind him and to get those people off his back.”

Yanda said he and his fellow offensive linemen were the epitome of what the Ravens had to do as a team.

Trust in each other.

“We knew that he had good players,” Yanda replied. “We all played well. Mike did well at right, and I felt comfortable playing inside. I think we’re going to do some good things this year, and we’re just going to build on it and keep working hard.

Left tackle Bryant McKinnie got a ton of praise thrown his way for his dominance of All-Pro LB James Harrison in run and pass-blocking situations, and the former tackle in Yanda said he knew McKinnie had in it him all along.

“We didn’t have to say anything to him,” Yanda said of acclimating him to Raven football.  “He knew. He’s a professional. He’s played nine years. He knows what he had to do.”

And Yanda was quick to point out that McKinnie admitted he’s not just there yet. That’s kind of scary if you’re looking at it from a defensive perspective.

“And he’s still working at it. I would definitely say that he’s taking the right steps and that’s he’s going in the right direction. He’s losing the weight, and he’s taking it day-by-day. We didn’t have to say anything to him. He’s a pro and he’s doing well.”

And even if McKinnie doesn’t get to be 100 percent, Yanda still thinks that this could not only be the best line he’s ever played with, but one of the best in the league.

“I would have to think about it, but for right now at the top of my mind, I would say yes. With McKinnie, Birk and Grubby and Mike, that’s a pretty good front five…that’s for sure.”

Clark asked Yanda where that symmetry and cohesion came from for a unit that had not played at all together across the starting five throughout the preseason and with guys in new positions.

Yanda included.

“We all work hard, and it was nice to get after Pittsburgh and just to play our butts off, especially after the lockout and with the fans not knowing what’s going on. To go out there and not miss a beat, that was a hell of a way to start.”

That’s where Yanda said John Harbaugh’s practices made all the difference in the world.

“We work really hard in practice. There are some guys who take practice at half speed trying to get ready for the game by taking it easy. We’re out there practicing hard, and that stuff pays off.”

Yanda’s hope is that they don’t tire out too quickly; instead he hopes a momentous win such as Sunday’s gets them going so fast they can’t stop.

“What’s next is we keep grinding and hopefully get off to a good start,” he said.  “Now we’re just going to keep practicing hard and try to stack wins”

“If you can get off to a fast start, you’re helping your chances as the weeks go on. We’ll just start game-planning for Tennessee, practice hard, and get ready for them.”

WNST thanks Marshal Yanda for joining “The Reality Check” with Glenn Clark! Follow me on Twitter @RyanChell87! WNST-We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports!

In honor of the seven turnovers forced by the Ravens defense in their week 1 match-up with the Steelers, here are my seven takeaways from the game:

Takeaway #1: So Much for the Offensive Line Concerns.

As the Ravens progressed through training camp and the preseason, there were plenty of reasons to be alarmed about the potential for disaster on the offensive line. Even as time wore on and the front office threw big bodies (and big names) at their holes, it still seemed predictable that an offensive line going into a week one showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers and their prolific rush and having 60% of it’s components manning positions that they hadn’t played at all in the preseason was poised to struggle. For the Ravens on Sunday, nothing could have been farther from the truth.

The offensive line leaned heavily on the Steelers all day and seemed to take the wind right out of their sails. They pounded the Steelers into submission in support of Ray Rice and the ground game, kept Flacco upright throughout the contest, and at times seemed to compel penalties simply based on the ease with which they were dominating the Steelers defense.

The expectation is that offensive line play (especially for a thrown together unit like this one) improves with chemistry and familiarity over the course of time. Based on yesterday’s “opening performance”, I can’t wait to see the encore.

Takeaway #2 – Plug and Play Secondary

The depth of the secondary certainly wasn’t one of the aspects of this team about which fans were nursing a great deal of concern. While the expectation that Jimmy Smith will become a star is there, most expect it to take some time. As injuries to Smith and Chris Carr proved yesterday, you can never have enough depth at corner, and the Ravens as a result of having it didn’t seem to miss the services of either very much. While a lot has been made of the titular starters in this hierarchy, their real strength is in their depth and numbers and the parity throughout the unit. There doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of falloff between corners #1-#4 at least.

