Jamal Lewis

Former Ravens running back Jamal Lewis is one of four ex-NFL players who are suing the league over brain injuries that they say have impaired their post-football lives, according to an Associated Press report. Lewis and Dorsey  Levens, Fulton Kuykendall and Ryan Stewart, filed the lawsuit against the National Football League and NFL Properties LLC this week in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, saying the NFL knew as early as the 1920s of the potential for concussions to harm its players but only went public last year.

Lost in the scrutiny of the Ravens' humiliating 34-14 loss to the San Diego Chargers Sunday night was one bright spot. Wide receiver Torrey Smith broke Jamal Lewis' rookie record for touchdowns in a season when he caught a pass from quarterback Joe Flacco and turned it into a 36-yard score with 1:55 remaining in the fourth quarter. Smith, who has caught seven touchdowns, is tied for first in the NFL among rookie wideouts in that category with the Cincinnati Bengals' A.J. Green.

Among the rushing marks Ray Rice set Sunday in the Ravens' 24-10 win against the Indianapolis Colts, Rice joined Jamal Lewis as the only tailbacks in franchise history to record three consecutive seasons of 1,000 rushing yards, For Rice, who now has 1,029 yards this season, reaching that achievement is something that he will treasure. “It means a lot to me,” Rice said. “Anytime I do something, I give my credit to the offensive line. But to do three straight [1,000-yard rushing seasons]

Jamal Lewis made no secret of which team he will root for Sunday, and it won't be the guys wearing those ugly orange and brown Halloween uniforms. " Ravens, that's my team," said Lewis of the Ravens/Browns game. "I've picked them to go all the way. They are playing hard, and they still got that swagger. Now if we can get Joe Flacco and that passing game going, we're going to be okay. " After 10 seasons, Lewis is in semi-retirement. He spent three seasons with Cleveland, and the first seven with Baltimore where he was one of the most accomplished running backs in the NFL. Lewis didn't watch the Ravens' loss to Cincinnati last week, but he listened to it on his car radio.

T he Ravens are 3 1/2 -point underdogs heading into Sunday's playoff game at New England. But that suits the Ravens just fine. In their 14-year existence, the Ravens play best in their first game of the playoffs when they aren't expected to win. When they've entered the playoffs as AFC North champions (2003 and 2006), the Ravens were upset in their first games. When they've been wild cards (2000, 2001 and 2008), the Ravens have never lost in the opening round. But Ravens wide receiver Derrick Mason refuses to play up the underdog role.

Since the 2000 season, the Ravens have tried to copy the blueprint that led them to the Super Bowl title. But they've never been able to duplicate the running back of that season. Running backs like Jamal Lewis come along only once in a while, and the Ravens have yet to find another runner like Lewis. Few teams do. "It's rare to get that kind of power, speed and size in that kind of a back," Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said. "Guys like him, Chuck Muncie, Corey Dillon, John Riggins, they only come along every so often.

S ince the 2000 season, the Ravens have tried to copy the blueprint that led them to the Super Bowl title. But they've never been able to duplicate the running back of that season. Running backs like Jamal Lewis come along only once in a while, and the Ravens have yet to find another runner like Lewis. Few teams do. "It's rare to get that kind of power, speed and size in that kind of a back," Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said. "Guys like him, Chuck Muncie, Corey Dillon, John Riggins, they only come along every so often.

Brady Quinn knows what's in store for him when he and the Cleveland Browns pay a visit to M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday. A hostile reception. Enough crowd noise to possibly force the offense into a silent snap count. Oh, and a Ravens defense trying to tee off on the young quarterback. "Yeah, I would imagine so," Quinn said when asked whether he expects an all-out pass rush from the Ravens. "Anytime you're a young quarterback in this league, I think you expect that going into every game." How Quinn fares could determine whether the Browns can pick themselves out of the AFC North cellar or whether the Ravens continue to reign atop the division.

Jamal Lewis (right) became the 24th player in NFL history to rush for 10,000 career yards. Lewis entered the Cleveland Browns' game with the Cincinnati Bengals yesterday needing 63 yards and went over the milestone on an 8-yard burst in the third quarter. He finished with 76 yards on 16 carries as the Browns lost, 14-0. Lewis, 29, played seven seasons with the Ravens, where he gained 7,801 yards before signing as a free agent with the Browns in 2007. He gained 1,304 yards last season, his best since 2003, when he rushed for 2,066 for the Ravens.

Whenever the Ravens face Jamal Lewis, it's another showdown with their all-time leading rusher. It's also another time to debate the Ravens' decision at running back. In the 2007 offseason, the Ravens failed to re-sign Lewis and traded for Willis McGahee. Nearly 21 months later, the statistics and the money indicate this was a misstep. In 22 games with the Cleveland Browns, Lewis has averaged 81.2 yards and has scored 12 touchdowns. In 21 games with the Ravens, McGahee has rushed for 74.1 yards and reached the end zone 10 times.