Nfl Game

After a nine-year absence, the NFL seems set to reappear in Baltimore in August with an exhibition game at Memorial Stadium between the New Orleans Saints and the Miami Dolphins.Although the details haven't been made final, Jim Finks, the president and general manager of the New Orleans Saints, said: "We're going to do it. We're very excited about it."Mr. Finks and Tim Robbie, president of the Dolphins, met with Herbert J. Belgrad, chairman of the Maryland Stadium Authority, at the NFL owners meeting in Dallas Thursday to work out a basic agreement to move the game from New Orleans.

Of the 53 players on the Ravens' active roster, only four have been to a Super Bowl. And only one was there last year. James Ihedigbo was a starting safety for New England, and as the Ravens spent last week gearing up for meeting the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII on Feb. 3, the memory of that 21-17 Patriots loss to the New York Giants almost a year ago was still fresh in his mind. "You don't ever want to be on the other end of it, the loser's end," he said. "Coming into this whole week, it's preparation, it's understanding the type of offense the 49ers run, the things they do on special teams, how they want to attack us, and how do we want to attack them.

It seemed like a good marketing tool for the NFL to launch a series of Thursday night games on the NFL Network this season, but one month into the prime-time project, coaches would rather walk across burning coals than play on three days' rest. The quick turnaround creates a competitive imbalance and makes players more susceptible to injury, say coaches who have participated in the late-season TV series. Vikings@Packers Tonight, 8, NFL Network Line: Packers by 3 1/2

The TV ads are quirky, the advertiser unusual: Advance, a Cockeysville-based document management company, has run a campaign during Ravens games showing executives kicking around off-the-wall ideas in a boardroom. Business-to-business advertisers don't normally target mass audiences. Football games typically offer up a steady diet of beer and car commercials. But Advance has used its ads to build a reputation for approachability and service. "We're really trying to build on the idea that we're about relationships, and about being made up of a group of people who are going to care about your business," said Jeff Elkin, president of Advance.

The number 54 Consecutive games with a defensive sack by the Bucs, most in the NFL. The quote "If 15,000 people show up at an NFL game, it's an embarrassment. If 15,000 people come to an Arena game, it's a party." David Baker, Arena Football League commissioner

RAMS: 1,835STAY OUT: 1,930BUCCANEERS: 638You want an NFL team, but you also want the league to know what you think of it.That's the result of the It's Your Call Poll conducted last week via Sundial, The Baltimore Sun's telephone information service. We asked you if you wanted the Los Angeles Rams or Tampa Bay Buccaneers to move to Baltimore or favored no NFL, team at all.Among the 4,403 respondents, 2,473 (about 56 percent wanted one of the two teams and 1,930 (about 44 percent) wanted the NFL to stay out. And among those who want an NFL team, the Rams were the choice, 1,835-638.

Jed DevriesPos.: Offensive linemanHeight: 6-6Weight: 300Age: 25College: Utah StateYear: 2ndHow acquired: 1994 free agentHighlights: Was signed to Browns' practice squad in 1994 and made 53-man roster, but appeared in only two games: vs. Pittsburgh on Nov. 11 (his first NFL game) and vs. Jacksonville on Dec. 24. As a senior at Utah State, made first-team All-Big West. Was a four-year letterman, two on defense and two on offense, after redshirting in 1989.Personal: Marketing major. Lettered in football, basketball and track at Weber High School in Ogden, Utah.

MEXICO CITY -- They came out 112,376 strong last night to witness their version of the Super Bowl.This was Mexico City's night to shine. This was the Mexican fans' way of showing that whenever the National Football League decides to expand they want to be included in the expansion plans.This was the Dallas Cowboys vs. the Houston Oilers last night at Aztec Stadium as part of the American Bowl series. The exhibition, which was won by the Oilers, 6-0, on the strength of two Al Del Greco field goals, was the first NFL game played in this country.

Saturday is D-Day for Baltimore-area sports fans, the day when they get to show how determined they are to win a new National Football League franchise for this town. If they quickly gobble up all of the 58,000 seats that go on sale tomorrow for a late-summer NFL exhibition game, a strong message will have been delivered to NFL owners that Baltimore is ready, eager and more than able to support a professional football team once more.It has been eight long years since the last NFL game at Memorial Stadium.

The sneak preview was successful, both on the field and at the gate.The Ravens defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 17-9, last night in the first NFL game played in this city involving a Baltimore team in 13 years.Jermaine Lewis, a rookie receiver out of the University of Maryland, ended the emotional night with a 75-yard punt return down the left sideline with 2: 08 left in the game to secure the win.The Ravens played in front of 63,804 last night, the largest crowd ever to see an NFL game in Baltimore.