Takeaway #3 – I Like Cam Under Fire Too

Fairly or not, offensive coordinator Cam Cameron is famously “under fire” to be more creative and aggressive this season. While creative and aggressive are tough concepts to quantify, successful is not. All anyone wants from Cameron and the offense are success and growth. Yesterday seemed to give evidence of both.

Cam is an interesting case study. His impact on the careers of both Drew Brees and Phillip Rivers is undeniable, but coincidentally or not, both flourished after getting out from under Cam’s guidance. Still he built the foundations for their success at least. Cameron’s failed stint at the helm of the Dolphins coupled with the recent youth movement in NFL coaching hires seem to make him unlikely to get serious consideration for a better job anytime soon. If the Ravens and Cameron can find a comfort zone moving forward, Cam could be the Tom Moore to Flacco’s Peyton Manning.

Takeaway #4 – Stars Make Plays

…And the Ravens have plenty of stars. On an afternoon where James Harrison looked sluggish and slow, Troy Polomalu looked absent, Casey Hampton looked to be on the brink of a heat stroke and Ben Roethlisberger looked overwhelmed, the Ravens’ stars simply looked like stars.

From Terrell Suggs 3 sacks and forced fumble, to Haloti Ngata who recovered that fumble then created and recovered another of his own, to Ray Lewis who picked a Ngata tip from the air for an interception, to Ed Reed who saw Lewis’ interception and raised him one for good measure…the Ravens stars were shining.

Even more encouraging than that, it seems that there are some budding stars on offense too, and Flacco and Ray Rice sure played the part on Sunday, while Anquan Boldin and Ed Dickson both flashed as well in their new spots in the pass catching hierarchy.

Takeaway #5 – Ngata is More Than Just a Star

Stars make plays, but superstars make those around them better. While superstardom in a defensive lineman is tough to quantify, there’s no denying that Ngata makes those around him better. The TV crew made mention of the accolades Suggs piles on Ngata and the attention that he attracts opening up opportunities for Suggs to become a bigger difference maker. We all remember Ray Lewis cries for protection seasons ago, needing to keep offensive lineman out of his way to better facilitate his impact.

Ngata’s presence in and of itself is impressive, his ability to take on bodies, get into the backfield and stuff runners cold makes him a force to be reckoned with. The fact that opposing defenses have to “cheat” and adjust simply to minimize that impact (you can only hope to contain him) allows Baltimore’s other stars to shine even brighter.

Takeaway #6 – Winning Was Fun…Here Come the Expectations

Maybe it was because of the opponent at hand and the recent history of the rivalry, or maybe it was because of the aforementioned offensive line concerns and the general turnover in personnel from last year to this with the Ravens, whatever the reason, it seems that fans have been guarded with their optimism leading into 2011. They won’t be anymore.

Many, myself included, prepared for this to be a difficult time for the Ravens and began conditioning themselves (prematurely) for a loss. That the Ravens won is impressive enough given their concerns; that they won in the fashion they did is all but unbelievable and certainly stokes expectations moving forward.

The nature of this rivalry has been that no game is ever out of reach, and usually one big play makes the difference. Couple that with over the top expectations and win or lose, and Ravens and Steelers games have been tough for fans of either side to enjoy as they play to their gut wrenching conclusions. Enjoyable, important, laughable games like Sunday’s are rare and have been in recent seasons where expectations have at times sapped enjoyment. Let’s ‘try not to let this euphoric aftermath ruin our potential for future enjoyment of this season and this rivalry.

Takeaway #7 – It Meant More to the Ravens

Maybe it was a Super Bowl hangover, maybe it was the hot sun and the black jerseys, maybe it was the lingering impact of a few, key off-season injuries (or paydays), or maybe it was simply the effect of the physical toll the Ravens were taking on them…whatever the cause, it became clear pretty early that these weren’t the Steelers we are used to seeing. When or why the Steelers checked out notwithstanding, this was an important win for the Ravens in a game that clearly meant more to them than it did to the Steelers.

