Ravens Vs. Giants

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M&t Bank Stadium, 1 P.m., Ch. 45

GAME FACTS

Matchup

Records: Ravens 7-5, Giants 5-7.

Line: Ravens by 10.

Vs. spread: Ravens 8-4, Giants 5-7.

Series: Ravens lead 2-0.

Last meeting: Ravens won, 34-7, on Jan. 28, 2001, in the Super Bowl in Tampa, Fla.

NFL rankings

Ravens offense: 31st (rush 13th, pass 32nd) Ravens defense: 8th (rush 10th, pass 6th) Giants offense: 22nd (rush 11th, pass 24th)

Giants defense: 10th (rush 26th, pass 5th)

Ravens injuries

Questionable: CB Gary Baxter (shoulder); OT Orlando Brown (knee); DT Maake Kemoeatu (lower leg); RB Jamal Lewis (ankle); CB Deion Sanders (foot); WR Travis Taylor (back); P Dave Zastudil (shoulder).

Probable: C Joe Maese (back); WR Clarence Moore (knee); RB Alan Ricard (knee); CB Raymond Walls (wrist).

Giants injuries

Out: DT Norman Hand (groin); S Gibril Wilson (shoulder/neck); G Chris Snee (jaw/inflamed gland).

Questionable: WR Jamaar Taylor (quadriceps); WR Amani Toomer (hamstring).

Probable: LB Barrett Green (knee); WR Willie Ponder (back).

INSIDE SLANT

George Kokinis, the Ravens' pro personnel director, sizes up the Giants:

Strength of offense

Running back Tiki Barber. He has been consistent all season with eight 100-yard rushing games. The one knock on him was his fumbling, but he seemed to cure the problem by lifting the ball up and under his armpit a little more. Barber is quick to the hole and has good vision. Plus, he's versatile out of the backfield. He is third on the team with 40 catches.

Strength of defense

Cornerbacks Will Allen and Will Peterson. First-day draft picks in 2001, they are a big reason why the Giants are ranked fifth in the NFL in pass defense. They have solid speed and good feet. They can close on the underneath routes and have enough speed to cover deep.

Key matchup

Ravens LB Terrell Suggs vs. Giants LT Luke Petitgout. Putting pressure on rookie quarterback Eli Manning is key. A three-year starter at left tackle, Petitgout is athletic and can get to the outside rush. Suggs, who leads the Ravens with 9 1/2 sacks, uses both an outside rush and a power rush.

STARTING LINEUPS

Ravens offense

WR 89 Travis Taylor

LT 75 Jonathan Ogden

LG 64 Edwin Mulitalo

C 61 Casey Rabach

RG 62 Mike Flynn

RT 77 Ethan Brooks

TE 86 Todd Heap

WR 84 Clarence Moore

QB 7 Kyle Boller

RB 29 Chester Taylor

FB 39 Alan Ricard

Ravens defense

LE 98 Tony Weaver

NT 97 Kelly Gregg

RE 94 Marques Douglas

OLB 55 Terrell Suggs

ILB 56 Ed Hartwell

ILB 52 Ray Lewis

OLB 96 Adalius Thomas

CB 28 Gary Baxter

CB 21 Chris McAlister

SS 20 Ed Reed

FS 47 Will Demps

Giants offense

WR 81 Amani Toomer

LT 77 Luke Petitgout

LG 65 Jason Whittle

C 60 Shaun O'Hara

RG 62 Wayne Lucier

RT 66 David Diehl

TE 80 Jeremy Shockey

WR 88 Ike Hilliard

QB 10 Eli Manning

RB 21 Tiki Barber

FB 20 Jim Finn

Giants defense

LE 70 Lance Legree

LT 94 William Joseph

RT 98 Fred Robbins

RE 72 Osi Umenyiora

OLB 51 Carlos Emmons

MLB 59 Kevin Lewis

WLB 52 Barrett Green

CB 25 Will Allen

CB 24 Will Peterson

SS 22 Terry Cousin

FS 26 Brent Alexander