He’s not getting the most blame – and he doesn’t deserve the most blame – but someone has to say it. And I will if I have to…

Steven Hauschka: 30%

Like it or not… when you need a field goal to win, a very makeable field goal, in a dome, with no wind or other issues… it needs to be made. That’s the end of it. The end. There’s nothing more to say. Clutch or not. Last minute or not. Field goals matter at all times; this one happened to determine the outcome of the game. Haushcka has to make the kick. The end. Throw blame everywhere else for our position up to that point, but Hauschka  has to make the kick.

In the words of a friend, let’s call it “poetic justice.” The minute Stover is picked up elsewhere, the makeable kick is missed. In all honesty, I love Hauschka and all that he brings to the table… but I was probably giving him better odds than most when I was thinking “this is 50-50…”

Ravens Secondary: 60%

Domonique Foxworth, Fabian Washington, Dawan Landry, Chris Carr, Lardarius Webb, Frank Walker. Frank f’n Walker. We’re looking at you. For the fourth time in six games you all looked worse than bad. You were pathetic. I’m not holding back anymore. I don’t know if you’re just confused or if you simply don’t have the ability, but you are the reason this defense is crumbling. Even the 100-yard rushers connect back to you.

Seriously, Frank, what are you doing? Is it even possible for you to be on the field and NOT have a flag thrown at you. Or not have the QB single you out? And Dawan… on yet another big play you looked absolutely lost. In fact, on one of Favre’s late TDs you almost seemed to be telling Brett to throw it to the man you were simply refusing to cover. Get it together.

Coaching: 10%

The Ravens defensive woes are not solely the fault of the players or the greatness of the opposing offense. Greg Mattison needs to find a way to get this unit to work together. Maybe it’s about getting Samari Rolle on the field. Maybe it’s about getting Paul Kruger on the field. Maybe it’s about play-calling. Whatever it is, do it.

Mattison has been unable to adjust his schemes and his plays to the needs of his players and the strengths of his opponents. Apparently the Ravens are just too easy to read.

Even offensively, Cam Cameron took long enough to find his groove. Had the Ravens started showing life just one possession earlier, perhaps that last kick is less necessary. Nice recovery, though, of course.

So far the most popular answer I’ve heard is the Ravens “weak” secondary. Just about everyone is pointing to a secondary that has allowed big numbers to big names. From Foxworth’s lack of physicality to Carr’s stumbles to Walker’s penalties.

In reality, we should be placing blame on every single Ravens player and coach that took the field on Sunday. They all failed. They all had opportunities and they all missed them. What we saw yesterday was exactly the opposite of the sharp, smart and dangerous Ravens teams we have come to know and love.

Following a nasty loss in New England last week, everyone expected the Ravens to bounce back with a vengeance and obliterate the Bengals. Instead, we got a lackluster effort. We got a team that looked too comfortable for its own good and then uncomfortable when it mattered most.

For me, it all starts with coaching. As a team, the Ravens were not ready to play yesterday. Whether it was complacency or disinterest or lack of focus, the Ravens did not walk into M&T Bank Stadium like a team that was ready to win that game. And that falls on the shoulders of John Harbaugh and his staff. No matter how good the Ravens may have looked in week’s past, it is the staff’s job to make sure they are ready to go on gameday. They weren’t.

You could tell on the first few series – the Ravens simply didn’t have their heads in the game. They looked bored.

But aside from the team’s overall lack of intensity, each unit lacked focus and discipline individually.

Offensively, the entire group looked disjointed. I am still unsure of any of Cam Cameron’s game plans. While the Ravens have been impressive at times, they don’t have an offensive identity. After criticism last week for being too pass-happy, it seemed that Cameron came down too far. The Ravens offense was predictable.

The Bengals defense is far improved from years past, but they are not spectacular. The Ravens should have been able to exploit some weaknesses, but they didn’t. That falls on Cameron.

