Leach signs three-year, $11 million deal with Ravens

HOUSTON -- All-Pro fullback Vonta Leach signed a three-year, $11 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

The Houston Texans were hoping to re-sign the 6-foot, 255-pound Leach, who was the lead blocker for Arian Foster, the NFL's leading rusher in 2010.

But the Ravens needed an escort for running back Ray Rice, especially since Baltimore expects to lose unrestricted free agent Le'Ron McClain.

"We looked at him since early this offseason, and he was definitely on our wish list," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "Vonta fits the style of offense we are building, and his type of physical play is an addition that fits. We're looking forward to getting him in here and start mixing him in right away. This is another addition where the coaches can send a big thank you to the personnel department."

General manager Ozzie Newsome, who negotiated the deal, said of Leach: "He's a Raven-type player. He's very physical and dedicated to the game. Our running game just got better."

The Houston Chronicle and KRIV-TV first reported the deal, which was confirmed by agent Ralph Vitolo on Sunday. The Ravens announced the signing late Sunday afternoon.

Houston contacted Leach immediately when free agency began, but Leach wanted to test the market after making his first Pro Bowl in 2010. Leach played the last five seasons with the Texans after signing with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2004.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Stallworth looks ahead to future that's likely without Ravens

Donte' Stallworth has warm feelings for the Baltimore Ravens, the franchise that gave him a second chance as a football player.

It was the Ravens who signed Stallworth after the one-year suspension and short jail term that followed a driving under the influence manslaughter conviction in 2009. But the wide receiver, who will become an unrestricted free agent when the lockout is lifted, has regrets about his limited time on the field in Baltimore.

“Yeah, there’s mixed feelings,” Stallworth told the Carroll County Times in Friday's edition. “The organization was nothing but great to me. I appreciate the opportunity they gave me. The guys were great and the fans welcomed me. They tell me all the time they hope things work out for me and that I would come back. From the foot injury standpoint, it definitely derailed a lot of things that I was looking forward to doing.”

Stallworth broke his foot in an Aug. 28 preseason game and didn't make his Ravens debut until October. By that point, the team had signed veteran receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, relegating Stallworth to a reserve role. Stallworth finished the season with just two catches for 82 yards and five rushes for 45 yards.

“We picked up T.J. and he played really well and I was hoping that maybe at some time I would get an opportunity to do what I feel like I can do,” Stallworth said. “I didn’t really get that chance for whatever reason, but I still have a lot left in the tank.”

Stallworth's fate with the Ravens is all but sealed, a reality the receiver is aware of. The team drafted University of Maryland speedster Torrey Smith in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft and it's expected the rookie will assume a key role in the offense.

Stallworth has no ill feelings toward Smith, who he's worked out with in Miami this offseason.

“That’s my boy,” Stallworth said. “I’m excited that he got drafted by Baltimore. I know the coaching staff wanted to get younger and faster at that position and that’s exactly what they did. He’s a really good kid.”

It remains to be seen what kind of interest Stallworth would draw among NFL teams. The free-agent and trade market figures to be flooded with veteran wide receivers like him. It's certain he won't get a contract that comes close to the seven-year, $35 million deal he got from the Cleveland Browns before his suspension.

“I can’t say exactly where I’m going to go, but there are a few teams that like me that I’m interested in as well,” Stallworth said. “I’m only 30 years old. I feel like I have a lot of years left. I can still do good wherever I end up next year. Hopefully, I’ll have that opportunity.”

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Agent says LB Kindle 'extra hungry' to show Ravens his worth

Linebacker Sergio Kindle has been cleared to play for the Baltimore Ravens after missing all of last season with a head injury, but his agent, Joel Segal, isn't expecting a long-term contract just yet.

"No, I don't think we'll do long-term right now," Segal told WJZ-FM, according to the Ravens' official website. "Once Sergio shows he's the Sergio Kindle who was the special player at Texas, that he's healthy, that he's ready to roll, the difference-maker that we know he will be if he's healthy, I think at that point, hopefully, we'll have a conversation."

"Serg was obviously on a small contract (a one-year deal last season) and, hopefully, once he's healthy and ready to go, it will be a contract we expect. ... He has been working out hard, he's obviously extra hungry. He's focused, ready. You know, now he's just got to get some contact and show everybody that he's the old Sergio Kindle."

A second-round pick of the Ravens in the 2010 NFL Draft, Kindle was at a house party last summer when he fell down two flights of stairs, fracturing his skull.

The injury led to concerns that Kindle's career might be in jeopardy. The skull fracture and subsequent brain bruising led to permanent damage to his equilibrium. Kindle has very little hearing in his left ear, which doctors don't expect to change. He describes the year forced out of football as very difficult.

Kindle told the San Antonio Express-News earlier this month that he has been cleared for football activities. He admits, however, that the true test of his progress will come when he takes part in physical contact drills. The lockout hasn't allowed that yet.

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Still hurting: Ravens' Reed says he's not yet 100 percent

Not every player who battled injuries this past season has fully recovered during the extended recovery time afforded by the lockout.

Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed, in New Orleans for his annual football camp, told The Times-Picayune on Tuesday he still is not fully healthy.

"I'm still not 100 percent (healthy)," Reed said. "But I'm 100 percent mentally at this point as far as everything I can do. I know my limitations. I still have a lot of work to do before the season starts."

