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Steve McNair
#9 - QB - Baltimore Ravens
Height: 6'2'' Weight: 230
Born: 02/14/1973
College: Alcorn State
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Player Analysis: QB Steve McNair will look to give the Ravens the passing game they have lacked. McNair has great physical tools, and is also a threat to run. He will be reunited with WR Derrick Mason in Baltimore, one of his favorite targets from back in Tennessee, and while McNair does get banged up a lot, he is the type of player who will do everything he can to get on the field.
Fantasy Football Impact: McNair’s move to Baltimore should benefit him as he reunites with Mason and gets to throw the ball to TE Todd Heap, a player similar to former Titans TE Frank Wycheck.
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Ravens' McNair expected to play Sunday - 12/19/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire Steve McNair is expected to start this
Sunday for the Baltimore Ravens, although his injured right hand
might affect his practice time this week.
McNair played only two series in the Ravens' playoff-clinching
27-17 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. He left shortly
after Cleveland linebacker Andra Davis accidentally stepped on his
throwing hand, opening up a cut that made it difficult for the
quarterback to take snaps from center.
McNair could have returned if needed, but backup Kyle Boller
played well enough to make that a moot point.
"Steve was certainly ready to go back in should something have
happened to Kyle, so that was a comfort zone," Ravens coach Brian
Billick said Monday. "It was my call. He was ready to go, but I
thought it was the prudent thing to do -- and now I'm glad we did."
McNair wanted to play, but the pain he experienced in taking
snaps persuaded Billick to avoid using him unless it was absolutely
necessary.
"My concern was the quarterback-center exchange. Plus, 60 snaps
was going to do nothing but irritate that," Billick said. "I
don't know if that would have in our best interest in the long term
-- the long term being next week and the week after next."
Boller went 13-for-21 for 238 yards and two touchdowns, and
Baltimore (11-3) clinched a playoff berth with its seventh win in
eight games. The Ravens are still in the hunt for a first-round bye
and the best overall record in the AFC, and now they'll have McNair
available for Sunday's game at Pittsburgh and the regular-season
finale against visiting Buffalo.
"I think I'll be all right. I just have to get the soreness out
of it," McNair said after Sunday's game. "I'm quite sure I'll be
ready."
| | | Ravens hold off Browns, make playoffs - 12/17/2006
Source: NFL.com Kyle Boller finished what Steve McNair started.
With McNair watching from the sideline with an injured right hand, Boller carried the Ravens into the playoffs, throwing two touchdown passes in a 27-17 victory against the Cleveland Browns.
Because of his fine play in the Ravens' first 13 games, McNair put Baltimore in position to clinch a postseason berth by defeating the Browns. The veteran quarterback could not complete the task, however, after seeing his right hand cut open during the second series of the game.
Enter Boller, whose inconsistency over the previous three years caused the Ravens to trade for McNair during the offseason.
"Everybody knows life in the NFL is very tenuous when it comes to your backup," Baltimore coach Brian Billick said. "He has to be ready to play. I thought Kyle played very well today."
The Ravens (11-3) had blown a 14-point lead when Boller threw a 77-yard touchdown pass to Demetrius Williams with 5:24 left in the third quarter, and the lead stood up.
"We know we're the best defense in the NFL," linebacker Bart Scott said. "We had to go play like that."
Jamal Lewis ran 22 times for 109 yards and a touchdown for the Ravens, who are assured a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2003. Baltimore will win the AFC North if Cincinnati loses to Indianapolis on Monday night.
"Making the playoffs, that's step one," Billick said. "Every team, when they show up at training camp, you have the same goal. It first begins with making the playoffs, and we're there."
Cleveland (4-10) did not go down easily. Former Ravens draft choice Derek Anderson went 23-for-32 for 233 yards, and his touchdown throws to Joe Jurevicius and Braylon Edwards brought the Browns out of a 17-3 hole.
"I saw the field real well and I had a good idea of what they were doing," Anderson said. "I made pretty good decisions for the most part. They just got me a couple of times."
Anderson completed 13 consecutive passes at one point. But he was intercepted twice, sacked five times and went 0-for-11 on third-down opportunities.
"We gave them too much," Cleveland coach Romeo Crennel said. "And when you give good football teams yards and plays, they usually take advantage of it."
It was 17-17 when Boller dropped back and heaved the ball to Williams, who had slipped behind two defenders. The rookie caught the ball in stride at the 20, cut left and completed his journey with a dive into the end zone.
"I just wanted to put it up there nice and high for him, let him run underneath it," Boller said.
Boller, who started 34 games for the Ravens from 2003-2005, went 13-for-21 for 238 yards. He was intercepted and lost a fumble, but played well enough to prevent Billick from thrusting McNair back into action.
| | | McNair says Texans are headed for success - 12/16/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire Houston Texans owner Bob McNair tries to answer
every letter he gets from fans complaining about the direction of
his team. Lately, he's been busy.
The Texans (4-9) play at New England (9-4) on Sunday and will
finish below .500, just as they have each of their previous four
seasons.
