Jim Harbaugh and Floyd Turner know a thing or two about overcoming long odds.
Along with two other current Ravens -- Tony Siragusa and Roosevelt Potts -- they were on the Indianapolis Colts team three years ago that overcame a 5-5 start and came within a Hail Mary pass of the Super Bowl.
Harbaugh and Turner, who'll start together for the first time this season tomorrow when the Ravens go to Nashville to play the Tennessee Oilers, find themselves facing even longer odds this time.
The Ravens are 5-7 and must sweep their final four games to have a winning season.
Since they're six-point underdogs against the Oilers and will be even bigger underdogs at home next week against the Minnesota Vikings, that's a tall order. Maybe an impossible one.
But the stakes couldn't be higher for veterans like Harbaugh and Turner as they try to pull off another miracle finish.
L One more loss means coach Ted Marchibroda might not survive.
Harbaugh and Turner know the consequences.
As Harbaugh pointed out, "I've been around for quite a while, and if you say we're changing coaches, we're talking about eliminating 20 to 30 guys on a team. My point is that it's not just Ted's situation, it's all of ours."
Turner said: "I've been through it and Jim's been through it. When there's pressure, you have to turn it up a notch. You have to play a little harder, play a lot faster, play a lot smarter."
This season hasn't worked out the way either Harbaugh or Turner figured it would.
After being traded by the Colts to clear the decks for Peyton Manning, Harbaugh thought he'd have a fresh start under a coach (Marchibroda) he had enjoyed success with at Indianapolis.
Instead, he was hampered by finger and elbow injuries and was ineffective the first seven games. He didn't even play in the first Oilers game that the Ravens lost, 12-8, when they failed to score a touchdown.
He came back just in time for the 45-19 meltdown against Jacksonville that left the Ravens at 2-6 for the first half of the season. Harbaugh has since led them to a 3-1 mark and feels the team is getting better.
"I feel a sense the guys are becoming closer knit. You can feel it in the locker room. That's the biggest step this team has to make, just playing together as a team," he said.
The problem is the Ravens have no margin for error. Harbaugh keeps calling these games playoff games. One loss and it's over.
