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Short memory Ravens need to forget Testaverde's 481-yard day
Updated: Friday December 29, 2000 10:53 PM
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) -- The Baltimore Ravens' young cornerbacks have employed selective memory when assessing their performance last weekend against the New York Jets. Duane Starks and Chris McAlister would prefer to overlook Vinny Testaverde's 481 yards passing and two touchdown throws, focusing instead on their three interceptions -- two by Starks and one by McAlister, who took his 98 yards for a touchdown. "We really feel that we have some momentum going," McAlister said. "It wasn't a perfect game, but he threw 69 passes," Starks said. "There are going to be some completions, there are going to be some interceptions. We won the game and got six turnovers, so I'll take it." The duo should be tested again Sunday by the Denver Broncos, who probably won't throw 69 times but have a fine pair of receivers in Ed McCaffrey and Rod Smith. They have combined for 201 receptions.
"They've got average speed, but the way they combine their routes together, using a pick here and pick there, they find a way to get open," Starks said. Then again, Starks thinks he's a pretty good cornerback, too. "I think right now I feel that I'm on top of my game," he said. "Throwing on my side is not going to be an easy task for anyone. They're going to really have to come out and make some plays." The odds are pretty good that the Broncos will want to throw, because it's so difficult to run against the Ravens, ranked No. 1 in the NFL against the rush. Testaverde essentially handed off the ball just for the sake of variety. Because Baltimore is so good against the run, that puts additional pressure on Starks and McAlister as well as safeties Kim Herring and Rod Woodson. Starks was a first-round draft pick in 1998 and McAlister was a No. 1 choice in 1999. Both are fast, skillful and quite brash. "Confidence is something that has been growing on this defense as a whole," McAlister said. The buzz about the Ravens' record-setting defense usually centers on the three talented linebackers and the immovable front four, yet Starks and McAlister are as important as anyone on the unit. "It is one of the best front-sevens ever to play," Denver head coach Mike Shanahan declared. "But the thing that can go unnoticed is all of the guys can cover one-on-one in the secondary, which is one of they reasons why they have set records this year." Baltimore set NFL records for fewest points (165) and yards rushing (970) allowed over a 16-game season. The Ravens also had four shutouts, one short of the 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers' modern-day record, and have gone 33 games without allowing a 100-yard rusher. Such accomplishments are noteworthy, but the defense will ultimately be defined on how it performs in the postseason. "I think we're the best defense ever. Our stats will show it, and no one can take that away from us," defensive tackle Tony Siragusa said. "But all the records we broke really doesn't matter anymore. You're never going to satisfy anybody until you win the big one."
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