Defensive Line

Villanova (0-0) @Maryland (0-0) Time -- 6 TV -- Tape delayed by Comcast SportsNet at 7 p.m. tomorrow Radio -- 1300 AM, 105.7 FM Series -- Maryland leads 8-2 Last meeting -- Maryland won, 7-3, on Sept. 6, 1980 Maryland offense vs. Villanova defense -- First-year starting quarterback Jordan Steffy will be throwing against a 3-3-5 defense that uses three safeties in a scheme similar to what the Terps will see against West Virginia. Villanova's secondary will face one of the top receivers in the Atlantic Coast Conference, though, in Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Spencer Folau remembered that sinking feeling upon learning the news. After spending two collegiate seasons at Idaho as an effective force on the defensive line, Folau's job description had just undergone a drastic change.He would be switched to the offensive line, an area he had barely tested even as a high school player."It blew me away. I didn't expect it. I was pretty productive on the defensive line," Folau recalled. "We probably needed some help on the [offensive] line, and I think my coach saw a future for me on the offensive line.

Defensive end Fernando Smith would not wish last year on any football player.He was stuck in Jacksonville, unhappy, not playing as much as he wanted and still hurting from a hernia he suffered the year before. He was thinking about retiring at the end of the season.He signed with the Jaguars in August 1998 after being released by Minnesota. He ended up with 26 tackles and two sacks in limited playing time. After the season, Smith left the Jaguars, signed with the Ravens and has added quality depth to the defensive line.

Quarterly reviewQuarterbacks -- C- --Former starter Scott Mitchell was a disappointment and was benched after six quarters. Present starter Stoney Case is rusty and has had problems with blitzes and consistency. What happened to Tony Banks? Case threw for only 6 yards in the first half Sunday against the Falcons and wasn't pulled, which shows that Banks may never get to play.Running backs -- B -- Errict Rhett is a new man and leads the AFC in rushing now that new coach Brian Billick has given him a starting role.

QuarterbackB - Tony Banks had a second solid performance and made some great throws early in the game that the two previous starters couldn't make. Banks held onto the ball after two rough sacks and tucked it away when scrambling. For the first time after a game this season, no one asked coach Brian Billick who would start at QB the next week.A - Running backsErrict Rhett had more than 100 yards rushing, but fullback Chuck Evans did a lot of damage on lead blocking to spring Rhett. Rhett has good vision and gained a lot of yards on cutbacks, but his touchdown was scored running straight ahead after Rhett noticed the Browns weren't aggressive in pursuing him in the second half.

Quarterbacks -- C -- Tony Banks and Stoney Case played reasonable well considering the team's poor field position. It's hard to be effective when the average drive starts at your 19-yard line against the No. 1 defense in the league. But Ravens coach Brian Billick should take a few more chances with Banks and let him throw downfield more.Running backs -- C- -- Errict Rhett had 50 yards on 19 carries, but there weren't many holes. The Ravens' running game suffered when fullback Chuck Evans had to leave in the first half with elbow and triceps injuries.

MIAMI -- Here's a little trivia quiz to see if you're up to speed on Super Bowl XXXIII.Do you know what role Smith, Hall, Dronett and Archambeau will play in the game?Time's up.No, they're not an NFL law firm suing unauthorized T-shirt makers.They make up the Atlanta Falcons' defensive line that is likely to make or break the team's bid to upset the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl.Ends Chuck Smith and Lester Archambeau and tackles Travis Hall and Shane Dronett are the four defensive starters who whipped the Minnesota Vikings' big offensive line in the NFC title game and now will take on the same task against Denver's small but quick offensive line.

Quarterback -- B- -- Tony Banks was inconsistent in the first half but stepped up in the second. His overall performance suffered from several dropped passes, but his timing seemed a little off with Justin Armour and Billy Davis. He throws a great deep ball, but at times gets a little carried away throwing deep into double coverage.Running backs -- B -- Priest Holmes performed well filling in again for the injured Errict Rhett. He rushed 18 times for 130 yards and had a 64-yard touchdown run. The Steelers were ranked No. 21 in rushing defense, but the Ravens failed to exploit them completely, as fullback Chuck Evans carried only one time for 2 yards.

QuarterbackFAfter starting four games, Stoney Case has proven that he is no more than just a backup in this league, because opposing teams have figured him out. Two interceptions returned for touchdowns dug too deep of a hole, and coach Brian Billick is 0-for-2 in quarterback projects in Baltimore.Running backsC+Errict Rhett continues to be one of the bright spots on the offense. He ran hard last night, but like most running backs, he is limited without a passing attack to complement him. The Ravens didn't use Priest Holmes, but there was no need to, because Rhett wasn't overused.

Quarterback -- Tony Banks never seemed to find his rhythm. Even on the long ball, he was either over- or under-throwing. He just didn't seem to have the spark. He moved well in the pocket and maybe for the first time since he became the starter there will be no questions about his pocket awareness. -- C-Running backs -- For the first time this season, the Ravens finally used Errict Rhett and Priest Holmes as a solid combination. Holmes rushed 13 times for 59 yards and Rhett had 12 carries for 50. Both players ran extremely hard and they wore down the Bengals in the final quarter.