Defensively, everyone is happy to point fingers at the Ravens secondary. And yes, the group has been a weak point this season. Unfortunately, mid-season, there is not a lot to be done about personnel. We’re stuck with who we’ve got. What bothers me more than our personnel failure has been Greg Mattison’s inability to adjust his defensive schemes to help his personnel.

The Ravens shifted their secondary personnel over the last two seasons – away from physicality and towards speed. That’s okay, actually. But you can’t expect a speedy corner to play like a physical corner. Washington, Foxworth and Carr cannot just overpower good receivers, they have to outsmart them. All three corners (four including Frank Walker) have done a fine job running with their man most games – but they have failed at making plays. Foxworth tried his best on Sunday, mauling Chris Henry to draw a pass interference call, and Henry still made the catch and ran 50 yards.

It is up to Mattison and his staff to find a scheme that works for these defensive backs. That’s going to mean teaching them how to find and play the ball, not the man. The Ravens will lose 9 times out of 10 if their DBs try to play the man. And up front, Mattison needs to find a scheme or a personnel package that is able to pressure the quarterback and assist the secondary.

On all three levels of the coaching pyramid the Ravens looked outmatched. It’s not a nice feeling, nor one I want to get used to. The Ravens have the talent – on the field and on the sidelines – to win every game they play. Both sides need to work to make that real.

Cincinnati Bengals (3-1): The Bengals barely escaped the Browns in Cleveland on Sunday, winning in overtime on a Shayne Graham field goal. Still curious how the Bengals failed to run away with the game, though, as they had a big lead early following a series of Cleveland turnovers. Also wondering what kind of team lets the Browns back into it. Next Game: @ Ravens (3-1)

Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2): Statement game by the Steelers… almost. The offense hit a new level on the back of Rashard Mendenhall. Proves that with a running game, every team looks better. Roethlisberger is still playing too well for his own good. But for another week the fourth quarter was trouble and the defense is not closing games out. Next Game: @ Detroit (1-3)

Cleveland Browns (0-4): The Browns showed some signs of life on Sunday, taking the Bengals to the wire. It was an unusual game: the Browns looked lost in the first half and then should have won in the second, but they let it slip away. This team will continue to struggle, but they aren’t the league’s worst. Next Game: @ Buffalo (1-3)

Thumbs Up:

Ben Roethlisberger: Big Ben threw for over 300 yards for the second time this season and didn’t throw an interception for the first time this season. He has been playing too well for the Steelers to be just 2-2.

Rashard Mendenhall: Mendenhall ran for 165 yards and two touchdowns, proving that the Steelers still have a running game (sometimes) and that Mendenhall deserves his carries (when he behaves).

Jerome Harrison: The Browns new starter in the wake of Jamal Lewis’ injury has been impressive in two starts. In Baltimore he broke 50 yards on limited carries, and against Cincinnati he topped 120.

Terrell Suggs: Played well, made a game-changing play for a touchdown in the Ravens loss to the Pats, and learned how to keep his mouth shut post game.

Thumbs Down

Ravens Receivers: After a stellar start to the game, including six receptions by Derrick Mason on the team’s first scoring drive, the Ravens receivers disappeared. Dropped passes galore.

AFC North Special Teams: Kickers, returners, punters… they’ve all been bad with few exceptions. This week it was Shayne Graham’s blocked extra point to send Browns-Bengals in overtime; Chris Carr fumbling on the opening kickoff in New England; and Stefan Logan’s fumble on a punt return. Oh, and that doesn’t include the Steelers botching an opportunity to recover an onside kick attempt by the Chargers.

Chad Ochocinco: Hard to give a thumbs down to a guy that caught two touchdown passes… but when you only catch three passes for 24 yards against a more than suspect pass defense, you’re not brag-worthy.

Three Issues:

Who’s Number One? The Bengals and Ravens face off for early supremacy in the AFC North. With the Bengals already having an edge on the Steelers, taking the one-game lead on the Bengals would be extra helpful for the Ravens. Meanwhile, the Bengals are trying to prove they belong in the conversation.

