Michael Mccrary

Call it the dress rehearsal before the dress rehearsal. Yesterday, five days before their preseason opener and in front of about 2,000 fans at Western Maryland College's Bair Stadium, the Ravens staged a mock game.The hourlong "game" featured limited contact, no tackling. It simulated game conditions, beginning with the playing of the national anthem. Players wore shorts. Coaches wore headsets. The Ravens substituted players freely, mixing first-teamers with third-teamers. And for four, 10-minute quarters, the clock ran continuously.

Michael McCrary hasn't registered a sack in the past three games, but Ravens coach Brian Billick says the Pro Bowl defensive end isn't having a disappointing season.McCrary has 34 tackles, fourth best on the team, and two sacks. But Billick says his importance to the defense isn't showing up in the statistics. McCrary is no longer free-lancing like he used to."He has had to bite the bullet a little bit, but he is playing better defense," Billick said. "He is not giving up that lane to contain, and that's what we want from Michael McCrary.

0: Super Bowl appearances by this franchise even when it was the Cleveland Browns.1: Passes that receivers Qadry Ismail, Justin Armour and Brandon Stokley have caught in the NFL since 1997.2: "Must-win" games this season. You know who they're against.3: Ravens draft choices starting on offense as opposed to six on defense.4: Starting quarterbacks in Ravens history when Scott Mitchell takes the snap, following in the footsteps of Vinny Testaverde, Eric Zeier and Jim Harbaugh.5: Receiver/punt returner Jermaine Lewis' rank for total yards in the NFL last season with 2,025.

Injuries: Defensive end Michael McCrary (knee), guard James Atkins (hamstring), receiver Brandon Stokley (shoulder) and cornerback James Trapp (shoulder) did not practice yesterday.Plays of the day: Quarterback Tony Banks hooked up with Floyd Turner for a long completion in the morning session. Turner beat tight coverage by cornerback Duane Starks, who came back minutes later to time his leap perfectly and break up a deep pass intended for Jermaine Lewis.Just a love tap: Bennie Thompson rolled over Qadry Ismail with a semi-hard tackle during special teams drills in the morning.

Middle linebacker Ray Lewis said the day he stops thinking he can improve on the football field is the day he stops playing the game.As the heart of the Ravens' fine defense, Lewis is progressing well enough to play in his third straight Pro Bowl game in Honolulu on Feb. 6. Lewis will be starting for the AFC for the first time.Lewis, along with four teammates -- offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden, outside linebacker Peter Boulware, safety Rod Woodson and right defensive end Michael McCrary -- were named to the AFC squad yesterday.

PHILADELPHIA -- As the curtain is about to rise on the Ravens' 1999 preseason, new coach Brian Billick has no idea what will happen tonight against the Philadelphia Eagles at Veterans Stadium.Have his players soaked up enough knowledge to at least be competitive on offense? Will a defense that has improved the past three years take the next step and dominate games by making big plays? Which skill players will emerge at wide receiver, running back and quarterback?"I'm not really nervous, but I'm anxious for these guys," Billick said of tonight's game.

The boxes adding to the clutter in Marvin Lewis' office suggest that the Ravens' former defensive coordinator is packing before he leaves town.Don't think Lewis is not getting around. He has been offered a chance to lead the defense in Philadelphia. Carolina coach George Seifert also wants him. The Pittsburgh Steelers would not mind having him back. The Cleveland Browns may try to lure Lewis after interviewing him today.Yet Lewis, one of the 13 assistants who became jobless when the Ravens fired coach Ted Marchibroda, would rather stay in Baltimore.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The rivalry wouldn't cut it in the WWF, and it's an anomaly in today's NFL.No staring, no posing, no taunting. No name-calling, no finger-pointing, no trash-talking.Just respect.Just two warriors staging 578-pound collisions on snap after snap, then acknowledging each other's passion and skill when it is all over.They actually had breakfast at the Pro Bowl, Michael McCrary and Tony Boselli did. They actually share a mutual admiration, one as genuine as it is rare.McCrary: "He just loves to play the game.

The Ravens didn't care that they had only 150 passing yards against the next-to-worst defense in the league or that their quarterback of the future looked a little like their quarterback of the past two games with three interceptions. And they weren't concerned that their new head coach had some questionable play-calling and that they beat an expansion team by a mere seven points.Desperate teams take ugly wins, and the Ravens managed one yesterday in a 17-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns before 68,803 at PSINet Stadium.

PHILADELPHIA -- Place-kicker Matt Stover kicked a 30-yard field goal as time expired to complete an eight-play, 50-yard drive as the Ravens defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 10-7, last night at Veterans Stadium in the preseason opener for both teams.The Ravens started the final drive with 1: 44 left in the game, and a 10-yard pass from third-string quarterback Wally Richardson to Phil Savoy put the ball on the Eagles' 39-yard line. On the next play, veteran receiver Webster Slaughter had cornerback Eric Edwards beat, but Edwards was called for interference, giving the Ravens possession at the 12. Richardson ran three quarterback sneaks before Stover came on the field.