Reed, a five-time All-Pro selection, had hip surgery before the 2010 season and was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list, missing the first six games. He still led the league with eight interceptions in just 10 games.

Reed also missed four games during the 2009 season because of neck problems.

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Ravens force five turnovers to slip past Bengals

BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Ravens were already in the playoffs, so their focus on the final day of the regular season was to gain momentum and hope for a little luck.

They took care of the first part -- albeit shakily -- and got no help with the second part.

Ed Reed had two interceptions and Ray Lewis recovered two fumbles, part of an opportunistic defense that carried the Ravens over the Cincinnati Bengals 13-7 Sunday.

Despite the victory, the Ravens (12-4) failed to get the help necessary to win the AFC North. Baltimore needed Pittsburgh to lose to Cleveland, but the Steelers won 41-9 to make the Ravens a wild-card entrant.

"We came in and took care of business, which was to go from 11 to 12," Lewis said. "That's the most important thing, for us to get that 12th victory. I just think it's huge."

Baltimore will enter the playoffs with a four-game winning streak, but they face the prospect of playing all their games on the road -- just like in the previous two years.

"I think one reason why, for us, it never matters is because our defense, we travel very well on the road," Lewis said. "We play extremely well on the road."

Baltimore won its only Super Bowl, after the 2000 season, as a wild-card team.

Ray Rice scored on a 7-yard run and Billy Cundiff kicked two field goals for the Ravens, who gave up 395 yards but forced five turnovers. Baltimore had lost three straight to Cincinnati -- including a 15-10 decision in Week 2 that proved decisive in the tiebreaking system that enabled Pittsburgh to win the division.

Sunday's victory was not assured until Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer threw an incompletion on a fourth-down play from the Baltimore 2 with 10 seconds left. That ended Cincinnati's modest two-game winning streak and dropped the Bengals to 4-12.

"It was a game that we had a chance and didn't finish it," Palmer said. "We feel awful because we had the chance to go into the offseason with a pleasant feeling at least. But just didn't make the plays we needed to all game."

Palmer went 32 for 45 for 305 yards but was intercepted twice and lost a fumble. Jerome Simpson caught 12 passes for 123 yards and a score for the Bengals, who were without injured receivers Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco.

The defending AFC North champions endured a 10-game losing streak and went 1-7 on the road. After an eight-year run in which he's had only two winning seasons, Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis will discuss his status on Monday with owner Mike Brown.

"All I know is, officially today I'm no longer employed," Lewis said. "Where I am right now in my coaching career is a different point from where I was eight years ago, and I think this football team is a lot different than it was eight years ago, and that's good. ... We're in a good spot."

After being held to a pair of field goals in the first half, Baltimore went up 13-0 on Rice's TD run with 5:47 left in the third quarter.

The Bengals then mounted an 80-yard drive that included an encroachment call against Ravens tackle Kelly Gregg on a fourth-and-1 from the Baltimore 40. That led to an 11-yard touchdown pass from Palmer to Simpson with 12:24 remaining.

Cincinnati got the ball back and moved to the Baltimore 26, where Cedric Peerman was stuffed for no gain on a fourth-and-1 with 5:30 left.

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The Bengals' next chance came minutes later, and typical of Cincinnati's season, the drive ended when Palmer fumbled at the Baltimore 29 after scrambling for a first down immediately after the two-minute warning.

"I just didn't do a good job securing the ball," Palmer said.

Reed's second consecutive two-interception game gave him eight picks for the season -- in only 10 games. His two returns totaled 48 yards, lifting him past Darren Sharper for second place on the NFL career list with 1,438. Rod Woodson is the record-holder with 1,483.

"When you're playing against Ed Reed, you have to be aware of his presence at all times," Palmer said. "You can't have five turnovers and expect to win."

Reed's first interception ended Cincinnati's first possession, and the Ravens used a 37-yard pass from Joe Flacco to tight end Todd Heap to set up a 25-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

Baltimore never gave up the advantage.

"We wanted to go out of this game with a win and go in to the playoffs with momentum," said receiver Derrick Mason, who acknowledged that the Ravens must play better to advance deep into the postseason.

"We can't allow ourselves to go into next week ... and play the way that we played today," he said. "We've got to go in there and click on all cylinders."

Notes: Mason joined Jerry Rice and Tony Gonzalez as the only players in NFL history with 60-plus receptions in 11 straight seasons. ... Marvin Lewis is 10-6 against Baltimore. ... Ravens CB Josh Wilson and LB Dannell Ellerbe both left in the first half with shoulder injuries. ... Referee Pete Morelli twice referred to the Bengals as "Cleveland" over the microphone.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Raiders finish with 6-0 division record, but rival Chiefs advance to play Ravens

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- If this turns out to be Tom Cable's last year as Oakland's head coach, at least he'll know he made history.

After beating Kansas City 31-10 Sunday in their regular-season finale, the 2010 Raiders became the only team since the 1970 merger to go unbeaten in their division and still not make the playoffs. The short-handed Raiders (8-8) wrapped up a division record of 6-0, while the Chiefs (10-6) went 2-4 in the division and will host the Baltimore Ravens next Sunday at 1 p.m. EST as AFC West champions.