McNair said after watching Thursday's practice that he's as
frustrated as anyone, but insists the team is close to a
"monumental" breakthrough, as early as next season.
"If I didn't feel we were on the right track, I'd be a lot more
concerned about it," he said.
McNair is still taking criticism from fans for passing on
Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush and former Texas star and local
favorite Vince Young in the 2006 draft. It didn't help that Young
beat the Texans with a 39-yard touchdown run in overtime at Reliant
Stadium on Sunday.
But McNair still defends the decision to draft defensive end
Mario Williams, pointing out that the team also picked linebacker
DeMeco Ryans, the NFL's leading tackler (128).
"Long-term, it's going to pay off for us," McNair said. "This
is a world in which people want short-term results and we're not
giving them short-term results, so it's easy for people to think
we're not making progress or we're making bad decisions.
| | | McNair is Ravens' MVP, but worthy of league award? - 12/14/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire His numbers aren't as gaudy as those of
LaDainian Tomlinson or Drew Brees, yet Steve McNair probably
deserves consideration when it comes time to select the 2006 NFL
MVP.
The Baltimore Ravens went 6-10 last year. This season they're
10-3. The turnaround can be attributed largely to McNair, who has
taken control of an offense that never realized its potential with
Kyle Boller or Anthony Wright at quarterback.
"McNair has been outstanding. I saw tremendous lift from Day
1," Ravens minority owner Art Modell said Wednesday. "There's
something very positive about the man. He's under control, and the
team reflects that. I think he's responsible for our success. Not
alone, but he's been a good part of our success offensively this
year."
Although McNair ranks 13th in the NFL with an 83.1 passer
rating, he has thrown 13 touchdown passes compared to nine
interceptions and has led Baltimore to six wins in seven games. He
hasn't thrown an interception in four consecutive games, a string
of 142 passes that represents the best streak in his career.
Good stuff, but that doesn't begin to address his value to the
team.
"It's not about statistics. It's more about a mind-set that we
get in when we're out there, and he's a big part of that," tight
end Todd Heap said. "He deserves a lot of credit for what's going
on."
McNair enjoyed a fine 11-year run with the Tennessee Titans
before the Ravens gave up a fourth-round draft pick to get him in
Baltimore. The deal turned the Ravens into a Super Bowl contender --
and rescued the career of the 2003 co-MVP.
"It's meant a lot. They saved me from turmoil in Tennessee, and
I appreciate that," McNair said. "When you're going into your
12th year, you want to have an established team that has a chance
to win a championship. This team has a possibility of doing that.
To be a part of this team is amazing. It's heartwarming for me."
The Ravens feel pretty good about it, too.
"I think he's had a very big impact. He knows how to win, and
he's doing a heck of a job here," guard Keydrick Vincent said.
McNair has become to the offense what Ray Lewis is to the
Baltimore defense: In getting the Ravens off to the best start in
franchise history, McNair has been influential in the huddle and in
the locker room.
The two were friendly competitors before this season and now
have bonded as teammates. Their lockers sit next each other and
they share the same passion to carry the Ravens to the Super Bowl.
With McNair leading the way, Baltimore beat Tomlinson and the
San Diego Chargers on Oct. 1, and Brees and the New Orleans Saints
on Oct. 29. So why isn't he getting more attention as a possible
MVP?
"You're asking the wrong guy," Ravens coach Brian Billick
said. "I don't know that you can quantify what Steve McNair has
done for us, or whether people can really quantify that outside
this organization or outside of Baltimore. But he's certainly
deserving in my mind."
Many of his teammates feel the same way, even if his numbers are
as gaudy as those of Brees and Tomlinson.
"They don't look at a guy that's laid back. They look for
someone that's flashy," Heap said. "Throwing for 600 yards a game
or scoring 30-some touchdowns is flashy. Not to take away from what
those guys are doing, but at the same time you have to look at
Steve and the things he brings to the team."
Like 10 wins, and a chance to clinch a playoff spot with a
victory over Cleveland on Sunday.
"Since the first time that he got here, I have always looked up
to him," second-year receiver Mark Clayton said. "Just seeing his
cool, calm presence on the field when we have to put a drive
together at the end of the game, he's just really cool about it.
"He knows that we're going to get it done. We feed off that,
and he's a great leader. We'll follow him all the way to the top."
As goes McNair, so go the Ravens. At least, that's how he looks
at it.
"It all starts with me," McNair said. "If I don't play well,
this team doesn't play well. That's the attitude I take." | | | Ravens net rare win in Kansas City, 20-10 - 12/10/2006
Source: NFL.com Baltimore did what it does best, and accomplished something no other team had done in more than a decade.
The Ravens' defense dominated in a 20-10 victory over Kansas City, making Baltimore the first visiting team to win at Arrowhead Stadium in December since 1995.
The win also moved Baltimore a step closer to clinching the AFC North title.
"They're a penetrating defense that causes negative plays," said Chiefs quarterback Trent Green, who threw two interceptions, lost a fumble and was sacked four times. "All of a sudden, it's second and long, third and long, and it's hard to get out of."