Is this division still about defense? The Ravens and Steelers are both turning heads for their offensive prowess and both have become suspect defensively. The Ravens are third in points per game and total offense, the Steelers sixth in total offense. And while Cleveland and Cincinnati have both had offensive struggles, they are both improving. For most of this decade, the AFC North was the hardest hitting division in the NFL… are they losing their edge?

Can they really win? The Browns go to Buffalo and have a chance at their first win of the season against a struggling Bills team. The Browns offense looked poised to break out against the Bengals and against a weaker Bills defense they might be able to. If the Browns get rolling on offense, they won’t be quite as much fun to play.

Feelin’ Fine Ball: Ray Lewis. Because I’m feeling a fine coming his way for his post game remarks. I didn’t agree with every call on the field out there today, but the Ravens need to learn how to take their losses and the game’s circumstances and move on.

Lesson Learned Ball: Terrell Suggs. Asked post-game about his personal foul on Tom Brady, Suggs replied quietly, “it is what it is.” That shouldn’t be taken to mean Suggs liked the call, but he knows how to keep his pay check fat.

Buddy Buddy Ball: Tom Brady. Brady played a good game. But between his Manning-esque “flag wrist” asking for a personal foul and the closing shot of Brady walking off the field with the refs… I can’t help but think it. These refs know they have a job to protect the league’s stars.

Fired Up Ball: John Harbaugh. I’ve got mixed feelings on Harbaugh’s tantrum. I don’t think it cost the Ravens as much as some fans do, but there’s no way to tell. I do know that I want my coach to care enough that he’s ready to go. First time we’ve seen Harbaugh go off like that. Probably won’t see it again for a while.

Defensive Game Ball: Terrell Suggs & Dwan Edwards. Suggs sacked Brady, stripped the ball and Edwards found it in the endzone for the touchdown. That play changed the game and gave the Ravens hope.

Special Teams Game Ball: Sam Koch. Koch is arguably the league’s best punter right now. He has learned how to kick it far, but his penchant for putting it inside the 10 is what makes him truly great.

Special Teams Goat Ball: Chris Carr. Bad decision, bad execution. Carr was benched as return man, as he should have been. The question is whether he can reclaim his job. Fans don’t want to see him anymore.

Tough Team Ball: The Patriots D. They may not have been perfect, but the Patriots as a team and as a defense especially beat the Ravens at their own game most of the game. The Pats came up with big plays when they mattered and kept the pressure all game long. Credit deserved.

What a Catch! Ball: Derrick Mason. He went up, he took the hit, he came down hard and held on. Mason’s first quarter touchdown let the Patriots know that the Ravens were not too bothered by an early deficit.

Get Well Ball: Jared Gaither and Brendon Ayanbadejo. Gaither’s head/neck injury was the scariest moment of the season so far – he seemed to be lying on that field for an hour. The news is good so far for Gaither, though no word on when he might return to the field. Ayanbadejo, who last week won the league’s defensive player of the week award, isn’t so lucky. He’s done for the season, it appears.

Disappearing Act Ball: Le’Ron McClain. Not sure if McClain had injury problems or was just pulled in favor of the empty backfield, but he vanished in the second half. The Ravens could have used McClain on those short yardage situations, but McGahee got the call instead. Questionable.

Helluva Game Ball: Leigh Bodden and Brandon Merriweather. The Pats CB and S duo were all over the field. Bodden’s red zone interception of Joe Flacco was impressive and stole at least three points from the Ravens (imagine being down just three on that last drive!). Meanwhile Merriweather was in on almost every tackle it seemed, finishing with 9 total tackles and 2 passes defended.

Butter Ball: Mark Clayton. Hard to blame him for the touchdown drops – both would have been hard to catch. But easy to say ’shame on you’ for his 4th down drop to end the game. Sigh. We love ya, Mark.

Offensive Play Calling / Cam Cameron: 40%.

Dear Cam, take a look at the numbers. Your offense ran the ball just 17 times for more than 100 yards, averaging 6.8 yards per rush. Meanwhile, you threw the ball 47 times for 264 yards, averaging just 5.6 yards per attempt. What does that mean? That our rushing game was actually far more effective than our passing game.