The Ravens and Redskins will host playoff games Sunday, about 30 miles and 31/2 hours apart. Hosting two of the NFL's four playoff games in Maryland offers something of an economic double shot for the state. The games bring an increase in local taxes, a significant boost to the host teams' bottom lines and could have a combined economic impact of about $20 million to more than $40 million. But economists say most of the money being spent in Baltimore and Landover this weekend would have been spent in the area anyway.

The chant began the instant the Colts' placekicker set foot on the field. From deep within Memorial Stadium, football fans growled his name in near-ritualistic delight. RAAAOOOOL ... RAAAOOOOL. Raul Allegre would save the day, they swore. Often, he did. Four times as a rookie in 1983, Allegre booted game-winning field goals for the Colts (7-9), who boasted his right leg and little else on offense. The Mexico-born kicker accounted for 112 points, or nearly half of the team's output that year, its last in Baltimore.

The Ravens continued to tinker with their roster as they approach today's 4 p.m. first full-team practice of training camp, signing former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Logan Payne , and waiving undrafted free agent fullback Jamison Berryhill . Payne, who is 6-2 and 203 pounds, last played in the NFL in 2008 for the Seattle Seahawks when he started two games and caught three balls for 39 yards in the season opener. In a Week Two game, he tore the media collateral ligament in his knee and spent the rest of the 2008 season on injured reserve.

Expect the expected Peter Schmuck Baltimore Sun Though it would certainly add some spice if Tim Tebow could pull off another last-minute miracle against the Patriots, it doesn't look like there will be a lot of surprises this weekend. The Patriots already showed what they think of Tebowmania during the regular season and the other AFC slot figures to go to the team (Ravens) that was 8-0 at home this year and already beat the Texans there. Don't expect the unexpected when the Giants go into Lambeau Field either.

For the first time since 2007, Baltimore will host an NFL playoff game. A tense 24-16 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, highlighted by touchdown runs of 70 and 51 yards by Ray Rice, gave the Ravens the AFC North title — the third division championship in team history — and resulted in them clinching the conference's second seed, a first-round bye and a second-round home playoff game. Across the city, fans decked in their usual purple flocked to bars. They hung on every play, their emotions as tangled as those of the coaches and players.

The Ravens' 23-20 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday night has earned the team a new member with a familiar name on the bandwagon: Michael Irvin. The former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver and Hall of Famer was complimentary of the Ravens during Sunday night's NFL GameDay Final on the NFL Network. Irvin was especially impressed with quarterback Joe Flacco's decision-making and throws in capping a 92-yard game-winning drive with a 26-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Torrey Smith.

The sneak preview was successful, both on the field and at the gate.The Ravens defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 17-9, on Aug. 3, in the first NFL game played in this city involving a Baltimore team in 13 years.Jermaine Lewis, a rookie receiver out of the University of Maryland, ended the emotional night with a 75-yard punt return down the left sideline with 2: 08 left in the game to secure thewin.The Ravens played in front of 63,804, the largest crowd to see an NFL game in Baltimore. The previous mark was 61,479 set in 1983, the same year the Colts left Baltimore for Indianapolis.

On the occasion of Baltimore's formal entry into the Canadian Football League, they trotted out the glamour boys. There, on a stage with local and foreign dignitaries, were two quarterbacks sitting side by side who had passed for more than 6,000 yards each last season.Between them, Doug Flutie and Dave Archer have torn up a lot of CFL secondaries.Yesterday, before a news conference that introduced Baltimore as the CFL's 11th franchise, they were the CFL's perfect pitchmen. You want action, you've come to the right place.

Kevin Cowherd Sunday's games Panthers at Falcons Colts at Bengals 49ers at Lions Rams at Packers Bills at Giants Jaguars at Steelers Eagles at Redskins Texans at Ravens Browns at Raiders Cowboys at Patriots Saints at Buccaneers Vikings at Bears Monday night Dolphins at Jets Edward Lee ...

In this country, we hold these truths to be self-evident: More is better than less. Super-sized is better than regular. And having something available 24/7 is the greatest gift of all. Which brings us to the NFL's desire to add two games to its regular-season schedule next season. On the surface, this might seem like a logical move After all, Americans love pro football. It's by far our favorite sport to watch. So if we love being glued to the monster high-def TV for 16 games, won't we be absolutely giddy to watch 18 games?