The Ravens had a monkey to shake from their back, and they did it. In so doing they have, for the time being at least, secured the inside track to the divisional title and a home playoff game. History and their respective schedules suggest that both teams will be in the playoffs again at season’s end. If it makes the difference in where a potential 3^rd meeting between them is played, then the Ravens did what they needed to. Still, if they fail to do the same if and when the playoffs do come around or even fail to get there, it will have mattered not anyway. For now however, it’s a great start to the season while dealing a tough blow to a divisional rival at the same time, and an excuse to stop thinking about Roethlisberger and the Steelers and the shadow they were casting over this team…. at least until Week 9.

The 2011 season opener could not have gone any better for the Baltimore Ravens.

Not only did they get a divisional win-they earned it against the hated Pittsburgh Steelers. They kicked the living crap out of the defending AFC Champions, 35-7, and left the Steelers leaving Baltimore with their tails firmly entrenched between their legs.

The win may feel like a Super Bowl victory to Raven nation, and while it certainly puts the momentum in the AFC North in the Ravens’ corner for now, no win in the NFL is perfect. Every coach-especially John Harbaugh-will tell you that.

But boy, did it feel like it.

Quarterback-”B”-Joe Flacco finished Sunday’s contest 17-29 for 224 yards and three touchdowns-one to Ray Rice,  Anquan Boldin, and Ed Dickson respectively. Flacco’s 27-yard pass to Boldin on the Ravens’ first drive of the game-the third play-could not have been in a better position over the outstretched arms of Steelers CB Bryant McFadden, and his 18-yard pass to Dickson after the Steelers’ third turnover at the start of the third quarter essentially was the nail in the coffin for Pittsburgh.

However, Flacco wasn’t perfect. He had several balls thrown at Lee Evans that were nowhere near the receiver and sailed out of his reach. And for a quarterback who wasn’t sacked-let alone touched-till the start of the fourth quarter, Flacco often dumped the ball on the check down way too quickly when he could have waited for a play downfield to develop.

But no turnovers on Flacco’s part combined with three touchdown passes and getting the monkey off his back? Okay in my book.

Running Back-”A”-The only reason why this isn’t a perfect A+ is because the Ravens interior running game still had its issues running up the middle against the Steelers. But that’s expected-especially against the likes of NT Casey Hampton. But what wasn’t expected was Ray Rice having this kind of success against a stout Steelers front seven. Rice became the first running back since-well, himself-to rush for 100 yards against Pittsburgh, and he did so with all the help in the world from FB Vonta Leach, T Bryant McKinnie, and guard Ben Grubbs.

And it didn’t take long. Rice made his impact from the start on the first play of the game, rushing for 36 yards behind Leach and McKinnie. He finished with 149 total yards of offense and two scores. Leach made his presence known in his first regular season game as a Raven, delivering punishing blocks on the opposing linebackers. Ricky Williams had a quiet but impressive 63 carries on 12 touches in his Raven debut, showing that he still has gas left in the tank.

Wide Receiver/Tight End-”B-”-Anquan Boldin was the only wide receiver to catch a pass  and finished with 74 yards on four catches and the opening touchdown. Ed Dickson had a spectacular debut in his first game as a starter in 2011, catching five balls for 59 yards and a score. He had a 34-yard grab negated by a hold on Bryant McKinnie, but it looks as if Dickson and Pitta’s job Sunday could easily put the nightmare of not having Todd Heap anymore to rest. Lee Evans played decoy all game long, but they need him and second-rounder Torrey Smith to produce something should opposing defenses key on Boldin and Dickson.

Offensive Line-”A”-The same reasoning behind the almost-perfect score for the running backs-the offensive line was outstanding Sunday, but some penalties and not having the best day running up the middle prevent them from the 100% grade. But Flacco stayed completely upright till the fourth quarter and they gave the fourth-year man all day to throw. Birk, Grubbs, and McKinnie were all called for holding in the game, and those mental mistakes can be disastrous sometimes.

Defensive Line-”A+”-The Ravens sacked Ben Roethlisberger four times-three of them coming from Terrell Suggs. Suggs also forced two fumbles. The Ravens have made it clear that they intend to have Suggs rush the passer first and foremost now as opposed to sending him out in coverage. It doesn’t make use of his skills if they don’t. Suggs said of Big Ben after the game, “God can have his soul, but his ass is mine.”