I don’t know that anyone thought the winning team in this game would come out with fewer than 25 rushing attempts… let alone fewer than 20. The Pats, despite managing only 85 yards, ran the ball 30 times. Where was Le’Ron McClain on 4th and short?

And please don’t give me that “game circumstances forced us into a different mode.” First, the lack of balance was apparent from the first moment of the game – the Ravens managed just 7 rushes in the first half. But additionally, the Ravens were never anywhere close to being out of this game. The rushing attack should have been featured more prominently. Period. It’s been said since our Week 1 victory against Kansas City.

Third Down Penalties: 25%.

I’m doing my best to not put blame on the refs. It truly wasn’t the refs fault (at least not most of the time). But despite being stout on defensive third downs throughout the game, the Ravens continued to give the Pats second chances. The second roughing call on Brady was extremely questionable. I heard it justified with a “if Brady doesn’t move his leg, he gets hit.” I didn’t know the NFL gave out penalties for almost roughing the quarterback.

Regardless of the calls, the Ravens need to be better about keeping their play in check. The defense looked confused and overmatched at various times and penalties are a symptom of that disorganization. Good teams don’t give second chances.

Meanwhile, a big kudos to John Harbaugh for letting the refs have it on some of the game’s more questionable calls.

Mark Clayton: 15%.

I’m trying to hold off on Clayton a bit here. If the Ravens perform better earlier in the game, if they play their game for three quarters, the team shouldn’t even be in that kind of position. But regardless, Clayton dropped the biggest pass of the game.  It was a great play call, a great route and a rocket pass to Clayton’s hands. Top receivers are paid to make those catches. We’re still waiting for you to prove yourself, Mark.

Chris Carr: 10%.

Carr has yet to be anything but a disappointment on special teams this season. We haven’t seen speed. We haven’t seen agility. We haven’t seen brilliant insight or smart moves. Until today, the most we had seen was the failure to make mistakes. Oops.

Carr’s fumble on the opening kick-off set up a long day for the Ravens. Instead of walking on the field, ready to establish the game’s tempo, Carr handed that opportunity to the Patriots. And it gave Belichick an early look at the Ravens D.

Dawan Landry: 10%.

Landry looked lost on the field for the second time this season. He was confused in Week 2 by the Chargers and looked similarly bothered by the Patriots schemes. He did a fine job in helping double Randy Moss and Wes Welker at various times throughout the game, but it didn’t make up for his mistakes.

Landry’s biggest mistakes cost the Ravens. Early in the game it was a pair of missed tackles on consecutive plays, leading to a Sammie Morris touchdown. The Ravens didn’t have any points to give away today.

In Week 1, when Brodie Croyle threw two touchdowns and manufactured back-to-back scoring drives in the air, most Ravens fans and players called it a fluke, a sign of the unit’s complacency. Now in Week 2, following Philip Rivers monster 440 yard game, some of that reassuring “it won’t happen again” mentality is fading – and many fans are wondering not if it will happen, but when it will start to affect the Ravens record.

The Ravens secondary play this season should be a big concern for the Ravens and their fans. With the exception of two interceptions against Rivers on Sunday, there has been little to get excited about. The unit has been bounced in every possible way – confused by play action, outrun on deep balls, and out of position on screens and crosses.

Here are four reasons the Ravens secondary has looked so bad – things we all should have seen coming – and how to fix it.

1. Coaching. This is not a lamentation for the days of old and the return of Rex Ryan. Ryan’s secondaries were rarely perfect and often flawed, especially against good receivers and quarterbacks. But Greg Mattison certainly has plenty to work on. Luckily, Mattison has a lot to work with, as well. Mattison and John Harbaugh both noted after the game that some of the Chargers biggest and most damaging plays were the result of missed coverages and defensive confusion. This was most notable on the Darren Sproles swing pass for an 80-yard touchdown; no one accounted for Sproles. No one.