Ed Reed had both interceptions for Baltimore (10-3), which maintained its two-game division lead over Cincinnati. The Bengals beat Oakland 27-10.
"Our defense is well-orchestrated. They've got a lot of pride in what they do," Ravens coach Brian Billick said. "They don't like giving up plays."
The Chiefs didn't give up many big plays either, but the ones they did were costly: Steve McNair's 87-yard touchdown pass to Mark Clayton in the third quarter, and a 33-yard pass from McNair to Demetrius Williams in the fourth that kept the Ravens' game-clinching scoring drive alive.
The three first-half turnovers by Green didn't help, either.
"We turned the ball over early too many times," Chiefs coach Herm Edwards said. "It's hard to recover when you turn the ball over that many times."
Billick raised some eyebrows when he gave his players five days off -- almost a second bye week -- after their 13-7 loss at Cincinnati on Nov. 30. Their fresh legs showed though, as Baltimore looked a step faster on both sides of the ball.
"According to you guys, I gave them too much time off," Billick told reporters. "Obviously, they were well rested."
McNair, who was 21 for 27 for 283 yards, agreed.
"Coming off a rest like that, you've got to take advantage of it," said McNair, whose four-game streak without an interception is the longest of his career. "I wanted my arm to be fresh, and it was."
The TD throw, which was McNair's longest career pass and Clayton's longest career reception, put the Ravens up 13-0 with just under 6 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.
| | | Ravens blank rival Steelers, 27-0 - 11/27/2006
Source: http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/recap/NFL_20061126_PIT@BAL While sacking Ben Roethlisberger nine times, the Baltimore Ravens smothered almost any chance the Pittsburgh Steelers had of successfully defending their Super Bowl title.
The Ravens yielded only 36 yards in the decisive first half and coasted to their fifth straight victory, a 27-0 blowout that left the Steelers with only a mathematical chance of reaching the playoffs.
It was Pittsburgh's most lopsided defeat since a 37-7 whipping by Dallas in the 1997 season opener.
"A very pitiful performance out there today," Steelers coach Bill Cowher said. "Where we go from here is we've got to line up and play this thing out. It starts next week."
Baltimore (9-2) leads Pittsburgh (4-7) in the AFC North by five games with five to play.
"It's the next step," Ravens coach Brian Billick said. "It's against a championship-caliber organization. They have a Super Bowl ring, a number of them, and we can feel very good about it."
The Steelers had won two straight following a 2-6 start, but their resurgence was emphatically squelched by the hated Ravens, who got all the points they needed with a touchdown on their opening possession.
The nine sacks, which totaled 73 yards and matched a Ravens franchise record, included a vicious hit by Bart Scott that forced Roethlisberger out of the game in the second quarter. The quarterback missed only one play, but for the rest of the afternoon he was harassed by a relentless rush.
"They got after it. You can't get mad at the line; they did a good job," Roethlisberger said. "There were so many things they had to pick up."
After a while, the only thing Roethlisberger could do was duck.
"We do what we always do. We just did a little bit more of it," said Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs, who had six tackles and two sacks. "It came from different places that we don't usually do."
It was the second time this year that the Steelers were shut out; the last time Pittsburgh was blanked at least twice in a season was in 1989.
"You got a rivalry game and they don't score, you not only send a message for the next time you play them, you send a message to the next team you play," Suggs said.
Ravens linebacker Bart Scott was pleased with Baltimore's defensive effort.
Ravens linebacker Bart Scott was pleased with Baltimore's defensive effort.
Four of the Steelers' first six drives ended in three-and-outs. The seventh concluded with a sack by Corey Ivy that resulted in a fumble that Baltimore's Adalius Thomas returned 57 yards for a touchdown. It gave the Ravens a 24-0 lead with 4:46 left in the third quarter.
Roethlisberger went 21 for 41 for 214 yards and two interceptions. Willie Parker got only 15 yards rushing in the first half and finished with 22.
Baltimore led 17-0 at halftime after limiting Pittsburgh to three first downs. Steve McNair spent most of the second half handing off the ball after going 13 for 17 for 121 yards and a touchdown in the opening 30 minutes.
McNair was 18 for 24 for 140 yards before being replaced by Kyle Boller with just over 10 minutes to play.
Jamal Lewis ran for 66 yards and a touchdown, and Todd Heap had seven catches for 58 yards and a score.
Baltimore is 5-0 since Billick fired offensive coordinator Jim Fassel and began calling the plays himself. The offense was impressive, but the key to the blowout was a defense that welcomed back middle linebacker Ray Lewis, who missed the previous two games with a back injury.
Lewis was credited with six tackles, including a sack.
"It's just great to have 52 back," defensive coordinator Rex Ryan said. "He just energized the whole team."
The Ravens set the tone on their opening drive, moving 56 yards in six plays for a 7-0 lead. McNair went 4 for 4 for 51 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Heap.
