The Ravens are ready for the spotlight
By: Jim Williams
The Examiner
For the entire 2006 season the Baltimore Ravens have quietly became one of the best teams in the NFL and they have done so without much national attention. Well that all ends this weekend.
The Ravens entertain the Indianapolis Colts in Saturday’s AFC Playoff’s there are crews from ESPN, FOX, HBO,NFL Network and of course CBS already in town. The fact that the Ravens defense is the best in the NFL, that Steve McNair has revived his career as the teams QB and oh yes the small matter of the Colts formally being part of the Baltimore community are only a few of the dozens of storylines that will be explored on the network pre game shows.
Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf will be calling Saturday’s game for CBS, the first of the weekend’s four playoff games. I had a chance to talk to Dierdorf about his take on the Ravens this season and the game against the Colts.
Dierdorf on the Ravens defense against the Colts offense: “It’s never pretty playing Baltimore. A lot of times it’s downright ugly because you’re getting your nose rubbed in it. This is a team that prides itself on pressure that they can get to the quarterback, that they can rattle the quarterback. When they operate out of that 3-4 front of theirs and they’re able to put such pressure on the edges, that kind of pressure has bothered Peyton Manning before”
Dierdorf on the On Colts returning to play in Baltimore in playoffs for first time in 30 years: “ Tony Dungy said this week, he wonders how many players on his team even know who Johnny Unitas is, or was. He ventured that the vast majority of his team, if they had to take a quiz, think that the Colts have always been in Indianapolis. This is going to be a big deal to Baltimore fans above a certain age who really were strong Colts fans before they left (Baltimore) in 1984. To the players on the field, going back to Baltimore – they may as well be going to New York, Washington or Croatia. I don’t think it makes much difference.”
Locally the Ravens coverage will start on Friday night on WMAR-TV2 will have a special from 8pm till 9pm called Festivus Maximus. WJZ, WBAL and WBFF all plan on will have plenty Saturday coverage on their newscasts.
CSN will have plenty of pre and post-game coverage on SportsNite.
Live post game will be on MASN right after the game Ravens Xtra will be live followed by a special edition of Playmakers Live giving fans live coverage from around 8pm till 10pm.
Radio as always there will be all day coverage on WBAL/98 Rock and extensive pre game show starting at 1pm and lots of post game coverage anchored by Steve Davis.
ESPN 1300AM offers their entertaining pre and post game show as alternative. It all starts at 1pm.
So, no longer will the Ravens be flying under the radar, now its lights, camera and lots of action.
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