Haloti Ngata continued his case toward earning a long-term deal from owner Steve Bisciotti by forcing a fumble of Rashard Mendenhall as well as batting a ball up in the air that linebacker Ray Lewis came down with for one of the Ravens three interceptions.

Linebackers-”B+”-Ray Lewis of course leads this unit, and he finished with seven tackles, a forced fumble, and an interception. Other than Jarret Johnson’s half sack and his batted ball that led to an INT, this unit was pretty quiet on the day depending upon if you count Suggs as DE or a LB. With the Steelers trailing big, Roethlisberger found guys like Mike Wallace and Hines Ward in the holes left by the linebackers, so their coverage skills may have to improve week-by-week.

Secondary-”A-”-Ed Reed-on his birthday-had two interceptions and could have very well had a third. Not only was Reed’s ball-hawking skills on full display, he appeared to be flying toward the ball-carrier and making solid tackles. Reed for the last several years has battled neck and shoulder injuries, and it appeared like Sunday, he was healthy for the first time in a long while. Lardarius Webb led the team in tackles with 11, and Cary Williams also had a solid game starting at corner back.

Special Teams-”A”-K Billy Cundiff was 2-for-2 in field goals with his longest coming from 30 yards out. Four of his seven kickoffs went in the end zone for a touchback. Sam Koch had five punts averaging 41 yards. And you have to give the special teams credit when they score a 2-point conversion…especially from the punter!

Agree with my grading? Disagree? Call into “The Reality Check” 2-6PM EST with Glenn Clark, tweet me @WNST or @Ryan Chell87, or comment below! Would love to hear from you! WNST-We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports!

Week 1 of the 2011 NFL schedule features a pair of teams that have waged one of the fiercest rivalries in the NFL over the past decade, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens.

Sunday’s 1 pm (CBS) game in M&T Bank Stadium may prove to be everything the NFL Kickoff opener was not Thursday night — a healthy dose of strong defense.

In our second edition of “From the notes …” for Week 1, we look inside the weekly PR game notes produced by the Steelers and Ravens PR departments and the NFL Communications office via the Elias Sports Bureau.

Pittsburgh won the AFC North last season with a 12-4 record. The Steelers were the AFC Champions, and the club advanced to Super Bowl XLV, where they lost to the Green Bay Packers:

SUDDEN START: Due to the labor impasse the 2011 offseason was all but lost, leaving just over a week for teams to sign undrafted rookies, free agents and their own draft picks that they selected back in late April.

For the Steelers the main focus was on resigning their own players to keep a nucleus in tact that had reaped tremendous success over the past few years.

Pittsburgh’s appearance last year in Super Bowl XLV marked the franchise’s third trip to the title game since 2005. The Steelers bring back 20 players that started in that Super Bowl.

Pittsburgh will also return 18 players that started at least 11 games last season, including 15 players that started 14 or more games.

Key players that the Steelers resigned in the offseason included CB Ike Taylor, LB LaMarr Woodley, OT Willie Colon, OT Jonathan Scott, K Shaun Suisham and NT Chris Hoke. Pittsburgh also signed LB Lawrence Timmons to a five-year contract extension.

Continue Reading

The rules are simple, but I’ll be vague. Below is a prop card of my own design based on the professional football contest taking place in Baltimore at 1:00 on Sunday between the team from Baltimore and the team from Pittsburgh.

Submit your numbered answers to the questions below in the comments section and provide a valid email address when signing in. The highest scoring card will win $15.70 in cold hard cash.

(entries must be in by noon on Sunday 9/11 to count)

#1 – Who wins the game? (Baltimore or Pittsburgh) – 1 pt.

#2 – Total number of sacks, both teams combined. (over or under 9.5) – 1 pt.

#3 – Total number of interceptions, both teams combined (over or under 3.5) – 1 pt.

#4 – Biggest lead for either team (over or under 10.5) – 1 pt.

#5 – Who wins the coin toss? (Baltimore or Pittsburgh) – 1 pt.

#6 – Total number of penalty yards, both teams combined (over or under 139.5) – 1 pt.

#7 – Joe Flacco passing yards (over or under 240.5) – 1 pt.

#8 – Ray Rice rushing yards (over or under 65.5) – 1 pt.

#9 – Ray Lewis tackes (over or under 8.5) – 1 pt.

