Re: 'Tuck Rule' jab, Brady kills Lewis with kindness

Monday, former Baltimore Ravens linebacker-turned-TV analyst said during a radio interview that the "only reason we know who Tom Brady is, [it's] because of the 'Tuck Rule.'"

A day later, the New England Patriots quarterback had a chance to respond. His response? Typical Patriots.

“Everyone has an opinion,” Brady said Thursday, via WEEI. “I think Ray is a great player. He’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer. I was fortunate enough to play against him.”

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Patriots: Size doesn't matter with Ravens' Dumervil

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker and pass-rushing specialist Elvis Dumervil isn't the biggest guy in the world at 5-foot-11, 255 pounds, but his explosiveness and ability to get past the line make his presence plenty large.

The New England Patriots are preparing for Dumervil and the rest of the Ravens' defense leading up to the teams' bout Saturday in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs.

"I don't really put a huge stake in size," offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer said this week, via CSNNE. "If the production is there, who says you gotta be 6-8 to be a good football player? I don't see that. There's so many guys that are shorter: [James] Harrison, Freeney, [Robert] Mathis, [Cameron] Wake. You don't have to be Mario Williams' size. Obviously he's a good player. It depends on God-given talent and God-give stature.

Dumervil ready to put on 'relentless' pass rush vs. Pats

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

The Baltimore Ravens pass rush was the key to the team's road victory last Saturday, tallying five sacks against a mobile Ben Roethlisberger. Elvis Dumervil and Co. will be looking for a repeat of that performance on the road against the Patriots this Saturday, though they're quick to point out the differences with the man under center this week.

Dumervil notched two of those five sacks against Pittsburgh in the team's 30-17 victory, as Baltimore's continuous pressure kept Roethlisberger unbalanced and unable to find the deep-threat options that headlined the previous matchup between the two teams.

But a pocket passer like Tom Brady presents different problems, Dumervil told reporters Tuesday, especially one with a quick release.

Ravens sack Dolphins' postseason hopes

BY NICK ST. DENIS

That should just about do it.

The Miami Dolphins couldn't protect their quarterback and couldn't protect their end zone Sunday, squandering their playoff hopes with a 28-13 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

With the loss, the Dolphins drop to 7-6 and essentially out of the hunt, while the Ravens improve to 8-5 and a game out of both the last Wildcard spot and the AFC North lead.

Colledge says no Ngata 'will be a nice break'

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata was suspended for four games Thursday for violating the league's PED policy, admittedly taking Adderall.

The Dolphins' players seem pretty shaken up about it.

"Look at him, he’s the size of a car," Miami guard Daryn Colledge said, via miamidolphins.com. "He’s obviously extremely strong, extremely talented and he’s a great run stopper and he’s still a great pass rusher. He can do things that you wouldn’t expect out of a guy that size. He’s a rare talent in the NFL.

Week 16 picks: Patriots at Ravens

Publisher Nick St. Denis, associate editor Dan Begnoche and senior contributor Sean Donovan pick the New England Patriots' high-stakes rematch with the Baltimore Ravens.

Dan's take:

In a crucial game with numerous playoff implications, the key here will be the play inside the 20-yard line. Baltimore has thrived in that category for most of the season but struggled of late, while New England is riding a below-grade average on the whole. The defense that can force the field goals (which are pretty much givens at this point considering the kickers) and avoid the goal-line breaches will give its offense a hearty shot at victory and control of the clock. Look for running back Ray Rice to have a breakout game against a sub-par run defense, and the Ravens' pass defense to pick up the rest of the slack.
Prediction: Ravens 22, Patriots 17

Four Point Stance: Patriots at Ravens

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

Despite some crazy postseason drama one year ago and even crazier offseason changes, the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens are in the same place they're used to being in -- battling for the best AFC playoff spot.

Following a hard-fought loss that kept the Dolphins in the playoff mix and the division up for grabs, the Pats roll into Baltimore looking to solidify their spot in the postseason and work toward a first-round bye. With a win against Detroit Monday night and the loss by Cincinnati, the Ravens would love to pick up another victory Sunday and make a move toward snagging a playoff spot straight up via the division title.