A usually talkative Bart Scott didn't have to provide any bulletin-board material for Monday night's preseason game between his New York Jets and the Ravens - because his coach did it for him. Rex Ryan, the Ravens' former defensive coordinator, criticized the franchise's decision to give former defensive end Michael McCrary's No. 99 jersey to second-round pick Paul Kruger. "I am disappointed that they gave his jersey to some rookie who hasn't proven" anything, said Ryan, using an expletive as quoted by the Associated Press.

Nobody should take seriously Rex Ryan's comments about rookie defensive end Paul Kruger wearing No. 99, the jersey of former Ravens standout Michael McCrary. Ryan and all of his former defensive linemen from the 2000 Super Bowl team were very close. In fact, when the Ravens fired head coach Brian Billick, Tony Siragusa, Rob Burnett and Michael McCrary all lobbied owner Steve Bisciotti to make Ryan the next Ravens head coach. I knew Rex Ryan couldn't play the Ravens without some crazy comment.

There is no way the Philadelphia Eagles can afford a tie like Sunday's 13-13 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Eagles were nearly double-digit favorites against the Bengals, but with an ineffective Donovan McNabb at quarterback, they could manage only the tie with one-win Cincinnati. On Nov. 17, 1997, at Memorial Stadium, the Eagles and Ravens played to a 10-10 tie in a regular-season game. Both teams entered the contest 4-6, but each missed field goals in overtime that would have won the game.

Last week, we asked who is the best pass rusher in Ravens history. The results: Michael McCrary (45.4 percent) Peter Boulware (39.9 percent) Adalius Thomas (9.2 percent) Terrell Suggs (5.4 percent) This week's question: Which Raven should retire after this season? A. Jonathan Ogden B. Steve McNair C. Mike Flynn D. Matt Stover To vote, go to baltimoresun.com/ravenspoll

While the Ravens prepare for the NFL draft, they will look to retain of one of the most talented young players in the league. The Ravens will begin talks with outside linebacker Terrell Suggs before next week's draft on a contract extension, general manager Ozzie Newsome told The Sun yesterday. Suggs, 24, a two-time Pro Bowl player, is entering the final year of his rookie deal and would become one of the NFL's youngest free agents ever at the end of this season. In four seasons in the league, Suggs has established himself as a top-notch pass rusher, recording at least eight sacks each year since being a first-round pick in 2003.

Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs vs. Steelers right tackle Willie Colon George Kokinis, the Ravens' pro personnel director, sizes up today's critical matchup against the Steelers: The players In his fourth season, Suggs already has become one of the best pass rushers in Ravens history. His total of 38 1/2 career sacks ranks third all time behind Peter Boulware (70) and Michael McCrary (51). Suggs is fourth on the Ravens this season with eight sacks and leads the team with three forced fumbles.

After playing professional football for 10 years - six for the Baltimore Ravens - Michael McCrary retired in 2003. He, wife Mary and 2-year-old daughter Kohanna ("it means `little flower' in Japanese," he notes with pride) recently moved back to the area, buying a home in Baltimore County. Now getting into real estate development, McCrary, 35, starts each morning with a caramel latte at the Barista Espresso Cafe at Harborview. 2003 to 2005 ... not much of a "retirement"... Yeah. We lived in Scottsdale [Arizona]

THE WINDOW FOR the first period of NFL free agency is about to close, and the Ravens haven't been active in the market. They still have a glaring need at wide receiver and lesser ones at defensive line and defensive back. But as of yesterday morning, general manager Ozzie Newsome was smiling as he peered out of his window overlooking the team's practice fields. He is confident the Ravens will improve from a year ago, and that the receiver they're looking for might be available in the draft despite the Ravens' first pick being in the second round, No. 51 overall.

After wrapping a car around a pole Friday morning and escaping without a scratch, Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs had a feeling his good fortune -- good, considering what happened to the car, he said --would continue in yesterday's AFC North showdown. As it turned out, Suggs did have good luck against the Cincinnati Bengals' offensive line and then spread some to his line mates as the Ravens recorded six sacks, forced three fumbles and harassed quarterback Jon Kitna throughout a 31-13 win at M&T Bank Stadium.

Rookies aren't the only players on the Ravens' radar before training camp. While the Ravens continue to work to sign their 11 draft picks, the futures of two veterans - cornerback Chris McAlister and defensive end Michael McCrary - will be addressed before the team reports to McDaniel College on July 27. The Ravens are scheduled to restart negotiations with McAlister on a long-term deal as early as today and are expected to part ways with McCrary by...