#10 – Which player scores the first TD? – 5 pts.

#11 (tie breaker) – Total combined score (closest to)

RAVENS ANNOUNCE SEPT. 11^th PLANS

TO REMEMBER AND SALUTE RESILIENT SPIRIT OF AMERICA

Players and fans of the Baltimore Ravens will take time to remember the courage and resilience that followed the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, with special in-stadium, on-field and television tributes during their season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday (9/11).

The first Sunday of the NFL regular season falls on the 10^th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001.

All NFL games and broadcasts on Sunday will recognize those who lost their lives, honor the families who lost loved ones, and salute the American spirit, the early responders on 9/11 and other heroes that contributed to the nation’s recovery. The NFL will unite fans by synching the pre-game salutes during the Sunday afternoon CBS and FOX telecasts, followed by a special Sunday night presentation from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. on NBC.  The special pre-game events that will be televised nationally also will be shown on video boards in each of the stadiums hosting games that day.

The Ravens vs. Steelers pre-game ceremony will include a special video introduction, followed by a performance of “Taps” via a live feed from Shanksville, Pa., site of the Flight 93 National Memorial. Ravens players, coaches and 150 volunteers will come together to hold a field-length American flag for a moment of remembrance and silence before the playing of the National Anthem.

The group of 150 will be comprised of military from Ft. Meade, the Pentagon, the Army National Guard, the Wounded Warrior Project and first responders (police and fire/rescue) from more than 75 cities across the state of Maryland.

Ravens players, coaches and sideline personnel will wear a special NFL 9/11 ribbon as a patch or pin on their uniforms and sideline apparel. The ribbon logo will also be featured on the field at M&T Bank Stadium. In addition, all fans entering M&T Bank Stadium this Sunday will receive a personal American flag.

It was announced last Tuesday (8/30) that the NFL and the NFL Players Association will contribute $1 million to three memorials and two charities related to the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

The NFL and NFLPA will contribute $500,000 to the 9/11 Museum & Memorial in Lower Manhattan and $250,000 to be divided between the Flight 93 National Memorial and the Pentagon Memorial Fund.

An additional $250,000 is expected from the sale of auction items from games played on this Sunday.  These items, which fans can bid on at www.NFL.com/Auction, will include game-worn autographed player jerseys, coaches and player hats, and commemorative game coins used during those games.

NFL Auction proceeds will be divided equally between Tuesday’s Children and MyGoodDeed. Tuesday’s Children is a leading organization providing support and services to those who lost a loved one on 9/11, as well as to rescue and recovery workers who responded to the events.  As the principal organizer of the Sept. 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, MyGoodDeed is providing a positive, forward-looking way for Americans to honor and remember 9/11 victims, survivors and first-responders.

This marks the second time Sept. 11 has fallen on the first Sunday of the NFL season since 2001. The fourth anniversary of Sept. 11 in 2005 was also on a Sunday.

-Via a team release

RAVENS ANNOUNCE SEPT. 11^th PLANS

TO REMEMBER AND SALUTE RESILIENT SPIRIT OF AMERICA

Players and fans of the Baltimore Ravens will take time to remember the courage and resilience that followed the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, with special in-stadium, on-field and television tributes during their season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday (9/11).

The first Sunday of the NFL regular season falls on the 10^th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001.

All NFL games and broadcasts on Sunday will recognize those who lost their lives, honor the families who lost loved ones, and salute the American spirit, the early responders on 9/11 and other heroes that contributed to the nation’s recovery. The NFL will unite fans by synching the pre-game salutes during the Sunday afternoon CBS and FOX telecasts, followed by a special Sunday night presentation from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. on NBC.  The special pre-game events that will be televised nationally also will be shown on video boards in each of the stadiums hosting games that day.

The Ravens vs. Steelers pre-game ceremony will include a special video introduction, followed by a performance of “Taps” via a live feed from Shanksville, Pa., site of the Flight 93 National Memorial. Ravens players, coaches and 150 volunteers will come together to hold a field-length American flag for a moment of remembrance and silence before the playing of the National Anthem.

The group of 150 will be comprised of military from Ft. Meade, the Pentagon, the Army National Guard, the Wounded Warrior Project and first responders (police and fire/rescue) from more than 75 cities across the state of Maryland.

