Justin Bannan

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...

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.

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.

As a season with more excuses than execution continues to unravel for the Ravens, the final vestige of last season's 13-3 team remains. The dog days of December are fast approaching, and whatever hope of salvaging the season in the final six games depends largely on whether the Ravens can keep stopping the run. It seems to be the only resemblance to what was once a ferocious, fear-provoking defense. "We're just trying to hang onto what we can," nose tackle Kelly Gregg said Wednesday after practice in Owings Mills.

With the scoreboard indicating that they had won, the Ravens ran off the field, celebrating an emotional come-from-behind victory. About 20 minutes later, they lost the game. Confused? So are the Ravens. In one of the craziest endings in NFL history, the Ravens were utterly stunned yesterday when the referee's reversal of a missed field-goal attempt at the end of regulation led to a 33-30 overtime loss to the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium. With the Ravens ahead 30-27, the Browns' Phil Dawson attempted a 51-yard field goal as the fourth quarter was expiring.

We ask the Ravens the questions that really matter MIKE FLYNN FAVORITE PRE- GAME MEAL -- Cheesesteaks MESSIEST LOCKER -- Jonathan Ogden FAVORITE BASKETBALL PLAYER -- Larry Bird JUSTIN BANNAN FAVORITE PRE- GAME MEAL -- Pancakes and eggs MESSIEST LOCKER -- Jason Brown FAVORITE BASKETBALL PLAYER -- MIchael Jordan GEROME SAPP FAVORITE PRE- GAME MEAL -- Steak and spaghetti MESSIEST LOCKER -- Ed Reed FAVORITE BASKETBALL PLAYER -- Kobe Bryant ...

Justin Bannan's absence from the Ravens' defensive line during the last six games of the 2006 season barely registered outside the team's practice field and locker room, given his role backing up starting tackles Kelly Gregg and Haloti Ngata. Not that Bannan's injury went unnoticed. "When we lost Justin last year, that was one of those subtle things that kind of went under the radar for a lot of people," Ravens coach Brian Billick said this week. "But that hurt us a lot when we lost Justin.

ANDERSON RUNS STRONG Backup running back Mike Anderson overshadowed Willis McGahee, gaining 37 yards on three carries while working with the first-team offense. Behind some ragged blocking, McGahee managed 3 yards on six carries. TROUBLE WITH ANKLES Playing on a rain-soaked turf, cornerback Samari Rolle and wide receiver Mark Clayton injured their ankles in the first quarter, but all X-rays were negative. Neither returned to the game. NO ENCORE After scoring a touchdown on its only drive in the preseason opener, the Ravens' starting offense managed only a field goal on four possessions last night.

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.

Ray Lewis' problem with the Ravens might extend beyond his contract situation. In his first local interview in seven months, the former All-Pro middle linebacker cast a cloud over his relationship with Brian Billick when he declined to give the coach a vote of confidence. Asked Wednesday by Comcast SportsNet whether keeping Billick was a move in the right direction, the Ravens middle linebacker paused briefly before saying, "No comment." Billick was retained by owner Steve Bisciotti just before the Ravens concluded a 6-10 season, their worst in seven years under Billick.