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By Tim Sullivan
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer
Coach Brian Billick confronted unfamiliar territory this week at Ravens headquarters in Owings Mills, Md.
For first time in six weeks, he had to greet a team that was coming off a loss.
"It was going to happen," Billick said. "But this is a good group of guys. I am excited about what I hope will be a very physically and mentally fresh group of guys that is going to come back. I am confident."
He needs to be. The Ravens (9-3), even with their two-game lead in the AFC North on the Bengals, face a tough trek these final four weeks.
And it starts Sunday with a difficult road test at Kansas City (7-5), a team that just got a little more desperate and may be just a little more hungry than Baltimore.
"Kansas City has great fans. I don't know whether it's the configuration of the building or what, but it is as loud an outdoor venue as there is in the National Football League," Billick said. "You have to understand, you're constantly telling the players, 'Boy, this is going to be loud; this is going to be hard' any time you go on the road. This time, it's as real as it gets."
The good news is that the Ravens have had two extra days to prepare for the uncomfortable Kansas City surroundings. Baltimore's 13-7 loss at Cincinnati was all the way back on Nov. 30.
So the Ravens could be ready. Or rusty.
"The players, you want to be very careful. We've talked about it many times before. You can spend too much time on an opponent," Billick said. "If you install that game plan too early, it can become stale. We'll get ourselves prepared and not put ourselves at risk of it becoming too long."
The extra time could prove to be a benefit, though, when preparing for Chiefs running back Larry Johnson. The potential MVP has 1,312 rushing yards and 15 total touchdowns.
"I'm very [impressed]. He's matured as a back," Billick said. "[He] is very, very physical. That's the best offensive line in football, clearly. I don't think I am alone in that assessment. That's a tough combination, and at home. They are impressive to watch, and their commitment to the run is substantially different than it has been."
Either way, it'll be a good test for the Ravens, who still have Super Bowl aspirations. The Chiefs are -3 on WagerWeb.com.
NO FLORIDA VACATION: Speaking of AFC teams headed to the playoffs that are coming off a loss, enter the Colts (10-2), who face the Jaguars (7-5) in Jacksonville on Sunday.
Indianapolis -- suddenly stuck in a rut, having lost two of three -- fell to Tennessee, 20-17, in Nashville last weekend.
"We understand it needs to be fixed and we're disappointed about it," Colts coach Tony Dungy said. "But it's not time to hit the panic button and go through a lot of different major changes. We just have to get back to doing what we do well and we'll be fine."
But this week's opponent is hardly the team the Colts need to see right about now. The Jaguars seemingly always fight the Colts tooth and nail, and are an impressive 5-1 at home. Indianapolis, by the way, is -1.5 on WagerWeb.com.
"No. 1, if we win this week, we win our division and stay up on everyone," Dungy said. "And as long as we continue to win, no one can pass us. We don't have to worry about someone else beating another team or this game or that game. We just have to worry about our four games."
And the bright spot for Indy fans is that the schedule softens some after this week. The Colts play the Bengals (7-5), Texans (4-8) and Dolphins (5-7) to close it out.
Then, of course, comes the hard part for the Colts: The playoffs.
EXTRA POINTS: For the third straight week, the action begins on a Thursday, as Cleveland (4-8) takes on Pittsburgh (5-7) at Heinz Field tonight on the NFL Network. The Steelers are -7 on WagerWeb.com. ... Good news for the Patriots this week. Miami will play host to New England on Sunday without leading rusher Ronnie Brown (hand). Sammy Morris will start in his place. New England will, most likely, win the AFC East regardless of Sunday's outcome, but surely Tom Brady and Co. want to finish strong. The Patriots are -3.5 on WagerWeb.com. ... Vikings RB Chester Taylor (ribs) is doubtful for this week's game at Detroit. Taylor has 1,098 rushing and 266 receiving yards. As a result, keep an eye on Ciatrick Fason, a second-year pro out of the University of Florida, in the Vikings' backfield. Fason led the SEC in rushing in 2004. The Lions are -1.5 on WagerWeb.com.