While the Steelers struggled offensively, Baltimore gained favorable field position through a series of punts and began its fourth drive on the Pittsburgh 47. Eight plays later, Jamal Lewis pounded in from the 1 to make it 14-0.
Later in the second quarter, Scott zipped around left end untouched and flattened Roethlisberger with a driving hit to the chest. The quarterback lay prone for several minutes before finally walking off the field on his own.
"That's probably the hardest I've ever been hit in my life. I didn't see the guy coming," Roethlisberger said. "He hit me clean, hit me front side and I just kind of remember my head hitting the ground.' | | | Colts make history; Tomlinson, McNair star in Week 10 - 11/13/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire The unbeaten Indianapolis
Colts became the first team in NFL history to start consecutive
seasons with a 9-0 record, but even they took a backseat on
Sunday.
Week 10 of the NFL was headlined by a classic shootout, a
triumphant return and a handful of brilliant individual
performances.
The San Diego Chargers outlasted the Cincinnati Bengals,
49-41, in a game that featured 975 yards of offense.
LaDainian Tomlinson of the Chargers matched a career high
and a franchise record with four rushing touchdowns,
giving him an NFL-record 15 touchdowns in his last five
games.
Cincinnati's Carson Palmer passed for a career-high 440 yards
and three touchdowns and Chad Johnson, who had complained about
his role in the offense, caught 11 passes for a
franchise-record 260 yards and two scores.
The Chargers (7-2) erupted for 42 points in the second half,
including two touchdown runs by Tomlinson in a 15-second span of
the fourth quarter.
"It was a like a cartoon out there, real animated but it was
real," said Tomlinson, who rushed for 104 yards on 22 carries
and caught six passes for 54 yards. "It was exhausting. We need
time to think and wonder about what happened today."
The Bengals (4-5) totaled 545 yards, but that didn't prevent
them from squandering a 21-point lead.
"Do you remember the AFL (American Football League)? What a
shootout," Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer said. "You just
try to find a way to have one more point than they do."
Steve McNair made a triumphant return to Tennessee, hitting
Derrick Mason with an 11-yard touchdown pass with 3:35 left in
the fourth quarter to lift the Baltimore Ravens to a
come-from-behind 27-26 victory over the Titans.
It was the third scoring pass of the game for McNair, who threw
for a season-high 373 yards against his former team. Mason also
played for Tennessee before signing with the Ravens in 2005.
Thanks to McNair, who was acquired by Baltimore from the Titans
last June for a fourth-round pick in 2007, the Ravens (7-2) are
off to the best start in franchise history and own a commanding
three-game lead over Cincinnati in the AFC North.
"It was very emotional for me," McNair said. "The fans here
still love me and I love the fans. I am just on the opposite
side of the field now."
A three-time Pro Bowler and a co-MVP in 2003, McNair spent his
first 11 seasons with the Titans and compiled a record of 81-59
as a starter. He ranks second in Titans history in passing
yards (27,141) and third in touchdown passes (156).
Willie Parker enjoyed a memorable day, rushing for an NFL
season-high 213 yards and two touchdowns in the Pittsburgh
Steelers' 38-31 win over the New Orleans Saints.
An undrafted third-year player from North Carolina, Parker fell
five yards shy of tying Frenchy Fuqua's franchise single-game
record of 218 rushing yards in 1970 against Philadelphia.
"I knew nothing about records, but I want to thank the offensive
line," Parker said. "They made it easy for me tonight. I had
the easy job. They had the tough job in the trenches."
Two of Parker's runs accounted for 148 yards. He busted loose
for a 72-yard run before scoring on a three-yard run five
seconds into the fourth quarter to snap a 24-24 tie. | | | Fast start propels Ravens to 26-20 win - 11/06/2006
Source: NFL.com The Baltimore Ravens enjoyed an outstanding start against the Cincinnati Bengals, then spent the next 55 minutes protecting the advantage.
The Ravens prevailed, and now they'll try to maintain a commanding lead in the AFC North over the next eight weeks.
Baltimore scored two quick touchdowns off turnovers and never trailed in a 26-20 victory, their second straight since coach Brian Billick took control of the offense.
"Huge win for us in the division," Billick said. "It puts us in a position to go forward and do some good things."
Steve McNair passed for 245 yards, Jamal Lewis scored a touchdown and Matt Stover kicked four field goals for the Ravens (6-2), who took a two-game lead over second-place Cincinnati.
Since Billick fired offensive coordinator Jim Fassel and assumed playcalling duties, the Ravens have scored 61 points and McNair has played brilliantly. He was 21 of 30 against the Bengals after going 17 of 23 in a 35-22 win at New Orleans last week.
McNair fared far better than Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer, who went 12 of 26 for 195 yards. His first pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown, and his last pass was also intercepted, ending any hope the Bengals (4-4) had of finishing a comeback from a 17-0 deficit. | | | Ravens O-coordinator Fassel fired, Billick to call plays - 10/17/2006
Source: ESPN Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick has fired offensive coordinator Jim Fassel and will take over the play-calling for the Ravens offense.