Ravens players, coaches and sideline personnel will wear a special NFL 9/11 ribbon as a patch or pin on their uniforms and sideline apparel. The ribbon logo will also be featured on the field at M&T Bank Stadium. In addition, all fans entering M&T Bank Stadium this Sunday will receive a personal American flag.

It was announced last Tuesday (8/30) that the NFL and the NFL Players Association will contribute $1 million to three memorials and two charities related to the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

The NFL and NFLPA will contribute $500,000 to the 9/11 Museum & Memorial in Lower Manhattan and $250,000 to be divided between the Flight 93 National Memorial and the Pentagon Memorial Fund.

An additional $250,000 is expected from the sale of auction items from games played on this Sunday.  These items, which fans can bid on at www.NFL.com/Auction, will include game-worn autographed player jerseys, coaches and player hats, and commemorative game coins used during those games.

NFL Auction proceeds will be divided equally between Tuesday’s Children and MyGoodDeed. Tuesday’s Children is a leading organization providing support and services to those who lost a loved one on 9/11, as well as to rescue and recovery workers who responded to the events.  As the principal organizer of the Sept. 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, MyGoodDeed is providing a positive, forward-looking way for Americans to honor and remember 9/11 victims, survivors and first-responders.

This marks the second time Sept. 11 has fallen on the first Sunday of the NFL season since 2001. The fourth anniversary of Sept. 11 in 2005 was also on a Sunday.

-Via a team release

Honorable Mentions: Thanksgiving Day Football and the HarghBowl, Renewing Old Titans Rivalry, Dawan Landry and the Jags on Monday Night (week 6), Derrick Mason returns to Baltimore with Jets (week 4), Todd Heap returns to Baltimore with Cardinals (week 8), Matt Stover’s Ring of Honor Induction vs. CIN (week 11), Chance to Exorcise last season’s demons vs. PIT (week 1) 

Reason #10 – The Orioles are 47-74

How do you spell relief as a Baltimore sports fan? R-A-V-E-N-S. After another trying baseball season the Ravens loom as a harbinger of the return of credibility to the Baltimore sports scene. With expectations however, often come inordinate expectations. Our collective sports passion has been suppressed since January 15^th and teased with the lockout pretty much ever since, as football returns let’s be determined to enjoy it. Anything can happen and often does in the NFL, and what happens in September, October and November to playoff teams rarely bears much relevance once the playoffs actually begin. When they do the Ravens will be there. Read on, you’ll see…

Reason #9 – New Faces Less Predictability

Even more than their inability or unwillingness to audible last season (a frequent complaint of fans) the Ravens seemed to leave little mystery about their pre-snap efforts, seemingly giving opponents a leg up through their straight forward play calling and dressing. While guys like Heap and Mason were reliable targets who Flacco seemed to have an instinctive idea as to where they would be at any given time, defenses also may have benefited from the predictability of the offense as a result. With new personnel groupings come new strengths, weaknesses and tendencies. Opposing teams as a result should be more challenged to figure the Ravens out pre-snap.

Reason #8 – Luck Follows Speed

This was one of my Dad’s favorite sayings and one I have come to accept in sports. What the Ravens gave up in comfort and experience in the receiving corps, they’ll try to make up for in increased speed and athleticism. As members of the wide receiving and tight end units struggle to command playing time and opportunities, renewed hunger should be a factor too.

Reason #7 – Rushing Improvements

Maybe it doesn’t fit the modern NFL protocol for team building but the improvements that the Ravens have seemingly made to their ground attack can’t hurt, especially for a team that struggled as mightily as the Ravens did with grinding out second half leads. Marshall Yanda is back and will ideally play guard, Ray Rice is running for a payday, Ricky Williams seems to be an improvement as a goal line back, Vonta Leach is a star maker (Steve Slaton / Arian Foster). As teams gear up more and more to stop the league’s prolific passing attacks, the Ravens ground game could be tough to deal with and should open up their aerial options too.