The Chiefs are the No. 4 seed, the Raiders are through for the year.

"We are disappointed because we are not going to the playoffs, but at the same time we stuck to the goal and stuck to the plan as we have done very week, and we got our eighth win," said Cable, whose job status with the Raiders has been the subject of speculation. "I'm very happy about that."

Michael Bush rushed for 137 yards and Jason Campbell threw a TD pass for the Raiders, who beat the Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium for the fourth year in a row and ruined their perfect home record.

Running back Darren McFadden and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Richard Seymour were inactive because of injuries, but the Raiders dominated from start to finish, intercepting two of Matt Cassel's passes and getting seven sacks. The interceptions both led directly to Oakland's last two scores. Jacoby Ford scored on a 10-yard reverse after Michael Huff's interception, and Stanford Routt returned a pick 22 yards for the Raiders' final TD when Cassel was hurried while throwing from his end zone.

The Chiefs were still digesting their lopsided loss several hours later when Indianapolis beat Tennessee 23-20 and determined their seed and first-round opponent.

The Chiefs' worst home game of the season came on the heels of news that offensive coordinator Charlie Weis is returning to college coaching to become Florida's offensive coordinator. Weis, in one year with the Chiefs, has been given much credit for developing Cassel into a top-flight quarterback and turning Jamaal Charles into a Pro Bowl running back.

"Charlie Weis is moving on. He's going to go to the University of Florida as a coordinator," said Chiefs coach Todd Haley. "This is a bittersweet thing for me as the head coach. Charlie was obviously someone I was excited about having in here. That being said, Charlie is a family guy and he's got a family situation, where he can go to Florida and be with his son, who is going to get into coaching. This is a great situation for Charlie and I respect it 100 percent."

Weis was not made available to the media.

The Raiders posted their best record since 2002 amid talk that Cable may be out; the team went to 17-27 since he became head coach four games into the 2008 season. It was the first time since '02, when Oakland went to the Super Bowl, that it didn't lose at least 11 games.

The Raiders had 344 total yards to Kansas City's 201 and held the top-rated rushing offense to 115 yards on the ground.

Asked if he thinks he's coming back, Cable did answer directly.

"We're not losers anymore. We're 8 and 8," he said. "That's not what we wanted. We wanted to be a playoff team. We came here to get the sixth win, which means we went 6-0 in the division and most importantly, we are done with that losing. We are not losers anymore."

Charles, who trailed Houston's Arian Foster by 56 yards for the NFL rushing lead, had 87 yards on 14 carries, including a 47-yard burst that was KC's offensive highlight. He finished the regular season with 1,467 yards and came within a whisker of catching Jim Brown's NFL record of 6.40 yards per carry. He finished at 6.38.

"I wasn't even paying attention that I wasn't in the record books. I wasn't even worried about it," said Charles. "I was just going out there and just running the ball like I do every week. My goal is to go out and win. I'm disappointed we lost, but we've got to bounce back. We've got another week going. The Raiders don't."

The Chiefs' pass protection, good most of the season, began breaking down in the second quarter. Cassel was flagged for intentional grounding and then sacked for an 11-yard loss on the next play by Jarvis Moss.

Campbell got the Raiders going with a 9-yard completion to Zach Miller. On third-and-10 from the Oakland 46, Campbell dumped off to Bush and he turned it into a 16-yard gain. With 7 seconds left in the half, Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 39-yard field goal for a 10-3 lead.

Campbell, after sitting out a series when he apparently hurt his right knee, scrambled 21 yards during a 14-play, 91-yard drive. He hit Jacoby Ford for a 35-yard gain to the 6 and Chaz Schilens was wide open in the end zone for the touchdown pass that gave the Raiders a 7-3 lead.

The Chiefs managed a meager 72 yards in the first half to Oakland's 192, but Charles broke free for a 47-yard run to the 8. From the 5, Charles went in almost untouched for a 10-10 tie the Raiders erased on their next possession.

Aided by a 15-yard face mask penalty against Jovan Belcher, the Raiders moved 75 yards in nine plays. Bush went over the right side of the defense virtually untouched for a 27-yard touchdown, the first TD rushing the Chiefs allowed at home all season.

Notes: Kamerion Wimbley had three of Oakland's seven sacks. ... KC's Tamba Hali had 2.5 sacks, the ninth multisack game of his career. ... Former coach Marty Schottenheimer was inducted into the Chiefs' Hall of Fame at halftime. ... Huff has four career interceptions against Kansas City.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Ravens rookie Kindle arrested, charged with drunken driving

JESSUP, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens rookie linebacker Sergio Kindle was arrested early Sunday on drunken driving charges, court records show.

Kindle, 23, was pulled over shortly after 4 a.m. Sunday in the Jessup area. He was cited for driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding and related offenses and was freed on $10,000 bond.

"I haven't talked to the team yet, but I spoke with one of the security guards," Kindle said in a telephone interview. "First and foremost, I would apologize. I don't want to put the organization's name in a negative light due to my actions. I don't know what's going to happen or how they're going to handle that."

Asked how much he had to drink, Kindle said: "It wasn't much, but I guess it was enough. I guess it was enough for me to fail a Breathalyzer. It was over the limit."

Ravens officials were traveling back from Sunday's victory over Cleveland and weren't immediately available to comment.