WagerWeb Football
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer
Coach Brian Billick confronted unfamiliar territory this week at Ravens headquarters in Owings Mills, Md.
For first time in six weeks, he had to greet a team that was coming off a loss.
"It was going to happen," Billick said. "But this is a good group of guys. I am excited about what I hope will be a very physically and mentally fresh group of guys that is going to come back. I am confident."
He needs to be. The Ravens (9-3), even with their two-game lead in the AFC North on the Bengals, face a tough trek these final four weeks.
And it starts Sunday with a difficult road test at Kansas City (7-5), a team that just got a little more desperate and may be just a little more hungry than Baltimore.
"Kansas City has great fans. I don't know whether it's the configuration of the building or what, but it is as loud an outdoor venue as there is in the National Football League," Billick said. "You have to understand, you're constantly telling the players, 'Boy, this is going to be loud; this is going to be hard' any time you go on the road. This time, it's as real as it gets."
The good news is that the Ravens have had two extra days to prepare for the uncomfortable Kansas City surroundings. Baltimore's 13-7 loss at Cincinnati was all the way back on Nov. 30.
So the Ravens could be ready. Or rusty.
"The players, you want to be very careful. We've talked about it many times before. You can spend too much time on an opponent," Billick said. "If you install that game plan too early, it can become stale. We'll get ourselves prepared and not put ourselves at risk of it becoming too long."
The extra time could prove to be a benefit, though, when preparing for Chiefs running back Larry Johnson. The potential MVP has 1,312 rushing yards and 15 total touchdowns.
"I'm very [impressed]. He's matured as a back," Billick said. "[He] is very, very physical. That's the best offensive line in football, clearly. I don't think I am alone in that assessment. That's a tough combination, and at home. They are impressive to watch, and their commitment to the run is substantially different than it has been."
Either way, it'll be a good test for the Ravens, who still have Super Bowl aspirations. The Chiefs are -3 on WagerWeb.com.
NO FLORIDA VACATION: Speaking of AFC teams headed to the playoffs that are coming off a loss, enter the Colts (10-2), who face the Jaguars (7-5) in Jacksonville on Sunday.
Indianapolis -- suddenly stuck in a rut, having lost two of three -- fell to Tennessee, 20-17, in Nashville last weekend.
"We understand it needs to be fixed and we're disappointed about it," Colts coach Tony Dungy said. "But it's not time to hit the panic button and go through a lot of different major changes. We just have to get back to doing what we do well and we'll be fine."
But this week's opponent is hardly the team the Colts need to see right about now. The Jaguars seemingly always fight the Colts tooth and nail, and are an impressive 5-1 at home. Indianapolis, by the way, is -1.5 on WagerWeb.com.
"No. 1, if we win this week, we win our division and stay up on everyone," Dungy said. "And as long as we continue to win, no one can pass us. We don't have to worry about someone else beating another team or this game or that game. We just have to worry about our four games."
And the bright spot for Indy fans is that the schedule softens some after this week. The Colts play the Bengals (7-5), Texans (4-8) and Dolphins (5-7) to close it out.
Then, of course, comes the hard part for the Colts: The playoffs.
EXTRA POINTS: For the third straight week, the action begins on a Thursday, as Cleveland (4-8) takes on Pittsburgh (5-7) at Heinz Field tonight on the NFL Network. The Steelers are -7 on WagerWeb.com. ... Good news for the Patriots this week. Miami will play host to New England on Sunday without leading rusher Ronnie Brown (hand). Sammy Morris will start in his place. New England will, most likely, win the AFC East regardless of Sunday's outcome, but surely Tom Brady and Co. want to finish strong. The Patriots are -3.5 on WagerWeb.com. ... Vikings RB Chester Taylor (ribs) is doubtful for this week's game at Detroit. Taylor has 1,098 rushing and 266 receiving yards. As a result, keep an eye on Ciatrick Fason, a second-year pro out of the University of Florida, in the Vikings' backfield. Fason led the SEC in rushing in 2004. The Lions are -1.5 on WagerWeb.com.
WagerWeb Football