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Steelers cornerback Keenan Lewis voiced high expectations for himself after the third practice of the offseason.

"Pro Bowl," Lewis told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "Watch out, this is going to be a big year right here."

This would be a bold prediction for someone entering his first season as a starter. This is even bolder considering Lewis isn't a lock to be a starter this season.

Lewis is competing against two draft picks from last year, Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown. Allen, a fourth-round pick, played on the Steelers' nickel defense like Lewis did last season. Brown, a third-round pick, is considered a favorite of the coaching staff.

Lewis' prediction begs a bigger question: What is going on with the players in the AFC North this offseason?

The Ravens' Joe Flacco thinks he's the best quarterback in the NFL. Ravens cornerback Lardarius Webb wants to be the NFL's best cornerback.

Now Lewis is announcing his grand plan for the season despite having one NFL start to his credit. Even if Lewis wins a starting job with the Steelers, it's going to be tough for him to be the top cornerback on his team (Ike Taylor) and in the division (Webb and Joe Haden), much less make the Pro Bowl.

I understand the importance of playing with confidence, especially at the cornerback position. You just wish that some players would go out there and quietly prove it instead of announcing it to the football world.

In a move that should surprise no one, running back Ray Rice won't report Monday when the Ravens' voluntary offseason workouts begin, a source told the NFL Network.

This would have been bigger news if Rice had decided to show up Monday. Rice has yet to sign his franchise tag and isn't expected to do so anytime soon.

He recently expressed a desire to attend the workouts, but this is strictly a smart business decision. By putting the tag on Rice, the Ravens are only on the hook for this season. The team has given no long-term security to Rice, so why should he risk long-term consequences by participating in any team-related activity this spring?

Rice's absence shouldn't hurt the team even if it extends into training camp. He has always reported to camp in shape, so there's no concern about his conditioning. This is also Rice's fifth season in the same offensive system, which means he won't be behind in the playbook once he returns.

Ravens officials have been resigned to the fact that Rice would skip the workouts.

"Up until a guy actually signs his franchise tender, he's not under contract and we're not even allowed to ask him to our mandatory minicamp," general manager Ozzie Newsome said earlier this month. "We understand those things and lived them through [Terrell] Suggs, Chris [McAlister] and even Wally Williams. We've experienced that before. Would Coach [John] Harbaugh want 100 percent participation in every offseason program and every OTA and every minicamp? Yes he would. But he knows that unrealistic also."

The date to watch isn't Monday. It's July 16. That's the deadline for teams to reach long-term deals with players who received the franchise tag. Otherwise, Rice will play the entire season under the tag, which pays him $7.7 million this season.

In related news, cornerback Cary Williams is also expected to be a no-show Monday, according to the NFL Network. Williams, a restricted free agent, is in talks for a new deal with the team.

This is hardly news. He is still recovering from hip surgery and he wouldn't be able to participate even if he wanted to do so. Unlike Rice, it's in Williams' best interest to report as soon as he can. His absence only increases the likelihood that Jimmy Smith takes over the starting job next to Lardarius Webb.

It wasn't Ravens coach John Harbaugh's preference to have starting cornerback Lardarius Webb returning punts entering this offseason. His mindset probably didn't change after Webb agreed to a five-year, $50 million extension with a $10 million signing bonus and a $5 million option bonus.

Having Webb field punts was a risk before. Now, it has become a pricey proposition. The Ravens will try hard to find a replacement for Webb on returns, and it probably will come in the draft.

"You can’t sit there and play scared, so I don’t have a problem with [Webb returning],” Harbaugh said Wednesday, a day before Webb's deal. “But I would rather have a backup doing it? Yes. If there is another option that is a better player or takes your starting corner and takes him off the punt return, that’s even better."

Webb ranked 16th in the NFL in punt returns (10-yard average), returning one for a touchdown. The other two punt returners listed on last year's Ravens depth chart -- Chris Carr (Vikings) and Tom Zbikowski (Colts) -- signed elsewhere in free agency.