Billick said it was difficult for him to let Fassel go, saying he has been "a valuable and loyal coach to me." However, he added, "clearly, in order for us to expand on our 4-2 start we have to have more offensive productivity."
"There was no single incident, no single episode, nothing specific that brought about this change," Billick said of the decision to dismiss Fassel, a close friend. "Something dramatic needed to be done."
But he would not go into what finally sparked the decision.
"It serves no purpose to go back and revisit any particular reason why this has been brought about so I'm not gonna do it," Billick said.
Fassel told ESPN's Chris Mortensen that the change had been brewing for some time. He said the question of who was running the offense -- Fassel or Billick, himself a former offensive coordinator -- contributed to its lack of success.
"Everywhere I've been, I've gotten the offense up and running pretty fast," Fassel told Mortensen. "It didn't happen here and the reason I believe is that I wasn't in full control."
"This has been building for quite a while and finally I went to Brian last week and said, 'Look Brian, you've always run a good offense and I've always run a good offense, but the bottom line is somebody has to be in charge. Somebody has to pull the trigger and it can't be two guys,'" Fassel told Mortensen.
"Brian was very good about this. He told me, 'You're right. My job's on the line and the only way I can deal with it is if I take control of the offense.'"
When asked whether the Ravens were running his offense, Fassel told Mortensen "There's a big dfference between being a play-caller and running your offense. Calling plays doesn't matter, it's who's structuring that thing."
Fassel was in his second year as the Ravens' offensive coordinator after serving a season with the team as a senior consultant to the offense.
He previously served as head coach of the New York Giants from 1997 to 2003, guiding the Giants to two NFC East titles, a conference championship, an appearance in the Super Bowl and a wild-card playoff berth.
| | | Cats beat Ravens; Win Fourth Straight - 10/16/2006
Source: NFL.com Jake Delhomme wasn't about to be upstaged by a backup quarterback who hadn't tossed a touchdown pass since Christmas.
Delhomme threw for a career-high 365 yards and two touchdowns, and Carolina slipped past the Baltimore Ravens 23-21 for its fourth straight win.
After Ravens quarterback Steve McNair left with a concussion and sprained neck in the first quarter, Kyle Boller took over. A starter for three years before being displaced by McNair, Boller threw three touchdown passes to provide Baltimore (4-2) with its biggest scoring output since Week 2.
But every time Boller and the Ravens did something right, Delhomme answered. His favorite target was Steve Smith, who had eight catches for 189 yards and a score.
Smith missed the season's first two games with a thigh injury. The Panthers (4-2) haven't lost since his return.
"When Steve came back, certainly it helped. In my opinion, it's like taking Michael Vick away from Atlanta, like taking Peyton (Manning) away from the Colts," Delhomme said. "Other teams got to account for him on every play."
After Mark Clayton took a tipped pass for a 62-yard touchdown to bring the Ravens to 16-14 with 4:33 to go, Delhomme tossed a 72-yard touchdown pass to Smith on the next play from scrimmage.
"I thought I was going to throw to Keyshawn (Johnson)," Delhomme said. "But when I look, all I see is 89 running down the field with his hand up in the air. A lot of guys were giving me grief on the sidelines, saying they were waiting for the ball to come down."
It landed in Smith's arms, and the speedy receiver carried it into the end zone to deflate the record crowd of 70,762.
| | | Broncos won 'D' battle, game against Ravens - 10/09/2006
Source: NFL.com A cold rain and two stingy defenses turned the Baltimore-Denver showdown into a kicking competition, and Jason Elam bested Matt Stover in the Broncos' 13-3 win over the Baltimore Ravens.
The Broncos (3-1) handed the Ravens their first loss after Baltimore staarted a franchise-best 4-0. Deep in Ravens territory with a 6-3 lead and 1:55 remaining, Denver took a chance at the end zone, icing the game on Jake Plummer's 4-yard touchdown pass to Rod Smith.
It was Smith's first touchdown this season and also the first TD the Ravens have surrendered in a second half this year.
Elam connected from 43 and 44 yards, the second one breaking a 3-3 tie with eight minutes remaining and capping a drive that was set up by Sam Koch's 10-yard punt.
With safety John Lynch on the sideline after pinching a nerve in his neck, cornerback Darrent Williams intercepted Steve McNair's pass at midfield with 6:47 remaining, and Javon Walker had a 27-yard catch that set up Smith's score.
Ravens defensive end Trevor Pryce, who was quiet all week about his return to Denver, which dumped him and his $10 million salary in the offseason, was even quieter Monday night, assisting on just one tackle.
The Ravens were driving for the go-ahead score just before halftime when cornerback Champ Bailey intercepted McNair's lob pass to Clarence Moore in the end zone with 30 seconds left.
Bailey had just been burned for a 26-yard gain on third-and-7 when he appeared to bite on a fake by McNair and Derrick Mason zipped past him and hauled in the pass along the right sideline. Safety Nick Ferguson saved the touchdown by knocking Mason out of bounds at the 11.