Reason #6 – The Rookie Talent Infusion

The Ravens have gone high risk / high reward in the last couple of drafts. In 2010 they suffered the risk, if 2011 brings forth the rewards they’ll be in interesting shape. Sergio Kindle was a steal (talent wise) in the minds of many, who fell to the Ravens because of “character concerns”, having suffered the byproducts of some of those concerns and missing all of last year, Kindle returns hopefully matured as a result of some tough lessons and realizations and ready to make the most of his second chance.

Jimmy Smith slid to the Ravens late in the first round of this year’s draft, again mostly due to “character concerns” If he proves himself to be top 15 talent without the other baggage the Ravens will be looking at a pair of potential impact rookies on the defensive side of the ball. Smith doesn’t need to be the proverbial island in the Ravens system, but if he eventually evolves to that, no one will complain. As a rookie that seems too high a bar to set or to predict, but what he should bring to the table will be exciting enough.

Torrey Smith was a name that some fans were tabbing for the Ravens first pick. His is a great story, and one that unfolded in our backyard. Tandon Doss is Flacco’s first endeavor into scouting, making him successful should be amongst the QB’s top priorities. Jah Reid may be called on to start at right tackle from day one. Anthony Allen and Tyrod Taylor are also interesting pieces to be developed and stored for future use.

Reason #5 – Storybook Ending

The ends of the Ray Lewis and Ed Reed eras in Baltimore have been eminent in the minds of fans for some time now. As age and injury begin to take their tolls on these warriors, it appears they too may be beginning to see it. Hopefully they’ll have the option of riding off into the sunset, together, on the crest of a Lombardi Trophy…or three.

Reason #4 – I like Cam Under Fire Too

So said Owner Steve Bisciotti as he wrapped up last season offering fans an echo of their own sentiments and answer to their question and an explanation for his decision to keep offensive coordinator Cam Cameron under the Ravens employ in one fell swoop. Let’s face it, there are few if any between DC and Philadelphia (and probably further) at present at a credible enough level of understanding to even discuss offense with Cameron much less question his strategies…including John Harbaugh. That seems to put Harbaugh in a uniquely safe position (unfairly I’m sure) seen as a manager of men but not a game planner. Given his special teams background, Harbaugh seems perceived as neither a master of offense nor defense, leaving his coordinators open to a greater level of criticism (or credit) than they probably deserve. Harbaugh has seemingly done little to dispel this notion so far.

As the screws tighten around Cameron, hopefully he’ll take it as a license to open things up a bit. If he starts unleashing the types of game plans that torch opposing defenses, we’ll all like Cam under fire.

Reason #3 – Pagano’s Defense

Although fans didn’t get their wish with Cameron, to some degree their hopes for defensive coordinator Greg Mattison were realized as he took a position at the University of Michigan. New defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano looks to return the fire to the defense that has been Baltimore’s trademark since the turn of the century. Baltimore’s legacy at defensive coordinator might be their proudest legacy (or simply a Ray Lewis trophy case of sorts) and didn’t begin with Rex Ryan. Hopefully it won’t have ended with Ryan either as Pagano looks to relight that torch.

Reason #2 – Flacco’s Show

The Ravens are looking for Joe Flacco to make strides in a number of areas. In addition to statistical improvements, it’s time for Flacco to take full ownership of the offense. As we look around the offensive side of the ball only Ben Grubbs (by 1 yr) has a tenure with the team that predates Flacco’s. For better or for worse, the offense is now Joe’s show both on and off the field. Let’s face it; the good old days on offense were never very good anyway.

Reason #1 – The Schedule

I’ll continue to declare it until history proves otherwise…the Ravens have the softest schedule this year that I can ever remember. Within the parameters of the NFL formula, it’s tough to imagine they could’ve written it any better for themselves. Fortunes change from year to year in the NFL, but because of the lockout this one should be different. Teams carrying continuity (especially the good kind) from last year to this are at an advantage. Bad teams have had little time to improve, new regimes have had no time to implement schemes and systems and young and developmental players from rookies on up all lost valuable time that could have been devoted to learning their crafts.

Even if none of that proves to be true, the NFC West has been less than mediocre for at least 3 years running and don’t look to be getting their acts together anytime soon. Games at St. Louis and Seattle and at home against Arizona and San Francisco (who’ll travel coast-to-coast on a short week) should all be seen as likely wins. Road games against Tennessee and Jacksonville should be seen as winnable. Of course there are the Browns (with a new head coach) and Bengals (whole new offense) for four games too.