Baltimore brought in Ted Ginn Jr. for a free-agent visit but he re-signed with the 49ers. The Ravens were also linked to Eddie Royal before he joined the San Diego Chargers.

“We tried to do something with a free agent or two, and it didn’t work out, but that’s OK,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll move on to the next opportunity.”

That "next opportunity" means the draft. One returner to keep an eye on is Fresno State's Devon Wylie. Other top returners coming out of college are: Florida International's T.Y. Hilton, Alabama's Marquis Maze and Stanford's Chris Owusu.

The Baltimore Ravens reached a six-year agreement with cornerback Lardarius Webb, the team announced.

Webb, 26, was among the biggest surprises on the Ravens' defense last season. Injuries to Domonique Foxworth and Chris Carr pushed Webb into the starting lineup during training camp and he ended up being one of the top cornerbacks in the AFC North.

"Lardarius is an important player for the Ravens, and we're happy he will be with us for a long time," general manager Ozzie Newsome said a statement.

A third-round pick by the Ravens in 2009, Webb was a restricted free agent this year and had received a first-round tender ($2.74 million).

I will blog more of my reaction to this signing shortly.

The genius of Ed Reed lies on his ability to get in the heads of quarterbacks. But getting in the head of Reed is laborious, frustrating and often pointless.

In Ed Reed's latest interview (on a local Baltimore radio station), one point is clear: he is unhappy.

Reed wants respect. And how teams show players respect, according to Reed, is to pay them. Reed, who is entering the final year of his contact, feels he should get paid more than every defensive back because, well, he's Ed Reed.

But it's so hard to analyze his comments because, as owner Steve Bisciotti said this year, Reed doesn't give definitive answers.

Just listen to Reed's answer when he was asked yesterday if he plans on playing in 2012.

"I plan on playing, but everybody in the world knows plans can change," Reed told 105.7 The Fan. “I got some unfinished business. I got a lot on my mind I’ve been thinking about. The truth of the matter is, it’s about respect. It’s about getting respect, and it’s a business.”

My guess is his "unfinished business" has something to do with a new contract. What the Ravens are going to do with Reed long-term is going to be a major storyline next offseason. He said last week that he thinks he could play four to five more years.

Reed said he tried to rework his contract with the Ravens last year but “took the back seat” when negotiations didn’t go the way he expected.

“My plan when I went to negotiate was always, it’s always to help the team. I was not trying to break the bank," Reed said. "Do I deserve a good substantial amount? I mean you look at Peyton [Manning, Broncos quarterback]. Peyton got five [years] for $96 [million]? I know I’m not a quarterback, but at the end of the day … They pay certain positions certain ways. I’m different, man.”

Reed is scheduled to make $7.2 million -- which, by most bank accounts, is not disrespectful -- in the final season of a six-year, $44.4 million contract. But Reed could be feeling left out because the Ravens are in contract talks with quarterback Joe Flacco, running back Ray Rice, as well as cornerbacks Lardarius Webb and Cary Williams.

“Honestly, I got to take a look at myself from the outside in,” Reed said. “For what I offer on the football field, for what I give on the football field, and for what they know they’re going to get, it’s much more than these young guys out here today and what they’re getting. And I’m talking about at any defensive back position right now.”

Reed also mentioned that he's been dealing with some comments made "from people who I work with."

"Whether they know it or not, they made them,” Reed said. “Whether you think I’m a business-minded man or don’t listen to you, I do. It’s not bad, but it’s something that you take to heart, because at the end of the day, I know I’m giving everything, and they know I’m giving everything on that football field.”

The Ravens face a major decision next year when Reed becomes an unrestricted free agent. Judging from his comments, Reed isn't going to be giving any hometown discounts.