Kindle, a second-round draft pick, hasn't suited up for the Ravens this year. The former University of Texas star fractured his skull after falling down two flights of stairs in late July at a friend's house in Austin, Texas. He revealed last week that doctors told him he might be forced to sit out next season as well.

Kindle was signed to a one-year, $320,000 contract with no signing bonus or incentives and placed on the reserve non-football injury list. The Ravens could tender him or allow him to become a free agent next year.

He had off-field incidents at Texas, including crashing his car into an apartment building when he said he was texting while driving.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Ravens secure playoff spot, win sixth straight over division-rival Browns

CLEVELAND -- Ed Reed was on fire, and not because of his two interceptions.

Trying to cope on a biting, blustery day, Baltimore's star safety moved too close to a sideline heater and had his oversized jacket ignite.

"Someone yelled, 'Reed, you're on fire'," he said.

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There was no panic, no alarm, no worries. The Ravens were moments away from a playoff-clinching 20-10 win on Sunday.

Reed laughed.

"I just took it off," he said, smiling.

Reed, as cool as they come, picked off rookie Colt McCoy twice and damaged Browns bruising running back Peyton Hillis with a hard hit on Cleveland's second play as the Ravens (11-4) clinched a postseason berth for the third straight season and stayed tied atop the AFC North.

Joe Flacco threw two touchdown passes, Ray Lewis and the rest of Baltimore's tenacious defense backed up some pregame trash talk by bottling up Hillis and the Ravens remained tied with Pittsburgh with one game left.

Lewis had promised Hillis would not repeat his 144-yard performance against Baltimore in Week 3, and the big back didn't come close, rushing for 35 yards on 12 carries. On his second attempt, Hillis was already going down when Reed came flying in and delivered a crushing blow.

Hillis wasn't the same, and neither were the Browns (5-10).

It was a typical outing for Reed, the five-time Pro Bowler who upped his career interception total to 52 and spent the day making life miserable for McCoy, who got duped into a few bad throws by one of the best big-play playmakers in NFL history.

"Ed is just Ed," said Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, who threw Cleveland's only TD pass on a gadget play.

McCoy threw three interceptions and the Browns did little to help embattled coach Eric Mangini, who fell to 10-21 in two seasons and is awaiting a postseason review by president Mike Holmgren. Mangini's cause may be hurt by questionable clock management to end the first half and a failed onside kick to open the second.

"What killed us were the turnovers and the mistakes," Mangini said. "The Ravens are very difficult to beat when you play flawless football. When you turn the ball over as many times as we did, it makes it really, really difficult."

Flacco threw a 15-yard TD to T.J. Houshmandzadeh in the second quarter and a 22-yarder to Derrick Mason in third as the Ravens built a 20-10 lead and turned things over to their stingy defense, led by Lewis.

Asked earlier in the week about Hillis' surprising success against Baltimore on Sept. 26, Lewis scoffed, "A blind cat will find a meal every once in a while. When we get back to Cleveland, it'll definitely be a different outcome. It won't happen again."

The Browns didn't like Lewis' comments.

"Guys definitely made note of it," tackle Joe Thomas said. "You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out it's a lack of respect."

Lewis said he meant no disrespect to Hillis, but that he was trying to fire up his teammates for an opponent standing in their path to the playoffs.

"We respect him. A lot of us voted him for the Pro Bowl," said Lewis, who told Hillis during the game that he liked his smashmouth style. "It was not trash talking. I was leading my defense, getting them prepared. I was telling my team that as long as I'm here that is not going to happen again."

Reed wasted no time in sending a message to Hillis, ramming his helmet into the back's ribs early on. Hillis said the blow had an effect.

"I couldn't go out there to my full potential," Hillis said.

Billy Cundiff kicked field goals of 27 and 40 yards as Baltimore won its sixth straight over Cleveland.

"Are we in?" joked Ravens coach John Harbaugh, who went out of his way to avoid playoff talk all week. "I told the team, it's just the beginning."

Time could be running out for Mangini, who defended his decision to try the onside kick. Mangini thought he could catch the Ravens napping, but kicker Phil Dawson's bouncer didn't go the required 10 yards and Baltimore took over at Cleveland's 38. "I felt good about it based on what we saw after our other kickoffs," Mangini said. "It was there. We just didn't do a good enough job with it."

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Flacco, who went 12 of 19 for 102 yards, then found Mason three plays later in the left corner for the TD -- just 1:30 into the third.

Cleveland couldn't sustain any drives in the second half, and the Browns' last real chance ended when Reed intercepted McCoy in the end zone with 4:35 left. McCoy went 15 of 29 for 149 yards, dropped to 2-5 as a starter and learned the Ravens are back up their talk.

"I made a couple poor throws and it cost us," McCoy said. "I just didn't get it done. Turnovers killed us and it's on me."

Notes: Harbaugh said safety Morgan Cox likely tore a knee ligament on the game's first or second play but stayed in. Cox will undergo an MRI on Monday. ... Browns cornerback Joe Haden got his sixth interception, most by a Cleveland rookie since Anthony Henry had 10 in 2001. ... Hillis has 60 receptions, five shy of the team record for a running back held by Greg Pruitt (1981).