To accomplish their goal, New England will have to awaken its running game, which has been largely inactive the last two games in the red zone and has failed to amass more than 100 yards in three games despite its legitimate average (118 per game). Baltimore is in the same boat, sporting a dreadful run game that's tallied only 83 yards per game due mostly to its mix-and-match offensive line.

Patriots' defensive backs wary of speedy Torrey Smith

BY NICK ST. DENIS

New England Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib was asked Thursday about Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith's speed. According to Talib, few words -- or no words -- are needed.

"Man, you know that," Talib told reporters, via Patriots.com. "We don’t even have to talk about that. You know how fast he is. We all know how fast he is."

Smith is one of the NFL's elite burners, though Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco hasn't connected with Smith nearly as much as he would have liked to this season.

Tight ends to play big role in Pats-Ravens rematch

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

The return of tight end Dennis Pitta has been a huge boost for the Baltimore Ravens offense, and his presence has completely changed the dynamic of the team's passing scheme.

The New England Patriots can relate.

Following the long-anticipated return of tight end Rob Gronkowski to start the season, Tom Brady and the Patriots' offense finally hit their groove. After averaging 22 points per game the first five weeks without him, New England averaged nearly 33 in Gronk's six games back before his injury against Cleveland.

Ravens win grounds Jets, keeps Dolphins at bay

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Things were lining up for the Miami Dolphins Monday night. The New York Jets were about to get a tiny sliver of good news, too.

Down by one point, the Baltimore Ravens, owners of the final AFC Wildcard spot, were facing a last-minute fourth-and-8 from the Detroit Lions' 43-yard line. The Ravens opted to attempt an improbable 61-yard field goal.

If kicker Justin Tucker missed, which was very likely from that distance, the Dolphins would become front-runners for the last playoff seed, and the Jets would remain mathematically alive for at least one more week.

Patriots' Week 16 game bumped from primetime

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

Thinking about closing out your Sunday before the holiday week with a top-tier AFC rivalry game? Think again.

The New England Patriots (10-3) haven't gone up against the Baltimore Ravens (7-6) since last year's AFC Championship game, and Tom Brady would probably love nothing more than some primetime revenge after his performance in last year's finale.

That won't happen though — at least the prime time part — as the Dec. 22 rematch has been flexed out for the NFC matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles (8-6) and the Chicago Bears (7-6), according to the Boston Globe.

Ravens join in on abuse of Jets' secondary

BY NICK ST. DENIS

The scouting report on the New York Jets' defensive front is quite complicated. The scouting report on their secondary isn't.

The Baltimore Ravens took their shots downfield Sunday despite less-than-favorable weather conditions, and it paid dividends.

A pair of long completions by quarterback Joe Flacco -- one of which went for 66 yards and a touchdown -- was the latest development in the debacle that is the Jets' defensive backfield. The Jets lost their second straight and fell below .500 for the first time this season.

Week 12 picks: Jets at Ravens

Publisher Nick St. Denis, associate editor Dan Begnoche and senior contributor Sean Donovan pick the AFC bout between the New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens.

Nick's take:
Both offenses will have a tough time in this one. Twenty-plus mile-per-hour winds will aid the Jets' subpar deep passing defense against an offense that likes to chuck it, while the Jets have struggled enough through the air as it is. New York's run defense will carry its weight, but the key will be Gang Green playing ball-control with their own running game, as Baltimore's defensive front will be rearing to go against a mistake-prone rooke quarterback in Geno Smith. The Jets have absolutely stunk on the road this season and haven't beaten the Ravens since 1997. Then again, they lost last week, so I'm not sure they're allowed to lose this week.
Prediction: Ravens 17, Jets 14

Four Point Stance: Jets at Ravens

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Rex Ryan is still looking for his first win against the Baltimore Ravens, where he spent 10 years as a defensive assistant, coordinator and assistant head coach before taking the New York Jets' lead gig in 2009.