The Ravens run complex schemes, but the first rule of any defense is know your man. Mattison needs to have his entire defense in the film room all week, playbooks open and pens out. Mattison has some work cut out for him, though. Remember, most of the Ravens corners right now are cast-offs from other teams. Foxworth and Washington were both underperforming high round picks that the Ravens targeted for their speed. They are supposed to be a work in progress. The entire Ravens defense has the talent to be very good, but only if they can execute their playbook.

2. Size. Fabian Washington, Domonique Foxworth, Chris Carr, Frank Walker. All fast, all around 5′11 and 175 (some would even argue with pads on). That’s not quite Chris McAlister and  Samari Rolle. The current Ravens corners aren’t especially small, but you won’t find anyone calling them big. These corners won’t have much success chucking receivers at the line or bumping them downfield, which leads to an entirely different style of play for this secondary than most Ravens fans are used to. In their defense, Washington and Foxworth did an impressive job of staying with their coverage throughout the game on Sunday, but they simply weren’t able to make the plays when the ball game.

Is it truly good coverage if you don’t make the play, though? The Ravens corners need to learn how to run with their man and play the ball. In the Chargers later series, we saw some of this happening. Kudos to you, Frank Walker. It needs to happen more. Speed can’t be taught, but finding the ball can be.

3. The Pass Rush. Another familiar complaint from the past few years. If you hit the quarterback, he can’t throw the ball. And if he can’t throw the ball, no one can catch it. And even if you can’t stop him from throwing, maybe you can stop him from throwing it well. The Ravens front-seven needs to do more to help their secondary be effective. The Ravens actually got pretty solid pressure on Rivers on Sunday, but only when bringing the house – and eventually even that stopped working. Without the blitz, the Ravens pass rush looked handicapped against the Chargers, who were missing three (three!) starters on the offensive line. Terrell Suggs was solid throughout most of the game, but always a half-step behind, and only got through on the blitz. We haven’t seen rookie motor Paul Kruger yet because the Ravens can’t find room for him, but it may be time for that to change.

The Ravens need to find ways to get pressure even when rushing three or four. It’s that simple. Haloti Ngata takes up two men all be his lonesome, that leaves 3 or 4 on the line (depending on the alignment) to handle three Ravens rushers. That match-up should favor the defense pretty consistently. Yes, I’m looking at you Trevor Pryce and Terrell Suggs. If the current rushers cannot get it done, let’s try something new. Kruger is known for his motor, which is precisely what the Ravens defensive line needs.

4. Philip Rivers. Yup, I’m going to just plain say it. Part of the Ravens struggle was simply Philip Rivers. Where was Ed Reed? Ed Reed was all over the field. But wherever Reed went, Rivers went the other way. Rivers held this game together for the Chargers. He spotted blitzes and rushes, helping his handicapped offensive line protect him. He got rid of the ball quickly and knew when the rush was coming. And he put the ball high and out of reach of the Ravens defenders time and time again. Rivers is one of the league’s best – perhaps only Manning and Brady are better right now (maybe not even Brady right now) – and he might have the most raw talent of any quarterback out there.

So, how do the Ravens fix this? Well, don’t play good quarterbacks. That won’t work. The Ravens get Big Ben twice, Palmer twice, Manning, Brady, Favre, Cutler once each… Let’s start by just avoiding Philip Rivers. Done. We won’t have to see him until at least week 18.

Ravens Rush Attack vs. Chargers Rush Defense:

The Chargers defense is not quite the feared force it was growing into in 2006 and 2007. They are a decent at stopping the rush, but not superb, allowing just over 100 yards a game in 2008 and allowing well over 100 yards on the ground against the Raiders. The Chargers will struggle mightily with the Ravens multi-faceted rush attack, especially if the Ravens return to their run-oriented gameplan and control the clock. Even with limited touches, the Ravens showed they know how to use their running weapons, getting quality touches to Ray Rice, Willis McGahee and even Le’Ron McClain. We may not see any back top 100 yards on their own, but the Ravens expect to be pushing 200 yards as a team on a weekly basis. Edge: Ravens.

