While Ben Roethlisberger is out, the Pittsburgh Steelers need to keep the wheels on. Although they will be down an important man, a strong, physical team effort can keep them from spinning in reverse. Here are four things they must do to stay on track into mid-October, regardless of who replaces Roethlisberger: Pound the ball For the first time since Jerome Bettis and Bill Cowher left, the Steelers have a reliable power back. "Rashard Mendenhall will absolutely be key for them early," Cowher said.

ST. LOUIS — Baltimore Ravens third quarterback Troy Smith, the former Heisman Trophy winner from Ohio State,…

RICHMOND, Va. – An amateur artist who designed the original logo used by the Baltimore Ravens won a partial victory Thursday when a federal appeals court ruled the commercial use of game and highlight films from the Ravens' first three seasons violates his copyright.

ST. LOUIS — Newly-acquired Baltimore Ravens cornerback Josh Wilson is getting up to speed fast on the playbook,…

A federal appeals court has ruled against the Baltimore Ravens and the National Football league in a copyright dispute over the team's original logo. A divided three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond ruled Thursday that the commercial use of the "Flying B" logo in old game films infringes on amateur artist Frederick Bouchat's copyright.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — It's survival mode tonight in St. Louis. The Baltimore Ravens' roster bubble is about…

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — It's survival mode tonight in St. Louis. The Baltimore Ravens' roster bubble is about…

New York Jets coach Rex Ryan looked into his crystal ball on Wednesday and saw Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed suited up and playing against the Jets on September 13.  Apparently Ryan knows something that no one else is aware of.

Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh said earlier this week that the Ravens would make a decision concerning their Pro Bowl safety on Saturday. The Ravens will either place Reed on the physically unable to perform list or they will activate him to the 53-man roster. If Reed is placed on the PUP list he will miss at least the first six games of the season.

Ryan, who held various positions with the Ravens staff before moving on to the head-coaching job with the Jets, had this to say: “Ed Reed will play this game. Now he might not play the second game, third game or the fourth game, whatever, but Ed Reed is going to play this game. I think part of that is a respect thing. He knows how disappointed I would be if he didn’t play.”

Honestly, I am stunned by Ryan’s statement. Is it an attempt at humor? Is it gamesmanship, trying to get the Ravens to put a player on the field that is not 100 percent healthy? Or does Ryan have an ego that is so inflated that he thinks that Ed Reed would risk his long-term health so as not to disappoint the coach of an opposing team? 

While Ryan may have enough mass to generate gravity, I highly doubt that the Ravens or Reed have been pulled in by the force of that gravity. The Ravens world does not revolve around Rex Ryan. The team will make a decision on Reed’s season based on what is best for the player and the team and not on the feelings of Rex Ryan.

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Expectations have only been raised for the Baltimore Ravens this preseason.

Quarterback Joe Flacco has had a strong preseason, completing 61 percent of his passes and throwing three touchdowns (a rating of 90.9).

Baltimore’s starting defense didn’t allow a touchdown in three preseason games.

“Anything less than a Super Bowl win, really, is a disappointment to us,” wide receiver Derrick Mason said.

“I think we’ve done more than enough over the last three years to put ourselves in a position to win a championship. To do all we’ve done and not come out of this thing with a championship would be disheartening.”

Most of the excitement has been generated by the Ravens offense.

The Ravens bolstered themselves at wide receiver by trading for Anquan…

A couple Arizona Cardinals signed some club friendly contract extensions that made it very difficult for them.