Antwan Barnes

The knock on Ravens outside linebacker Antwan Barnes is that he lacks consistency. On some days, he can look like Dwight Freeney. And on other days, he is a no-show. Which Antwan Barnes will show up for the 2010 season? "This is my year. It's got to be," said Barnes, a Ravens fourth-round pick out of Florida International in 2007. "I've been on the sidelines for too long. It's got to be my year. " The expectations for Barnes have never been higher. We've seen flashes of excellence where he exhibits the nonstop motor and relentless desire.

If you only look at the statistics from the Ravens' 34-14 loss to the Chargers on Sunday night, you could easily surmise that the team had trouble protecting Joe Flacco . Baltimore's fourth-year quarterback was sacked five times, and three of those were at the hands of former Ravens linebacker Antwan Barnes . But Terrell Suggs — who was calm, but candid, after the game — wouldn't agree with that assessment. "You've got to take your hat off to our coaches," Suggs said.

After nearly every drill at Ravens passing camp this month, outside linebacker Antwan Barnes sought counsel from a trusted source. But it wasn't position coach Mike Pettine or assistant head coach-defensive coordinator Rex Ryan. It was tight end Todd Heap. Heap is the Ravens' all-time leader in receiving yards and touchdown receptions. Barnes, entering his second year as a pro, said he has learned a lot in his one-on-one encounters with the two-time Pro Bowl veteran this offseason. "He tends to push off a little bit," Barnes said with a smile.

Michael Oher will see a familiar face on the opposing side of the line of scrimmage on Sunday night. Outside linebacker Antwan Barnes was drafted by the Ravens in the fourth round in 2007 and spent three seasons before getting shipped to the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2010 preseason. And when the Ravens visit the San Diego Chargers at Snapdragon Stadium for Sunday's prime-time showdown, Barnes is expected to line up opposite the Ravens' right tackle. Oher smiled when asked about his memories of tangling with Barnes in practice when Oher was a rookie in 2009.

Jonathan Ogden said yesterday that he would "probably" be a game-time decision, but there are indications the 10-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle will start tomorrow night at the Cincinnati Bengals. Ogden, who missed the entire preseason with a hyperextended big toe on his left foot, has practiced all week without any apparent setbacks and has worked the past two days without having his left foot taped. Both are encouraging signs for Ogden, who has never missed a season opener. "Do I feel great?

HERE THEY GO AGAIN Linebacker Terrell Suggs and rookie offensive tackle Jared Gaither went at each other again during a one-on-one pass-rushing drill. The duo battled to a draw twice, and Suggs did not challenge any other offensive linemen. TIP DRILL Quarterback Steve McNair tried to hit tight end Todd Heap on a seam pass down the middle, but safety Gerome Sapp reached out and batted the football into the air. Safety Jamaine Winborne dove and made the interception. QUOTABLE "This is going to be a man-up day."

Haloti Ngata is going to be a terror this year, but he's got to contain himself in training camp. After bowling over left guard Jason Brown, Ngata accidentally rolled into Steve McNair and brought the starting quarterback to the ground. McNair wasn't hurt, but you never want to see the starting quarterback on the ground or even touched by a 340-pound lineman. Still, it's hard to deny the sheer athleticism of Ngata. How many defensive tackles are dropping back like middle linebackers these days?

When the New York Giants visit the Ravens tonight for a nationally televised preseason game, the plan is to use starting quarterback Eli Manning well into the second quarter. But in facing the Ravens' defense, the Giants are doing it at their own risk. GIANTS@RAVENS Preseason game, tonight, 8 o'clock, M&T Bank Stadium, chs. 11, 4, 1090 AM, 97.9 FM What to watch for POSITION -- Quarterback. The second half of the game will feature the battle for the No. 3 job between Drew Olson and Troy Smith.

GOOD START ...: : The offense opened a live red-zone drill by scoring on its first three possessions with Flacco tossing a 1-yard touchdown pass to Williams, Smith firing a 20-yard scoring strike to Washington, and running back Ray Rice scoring on a 6-yard rush through the left side. ... BUT A POOR FINISH: : The last three series of that exercise ended with field goals of 37 and 21 yards and Frank Walker's interception of a pass from Smith intended for Harper. INJURIES: : Wide receivers Mark Clayton (left hamstring)

Quarterback: A- Despite the weather, Joe Flacco threw the ball reasonably well and went downfield a couple of times where he showed good touch. He went through his progressions more than the past couple of games, but is still too quick at times to check down. Offensive line: A Left tackle Michael Oher and left guard Ben Grubbs dominated, and right guard Marshal Yanda did a nice job of pulling and sealing the corner. Right tackle Oniel Cousins was solid in his first start.

