Leonhard

NASHVILLE, TENN. - It's certainly not the Ravens' defensive philosophy or temperament to play a bend-but-don't-break style, but when forced to do it yesterday against the Tennessee Titans, Baltimore's often-beleagured defenders dug in at the right time. And when it came time to make a last-ditch stand, Ravens safety Jim Leonhard was involved in all three Baltimore takeaways that helped lift the Ravens to a 13-10 playoff win yesterday at LP Field. In order, Leonhard: Applied the pass-rush pressure when Titans quarterback Kerry Collins threw a pass that was picked off by cornerback Samari Rolle at the Ravens' 12-yard line in the second quarter.

From Sun staff and news services NFL Broncos add former Raven Leonhard The Denver Broncos signed free-agent safety Jim Leonhard on Saturday. The 29-year-old former Raven had 48 tackles and one interception in 13 games last season for the New York Jets, with whom he had played since 2009. An undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin, Leonhard played in 94 NFL games since 2005 with the Buffalo Bills, Ravens and Jets. He has 326 tackles, six interceptions (one returned for a touchdown)

Punt returns are marked by chaos and random patterns, daring teams to sift through the unpredictability to - depending on your viewpoint - either find the returner or the end zone. And Jim Leonhard loves it. "I think vision comes into play a lot more on punt returns because you don't know what's going to happen until you get the ball in your hands, whereas with kickoffs, it's kind of structured a little bit more," he said. "I've always done punt returns. I haven't returned kickoffs since, really, high school.

The NFL has fined Titans owner Bud Adams $250,000 for making an obscene gesture at Buffalo fans while celebrating Tennessee's victory over the Bills. Commissioner Roger Goodell notified Adams of the fine Monday. League spokesman Greg Aiello said it was for conduct detrimental to the NFL. Adams was seen making the gesture while in his luxury suite and again on the field after Sunday's 41-17 victory. Adams, 86, issued an apology a couple of hours later, saying he got caught up in the excitement.

As offseason transactions go, the Ravens' signing of Jim Leonhard didn't exactly create a buzz. But two games into the season, the acquisition of the reserve safety looks like one of the team's best offseason moves. Filling in first for injured kick returner Yamon Figurs and later for strong safety Dawan Landry, Leonhard made subtle but significant contributions in a 28-10 defeat of the Cleveland Browns yesterday. He delivered a pair of 30-yard kickoff returns and a 22-yard punt return on special teams.

Change is coming to the Ravens' indomitable defense. Rex Ryan, the architect/coordinator, is already gone. Cornerback Chris McAlister has one foot out the door. Pro Bowl linebackers Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs are lined up for big paychecks. Then there's play-making safety Jim Leonhard, one of the unsung heroes of that defense, whose future in Baltimore is cloaked in salary cap intrigue. If the Ravens are able to sign Lewis and Suggs, will they have enough money left to reward Leonhard for his stellar season?

Jim Leonhard wanted the chance to play in Rex Ryan's defensive system. Fabian Washington wanted the chance to play anywhere other than Oakland. Together, they are starting over in the Ravens' secondary, perhaps just in the nick of time. In a daily battle against attrition this summer, Ryan, the Ravens' defensive coordinator, has yet to put his projected starting secondary on the field because of injuries. With the season opener just 11 days away, Leonhard and Washington could become key figures in any potential makeover.

INDIANAPOLIS -Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said yesterday that he is optimistic he could keep star linebacker Ray Lewis in Baltimore and the heart of the team's dominating defense in place for the 2009 season. In a brisk, 15-minute news conference with national media at the NFL scouting combine at Lucas Oil Stadium, Newsome said he is negotiating new contracts for Lewis, linebackers Bart Scott and Terrell Suggs, and center Jason Brown. All but Suggs, who received the team's franchise tag for the second straight year, will become unrestricted free agents Friday.

The rule of thumb regarding whether to down a kickoff in the end zone or bring it out is that there is no rule of thumb. "There's no black or white, no thing where if it's 4 yards [into the end zone], you're staying in, and if it's 3 1/2 , you're bringing it out," said Ravens backup returner Jim Leonhard, who might fill in for the injured Yamon Figurs in Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins. "It's kind of a feel thing. Sometimes you make the right decision, and sometimes you make the wrong one. It is tough, and you see a lot of guys bring balls out that you wouldn't expect to and be successful.

The Ravens' sack attack is built on a foundation of Terrell Suggs, Jarret Johnson and Trevor Pryce. That, however, shouldn't overshadow the defense's use of cornerback Corey Ivy and strong safety Jim Leonhard. Although Ivy has collected just 1 1/2 sacks and Leonhard has recorded one sack this season, they have frequently blitzed opposing quarterbacks and created havoc in the pocket. In Sunday night's 24-10 victory over the Washington Redskins, Leonhard was credited with a hit on quarterback Jason Campbell and missed a shared sack with linebacker Ray Lewis by a half-second in the first quarter.

