Season starts here

Survival of the fittest: Injured Jets face limping Ravens
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By David Ginsburg, AP Sports Writer
BALTIMORE Each team made the playoffs last year. Neither is certain if its starting quarterback can play Sunday. Both began the season with a loss.
The New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens have plenty in common. On a neutral field, under different circumstances, Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis might deem a matchup between the teams to be a tossup.

But Baltimore is at home and coming off an error-filled performance in Cincinnati. So, when asked if he considered the possibility of starting the season with two consecutive defeats, Lewis smiled knowingly.

“I don’t know one person in our organization, as well as our city, that’s talking about going 0-2,” Lewis said. “The bottom line is the Jets pulled a bad draw. That’s just the way it comes down. We’re a very dominant team at home, and dropping that game the way we did, making a lot of mistakes - there’s no way you’re going to turn the ball over six times again.”

Steve McNair was guilty of four of those turnovers, and there was some question whether the quarterback would be healthy enough to rebound against New York. McNair left Monday night’s opener with a groin injury, and his availability for Sunday was expected to be game-time decision.

“Steve is OK, but you could see on some of the throws (against Cincinnati) that he wasn’t getting the push. That’s why some of the throws took off on him,” Ravens coach Brian Billick said. “That’s going to be the litmus test. He’s a tough guy. If it’s just pain, that’s a no-brainer. But can he throw and push off it comfortably and be functional? That’s the big issue.”

McNair intends to play unless his presence on the field would be a detriment to the Ravens. If he can’t go, Kyle Boller will start in his place.

The Jets are ready for either one.

“We have seen both of them and we know what they can do,” Pro Bowl linebacker Jonathan Vilma said. “Steve can make all of the throws and Kyle can make all of the throws as well. Kyle is a little bit more athletic at this stage than Steve is.”

Ah, but there’s something to be said for experience, which explains why the Ravens are eager to have McNair as their starter and why New York hopes to have injured quarterback Chad Pennington instead of untested Kellen Clemens.

Pennington hurt his right ankle when he was sacked by Jarvis Green during the third quarter of the Jets’ 38-14 loss to the New England Patriots. He expected to play Sunday, although coach Eric Mangini held off issuing Pennington a clean bill of health.

The Jets have reason to be concerned about the state of an offense that sputtered against the Patriots, but their first item of business Sunday will be to stop Ravens running back Willis McGahee. If McGahee enjoys the kind of success he’s used to against New York, then it won’t matter whether it’s McNair or Boller handing him the ball.

During his time with the Buffalo Bills, McGahee ran for 705 yards and three touchdowns in six games against New York. This will be his second game with Baltimore after joining the Ravens in an offseason trade.

Can he get the same old results wearing a new uniform?

“He killed us a bunch of times,” Vilma said. “Strong guy, fast guy. He’s very explosive. It’s all the those you things you want in a back and that you hate to see in a back. We have to get after him.”

The Jets, in turn, hope to unleash Thomas Jones, who was held to 42 yards against New England - in part because New York was forced to abandon the running game after the Patriots began to pull away.

“He’s a new back to the Jets, but we have a history with him. He was able to get 100 yards on us in Chicago a couple years ago,” Ravens linebacker Bart Scott said. “He’s a great runner. He can bounce outside and cut on a dime, but also he can step up between the tackles and he’s a strong, hard runner.”

When Jones gets past the line of scrimmage, he can expect to see Lewis waiting for him. Lewis strained his upper right arm on the Ravens’ first defensive first play against the Bengals, but finished with 14 tackles anyway.

His arm still hurts, but he’s not about to let that keep him from getting the Ravens to 1-1.

“It’s like I told my mom: 'It’s just one arm. I got a whole other body left,”’ Lewis said. “Then I was like, ‘Doc, can I hurt it anymore?’ He was like, ‘No.’ I said, ‘OK, it’s done then. I’m playing.’ As long as I’ve got my teammates, I’m good. We can get through anything.”

Was watching the gridiron last night and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a kick-off / punt returner as good as Devon Hester. The guy is absolutely sensational. One punt returned for a TD, another TD disallowed after he returned a kick-off 95 yards due to a slight holding infringement by one of his blockers and some other excellent returns to set the Bears up with very good field position throughout. He’s a real gamebreaker and I can’t think of anyone across the league that sets games alight like him.

the DoB follows the bears - can you elaborate DOB?

ah hes class Raven - do ya remember the start of last years Super Bowl. He was the lad that caught the kick off and ran in the fastest TD in Super Bowl history.

was very annoyed at the disallowing of his TD yesterday - cost me a few quid. Had the Bears minus 12. At least we’re up and running though.

well done to the Ravens also FR

yeah - baltimore is a tough place to go to - do Aer Lingus still fly there- might try & get a game this season

There’s American Football teams playing in the Dublin League every Sunday morning up in Phoenix Park crying out for supporters and financial backing. Then you’ve the likes of raven ignoring all this to support some trumped up American franchise. Frankly, it disgusts me.

im defo an NFL barstooler- i admit it - my following on the ravens is the same as gerradinos for liverpool

my support for the Bears came about after I was nicknamed the Refrigerator in primary school…

Bandage wrote:

Was watching the gridiron last night and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a kick-off / punt returner as good as Devon Hester. The guy is absolutely sensational. One punt returned for a TD, another TD disallowed after he returned a kick-off 95 yards due to a slight holding infringement by one of his blockers and some other excellent returns to set the Bears up with very good field position throughout. He’s a real gamebreaker and I can’t think of anyone across the league that sets games alight like him.

He’s something else.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS7aQBqSJbE

can someone find out what NFL games are on Sky this weekend

probably expecting too much for the Bears to be on for the 3rd weekend in a row.

we welcome the cowboys to soldier field on sunday.

Ye are on alright Baby.

Sun 23 San Francisco @ Pittsburgh Sky Sports 2 6pm
Sun 23 Miami @ New York Jets Sky Sports 2* 6pm
Sun 23 New York Giants @ Washington Sky Sports 2 9.15pm
Sun 23 Jacksonville @ Denver Sky Sports 2* 9.15pm
Sun 23 Dallas @ Chicago Sky Sports 2 1am

  • Press the red button to view.

Crap, forgot to check how we got on against the Redskins on Monday night. Off to find out now - let’s go Eagles, let’s go.

problems with supporting one of the smaller franchises is that you dnt see them as much as you should

therock67 wrote:

Ye are on alright Baby.

Sun 23 San Francisco @ Pittsburgh Sky Sports 2 6pm
Sun 23 Miami @ New York Jets Sky Sports 2* 6pm
Sun 23 New York Giants @ Washington Sky Sports 2 9.15pm
Sun 23 Jacksonville @ Denver Sky Sports 2* 9.15pm
Sun 23 Dallas @ Chicago Sky Sports 2 1am

  • Press the red button to view.

cheers for that Rock. its a late one though. might only watch the first quarter or half

disastrous result for the Bears this morning. hammered 34-10 by the cowboys. biggest loss at soldier field in 3 years.

saw some of it
the best attack against the best defense
3-3 at ht- surprised the cowboys racked up such a big score- they didnt have much of a running game

Some comeback by the Giants at Washington last night. They were 17-3 down and won it 24-17 with the game ending with them defending a 3rd and goal followed by 4th and goal from the 1 yard line as time expired. Donovan McNabb has the Eagles firing now after the disappointment of last Monday night and I expect us to go to the play-offs again. Very surprised by that Bears result - didn’t stay up for it.