Copyright 2010 by the Associated Press

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Ravens TE Heap could shake hamstring issue to play against Browns

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Ravens coach John Harbaugh says tight end Todd Heap could return for Sunday's road game against the Cleveland Browns after missing the past two games with a pulled right hamstring.

Heap was injured during a 13-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Harbaugh said he has spoken with trainer Bill Tessendorf, who's optimistic Heap will play Sunday.

Also on Monday, the Ravens cut offensive guard Bryan Mattison and promoted tight end Davon Drew to the active roster from the practice squad.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Ravens continue to take care of business at home with win over Bucs

BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Ravens took care of business in workmanlike fashion against a team they hadn't played in years.

By doing so, the Ravens put themselves in perfect position for an emotional matchup against a team they know all too well.

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Joe Flacco threw two touchdown passes, and Baltimore beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17-10 Sunday in their first meeting since 2006.

The Ravens (8-3) improved to 5-0 at home this season and remained tied atop the AFC North with Pittsburgh. Baltimore will be striving for its franchise-record ninth straight home win next Sunday night against the Steelers.

"The message is simple for us: We haven't lost at home, so let's defend that," linebacker Ray Lewis said. "We take care of that, everything else take care of itself.

"From our side and their side, there is no talking that has to be done. We've been playing each other a long time and now it comes down to one of those showdown games."

Next week's game wouldn't have been nearly as important if the Ravens didn't win this one.

"I don't think you ever want to diminish this victory," coach John Harbaugh said. "It's one we really need to get where we're going. It's a game that bridged us into December. It gives us an opportunity to accomplish some things. We're playing the biggest game of the year."

Flacco connected with Todd Heap for a 65-yard score and hit Derrick Mason for a 10-yard touchdown during a three-minute span of the second quarter to stake Baltimore to a 17-3 halftime lead. Flacco now has 53 career TD passes, surpassing Vinny Testaverde (51) for most in Ravens history.

"Vinny didn't play here that long (two years), so it's not really that much of an accomplishment," Flacco said. "Hopefully, I can make that a little bit higher for somebody else to break in the future sometime."

Flacco completed 25 of 35 passes for 289 yards and had a 76-yard touchdown throw to Ray Rice called back because of a block in the back by Anquan Boldin.

Tampa Bay (7-4) still has not beaten a team with a winning record. The Buccaneers have lost to New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Baltimore by a combined 113-50 score.

"That doesn't factor into anything. We're a team with a winning record," cornerback Ronde Barber said. "We're just playing. You like to win them all, regardless of who the opponent is."

Coming close didn't make the defeat any easier to take.

"There's no positives," Barber said. "You either find a way to win or you don't -- and we didn't today."

Josh Freeman went 17 for 37 for 162 yards and a touchdown. Although he avoided being sacked, Freeman often was forced to throw under pressure and had only one completion of more than 20 yards.

"I played extremely poorly. There are a number of balls I usually hit that missed," Freeman said. "I just wasn't getting it done."

Freeman threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Kellen Winslow with 3:05 left to make it 17-10, but the Buccaneers didn't get the ball back.

"I thought we were in control. We were never really threatened until the end of the game," Flacco said. "We had to do a good job there and put the game away."

With the score 3-all late in the second quarter, Heap slipped behind two Tampa Bay defenders, caught a pass from Flacco in stride and raced to the end zone on the longest play of his 10-year career.

The Buccaneers then went three-and-out, and an iffy pass interference call against Myron Lewis preceded Flacco's touchdown pass to Mason with 32 seconds left in the half.

Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris disputed the penalty at the time and continued to protest while running off the field at halftime.

"I disagreed with it at the time, but it is what it is," he said. "My opinion really doesn't matter. The call was made and you got to move on."

Mason finished with eight catches for 87 yards.

Baltimore made only two first downs in its first two series, but punter Sam Koch twice pinned the Buccaneers inside the 20. That enabled the Ravens to begin their third possession at the Tampa Bay 41, which led to a 45-yard field goal by Billy Cundiff.

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After another Buccaneers punt, Aqib Talib got his team-high sixth interception and returned it 25 yards to the Baltimore 31. It was the first interception thrown by Flacco at home this season; he had gone 128 passes without one.

Tampa Bay safety Cody Grimm hurt his left ankle during the return and was carted off the field. He did not return.

After the turnover, Tampa Bay failed to gain a yard on three plays from the Baltimore 4 before Connor Barth kicked a field goal to make it 3-all.

Notes: Ravens FB Le'Ron McClain sprained his left ankle. ... Baltimore S Dawan Landry left in the third quarter with a concussion. ... Tampa Bay G Davin Joseph hurt his foot in the first quarter and did not return. ... Ravens LT Michael Oher sprained his right knee.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Dolphins' Crowder accuses Ravens' McClain of spitting incident

The Ravens got the best of the Dolphins on Sunday, but it was the actions of a Baltimore offensive player that had Miami linebacker Channing Crowder fuming afterward.

Speaking to reporters in the wake of a 26-10 loss at M&T Bank Stadium, Crowder expressed extreme anger toward Ravens fullback Le'Ron McClain.

“Le’Ron McClain spit in my face,” Crowder told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "That’s some real (expletive), so if you talk to him tell him he’s a (expletive). If he ever comes to Miami, he’s got to see me.”

McClain denied the charge after the game, but Dolphins defensive end Kendall Langford backed up Crowder's claim.