Ravens Pass Attack vs. Chargers Pass Defense:

The Chargers pass defense suffered last year after the loss of star linebacker (and former Maryland star) Shawne Merriman. Without Merriman for 15 games last season, the Chargers pass defense fell to 31st in the league in yards allowed and amassed only 28 sacks. But in 2007, with Merriman, the pass defense was in the league’s top half, and the Chargers were a top five team in pressuring the quarterback. Merriman appears healthy, but it’s unclear if he’s truly back on top of his game. The Ravens pass attack showed tremendous improvement in week one, but the Chiefs are about as bad as defenses come. The Ravens will have to work much harder this week to protect QB Joe Flacco, and Flacco himself will have to work harder to execute on his passes. The Chargers have 45 interceptions over the last two seasons, best in the NFL. Edge: Even.

Chargers Rush Attack vs. Ravens Rush Defense:

There aren’t many defenses that can even hold a candle to the Ravens when it comes to stopping the rush. But a tandem of good backs can change everything. Last year, it was the Giants’ with Brandon Jacobs and Danny Ware, and in the playoffs, the Titans with Chris Johnson and LenDale White. The Chargers offer up LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles. A fast-and-faster version of the infamous thunder-and-lightning attack. Luckily for the Ravens, Tomlinson is hampered by an ankle injury that may keep him out of the game entirely. But Sproles proved last season that he is more than capable of handling the Chargers rush attack solo. It’s a new season, though, and Sproles will have to prove himself all over again – he rushed for just 23 yards against the Raiders. Edge: Ravens.

Chargers Pass Attack vs. Ravens Pass Defense:

The Ravens pass defense has been the unit’s true struggle for several seasons. Even with Pro Bowler and superstar Ed Reed picking off passes at his leisure, the Ravens secondary and pass rush have failed to make their mark when the game’s been on the line. A handful of speedy new corners is supposed to help, but even against the Chiefs last week, the team allowed some bigger plays than they would have liked. The Ravens pass rush still hasn’t developed as fully as fans would like either, often leaving too much time for good quarterbacks to find open receivers. And the Chargers Philip Rivers is certainly one of the better quarterbacks the Ravens will face this year. If the Ravens give him too much time, he will find an open man. And Rivers will be helped by one of the league’s biggest and most physical receiving corps, led by freak of nature tight end Antonio Gates. Once again, the good news is falling to the Ravens, though, as the Chargers will likely be without two starters on the offensive line. Edge: Even.

Special Teams:

Nate Kaeding is one of the league’s best kickers and can boot the ball as far as anyone. Darren Sproles is one of the league’s most dangerous return men. Mike Scifres regularly punts the ball over 60 yards – sometimes even 70. Meet the Chargers special teams. The Ravens? Well, there’s second year kicker Steven Hauschka, who is still earning his coach’s trust. Return man Chris Carr, who had some good times in Tennessee, but hasn’t yet in Baltimore. And the star of the group, Sam Koch, who may be the league’s most underrated punter. Edge: Chargers

Miscellaneous:

The Chargers are at home, where they’ve lost just 5 games since Rivers took over at QB. Joe Flacco, though, loved the road last season, throwing 10 touchdowns and earning a QB rating over 90. The Chargers are also notoriously slow starters, especially in their last two seasons led by Norv Turner. And as previously mentioned, the Chargers are in a bit more injury trouble than the Ravens. But homefield is homefield, and flying east-to-west has never been the Ravens strong suit. Edge: Chargers

Prediction:

It likely won’t be pretty, but as the Ravens move back to running ball more, they’ll be able to control the clock. Flacco and the passing game will still play an important role, especially in keeping the Chargers off balance. The Chargers will likely have their drives and score some points, but in classic Ravens style, they’ll bend but never break. The key will be turnovers, and a late turnover will likely decide a very close game.  Ravens 27, Chargers 23.