Aside from a trip to San Diego and the obligatory trip to Pittsburgh, all of the Ravens “tough” games (PIT, NYJ, HOU, IND) are at home too. If they don’t get double digit wins from that schedule then they shouldn’t be in the playoffs anyway. Trust me they will…but so will the Steelers.

There seems but one safe bet when it comes to NFL football, and that is that there are no safe bets when it comes to NFL football. Every year though, we as fans tend to forget that anything can and usually does happen, that teams summarily written off before the season starts routinely find themselves in contention, and that teams who we expect to contend often come up short.

As Ravens fans find themselves up in arms at the team’s lack of big splash movements in free agency and point to several apparent weaknesses that the team will have to deal with in 2011, it’s also fair to remember that at this time last year fans were touting the projected strength of the newly stocked receiving corps, and the offensive line as the team’s greatest assets, and expectations were that Ray Rice would have a top 5 fantasy season to follow up his efforts in 2009. Additionally fans were concerned (and rightly so) about the defensive backfield, about Terrell Suggs ability or desire to pressure the QB, and about whether Ed Reed would ever return to the playmaking form that had defined his NFL career. Hindsight tells us that we were dead wrong on all of the aforementioned accounts.

The Ravens are counting, it would seem, on lots of guys to step up this year and play bigger roles. If the Ravens are to make a big improvement from last year to this, it appears that it won’t be on the back of big splash acquisitions. Instead, they’ll need bigger contributions from returning contributors like Joe Flacco and Ray Rice, coaches will be called on to up their games too (John Harbaugh and Cam Cameron), minimal contributor from previous seasons like Paul Kruger, Dennis Pitta, Ed Dickson and Terrence Cody will need to expand their respective roles and values to the team in 2011, and newcomers to the mix like Jimmy and Torrey Smith, Jah Reid and Sergio Kindle will serve as the team’s greatest potential influx of talent.

All of that said, the Ravens might not have been able to pick a better season in which to endorse that philosophy than this one upcoming. Without off-season work, as a result of the lockout, it seems an easy conclusion that teams maintaining the greatest levels of continuity from last year to this will be at an inherent competitive advantage. Teams that are building on successful seasons from last year while maintaining that continuity would seem further set up for success, but all of that aside, the schedule more than anything seems to make it a likely assumption that the Ravens will be playing post-season football for a 4^th straight season when the ball drops on the 2011 campaign.

As schedules go, the Ravens couldn’t have drawn one up for themselves much more favorable than the 2011 campaign projects to be. One thing that has been consistent throughout the Harbaugh era in Baltimore is that the Ravens have generally beaten the teams they’re supposed to, and likewise have generally lost to the teams that look more challenging on paper. That said, as the Bengals and Browns look to rebuild on the fly, the Ravens should be counting their opportunities against those two as four likely wins. Likewise, their opportunity to take advantage of a less than stellar NFC West could and should set the stage for 4 more wins. Three more wins against the AFC South and the Ravens could be sitting at 11 wins on the year with games against Pittsburgh (2), San Diego and the Jets. While none of those are foregone conclusions by any stretch of the imagination, the Ravens likelihood for the playoffs might all but be.

That said, the division’s other powerhouse (Pittsburgh) seems to be looking at a similar convergence of circumstances making them likely for the playoffs as well. If indeed both teams are able to (mostly) hold form through the 12 games they share in common, then the 2 uncommon opponents and the teams’ two head-to-head match-ups will likely determine where a 3^rd meeting between the 2 in the last 4 playoffs would take place.

When they lock horns on September 11^th, it seems a safe conclusion that the game will be of more importance to the Ravens than to the Steelers. It’s the Ravens who will be looking to exorcise the demons of January 15, 2011 and the blown 21-7 lead on the Heinz field turf. It’ll be the Ravens much more than the Steelers in need of a confidence boost and a solid start to the season. Both teams will be in the playoffs when the dust settles regardless of the outcome of that game (mark it down) and if this season ends for the Ravens at the hands of their rivals again, for the 3^rd time in 4 seasons, it will all have been for naught in the first place. But a win for either team will certainly go a long way toward determining where such a game would be played.