Earnest Byner

It became official yesterday: Bam Morris is the feature back in the Ravens' one-back offensive set.Ravens coach Ted Marchibroda made the announcement yesterday after the team's first practice of the week in preparation for Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.Morris, 24, will replace Earnest Byner, 34, who rushed for 559 yards on 141 attempts after starting the team's first nine games."We couldn't just throw him in there, especially with the no-huddle, because there was a lot of things to learn," said Marchibroda, who ran some of the two-back set formation, teaming Morris with 6-foot-2, 240-pound fullback Carwell Gardner.

Site: Metrodome, Minneapolis. Time: 12:30 p.m.TV: Channels 13, 7Radio: WBAL (1090), WTEM (570 AM)Line: Vikings by 3 1/2Last week: The Redskins lost to the Los Angeles Raiders, 21-20, to end the regular season 9-7. The Vikings (11-5) beat the Green Bay Packers, 27-7.The series: The Redskins lead the regular-season series 6-3, although the teams are 2-2 in playoff games. The Redskins have won the last six meetings, including playoff games in 1982 and 1987. Both times the Redskins went on to win the Super Bowl.

The Ravens have proved two things through one-fourth of their first season.They can beat bad teams at home (two wins against teams with a combined 1-9 mark), but have problems beating competitive teams on the road.That's why the Ravens' 17-10 victory over the New Orleans Saints yesterday at Memorial Stadium set the stage for what is likely to be the defining game of their first season, when they play host to the New England Patriots on Sunday. The Patriots' defensive coordinator happens to be former Browns coach Bill Belichick.

In the Ravens' locker room, no one cared that it was just the winless New Orleans Saints.Players exchanged high-fives and coach Ted Marchibroda was slapping rear ends and shaking hands. Quite a few players talked about building momentum for the future and establishing a winning streak at Memorial Stadium.The Ravens were so giddy about defeating the New Orleans Saints, 17-10, before 61,063 yesterday, that Dan Footman, the defensive tackle who brought you the Macarena sack dance during the preseason but never gives interviews, eloquently summed up the win in one word.

Numbers* Best day passing: Jim Everett, Los Angeles Rams, 31-50-2, 365 yards, 1 TD.* Best day rushing: Earnest Byner, Washington, 28 carries, 121 yards.* Best day receiving: Flipper Anderson, Los Angeles Rams, five catches, 123 yards.* Longest touchdown passing: Stephone Paige, Kansas City, 49 pass from Steve DeBerg.* Longest touchdown rushing: Gill Fenerty, New Orleans, 60 yards.* Longest touchdown on return: Eric Metcalf, Cleveland, 101-yard kickoff return* Longest field goal: Jason Staurovsky, New England, 49 yards.

WASHINGTON -- Art Monk keeps moving up the National Football League receiving ladder.The veteran Washington Redskins' wide receiver became the third player to catch 700 passes in a career and stretched his consecutive-game string to 110 -- the fifth-longest in NFL history -- in the team's 31-17 victory over the New Orleans Saints yesterday.Monk, who barely kept his streak alive with one catch against the Philadelphia Eagles Monday night, made four receptions for 43 yards and one touchdown.

ASHBURN, Va. -- On the last play of the Washington Redskins' 35-16 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, quarterback Mark Rypien lined up behind left guard Raleigh McKenzie."

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Ravens' search for their running game ended with authority yesterday at Giants Stadium.And it ended early. On the first possession of their 37-27 victory over the New York Giants, the Ravens began to erase the futility that marked their ground game in last week's preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.The Ravens took a 3-0 lead with a 15-play, 73-yard drive that consumed nearly seven minutes. The drive featured Leroy Hoard running through some wide holes between the tackles, to the tune of seven carries for 34 yards.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Ravens' search for their running game ended with authority on Aug. 10 at Giants Stadium.And it ended early. On the first possession of their 37-27 victory over the New York Giants, the Ravens began to erase the futility that marked their ground game in the previous week's preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.The Ravens took a 3-0 lead with a 15-play, 73-yard drive that consumed nearly seven minutes. The drive featured Leroy Hoard running through some wide holes between the tackles, to the tune of seven carries for 34 yards.

Did the Ravens underachieve this season?Not by as much as they think they did.They would have you believe that their 4-8-1 record doesn't begin to reflect the level of their talent.They would have you believe that their potential in 1997 was equal to that of many teams currently driving for the playoffs.Sorry.With all due respect, they're coming in pretty close to where they deserved.A little beneath their ability, maybe, but not much.Owner Art Modell insists they're just "two or three players away" from the playoffs, but the reality is that they started the season with a fair number of holes and they'll end the season with even more.