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Monday, October 30, 2000

By Dejan Kovacevic, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

BALTIMORE -- They set off fireworks here for field goals.

No kidding.

They flash a message on the video scoreboard urging the crowd to chant, "Move ... those ... chains!"

Really.

Hey, you take what you can get if you're rooting for the Baltimore Ravens' offense.

"I'm sorry for the fans to have to watch this," tight end Shannon Sharpe said after a 9-6 loss to the Steelers yesterday at PSINet Stadium. "I can't live with myself right now. I can't look our defensive guys in the eye coming off the field. I can't look at our fans. I don't know when this is going to end."

It will end when the Ravens finally reach the end zone again.

With another flat-line offensive effort yesterday, Baltimore ran its no-touchdown streak to five games. Twenty-one quarters. Fifty-eight possessions. Eleven trips inside the opponents' 20-yard line. A month and six days. Only one team, the 1991 Indianapolis Colts, has gone longer without a touchdown in the past decade.

Yesterday, the Ravens had 10 possessions, which ended with a fumble, punt, field goal, field goal, punt, fumble, interception, punt, punt and, finally, on downs to close out their third consecutive loss.

"If you run the ball, throw and catch, block, don't give up sacks and don't fumble, those things usually equate to a win," Sharpe said. "If you do all of those things terribly, you lose. We would have a drive that's going good -- bang -- we give them the ball."

After a 5-1 start which had many in these parts talking Super Bowl, Baltimore suddenly is 5-4 and looking up at the Steelers in the AFC Central Division.

And it appears to be taking a toll on Coach Brian Billick, who was testy with the media afterward.

"If there's going to be some analysis of our system -- and I'm sure there will -- you can have at it. All of a sudden now, I don't know what I'm doing, and 25 years of work is a sham, and I faked my way to this point. I've been through it enough to know that you don't bail out on the system."

Billick tried to stir up his offense yesterday by inserting Trent Dilfer as quarterback in place of ineffective starter Tony Banks for the first time this season, and it didn't pan out.

As was his trademark with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dilfer teased with some terrific passes but made far too many miscues in his first start since November of last year. He completed 11 of 24 passes for 152 yards, was sacked three times, had one pass intercepted and lost a fumble at the Steelers' 9 on the Ravens' opening drive.

"I don't like to make excuses, but I didn't feel good, didn't feel like my arm was loose," Dilfer said. "It's tough on everybody right now."

It's not tougher on anyone than the members of the Ravens' superb defense. In the past six games, they've given up just four touchdowns and 43 points, and all they've done in that span is break even in wins and losses.

To be sure, it's the kind of situation which teeters on dividing a team.

"You all keep bringing that up, and maybe you're even hoping for it so you have something to write about," Billick told reporters. "I know what you all are talking about."

The players apparently were talking about it, too.

"If the offense doesn't score, we can't let the other team score," cornerback Rod Woodson said. "I guess we can't give up any touchdowns."

"Look at what the defense has done for us, then look at what we've done," Sharpe said. "I'm sick of it. I'm not usually somebody who's at a loss for words, but I don't know what to say to those guys. They don't give up anything, and we can't get them one touchdown. Damn, I used to be able to get 14 points a game myself."

"For whatever reason, we just can't get the ball in the end zone," Dilfer said. "It's definitely disappointing. It's one we thought we'd have. But, at the same time, we're not going to slit our wrists. We've got to stay together, work harder."

And, perhaps, consult a map to relocate the end zone.

"It's frustrating," Billick said. "A very difficult time."