Sunday Night Links

It’s widely-known that the Ravens could benefit from the addition of a playmaker in the passing game.  But maybe that playmaker is already on the team’s roster.  In last night’s win in Carolina, tight end Todd Heap caught four passes for 41 yards and a score in the second quarter and coach John Harbaugh said of Heap: “[Heap] gives you another playmaker.  Joe [Flacco] has proven that he can spread around the ball. If Todd Heap emerges like it looks like he’s emerging, that’s what we’ve been hoping.”

Last night, the Ravens passed the ball 39 times (completing 31 of them) and rushed the ball 28 times.  Flacco was 23 of 28.  The Ravens led the NFL in rushing attempts (37 per game) in 2008.  In their three pre-season games, they have had more pass plays than rush plays in all three games.

The Ravens scored touchdowns on two of three trips inside the red zone, but it’s the one they didn’t get that bothers the Ravens.  “It doesn’t matter that you score touchdowns on the other two. We still feel like we left points on the board,” Heap said. “I think that gives us more motivation when you get down there. We know you have to be focused and have to be on your game. I think that’s everybody’s mindset.”

Of 769 votes (counting mine), this Baltimore Sun poll is overwhelmingly “Yes” at 97.0 percent: “Will the Ravens’ offense be better in 2009? Specifically, will they score more points and have more total yards than the 2008 unit?”

Through three quarters, the Ravens led 17-3 and LB Ray Lewis said, “That’s what’s most exciting, the way we are clicking both offensively and defensively.  The bottom line is everyone is lining up and playing fast. We’re all playing well right now.”

Lewis also said about his elbow being wrapped, “Hurt? Me?  Nah, my club was a little sore after I used it to go across somebody’s head in the first half. It was just the club getting some rest.”

Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun believes that the Ravens should bring back kicker Matt Stover even if it means carrying two kickers on the roster.  He believes that if Steve Hauschka doesn’t kick well in the team’s fourth pre-season game, that the Ravens will re-sign Stover.  Otherwise, they’ll give the job to Hauschka — not rookie Graham Gano.

Around the AFC North: The Bengals signed Andre Smith (their first-round pick), Browns coach Eric Mangini still hasn’t made a decision on which QB will start for the Browns, and Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger played well (15 of 19) in the Steelers’ third pre-season game.

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Tags: Joe Flacco, Ray Lewis, Todd Heap