"We heard all the hype about them," Bailey said. "We've got a good defense, too, and I think we proved that tonight.
Notes: Plummer is 64-64 as a starter in the regular season and has never been above .500 in his 10-year career that began with a 30-52 record at Arizona. ... Williams had two more big returns nullified by holding calls on Foxworth and Curome Cox. | | | Ravens rally past Chargers 16-13 - 10/01/2006
Source: NFL.com The Baltimore Ravens have a new formula for success: Keep the game close enough for Steve McNair to win it at the end.
McNair rallied the unbeaten Ravens for a second successive week, throwing a 10-yard pass to Todd Heap with 34 seconds left to defeat the San Diego Chargers 16-13.
A late touchdown pass from Steve McNair to Todd Heap rallied the Ravens.
In years past, the Ravens depended on their defense to squash the opposition, leaving the offense to do little else but avoid giving the ball away. Now that McNair is at quarterback, late-game heroics are becoming the standard.
| | | McNair rallies unbeaten Ravens for second week in row - 10/01/2006
Source: ESPN.com The Baltimore Ravens have a new formula for success: Keep the game close enough for Steve McNair to win it at the end. McNair rallied the unbeaten Ravens for a second straight week Sunday, throwing a 10-yard pass to Todd Heap with 34 seconds left to defeat the San Diego Chargers 16-13. Fantasy Impact: McNair directed the Ravens on a late game winning scoring drive and is showing that he might be the missing puzzle the Ravens have been searching for. | | | Ravens escape Cleveland with 15-14 win - 09/24/2006
Source: NFL.com Matt Stover kicked the Ravens to their first 3-0 start since the franchise moved to Baltimore.
Stover booted a 52-yard field goal with 20 seconds left as the Ravens remained unbeaten with a 15-14 win over the Cleveland Browns.
Stover's 12th career game-winning kick came after Ravens cornerback Chris McAlister intercepted a pass by Cleveland's Charlie Frye in the end zone with 3:21 remaining as the Browns (0-3) were driving.
Baltimore's Steve McNair then went 6 of 9 for 52 yards to set up the 38-year-old Stover, who spent five years in Cleveland but left in 1995 when owner Art Modell moved his franchise to Maryland.
As the kick by Stover, the only former Browns player still on Baltimore's roster, sailed through the uprights, Baltimore's bench erupted in celebration while Cleveland fans bemoaned another tough loss for the Browns.
Cleveland led 14-3 at halftime and was only one play from putting the game away.
McNair finished 23 of 41 for 264 yards and threw a 3-yard TD pass to Todd Heap on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Ravens (3-0) sacked Frye seven times and limited the Browns to just 91 total yards in the second half. | | | Titans' handling of Volek turns into a nightmare - 09/24/2006
Source: Orlando Sentinel Eventually, the whole story will come out about what happened in Tennessee with Coach Jeff Fisher and dispatched quarterback Billy Volek.
When it does, someone is going to look bad. In the interim, though, the Titans look like idiots.
Fisher, the second-longest tenured coach in the NFL behind Pittsburgh's Bill Cowher, really must be feeling the heat in light of his team's 0-2 start.
His frustration boiled over last week when he trashed Volek after trading him to San Diego for a conditional sixth-round pick.
"Billy threw this organization under the bus, along with a number of teammates," Fisher said of Volek, a backup to Steve McNair the past three seasons. "He was untruthful with me, untruthful with his head coach, about where he was and what he was doing."
The remarks were not unsolicited, but rather retorts to ones made by Volek on his way out of town.
Volek, who set an NFL record for most yards passing in his first 10 starts (2,788 yards), claimed no one voiced any displeasure with his preparation last offseason. But the Titans used the No. 3 pick in the draft to take Texas quarterback Vince Young, a clear indication of their future, and began the process of trading McNair.
| | | Chargers to send draft pick to Titans for QB Volek - 09/19/2006
Source: ESPN.com The Chargers agreed in principle to acquire quarterback Billy Volek from Tennessee on Tuesday, giving San Diego a veteran to back up first-year starter Philip Rivers.
The Chargers are believed to be giving up a sixth-round draft pick that could escalate to a fifth-rounder, depending on Volek's playing time.
The trade came two days after the Chargers routed Tennessee 40-7 at Qualcomm Stadium to improve to 2-0. The teams had been talking for days, but decided to wait until after playing each other to complete the deal.
Volek, who played at Fresno State, was chosen the Titans' starter in June after Steve McNair was traded to Baltimore. But when the Titans signed Kerry Collins on Aug. 29, Volek was dropped to third on the depth chart behind rookie Vince Young.
San Diego's only other quarterback through two games was rookie Charlie Whitehurst. He made his NFL debut in mop-up duty Sunday and scored on a 14-yard run with 1:53 left. His father, David, played for the Green Bay Packers from 1976-83.