Offensive Game Ball: Joe Flacco. To open his second season, Flacco set career highs in touchdowns, passing yards and passing attempts. He topped 300 yards for the first time in his career as well. Despite a few overthrown balls and a brutal interception that really had the Ravens spinning, Flacco managed the game well and showed that he is no Trent Dilfer. The Raven said they were going to test this offense’s limits, and they did it perfectly today. Flacco never looked overmatched and the offense fired on just about all cylinders.

Welcome-Back Ball: Todd Heap. Between injuries and blocking assignments in recent years, most Ravens fans had forgotten why Heap made it to a pair of Pro Bowls and was once considered among the league’s most dangerous tight ends. Today, they remembered what it’s like to see a tight end simply dominate a defense. Heap had five catches for more than 70 yards and a momentum-changing touchdown. Defenses beware: the Mormon is stormin’ again.

Lame Ball: Kelly Washington. The Ravens most recent addition to the receiving corps made three catches for 43 yards and helped Heap, Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton all do their jobs better. But the first down dances were too much, too soon. Washington embodied this team’s smug attitude after his first catch, which is part of why the Ravens wound up fighting through the fourth quarter for this win.

Ugly Ball: Special Teams. Kick-off coverage was the unit’s only saving grace. Sam Koch had a punt blocked in the Ravens endzone for a touchdown. Steven Hauschka missed a field goal and his other kicking attempts were far from pretty. And returner Chris Carr simply was not a factor. All three (Koch, Hauschka and Carr) can and should do much better. The Ravens didn’t work hard to develop their offense to see the special teams slip away.

Defensive Game Ball: Kelly Gregg. After a season on the sidelines, Gregg made his presence known. His six tackles tied for the team lead and the Chiefs struggled to contain him. Even when he didn’t make the play, Gregg was always a part of keeping the pressure on Brody Croyle and company. You can be sure Haloti Ngata and Ray Lewis are happy to have Gregg back.

Hide Your Hankies Ball: John Harbaugh. With no disrespect to Coach Harbaugh, who has had a brilliant short career with the Ravens so far: someone else on this team needs to be in charge of instant replay challenges. Maybe he’s getting bad advice from the booth, maybe he just trusts his eyes (Dave Trembley?), but Harbaugh has yet to master the art of the red flag.

Prove Me Wrong Ball: Willis McGahee. It’s doubtful he reads this blog, but no one has been harder on McGahee during his tenure with the Ravens than me. McGahee has taken his bump to back-up with an impressive show of his character. He looked in shape physically and mentally, and his impact on the victory cannot be overstated. Not only did McGahee run effectively (after getting in rhythm), but he caught a few balls and blocked well. The Ravens first touchdown came on play in which McGahee made his cut block, found his feet, and still had managed to get open and find the endzone. Bravo.

Understated Ball: Offensive Line. The Chiefs may not have the league’s best defense or its best pass rush, but a solid effort should not be overlooked. The Ravens offensive line man-handled the Chiefs all game, giving the Ravens back plenty of holes and Flacco hours to pass (as Ian Eagle said at one point, “Flacco could balance his checkbook back there.”) More impressive, perhaps, was that the line never let up mid-play. Flacco eluded tacklers in the backfield when he had to, but not without help from his lineman, who were happy to turn back and take another shot at the defense.

Full Time Ball: Ray Rice. Taking over the starting duties for the Ravens at tailback this season, most critics have predicted that Rice has the skills to be successful, but lacks the endurance to be a full-time back. Rice proved this afternoon that, with the help of McGahee and Le’Ron McClain, he’s more than capable. He also proved that he doesn’t need 25 carries a game to make an impact – 19 carries for 108 is perfectly fine.

Pay Attention Ball: Rich Gannon. Gannon is generally one of CBS’ better color commentators, but something was off today. Perhaps it was his pairing with Ian Eagle, who seems to do the play-by-play for every Ravens game, or maybe he just needs some more time. Gannon was flat out wrong in some of his commentary (Chiefs fumble at the goal line, fumble by Croyle at game’s end), but also seemed out of touch with the pace of the game.