“(The officials) said they didn’t see it,” Crowder told the Sun-Sentinel. “Then they said something about they let Karlos Dansby get away with a facemask before. Who the (expletive) cares? I just got spit in my face. I don’t give a damn about Karlos pulling somebody’s facemask.

Crowder, who also claimed that McClain was cutting him low on blocks, went on.

“That’s the first time anybody spit in my face in my life,” he said. “That’s like the worst thing you can do to a man as another man, spit in somebody’s face. Why would you do that? Why would you even try to?"

It's possible that McClain could face a fine or even suspension if game tapes reveal Crowder's accusations to be true.

Dansby said that if McClain did act improperly, the NFL “should suspend him. There’s no place for that in this game.”

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Balanced Ravens end Dolphins' road streak to win seventh straight at home

BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Ravens emphatically shut down the Miami Dolphins' highly successful road show.

Billy Cundiff kicked four field goals, and the Ravens forced three turnovers in a 26-10 victory Sunday that ended the Dolphins' unbeaten run on the road.

Baltimore (6-2) won its seventh straight home game behind Cundiff and a defense that blanked Miami (4-4) after halftime. Cundiff connected from 26, 39, 20, 24 yards, and the Ravens limited the Dolphins to 24 yards rushing over the final 30 minutes.

"I think it was important we come in and protect our home the way we did," Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis said. "I just love the way we came out and played today."

Miami quarterback Chad Henne went 22 for 34 for 231 yards and three interceptions. The Dolphins also had only 10 players on the field upon being victimized by a fake punt and never really got in sync on offense.

"I think it's obvious: Right now, we can't beat the great teams, we can't beat the good teams," said Miami receiver Brandon Marshall, who was limited to five catches for 30 yards. "I can't put my finger on it. We just shoot ourselves in the foot."

Miami came in 4-0 on the road, but the Ravens were not impressed. Baltimore never trailed and pulled away after taking a 13-10 halftime lead. The Dolphins allowed 402 yards on a whopping 71 plays and failed to produce a turnover. The Ravens finished with a 16-minute advantage in time of possession thanks heavily to the running of Ray Rice, who gained 83 yards on 22 carries and had seven catches for 97 yards.

"It was a ridiculous performance by our defense," Miami linebacker Channing Crowder said. "It was too easy for them." Crowder and the Ravens were involved in a shoving match that he contended started when Baltimore running back Le'Ron McClain spit in his face.

Afterward, Ravens receiver Derrick Mason went on a rant directed at Crowder, who called Mason "old" in the days leading up to the game.

"I don't even think they want him on this team, but they have nobody to replace him so he has to be there," Mason said. "They took him out of the game, they played a bit better. He was getting knocked down, getting pushed out of the way. The guy is horrible."

Joe Flacco completed 20 of 27 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns for the Ravens, who are 6-0 at home since 2001 after a bye.

"We did a great job all day. I don't know if you can even point to one drive," Flacco said. "We really drove the ball well all day."

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Baltimore went up 20-10 by moving 81 yards for a touchdown on its first possession of the third quarter. Rice caught three passes for 61 yards before Flacco hit Mason in the end zone from 12 yards.

Minutes later, Baltimore used a fake punt to get to the Miami 26. But Cundiff missed a 37-yard field goal.

The Dolphins then moved downfield before Dan Carpenter was wide left on a 46-yard field goal try, ending a run of 14 straight successful attempts.

Cundiff added a field goal with 6:45 left, and an interception by Ed Reed set up Cundiff's final 3-pointer with 2:07 to go.

Baltimore scored a touchdown on its opening possession for the first time this season. The drive ended when Willis McGahee took a screen pass from Flacco, broke free behind a block by Ben Grubbs and weaved his way to a 32-yard score.

Miami then became the first team to score a touchdown on its opening drive against the Ravens. Ronnie Brown carried six times for 45 yards, including a 12-yard TD run.

But Brown would gain only 14 more yards on the ground, and the Dolphins never got close to the end zone again.

"I think it was just a collective effort where we just didn't get it done offensively," Henne said.

After a 26-yard field goal by Cundiff put Baltimore up 10-7, Lardarius Webb went 32 yards with an interception to the Miami 4. Baltimore was pushed back to the 20 before holder Sam Koch muffed the snap on a field goal try.

The Dolphins were forced to punt, and a 10-play drive by the Ravens ended with a field goal for a 13-7 lead.

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Later in the half, Miami moved 79 yards to the Baltimore 1, before Carpenter kicked a field goal.

That, however, would be the extent of the Dolphins' scoring.

"We can't slip back any further," Henne said. "We're 4-4 and the place where we want to go, we've got to win some of these games and go on a good roll."

Notes: Ravens WR Donte' Stallworth made his season debut after missing seven weeks with a broken foot. He did not catch a pass. ... Webb's interception was the first of his career. ... Miami S Tyrone Culver left with an ankle injury in the second quarter and did not return. ... Miami's Paul Soliai recorded his first career sack in the second quarter.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Ravens' Ngata says knee injury won't keep him out vs. Pats

Ravens Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, who didn't practice Wednesday because of a knee injury, said Thursday that he will play against the New England Patriots this weekend, the Baltimore Sun reported.