Volek is "awfully enthusiastic about joining a team with the quality that the Chargers represent," Rosenhaus said. "This is a nice opportunity for Billy to go to a team that is playing very well right now, and has a need for a veteran quarterback." | | | Ravens Back on Familiar Ground - 09/11/2006
Source: Washington Post The Baltimore Ravens always have loved Raymond James Stadium, with its palm trees in the end zones and its large pirate ship looming over the action on the field. This was the site of their greatest triumph -- their Super Bowl XXXV victory -- and on Sunday afternoon, it was the site of an equally dominating performance, 27-0 over the NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Baltimore won its first road game since November 2004 and recorded its first shutout since December 2003. Fantasy Impact: The Ravens defense was menacing, shutting out the Bucs and returning an INT 60 yards for a score of their own. Lewis and Reed look ready to lead one of the league's best defenses again in 2006. | | | Ravens bully Bucs on first drive - 09/11/2006
Source: St. Petersburg Times It lasted 9 minutes, 16 seconds, but it felt like an eternity. It covered 80 yards, but it seemed like 80 miles. Fantasy Impact: The Ravens were impressive on both offense and defense on Sunday. Fantasy owners should be pleased with the way things are looking in Baltimore. | | | For Ravens, Road Has Been a Beaten Path - 09/09/2006
Source: Washington Post All week long, different players on the Baltimore Ravens were asked about their losing streak on the road -- which stands at 11 games, the longest current slide in the NFL.
Steve McNair was asked a slightly more specific question. Fantasy Impact: It appears as if both Derrick Mason and Jamal Lewis will be able to go on Sunday. The Ravens will be attempting to end the NFL's current longest road losing streak in Tampa Bay. | | | - 09/03/2006
Source: Baltimore Sun The Ravens' final major cutdown yesterday came with a few mild surprises, as the team decided to keep two quarterbacks while stocking up on running backs and cornerbacks.
The Ravens cut former No. 3 quarterback Brian St. Pierre after a rocky preseason along with rookie Drew Olson (who is expected to be added to the practice squad), leaving them with only two quarterbacks (Steve McNair and Kyle Boller) on their 53-man roster.
Fantasy Impact: The players cut by the Ravens should not have been fantasy options for any team. | | | Down before they count - 08/29/2006
Source: Baltimore Sun It's only preseason. Say it again. It's only preseason. Repeat it a few more times, and maybe that will ease the feeling that is gnawing at your stomach. You know, the one that says, "Oh no, the Ravens can't be that bad, again."
There's no time for panic because it's a long NFL season, but you've got to be concerned after the Ravens' 30-7 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Friday night. Fantasy Impact: When Musa Smith is calling out the offensive line, you know your team has problems. The Ravens need to shore up their O-line and get Ray Lewis and Haloti Ngata back to top form if they are going to be a playoff team in 2006. | | | Ex-Raider QB Collins has deal in principle with Titans - 08/28/2006
Source: ESPN.com The Tennessee Titans on Monday reached an agreement in principle with free-agent quarterback Kerry Collins, a move that could dramatically alter the team's depth chart by the start of the season. Released by the Oakland Raiders earlier this spring, Collins, 33, was expected to arrive in Nashville on Monday for a physical examination. Fantasy Impact: Collins is expected to challenge Volek for the starting job once he picks up the offense, and deals a serious blow to the fantasy value of both Vince Young and Billy Volek. | | | Report: Talks heating up between Titans, QB Collins - 08/28/2006
Source: ESPN.com Vince Young might be the future, but the now must not look so hot. The Tennessean reported on its Web site on Sunday night that talks had heated up between the Titans and veteran quarterback Kerry Collins. Fantasy Impact: This could be a serious blow to the already limited playing time Young was expected to get this season. | | | Ravens 20, Eagles 10 (AP) - 08/18/2006
Source: Yahoo!, ESPN, Philadelphia Inquirer Standing in a corner of the Philadelphia Eagles locker room, Correll Buckhalter flashed a wide smile as he spoke excitedly about playing in the NFL again. "Everything in the past is in the past," he said, referring to knee injuries that forced him to miss three of the past four seasons. "It's a new beginning for me." Playing for the first time this preseason, Buckhalter ran 48 yards with a shovel... Fantasy Impact: The Eagles did not perform that well, especially concerning receivers. Eagles WRs struggled to break free, forcing McNabb to throw away, while Ravens WRs were open all day. A bit higher risk on the WRs and the defense. | | | So far, so good for McNair - 08/14/2006
Source: RealFootball365 We should have known -- Steve McNair was just playing possum. After a rather uneven series of practices and scrimmages, the question hung in the air at the Baltimore Ravens ' training camp: Was this Steve McNair, who had been lured away from Tennessee for megabucks, the electrifying McNair of old? Fantasy Impact: McNair was impressive in his debut for the Ravens, and showed a lot of promise. If McNair can regain his MVP form, the Ravens could be a force to be wreckoned with, boosting the fantasy value of numerous Ravens' players. | | | McNair's value - 07/18/2006
