OWINGS MILLS – It was the death knell sounding for Brian Billick, a signal of his impending firing.
Four years ago, the Baltimore Ravens managed to lose in overtime to a 0-13 Miami Dolphins squad as wide receiver Greg Camarillo hauled in a touchdown pass from journeyman quarterback Cleo Lemon.
Although that setback was far from the only reason considering the Ravens fell to 4-10 with the defeat, it was an embarrassment that would contribute to Billick being dismissed by owner Steve Bisciotti immediately after the season ended.
“I just remember that there was a lot more going on than what was actually going on in the game,” Ravens Pro Bowl outside linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “I remember I was sick that game. There was just so much going on. I think that game actually got our coach fired.
“I think that was the nail in the coffin. There was a lot going on that year, particularly with that game. That is the past, man. This is 2011, and this is the ’11 Baltimore Ravens, and we are moving forward.”
Suggs is correct.
Now, the Ravens (9-3) are in first-place in the AFC North and in position to win the top seed in the AFC should they win their remaining four games beginning with today’s game against the winless Indianapolis Colts (0-12) at M&T Bank Stadium.
And the Ravens are intent on avoiding the ignominy of falling to a Colts squad playing without Peyton Manning that hasn’t even built a lead in a single game since an early October loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Is there any concern about possibly becoming the first team to lose to a fallen AFC South franchise destined for the opportunity to draft Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck?
“I am going to be totally honest with you, yeah, because I lost to O-fer team,” Suggs said. “This is the NFL, and they are professionals, and we expect them to line up and come up in here and play. Yeah, definitely. They are just as big a threat to us if we were playing anybody else.”
Well, sort of.
The Colts are hardly an impressive outfit.
They’re ranked 29th in total offense, 28th in total defense.
And their run defense is ranked 30th overall and looks particularly vulnerable against Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice one week removed from his career-high 204 rushing yards against the Cleveland Browns.
Veteran defensive end Cory Redding was part of the Detroit Lions team three years ago that failed to win a single game. So, he knows what it’s like to be in the Colts’ cleats.
“You can only kick a dog so long,” Redding said. “You back an animal up in the corner, and after a while it’s going to get tired of it. It’s going to do everything it can to get out of that corner.”
Plus, the Ravens do owe the Colts a measure of revenge.
They’ve lost eight consecutive games to the Colts, including AFC divisional playoff games on Jan. 16, 2010 and Jan. 13, 2007.
“This team is very dangerous and they have had our number,” Suggs said. “We know what we are playing for, we know what they are playing for. They are trying to get their first win. We are trying to pile these wins up and go on a playoff run. That’s what is most important to us. Here they come. Let’s do it.
“You don’t want to be the team that drops one. They are trying to get wins. All of that plays into this game. We have to win the football game to achieve what we want to do.”
The Ravens’ third-ranked defense isn’t expected to have All-Pro middle linebacker Ray Lewis on the field today for the fourth consecutive game due to a right turf toe injury.
However, Pro Bowl kicker Billy Cundiff is expected to be able to kick despite a left calf injury that sidelined him in practice Thursday and Friday.
The Ravens have won eight consecutive games at home, and have won 16 of their past 17 at home.
Could they overlook the Colts?
Unlikely, considering they’ve already lost three games to teams with losing records this season following emotional wins. Now, the Ravens seem to be in a take-care-of-business mode.
“I’m not one of those guys that looks at the record,” inside linebacker Jameel McClain said. “I always look at the film and I look at the fight in the person. I look at what they’re doing. So, I really don’t care about the record.”
Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron was at the helm of the Dolphins team that went 1-15 in 2007 and would have gone winless if not for that 64-yard slant pass from Lemon to Camarillo against Baltimore.
Now, he’s on the other side of the table.
“I think our guys have a great understanding of what each week means, especially after some things that have taken place this season to all of us,” Cameron said. “We are not taking anything for granted. We’ll be ready to play. It’s not something that I would want to go through again. One thing, you better be ready to play. I know one thing, we’ll be ready.”
