Justin Bannan

The Ravens weren't slighted this time. After getting passed over for every Player of the Year honor, the Ravens had the only unanimous selection to the Associated Press All-Pro team - Ed Reed. The Ravens' free safety was selected by everyone on the AP's nationwide panel of sportswriters and broadcasters who cover the NFL. Reed finished the regular season with an NFL-leading nine interceptions, returning two of them for touchdowns. Joining Reed on the All-Pro team were middle linebacker Ray Lewis and fullback Le'Ron McClain, a first-time selection.

The Ravens replaced one tough guy with another tough guy. Maybe even tougher. When the Ravens put nose tackle Kelly Gregg on injured reserve early in the season, there were doubts about anyone measuring up to his standards. After all, Gregg had established himself as one of the best run stoppers in the NFL. But as the Ravens head into Sunday's wild-card playoff game against the Dolphins in Miami, the Ravens have the league's No. 3 run defense (81.4 yards a game), and a big, big reason is Justin Bannan, Gregg's replacement.

The Ravens acknowledged their new-look line could lead to more traditional formations on defense, but not a change from that group's successful tradition. A week after the arrival of Trevor Pryce and Justin Bannan - and perhaps a return of the 4-3 alignment - coordinator Rex Ryan said the Ravens will remain among the elite defenses. There has been some question as to whether the Ravens can maintain that excellence after losing their top two free-agent targets on the defensive line. Unable to retain nose tackle Maake Kemoeatu, the Ravens opted to go with a smaller and quicker replacement in Bannan.

Given the opportunity to block and catch passes as the starting fullback, Ovie Mughelli took on another responsibility he had longed for: running the ball. For the first time in his four-year NFL career, Mughelli took handoffs in the Ravens' 27-0 shutout of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Mughelli finished with four carries for 21 yards. He had more yards than backup running back Musa Smith (12) and just as many carries as Mike Anderson (four), whom the Ravens signed in the offseason as a possible featured back.

QUARTERBACK DERBY Breaking sharply from what had been the norm over the past several days, all three Ravens quarterbacks had good outings during yesterday morning's practice at McDaniel College in Westminster. Kyle Boller, Troy Smith and rookie Joe Flacco all had zip on their passes. Boller's best pass was during a seven-on-seven drill with wide receivers Matt Willis and Marcus Smith, a rookie, running similar post patterns, with Willis a few yards deeper. Boller slung the ball over Smith and cornerback Corey Ivy to a wide-open Willis, who would have added substantial yardage downfield.

After coming back from having in-season neck surgery, Ravens cornerback Samari Rolle said there is "no doubt" he will come back next season. Rolle, 32, is having one of his best seasons in recent years, intercepting three passes and breaking up 10 others. He also helped force a fumble in the Ravens' playoff win in Miami. "The only time I think I don't want to play is when I feel like I can't cover my man or when I don't feel like I can play at the level I'm used to playing at," Rolle said.

Although Justin Bannan hasn't practiced every day, the defensive tackle hasn't been absent from a practice yet. While several of his teammates who have suffered injuries were absent from the practice fields at McDaniel College in Westminster, Bannan has attended every session despite enduring what he called some "minor bumps and bruises" that forced him to watch from the sideline for several days two weeks ago. "I think if you're able to come out here...

Ravens cornerback Frank Walker said he's ready for any backlash from his "slobber moment" in the last meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The outspoken veteran might have passed linebacker Bart Scott as Public Enemy No. 1 in Pittsburgh when he allegedly spat in the mouth of Steelers punter Mitch Berger on Dec. 14. Walker, who explained that his actions were accidental, said he didn't know whether the Steelers would be targeting him. "It doesn't even...

The Ravens' first free-agent visit likely won't be their first free-agent signing. Marlin Jackson , the cornerback from the Indianapolis Colts, left his meeting with the Ravens on Tuesday without a contract, saying his visit was more of an exploratory exercise for the team. Jackson has suffered two serious knee injuries the past two seasons, which has led to him finishing on injured reserve in 2008 and 2009. He was given a physical exam and met with team officials at Ravens headquarters.

Tuesday's off day wasn't so relaxing for Ray Lewis. The Ravens' eight-time Pro Bowl linebacker endured a harrowing helicopter ride through fog and rain before landing in a field in Cecil County. Lewis spent that morning and part of the afternoon shooting an Under Armour commercial in New York. Because the shoot ended too late for him to take a train to get back to a Christmas party for about 600 children at 4 p.m. in Baltimore, Under Armour paid for a helicopter to fly Lewis back. That's when the craziness began, Lewis said.