Source: Baltimore Sun The football timeline is perfect. After the Super Bowl ends, fans can look forward to the draft and free agency. As far as fantasy is concerned, you don't start any real research, but in your head you start to think about how Edgerrin James' new home in Arizona will affect his numbers and what kind of impact tight end Vernon Davis will have has a rookie. | | | Fisher quickly settles Titans' QB situation - 06/11/2006
Source: RealFootball365 The Tennessee Titans traded their former franchise quarterback, Steve McNair, to the Baltimore Ravens late last week, leaving many to ponder which way the organization would go to fill the 11-year veteran's shoes. Of course, the top two quarterbacks on the Titans' roster right now are experienced backup Billy Volek and rookie Vince Young, who was the third overall selection in April's draft. Fantasy Impact: This simply reaffirms what many have suspected for quite some time now. Billy Volek will be the starter in 2006 for the Titans, with Vince Young as his backup. McNair should also enter the 2006 season as the Ravens #1. | | | McNair saga finally comes to an end - 06/08/2006
Source: RealFootball365 On Wednesday, the Tennessee Titans finally agreed to trade their now former franchise quarterback, Steve McNair, to the Baltimore Ravens for a fourth-round pick in next April's draft. Throughout the offseason, the Titans and McNair have been battling back and forth in regards to his contract, which led to bad blood between the two sides. Fantasy Impact: The McNair saga is now officially over. Look for the Titans to give Billy Volek the starting job next season, with Vince Young looking to take over in the next couple of years. | | | Titans' trio of tight ends defines underrated - 05/31/2006
Source: RealFootball365 It's not easy to name the Tennessee Titans ' three tight ends. For the average football fan, it's not easy to name even one of them. Fantasy Impact: Tight Ends are a major part of the Titans' pasing offense and were favorite targets of QB Steve McNair for years. Troupe should surpass Kinney this year as the teams #1 pass catching TE, and is also a favorite target of the Titans in the red zone. Regardless, Kinney and Troupe should both figure prominently into the Titans offense in 2006. | | | 2006 could be Volek's year to shine - 05/22/2006
Source: RealFootball365 With all the hoopla surrounding quarterbacks Steve McNair and Vince Young in Tennessee, the Titans' third-stringer, Billy Volek, is often forgotten. However, 2006 may very well end up as Volek's year to finally make a name for himself at the NFL level. Fantasy Impact: If Volek earns the starting nod for the Titans in 2006 he could be a great sleeper pick. Volek has good history with Bennett and the Titans added veteran David Givens to bolster the passing game. |
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| | |
|
|
|
|
| 2004 |
TEN |
8 |
73.1 |
215 |
129 |
60 |
1343 |
167.9 |
6.2 |
9 |
8 |
0 |
13 |
95 |
23 |
128 |
5.6 |
16 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
3 |
| 2005 |
TEN |
14 |
82.4 |
476 |
292 |
61.3 |
3161 |
225.8 |
6.6 |
11 |
16 |
2 |
20 |
134 |
32 |
139 |
4.3 |
9.9 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
4 |
|
|
|
|
| | |
|
|
|
|
| 1 | @TAM |
94.8 |
27 |
17 |
0 |
181 |
0 |
6.7 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
13 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
| 2 | OAK |
58 |
33 |
16 |
0 |
143 |
0 |
4.3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
17 |
4 |
10 |
2.5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 3 | @CLE |
83.8 |
41 |
23 |
0 |
264 |
0 |
6.4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
10 |
2 |
-2 |
-1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 4 | SDG |
65.7 |
30 |
17 |
0 |
158 |
0 |
5.3 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
8 |
2 |
11 |
5.5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| 5 | @DEN |
34.6 |
34 |
20 |
0 |
165 |
0 |
4.9 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
11 |
2 |
15 |
7.5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| 6 | CAR |
16.7 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 7 | Bye |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 8 | @NOR |
121.5 |
23 |
17 |
0 |
159 |
0 |
6.9 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
23 |
4.6 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| 9 | CIN |
91.5 |
31 |
21 |
0 |
245 |
0 |
7.9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
2 |
0.3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| 10 | @TEN |
90.1 |
47 |
29 |
0 |
373 |
0 |
7.9 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
9 |
4.5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 11 | ATL |
89.8 |
34 |
24 |
0 |
236 |
0 |
6.9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
11 |
3 |
-2 |
-0.7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| 12 | PIT |
102.8 |
24 |
18 |
0 |
140 |
0 |
5.8 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 13 | @CIN |
82.2 |
43 |
26 |
0 |
227 |
0 |
5.3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
27 |
13.5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 14 | @KAN |
122.7 |
27 |
21 |
0 |
283 |
0 |
10.5 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
12 |
1.7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 15 | CLE |
39.6 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 16 | @PIT |
98.3 |
31 |
21 |
0 |
256 |
0 |
8.3 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 17 | BUF |
70.7 |
35 |
23 |
0 |
216 |
0 |
6.2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
10 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 2006 | To Date |
82.5 |
468 |
295 |
63 |
3050 |
190.6 |
6.5 |
12 |
16 |
1 |
14 |
84 |
45 |
119 |
2.6 |
7.4 |
1 |
0 |
7 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
| | | |
