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Sunday, October 21, 2001

By Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

The absence of loud thumping from Baltimore this week means the Ravens are no longer pounding their chests, proclaiming themselves a better defense than the combined versions of the 1976 Steelers and '85 Bears.

Brett Favre and the Packers punched so many holes in Baltimore's defense last week that Green Bay fans could have worn the Ravens as Cheeseheads.

Favre completed 27 of 34 passes for 337 yards and three touchdowns. The Packers scored on touchdown drives of 59, 74, 80 and 82 yards to beat Baltimore, 31-23.

All the Packers did was follow the blueprint that retired Jets assistant coach Dan Henning showed everyone on how to beat Baltimore's defense.

Henning's Jets spread out the Ravens last season by throwing on first down and running draw plays on third down. Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde threw for 481 yards against the Ravens, but he threw three interceptions and the Jets' special teams lost the game.

As for all those comparisons between the Steelers' defense of the 1970s and those of the Ravens, the Steelers had the longevity, not to mention three more Super Bowl victories. They weren't great for just one season. They also produced Hall of Famers Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham and Mel Blount, not to mention players who should be in the Hall of Fame -- L.C. Greenwood, Donnie Shell and Andy Russell.

The Ravens have two Hall of Famers, linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Rod Woodson, but Woodson earned his Hall of Fame spurs with the Steelers.

Baltimore has been playing against mediocre quarterbacks. The Ravens beat Kerry Collins in the Super Bowl. The Steelers beat Roger Staubach, twice.

The talk out of Baltimore, though, has been less than humbling the past week.

"You ain't humbling this defense," said tackle Tony Siragusa. "It's not a one-game season. We might even lose another one down the road, who knows?"

"Humbled?" Lewis said. "Humbled about what? There's something special about our defense. It's simple. Every dog has its day; they had their day. There won't be too many more."

The Ravens have allowed 78 points after setting a 16-game record last season with 165.

Some of their defensive players have turned from cocky to testy. Cornerback Chris McAlister once yapped that a closed mouth "never gets fed." He's taking a new outlook after he got burned on three plays that led to three Packers scores last week. He was penalized 27 yards for pass interference and was beaten on passes of 37 and 47 yards. He also has no interceptions and has not broken up a pass.

McAlister sounds more concerned about getting burned by the press than by opposing quarterbacks.

"I don't trust [the media]," he said. "[The media] takes a lot of comments, things that I say, and blows them out of proportion."

Baltimore, at 3-2, can still win its second consecutive Super Bowl. If not, it might be a long time before the Ravens get there again. They are headed for big salary cap problems after this season and may have to start ridding themselves of players and won't have the money to replace them.