When Dawan Landry and Le'Ron McClain collided to open the Ravens' first full-team practice at training camp, defensive backs coach Mark Carrier didn't break a sweat or worry. Carrier had already gotten an answer about his strong safety's health months ago. In May, during the club's series of organized team activities, Landry, who is just 11 months removed from suffering a spinal cord concussion during a game against the Cleveland Browns, was sent on a safety blitz and eventually ran head-on into a blocker who deposited Landry onto his behind.

On a day when the Ravens lost another valuable defensive player to the New York Jets - safety Jim Leonhard - they made a strong push to fill their void in the middle of the offensive line. The Ravens met with Matt Birk, a six-time Pro Bowl center from the Minnesota Vikings, for a little more than three hours yesterday at team headquarters. And the first free-agent visit of Birk's 11-year NFL career was a memorable one. Birk's wife, Adrianna, was shown houses in the area. Coach John Harbaugh and other team officials took Birk to dinner.

INDIANAPOLIS -Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said yesterday that he is optimistic he could keep star linebacker Ray Lewis in Baltimore and the heart of the team's dominating defense in place for the 2009 season. In a brisk, 15-minute news conference with national media at the NFL scouting combine at Lucas Oil Stadium, Newsome said he is negotiating new contracts for Lewis, linebackers Bart Scott and Terrell Suggs, and center Jason Brown. All but Suggs, who received the team's franchise tag for the second straight year, will become unrestricted free agents Friday.

Change is coming to the Ravens' indomitable defense. Rex Ryan, the architect/coordinator, is already gone. Cornerback Chris McAlister has one foot out the door. Pro Bowl linebackers Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs are lined up for big paychecks. Then there's play-making safety Jim Leonhard, one of the unsung heroes of that defense, whose future in Baltimore is cloaked in salary cap intrigue. If the Ravens are able to sign Lewis and Suggs, will they have enough money left to reward Leonhard for his stellar season?

Terrell Suggs has said he won't miss Sunday's AFC championship game, but Ravens coach John Harbaugh yesterday tempered the optimism on his defensive end-linebacker's injured right shoulder. At his weekly news conference, Harbaugh said Suggs had a magnetic resonance imaging and suggested Suggs' availability against the Pittsburgh Steelers would "be close." "I'm not going to sit here and say it's positive, or we're happy about it," Harbaugh said. "We'll just see how it goes. It's going to be close.

When the Ravens were watching the AFC divisional game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Diego Chargers on Sunday, they found themselves in an unusual situation. The Ravens players were actually rooting for the Steelers. As in most of the postseason, the Ravens got what they wanted, gaining a rematch - or third grudge match - with their division rivals in Sunday's AFC championship game. "We were kind of hoping for it. It's an opportunity for one of our organizations to really build up the level of hatred," Ravens inside linebacker Bart Scott said.

Cowboys WR Terrell Owens vs. Ravens CB Samari Rolle Owens is still one of the best receivers in the NFL and is at his best when teams aren't pressing him at the line of scrimmage. He still has great speed and hands. Rolle can run with Owens, but he isn't physical enough to jam and hold him at the line. Rolle has played well the past couple of weeks, but look for the Ravens to give Rolle help over the top with a safety. Edge:: Owens: Cowboys OLB DeMarcus Ware vs. Ravens OTs Willie Anderson and Jared Gaither Ware is one of the best pass rushers in the league.

Terrell Suggs has said he won't miss Sunday's AFC championship game, but Ravens coach John Harbaugh yesterday tempered the optimism on his defensive end-linebacker's injured right shoulder. At his weekly news conference, Harbaugh said Suggs had a magnetic resonance imaging and suggested Suggs' availability against the Pittsburgh Steelers would "be close." "I'm not going to sit here and say it's positive, or we're happy about it," Harbaugh said. "We'll just see how it goes. It's going to be close.

NASHVILLE, TENN. - It's certainly not the Ravens' defensive philosophy or temperament to play a bend-but-don't-break style, but when forced to do it yesterday against the Tennessee Titans, Baltimore's often-beleagured defenders dug in at the right time. And when it came time to make a last-ditch stand, Ravens safety Jim Leonhard was involved in all three Baltimore takeaways that helped lift the Ravens to a 13-10 playoff win yesterday at LP Field. In order, Leonhard: Applied the pass-rush pressure when Titans quarterback Kerry Collins threw a pass that was picked off by cornerback Samari Rolle at the Ravens' 12-yard line in the second quarter.

Punt returns are marked by chaos and random patterns, daring teams to sift through the unpredictability to - depending on your viewpoint - either find the returner or the end zone. And Jim Leonhard loves it. "I think vision comes into play a lot more on punt returns because you don't know what's going to happen until you get the ball in your hands, whereas with kickoffs, it's kind of structured a little bit more," he said. "I've always done punt returns. I haven't returned kickoffs since, really, high school.