Kellen Winslow

TAMPA, FLA. - Two former Ravens are experiencing different levels of emotions leading up to today's announcement of the Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees. While Rod Woodson is considered a lock to make the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, Shannon Sharpe is not. No ex-Raven has made the Hall. After a career that included eight Pro Bowls and three Super Bowl titles, Sharpe hasn't been this worried about getting cut since he was a rookie seventh-round draft pick out of Savannah State.

Despite allowing tight end Brent Celek to make eight receptions for a career-high 157 yards in the Philadelphia Eagles' 24-23 win Sunday, the Ravens say they're not panicking over the impending visit from Rob Gronkowski and the New England Patriots. “[A] lot of those things are simple coverage adjustments - whether one person reads this or you take this away or take that away,” inside linebacker Ray Lewis said Wednesday. “And last week is already in the past. I think this week, it's really about focusing on [quarterback Tom]

Safeties used to provide run support. Tight ends used to block. Guards and centers used to sit out the first three hours of the big show, waiting for their second-round cues. Times and opinions have changed in the NFL draft the past 10 years, though. When Saturday's annual lottery unfolds, there could be a record four safeties drafted in the first round, ostensibly to cover some of those athletic tight ends who are finding their way down field more and more. In a year in which several teams are shopping for left tackles, there is a surplus of promising interior offensive linemen.

INSIDE SLANT George Kokinis, the Ravens' pro personnel director, sizes up the Browns: Strength of offense Running back Lee Suggs. He missed the opener against the Ravens and is now in a rotation with William Green. He's explosive and can make catches out of the backfield. He has good vision and good lateral quickness. Where Green is more straight ahead and needs a running lane, Suggs can cut back and make tacklers miss. Strength of defense Linebackers. This group has developed. Strong-side linebacker Chaun Thompson has filled in for the injured Ben Taylor and has gotten better every game.

PLAY OF THE WEEK Rudi Johnson, Cleveland at Cincinnati -- In Sunday's 23-10 win in Kansas City, the Bengals appeared content to let Johnson carry the offensive load (28 carries, 96 yards, one touchdown). Why stop now with Cleveland visiting Sunday? In two wins last season over the Browns, Johnson ran for 295 yards and scored in both games. POSITION ANALYSIS QUARTERBACK STARTING NOD -- Marc Bulger, St. Louis at San Francisco. Bulger passed 34 times in last week's 18-10 upset of the Denver Broncos, completing 18 passes for 217 yards, but was unable to find the end zone.

1. Pittsburgh (1-0) Defending champs acquitted themselves well without Ben Roethlisberger. 2. Indianapolis (1-0) Colts got some breaks from the officials. They'll need more without Edgerrin James. 3. Cincinnati (1-0) Carson Palmer is the leader in the clubhouse for the Comeback Player of the Year Award. 4. Seattle (1-0) Scored nine points, then overpaid in trading a No. 1 pick for receiver Deion Branch. 5. Chicago (1-0) And Rex Grossman didn't get hurt. 6. Atlanta (1-0) Falcons' defense dominated NFC favorite Panthers.

Matt Stover made a critical play in the Ravens' victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, and it had nothing to do with his feet. The 17-year veteran might have shifted the game's momentum when he tackled Chiefs return specialist Dante Hall, preventing the man who has returned 11 kicks and punts for touchdowns from adding No. 12 on the opening kickoff. "I wish I didn't have to," Stover said of making the tackle at Kansas City's 49-yard line. "I did feel my man from the inside, so I knew that I had somebody protecting the inside.

PLAY OF THE WEEK Steve Smith, Carolina at St. Louis -- The Panthers could get caught up in a high-scoring game with the Rams on Sunday and that, along with the fast turf in St. Louis, should bode well for Smith. In 14 games last season, he was a model of consistency, making five or more catches 11 times and recording three 100-plus-yard outings. QUARTERBACK STARTING NOD -- Tom Brady, New England at New York Jets: Brady will continue to spread the ball around, but the big difference this season is the quality of wide receivers he has to work with.