He grew up in South Florida, so naturally, Antwan Barnes had a lot more familiarity with reptiles. Copperheads, cottonmouths and water mocs. Iguanas, 'gators and croc's. When he got to Baltimore as the Ravens' fourth-round draft choice of 2007, though, Barnes kept hearing about a different sort of varmint. Then the Ravens' defensive coordinator, Rex Ryan since has become known for some of the peculiar stuff he comes up with, but one of his sayings in Baltimore became a sort of mammal motto.

The knock on Ravens outside linebacker Antwan Barnes is that he lacks consistency. On some days, he can look like Dwight Freeney. And on other days, he is a no-show. Which Antwan Barnes will show up for the 2010 season? "This is my year. It's got to be," said Barnes, a Ravens fourth-round pick out of Florida International in 2007. "I've been on the sidelines for too long. It's got to be my year. " The expectations for Barnes have never been higher. We've seen flashes of excellence where he exhibits the nonstop motor and relentless desire.

John Harbaugh's high-intensity offseason practices crossed the line for the NFL Players Association. The Ravens were forced to cancel next week's offseason camp -- their last one before training camp -- after violating the collective bargaining agreement's offseason workout rules. The penalty was the resolution after the players union lodged a complaint against the Ravens. It was determined that the Ravens had broken the rules concerning the intensity and tempo of drills conducted at their offseason camps as well as the length of time spent by players at the team's facility, according to a joint statement Monday from the NFL and the players union.

T he postseason is when quarterback legends are born. The good ones become great, and the great ones win Super Bowls. Right now, Ravens second-year quarterback Joe Flacco is trying to get a second wind. He had a good first half of the season and struggled in the second. Headed into the playoffs Sunday against the New England Patriots, Flacco has to play better. The NFL is a quarterback-driven league, and for the second straight season Flacco is about to compete with Carson Palmer, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers.

Editor's note: Ray Lewis spoke with The Baltimore Sun about the Ravens' problems on the field and his life off it. The Pro Bowl linebacker discussed his weekly training sessions with the Baltimore Police Department, and his relationship with Steve McNair's mother. Lewis also addressed the team's focus for today's game against the Detroit Lions (2-10), the reason for the team's penalties and why he is convinced that the Ravens (6-6) will make the playoffs. Question: The Ravens, who are 13 1/2 -point favorites over the Detroit Lions today, have a 7-1 record under coach John Harbaugh in games in which they are favored by at least seven points.

Quarterback: A- Despite the weather, Joe Flacco threw the ball reasonably well and went downfield a couple of times where he showed good touch. He went through his progressions more than the past couple of games, but is still too quick at times to check down. Offensive line: A Left tackle Michael Oher and left guard Ben Grubbs dominated, and right guard Marshal Yanda did a nice job of pulling and sealing the corner. Right tackle Oniel Cousins was solid in his first start.

He was a rookie last year, whose role on the Ravens had yet to be defined. A year wiser, Dawan Landry said he sometimes still feels like a rookie but with one notable exception. There's no question that he's the starting strong safety. "The mind-set is still the same," Landry said, comparing his approach this summer to last summer. "I'm going out there and competing and trying to get better each day. As far as the mental aspect, I know a lot more this year as opposed to last year when I was learning on the run and trying to study a lot. I know a lot more plays this year, so it's more natural this year."

In a game they desperately need to win, the Ravens will experience life without Terrell Suggs on Sunday. That it comes against the unbeaten Indianapolis Colts, with unstoppable Peyton Manning flinging touchdown passes, makes for an even more dire setting. It took nine games, three straight losses and a dreadful outing on "Monday Night Football," but the Ravens are back in a neighborhood they appreciate. Underdog is a profile that suits them. After 105 straight games, Suggs, a three-time Pro Bowl linebacker/defensive end, will sit out Sunday with a sprained right knee ligament.

R avens fans had been asking for rookie defensive end Paul Kruger, and now they just might get him. The Ravens coaching staff was eagerly awaiting the results of a magnetic resonance imagining on the knee of Pro Bowl defensive end/outside linebacker Terrell Suggs Tuesday afternoon. The initial diagnosis Monday night was a sprained knee. Suggs suffered the injury in the middle of the third quarter when Ravens cornerback Chris Carr intercepted a pass from Cleveland quarterback Brady Quinn, and Quinn cut Suggs at the knees without even attempting to tackle Carr.