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Ngata injured his left knee when he was inserted on the offensive side of the ball during the first quarter of Sunday's victory over the Denver Broncos -- a move that has drawn criticism, according to the Sun. Ravens coach John Harbaugh decided to go for it on fourth-and-goal at the Broncos' 1-yard line, but Ngata got tangled with Denver safety Darcel McBath. Ngata wore a brace on the knee, but he is struggling more with stiffness in the joint than pain.

"I'm going to play (Sunday)," Ngata said. "We're just being careful about going out there too early than I need to. So we're just watching it and making sure that I got into the books and make sure that I know everything."

Ngata told the Sun that no decision has been made about his contribution on offense.

"I'm just more worried about (playing) defense right now," he said. "But if they want me out there, I'll go."

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Flacco calmly leads Ravens past Steelers to give Baltimore share of division lead

PITTSBURGH -- The Steelers were so close to being 4-0 without Ben Roethlisberger. Only close doesn't count in the Ravens-Steelers rivalry, where every game is tight and no lead is truly safe.

Joe Flacco withstood Pittsburgh's late go-ahead touchdown and goal-line stand to throw an 18-yard scoring pass to T.J. Houshmandzadeh with 32 seconds remaining, and the Ravens won 17-14 Sunday to prevent the Steelers from going unbeaten without their suspended quarterback.

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"You go and win it on the last drive, there's no better way to win," Flacco said. "There's not too many better ways to win in Pittsburgh."

A worst-case scenario for the Steelers, Roethlisberger's four-game suspension, nearly became a perfect one.

Nearly.

The Steelers (3-1) took a 14-10 lead on Rashard Mendenhall's 7-yard run midway through the fourth quarter, and they appeared to seal it after Flacco twice threw incomplete from their 2 with slightly less than 3 minutes remaining.

But a holding call on a punt gave Baltimore (3-1) the ball at Pittsburgh's 40 with 55 seconds remaining, and Flacco found Anquan Boldin on two passes for 12 yards and Houshmandzadeh for 10.

Flacco, winning for the first time in four games in Pittsburgh, then froze the Steelers' defense with a pump fake that freed up Houshmandzadeh in the end zone for the game winner.

"Joe just chills," an admiring Houshmandzadeh said. "Look at his face -- he's always calm."

Now, instead of being two games down in the AFC North to Pittsburgh with Roethlisberger to go for the rest of the season, the Ravens are tied after winning in Heinz Field for only the second time in 11 games. Tight end Todd Heap called it a "huge win."

"I think one of reasons why we play so hard here is we hardly win here," defensive tackle Haloti Ngata said.

For the Steelers, it feels empty. Even without Roethlisberger and his two injured backups, Byron Leftwich and Dennis Dixon, they were within seconds of being 4-0 for the first time since 1979.

"We fought for perfection," cornerback Bryant McFadden said. "We tried to get as close to that as possible.

Baltimore appeared to squander its final chance at winning when, after driving from its 30 to the Steelers 2, William Gay knocked away a Flacco pass intended for Boldin on fourth down.

"We put two great drives together at the end of the game," Flacco said. "We were fortunate to get the ball back."

Two false-start penalties set back the Steelers as they tried to run out the clock, and Keyaron Fox's holding penalty on the punt gave Baltimore another precious 10 yards to work with in the final 1:08.

"If we make one first down, the game's over," Charlie Batch said.

Flacco was 24 of 37 for 256 yards and an interception to outplay Batch, the No. 4 quarterback who barely practiced, much less played, until he beat Tampa Bay 38-13 last week. Batch was 12 of 21 for 141 yards and an interception.

The Ravens won despite being held to 70 yards rushing. Willis McGahee had 14 carries for 37 yards and a touchdown and Ray Rice, playing despite a bruised right knee, had eight carries for 20 yards -- 121 fewer than he had in Pittsburgh last season.

Like any Ravens-Steelers game, it was physical, low-scoring and close, the fifth consecutive regular-season matchup between the mirror-image rivals that was decided by four points or fewer.

"We found a way to beat them at their place," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "That's what makes it so special."

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Both teams scored touchdowns early, an unlikely scenario given the Ravens came in leading the NFL in total defense and Pittsburgh was tops in scoring defense.

Batch's 34-yard completion to Antwaan Randle El set up Mendenhall's 1-yard run late in the first quarter. But Flacco found Derrick Mason for 40 yards ahead of McGahee's 9-yard touchdown run 1:27 into the second quarter.

Billy Cundiff kicked a 33-yard field goal on the final play of the first half, and the Ravens made the 10-7 lead hold up despite twice turning the ball over in the third quarter.

McGahee's fumbled at his 27, but Jeff Reed's 49-yard field-goal attempt struck the right upright. Flacco later was intercepted by Ike Taylor at the Ravens 33, but Reed was wide left from the 45. Reed already has as many misses (four) as he did last season.

The opportunity the Steelers missed was nearly as big.

Notes: McGahee has seven rushing TDs in eight games against Pittsburgh. ... Baltimore was 0-4 in Pittsburgh since 2006, counting the playoffs. ... Baltimore held Pittsburgh below 100 yards rushing (84) for the 10th time in 11 games. ... After a bye week, Roethlisberger returns Oct. 17 against Cleveland.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Flacco, Ravens prevent 4-0 start by Steelers

PITTSBURGH -- Joe Flacco withstood the Pittsburgh Steelers' goal-line stand and go-ahead touchdown in the closing minutes to throw an 18-yard scoring pass to T.J. Houshmandzadeh with 32 seconds remaining, and the Baltimore Ravens made certain their rivals wouldn't go unbeaten without Ben Roethlisberger by winning 17-14 Sunday.

