Matt Stover

Monday Night Football has been a mixed bag for Baltimore fans, with the Ravens just 4-5 all time, including 0-2 this season. Actually, it took six seasons and a Super Bowl championship for the Ravens to crack the Monday lineup, and, out of the chute, they went on a roll, winning their first three. Here's a look at the top five Ravens MNF appearances: 1. RAVENS 16, TITANS 10 at Tennessee, Nov. 12, 2001 The first Monday night Ravens showcase came down to a last-second goal-line stand where they stuffed then-Titans quarterback Steve McNair on a sneak from inside the 1-yard line.

One of the bigger surprises of the season is that Matt Stover has missed more field goals than he has made. Should the Ravens be concerned about their 40-year-old kicker? Stover's track record suggests there's no need to panic. Not only is Stover the third-most accurate in NFL history, but he has also been the only constant in Ravens history. When the defense struggled in the early years of the franchise, Stover was kicking game-winners. When the offense struggled to score touchdowns under coach Brian Billick, Stover was carrying the scoring load.

Best and worst Best use of the wind: Ravens' Anthony Davis, who recovered a short, wind-held kickoff by Matt Stover on the Jaguars' 34 in the first quarter after it bounced backward. The Ravens failed to capitalize on the good field position, though. Worst use of the wind: Jaguars punter Bryan Barker, kicking with the wind, got off an 11-yard punt in the first quarter. Best use of the hands: Ravens MLB Ray Lewis body-slammed RB Anthony Johnson on a play away from the ball in the second quarter.

The Ravens are close to striking a one-year deal with kicker Shayne Graham, according to a league source, but the sides surprisingly failed to finalize the agreement as of Tuesday night. This long-awaited move is still expected to occur and would give the Ravens their most established kicker since Matt Stover. Graham, 32, the fourth-most accurate kicker in NFL history who struggled in last season's playoffs, would then compete against Billy Cundiff to be the Ravens' kicker this season, although Graham's experience likely gives him the edge.

When the Ravens drafted former University of Maryland standout receiver Jermaine Lewis in the fifth round this year, they envisioned a breakaway threat who could transform their return game.It has taken Lewis one month to energize the Ravens' special teams. In four games, he returned two punts for touchdowns, including an 83-yarder against Buffalo in which he temporarily lost his balance. Still, the Bills never came close to catching him. Lewis averaged 27.9 yards on nine punt returns.The question is, how long before teams simply punt the ball out of bounds, rather than risk the wrath of Lewis?

Matt Stover, the Ravens' veteran place-kicker and the team's representative to the NFL Players Association, has urged his fellow reps that longtime executive director Gene Upshaw be replaced. Stover wrote in the e-mail that he was part of a conference call Friday of players representatives who discussed the possible ouster of Upshaw, the head of the NFL players union since 1983, ESPN reported yesterday. "I am not the only rep who listened and felt that it was time for a change," Stover wrote in the e-mail, which was obtained by ESPN.

RAVENS ............................................................. COLTS RECORD, PLAYOFF SEED 13-3, No. 2 ........................................ ......................13-4, NO. 3 RECENT RUN Won nine of past 10 games ...................... Won three of past four games OFFENSIVE RANKINGS 17th overall (25th run, 11th pass) .............3rd overall (18th run, 2nd pass DEFENSIVE RANKINGS 1st overall (2nd run, 6th pass) .................. 21ST OVERALL (32ND RUN, 2ND PASS RAVENS STRENGTHS Balanced passing attack: Three receivers with 67 or more catches.

I admit that I'm not enormously outraged that Ravens coach Brian Billick didn't go for the touchdown at the end of regulation Sunday, but I thought the decision - as well as a specific instance of play-calling in overtime - showed a disappointing lack of confidence in his offense and rookie quarterback Troy Smith. Remember, Smith had just engineered a 59-yard drive to take the ball down to the Dolphins' 1-yard line, squeezing in 10 offensive snaps in 1 minute, 44 seconds with no timeouts.

The photo that accompanies this text should probably have included a fake beard and dark glasses, but hear me out. First and foremost, any coach in the NFL will tell you competition is a healthy thing. Secondly, the NFL is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league and is all about winning. While Matt Stover will go down as one of the most accurate kickers in league history, is an all-time fan favorite here and might very well deserve his day in Canton, Ohio, the 40-year-old, 18-year veteran is currently not performing to the high standard he has set. For the season, he has connected on just four of seven field-goal attempts and has missed all three tries from more than 40 yards - including a pivotal, momentum-breaking wide right with 14 seconds left in the first half of Sunday's 13-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

A week after he worked out for the New York Giants, former Ravens kicker Matt Stover was scheduled to try out for the Indianapolis Colts on Tuesday. Knowing Baltimore's sentiments toward the Colts, Stover wanted to handle his visit delicately. "I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings with me seeking out an opportunity" here, he said from Indianapolis. "I just see it as a team that may need some help." After 13 seasons in Baltimore, Stover remains one of the franchise's most popular players with fans.