False Snap Calls, False Starts

Brian Billick would be the first to admit that the Ravens didn't play a perfect game against the New York Jets, as 11 penalties for 100 yards will attest. Still, the coach thinks a few of those calls were caused from an illegal tactic used by the Jets.

Billick was adamant in his Monday press conference that New York defenders intentionally tried to draw the Ravens off the ball by barking out false snap counts.

"Their defensive line and linebackers did a very, very effective job of illegally simulating the snap count," he said. "They did it the whole game. And it needs to be caught. I saw it called in a game earlier in the day. That's not an excuse by any stretch of the imagination, but it is illegal."

Baltimore was flagged with three false start penalties on offense, with tackle Adam Terry earning two of the five-yard fouls. Tight end Quinn Sypniewski was called for the other one.

While the 11 penalties topped Week 1's output of 10 flags for 86 yards, Billick noted the difficulty in dealing with the issue

"I don't know how to help my linemen with that, because you're in the heat of battle and you're calling a snap count, and the guy across from you is also calling a snap count, which is illegal," he said. "There were a couple unique penalties in that way."

The ratio of calls belied what showed up on the scoreboard, as the Jets were only flagged twice for 10 yards despite losing 20-13.

"I have a little bit of a hard time understanding that the team that was playing so well, and was dominating, had that many penalties, and the team that was struggling only had two," the coach explained.

Another area where Billick would like to see improvement - one that coaches can remedy - is tackling. The Ravens missed several tackles down the stretch, as Baltimore watched a 17-point lead slip to a touchdown, and the Jets were threatening from the red zone in the final minute.

One slip went for a 44-yard catch-and-run to wideout Jerricho Cotchery, setting up a touchdown that made the game 20-13. Then, on the first play of the ensuing series, Cotchery was able to turn another short pass into a 50-yarder.

Billick said that the Ravens will focus on that during their preparation for the Arizona Cardinals this week.

"You've got to give [the Jets] credit for making plays, but, [we've] got to be better," Billick stated. "We've got to make up for it with the practice time and some of physical things we'll do in practice on Wednesday and Thursday when we're back in pads."

But if the Ravens weren't necessarily perfect in penalties and tackling, they certainly were in the turnover category.

After posting six giveaways in their season opener, one of the biggest reasons for the 27-20 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Ravens were solid in holding on to the ball.

"These guys know what the turnovers did to us the week before," he concluded. "No one wants to turn the ball over, and they are going to be very conscious of it, and I think they did a great job."

Grubbs Getting Time

Rookie Ben Grubbs has been seeing more and more time on the field rotating in at right guard for starter Chris Chester. The first-round draft pick was in the game for 25-30 snaps on a line that must be versatile, considering the toe and foot injuries that are keeping 12-year veteran left tackle Jonathan Ogden on the bench.

Without Ogden, the Ravens have moved Adam Terry from right tackle to left and rookie Marshal Yanda to Terry's original spot.

"[We'll use] both to continue to get the growth of Ben Grubbs at the guard position," said Billick. "This line is one that's going to have to service us for the whole year and as a group, in and out of different rotations.

"We'll get Jonathan back, hopefully this week, if not this then maybe the next," he continued. "[When Ogden returns] now Adam goes back to right tackle and that means that changes for everybody. They've got to get comfortable with that group moving around a little bit. So far they've done a nice job of it."

Notable

Billick was quick to praise the running of Willis McGahee, who tallied 97 yards on 26 carries. McGahee converted three first downs on the ground, two of which came on gritty third-down runs. "He runs with a physicality, a strength, that I don't know I was aware of," Billick said. "There were a couple plays in there where he just literally pushed the pile or took two or three guys on his own. [I don't know if I thought] that he was capable of that."…With the Jets game concluding at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, the players and coaches had a chance to watch NBC's matchup between the New England Patriots and San Diego Chargers. But even in light of the Patriots' stunning 38-14 win, Billick said that the team is not thinking about its own Dec. 3 showdown with New England. "Obviously, the Patriots look very good, and we'll have an opportunity to see them up-close and personal in, whatever it is, [two months]. But right now, we're going to play the Arizona Cardinals. As trite as that sounds, or as cliché as that sounds, there is no upside in focusing on anything but the Arizona Cardinals, and this team will do that."