The Ravens (4-6) might be at their most vulnerable this time around, having dropped four of their last five coming off a Super Bowl victory that was followed by a house-cleaning. The Jets, however, haven't exactly been the steadiest of squads, either.

Gang Green dropped a major-league stinker last week against the Buffalo Bills, setting a league-record of alternating wins and losses through their first 10 games.

Injury report: Kerley still a long shot to return

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Officially, New York Jets receiver Jeremy Kerley is listed as doubtful for Sunday. Unoffically, he's out.

Jets coach Rex Ryan said Friday Kerley was "very doubtful" for Gang Green's visit to the Baltimore Ravens, as Kerley practiced in an extremely limited fashion at the end of the week and is still recovering from a dislocated elbow.

Linebacker Garrett McIntyre is trending toward being scratched with a knee injury, and as has been the case for most of the season, the Jets have a hefty handful of starters on the probably list.

Joe Flacco knows Ed Reed 'has a high motivation'

BY NICK ST. DENIS

There's no doubt Ed Reed is a Hall-of-Famer. The question today, however, is how much Hall-of-Fame play he still has in him.

Last offseason, Reed was a roster casualty of a Baltimore Ravens team getting younger and cheaper after winning a Super Bowl, and he'll get a second shot at his former employer Sunday when the New York Jets travel a few hours south on I-95.

The quarterback of that Super Bowl team, Joe Flacco, expects to get the 35-year-old safety's best.

Dolphins trade for Ravens tackle McKinnie

BY NICK ST. DENIS

The Miami Dolphins' struggling offensive line emerged from the bye week unchanged from a personnel standpoint, but apparently the team didn't completely close the door on opportunities.

A day after right tackle Tyson Clabo surrendered a pair of fourth-quarter sacks in a loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Dolphins traded for Baltimore Ravens tackle Bryant McKinnie, as first reported by Jay Glazer of Fox Sports.

McKinnie, who received a good look from the Dolphins in free agency, recently gave up his starting left tackle job to Eugene Monroe.

Dolphins' pass protection woes a broken record

BY SEAN DONOVAN

The Miami Dolphins are now on pace to set a dubious NFL record.

After taking six sacks in Miami's 26-23 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill is on track to get sacked 77 times this season, more than any other quarterback in league history.

The inability for the Dolphins to get any consistent protection took its toll on the offense for the fifth straight game.

Four Point Stance: Ravens at Dolphins

BY SEAN DONOVAN

The Miami Dolphins face a 2012 playoff team for the third time in four weeks, this time in a home tilt against the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens.

The 2-2 Ravens have had an up-and-down start to their title defense, with all of the down coming on the road. They've lost both of their games away from home, most recently a 23-20 loss at Buffalo in which quarterback Joe Flacco threw five interceptions.

At 3-1, the Dolphins are guaranteed to enter their Week 6 bye with a winning record, but this game represents an important point in determining the trajectory of their season. A win establishes them as a frontrunner in the early AFC Wild Card race going into a lighter stretch of their schedule with head-to-head tiebreakers over three other contenders, while a loss drops them back into conference's crowded middle class heading into the stretch.

Week 5 picks: Ravens at Dolphins

Publisher Nick St. Denis, associate editor Dan Begnoche and senior contributor Sean Donovan pick the Miami Dolphins' home contest with the Baltimore Ravens.

Sean's take:

The Dolphins stand at a critical juncture, having had a litany of weaknesses exposed in a blowout loss Monday night heading into a home matchup against the defending champions. The Miami coaching staff's ability to adjust and self-scout will be at the forefront in coming weeks, but the Dolphins' defense regains its dominant form against the inconsistent Ravens, keying a solid win heading into the bye.

Prediction: Dolphins 20, Ravens 10

Nick's take:

Quarterbacks Ryan Tannehill and Joe Flacco are looking for two things: to win, and to not get sacked so much. The Dolphins have given up a league-most 18 sacks so far this year, and the Ravens gave up four against the Bills last week. Both defensive fronts will be rearing to go in this one, with the Ravens getting the better of it.

Prediction: Ravens 24, Dolphins 21