At the beginning of the season, the key to success for the Ravens was the development of the offensive line. Now, near the end of the season, the key for their postseason hopes is for the offensive line to take its game to a higher level. When the Ravens meet the Dallas Cowboys tomorrow night in the last game at Texas Stadium, they will face the best defensive line they have seen this season. Pittsburgh has the No. 1-rated defense in the NFL, but the Steelers don't have the combination of strength and speed that the Cowboys have up front, beginning with All-World outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware and nose guard Jay Ratliff.

From a distance, Navy freshman Jabaree Tuani appears to be the prototypical defensive end playing big-time college football, considering the havoc he has already caused for opposing backfields this season. It's only close up that one gets to see how small Tuani really is for someone at his position. Though Tuani, 6 feet 1, 242 pounds, has plenty of company in that category among his teammates, he is still a rarity in Annapolis: the first plebe to start for the Midshipmen on the defensive line since Bwerani Nettles did a decade ago. Shortly after coming into the season opener against Towson, Tuani sacked Tigers quarterback Sean Schaefer and eventually took over as a starter for his team's upset last month at then-No.

Phoenix -- When it comes to stopping the New England Patriots' vaunted offense, the New York Giants are putting it all on the line. That is, their defensive line. Super Bowl Patriots vs. Giants, Sunday, 6:17 p.m., Glendale, Ariz., chs. 45, 5, 1090 AM Records: Patriots (18-0), Giants (13-6) Line: Patriots by 12

Quarterback -- F -- Kyle Boller had only a 27.1 quarterback rating in the first half. He threw three interceptions and fumbled once. He was back to the Boller of old. Running backs -- F -- Willis McGahee ran hard for the first part of the first quarter, but there were no openings. He tried to juke too much, and that doesn't work against a fast defensive team such as the Colts. Offensive line -- F -- The Colts aren't that big up front, but they were getting too much penetration, beating guards Ben Grubbs, Jason Brown and center Mike Flynn off the ball.

College Park -- Every week, Maryland defensive line coach Dave Sollazzo preaches the importance of putting pressure on the quarterback. "It doesn't always work," he said dryly, "obviously." This week, Sollazzo's message had an added incentive - whoever is the first to record a sack against Rutgers will be the first to accomplish that feat against quarterback Mike Teel this season, and the first in six games. "It's real important, especially against Rutgers," said senior defensive tackle Carlos Feliciano, who grew up in Elizabeth, N.J., about 30 minutes from the Rutgers campus, and was recruited heavily by the Scarlet Knights.

Villanova (0-0) @Maryland (0-0) Time -- 6 TV -- Tape delayed by Comcast SportsNet at 7 p.m. tomorrow Radio -- 1300 AM, 105.7 FM Series -- Maryland leads 8-2 Last meeting -- Maryland won, 7-3, on Sept. 6, 1980 Maryland offense vs. Villanova defense -- First-year starting quarterback Jordan Steffy will be throwing against a 3-3-5 defense that uses three safeties in a scheme similar to what the Terps will see against West Virginia. Villanova's secondary will face one of the top receivers in the Atlantic Coast Conference, though, in Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Bowling Brook senior two-way lineman Quintin Miller, 6 feet 2, 280 pounds, is the small prep school's first major Division I-A recruit. Temple and Penn State have expressed interest in Miller, who is from Pittsburgh and is a big Steelers fan. What is your ultimate dream in football? Go all the way. Just to be on an NFL franchise. Any team. What separates the Steelers from other NFL teams? I would say the fans. They're like our 12th man. They're great. Do you have a favorite college?

The Ravens will play their third preseason game tonight against the Minnesota Vikings, and everyone on the defensive line is confident and at ease. This is no time to panic, just time to start playing. It's hard to remember any big plays made by a Ravens defensive lineman in the first two games. Think about it. Nothing from Trevor Pryce. Nothing from Terrell Suggs. Rookie tackle Haloti Ngata looked slow in his debut last week against the Philadelphia Eagles, and the only player to make any impact has been tackle Kelly Gregg.

Quarterback -- B Anthony Wright played well within himself and the system. The Browns did him a big favor by not blitzing often. Wright made some really nice and tight throws to the outside of the field. He still stares down receivers, but he made an improvement over last week. Offensive line -- B Left tackle Jonathan Ogden and left guard Edwin Mulitalo were good at the point of attack, but Mulitalo has to do a better job of sustaining blocks. Right guard Keydrick Vincent and tackles Orlando Brown and Tony Pashos were good holding their blocks for cutback runs.

WHEN RAVENS defensive coordinator Rex Ryan first heard the news, he thought Christmas had come early. Defensive tackle Corey Simon was about to be signed, sealed and delivered to the Ravens. But the dream disappeared as quickly as it came, and Simon signed a five-year, $30 million contract, including $13 million in bonuses, with the Indianapolis Colts last week. "Oh, that would have been something," Ryan said yesterday, as the Ravens prepared to meet the Colts in Sunday's season opener.