The Steelers (3-1) took a 14-10 lead on Rashard Mendenhall's 7-yard TD run midway through the fourth quarter and appeared ready to win after turning away the Ravens on third- and fourth-down plays from the 2 with over 2 minutes remaining.

But a holding call on a punt gave Baltimore (3-1) the ball at Pittsburgh's 40 with 55 seconds remaining, and Flacco found Anquan Boldin on two passes for 12 yards and Houshmandzadeh for 10 to set up the winning score.

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Suggs Agrees To Six-year, $63M Deal

"Terrell Suggs will sign a six-year, $63 million contract with the Ravens on Wednesday, completing one of the more lucrative deals in NFL history.

A three-time Pro Bowl linebacker, Suggs will receive $33 million in bonuses (a $10.1 million signing bonus and a $23 million option bonus due in March), which ranks second only to Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, who earned $34 million in bonuses. Suggs' total is believed to be the most ever for a defensive player.

Suggs, who repeatedly said the sides were close on a deal, will sign the contract before Wednesday at 4 p.m., the deadline for NFL teams to sign their franchise tag players to a long-term deal.

"The Ravens showed up big for me, now I have to show up big for them again," Suggs told The Baltimore Sun.

Suggs added, "I'm only 26 years of age, and my best years are ahead of me. I can only get smarter as my years of experience pile up. I wasn't sure this deal was going to get done even though I kept saying it was close. I thought the chances were about 50-50, and I definitely didn't want to get franchised again."

The sides made significant progress 2 1/2 weeks ago, when the Ravens increased the guaranteed money, a league source said. An agreement was reached around midnight Wednesday in a three-way call with Suggs, his agent and general manager Ozzie Newsome.

The Ravens will pay their top pass rusher $38 million in guaranteed money and $40 million over the first two years of the deal.

"This is a good day for the Ravens franchise," general manager Ozzie Newsome said."

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New Ravens cornerback Foxworth wise beyond his years

"His parents, his girlfriend and his teammates all say the same thing about Domonique Foxworth. The Ravens cornerback might look like a 26-year-old, he might run like a 26-year-old, but he thinks and conducts his life like a 40-year-old - always has. His parents considered him more responsible than his brother, who is two years older. His NFL mentor, Champ Bailey, considered him the levelheaded one in their relationship. Whether the subject is President Barack Obama, the role of a black athlete in modern society or the NFL players union's treatment of retired players, Foxworth can deliver a well-crafted opinion.

His ability to react, not with emotion but with a cool assessment of facts and priorities, has carried him through a complicated early career. On the verge of reporting to his first Ravens training camp next month, Foxworth already has endured the violent death of a beloved teammate, frustrating stints on the bench, an abrupt trade and free agency.

In the face of such obstacles, he helped establish a teen center in his murdered friend's name, became the youngest member of the NFL players union's executive committee and earned a $28 million deal with his hometown team.

It would be shortsighted to say he's worldly and thoughtful compared with other football players. Foxworth is worldly and thoughtful compared with most people.

"He's very methodical about everything he does," says Foxworth's father, Lorinzo. "When things come up, you're not going to get an off-the-wall reaction from him. There's going to be a thought-out process that goes into it."

Foxworth's mother, Karen, laughs at her husband's words. "That is directly descended from his father," she says. "They're both old men in young men's bodies."

Lorinzo Foxworth was in the midst of a 20-year Army career when Domonique was born in Oxford, England, in 1983. The family moved to the Baltimore area as he reached kindergarten age and settled in Randallstown. Domonique and his elder brother, Dion, built their existence around sports."

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Suggs says he's close to signing a new deal

"Pro Bowl linebacker Terrell Suggs said Friday that he is nearing a long-term deal with the Ravens, a contract that surprisingly wouldn't make him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL.

The league deadline to reach a new contract with players who have received the franchise tag is July 15. If no deal can be struck, Suggs would play under the franchise tag for a second straight season, earning $10.2 million this year.

"We are close to an agreement. We just have a few little things to work out," Suggs told The Baltimore Sun. "I don't want to go into great detail, but it's things like the years of the agreement and incentives, but the basic framework has been done."

Suggs, 26, is considered one of the rising defensive stars in the NFL. Some NFL observers have contended that Suggs would test the free-agent market in March, when he would become one of the top players available.

But the Ravens' top pass rusher said Friday that he would "be very surprised if this contract isn't done soon." He also denied speculation that this contract will make him one of the highest-paid defensive players in the NFL.

"No, that's not true," he said. "But that's cool if people want to believe that. Being one of the highest-paid players has never been my motivation. I just wanted to be paid what is fair, what I think I've earned."

A Ravens spokesman had no comment.

There has been speculation that Suggs is looking for a contract similar to the one given in 2007 to the Indianapolis Colts' Dwight Freeney, whose six-year, $72 million deal ($30 million guaranteed) made him the highest-paid defender in league history at the time."

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