The AFC North is running a series where every position will be ranked and what could change at that position.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

1. STEELERS: Pittsburgh had the top-ranked pass defense, and it wasn't all about the pass rush this time. Actually, the pass rush was extremely inconsistent this season, so that No. 1 ranking is more of a reflection of the Steelers' secondary. Cornerback Ike Taylor and free safety Ryan Clark had career years. Taylor's season, though, was marred by a late-season decline that ended with him getting stiffed-armed by the Broncos' Demaryius Thomas on the touchdown that ended the Steelers' season. Clark had the best season of any safety in the division, which is saying a lot when Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed are in the AFC North. He finished second in the division with 100 tackles. Polamalu was solid, but didn't play up to his usual spectacular level. William Gay was a pleasant surprise, taking back the starting cornerback job that he lost in 2010. What could change: Gay is an unrestricted free agent, but it shouldn't take much to retain him. Look for rookie cornerbacks Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown to make more of an impact in their second seasons.

2. RAVENS: This group exceeded expectations, and did so in a surprising manner. Instead of starting Domonique Foxworth and Chris Carr at cornerback, the Ravens finished fourth in pass defense with Lardarius Webb and Cary Williams. Webb was the division's top cornerback, recording five interceptions and breaking up 20 passes (and that doesn't include three interceptions in the playoffs). Williams was a physical presence at corner. The biggest disappointment was Reed, who intercepted three passes -- his fewest in a season where he played more than 12 games. The Ravens' other safety, hard-hitting Bernard Pollard, provided more of an impact than Reed. First-round pick Jimmy Smith endured an up-and-down rookie season. What could change: Smith should take over for Williams as a starting cornerback this season. Foxworth is expected to get cut, and the same could happen to Carr. Both backup safeties, Tom Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura, are free agents, but I suspect Nakamura will get re-signed.

3. BROWNS: Joe Haden showed signs of being a shutdown corner, even though he failed to make an interception. He held his own against some of the best receivers in the NFL, from Larry Fitzgerald to Brandon Marshall. His worst games came against Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green. While Haden is among the division's best cornerbacks, Sheldon Brown was the worst starting corner in the AFC North. Brown's biggest asset is the experience he provides to a young secondary. The defensive backfield was hurt by the loss of strong safety T.J. Ward, who missed the final 10 games with a foot injury. Teams took advantage of Ward's replacement, Usama Young. Free safety Mike Adams beat out Young for a starting job in training camp. Dimitri Patterson was a reliable nickelback, breaking up a dozen passes. What could change: The Browns might replace Adams, who is a free agent, and they could give rookie seventh-round pick Eric Hagg a shot at doing so. Cleveland is very interested in bringing Patterson back. It wouldn't be a surprise if Patterson starts in place of Brown.

When the 2012 began, the AFC North represented two extremes in terms of the salary cap. The Cincinnati Bengals had the league's best cap situation ($44 million under), and the Pittsburgh Steelers had the worst ($25 million over).

The Steelers, though, have made significant progress this month to get under the cap. Pittsburgh restructured the contracts of linebackers LaMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons, creating $11.6 million in cap room. The Steelers also freed up $3.5 million in cap space by cutting cornerback Bryant McFadden and wide receiver Arnaz Battle. Those four moves represented a total of $15.1 million in cap room.

There's still plenty of work remaining for the Steelers, who are now a projected $10 million over the cap. Here are five players whose 2012 salaries account for $17.4 million, which makes them candidates to get restructured or released: nose tackle Casey Hampton ($4.8 million), wide receiver Hines Ward ($4 million), guard Chris Kemoeatu ($3.5 million), linebacker Larry Foote ($3 million) and defensive end Aaron Smith ($2.1 million).

The Ravens started the offseason in the middle of the pack as far as the salary cap ($8.5 million under). The retirement of running back Ricky Williams gives Baltimore $1.5 million in additional room. The Ravens will get nearly $19 million under the cap when they cut cornerback Domonique Foxworth ($5.6 million salary in 2012) and wide receiver Lee Evans ($3.2 million salary in 2012).

But a chunk of that cap space is expected to go to running back Ray Rice when they put the franchise tag on him. The franchise tag for running backs is expected to be $8 million this year. Baltimore is expected to place a first-round tender ($2.7 million) on their top restricted free agent, cornerback Lardarius Webb.

Like the Bengals, the Browns are among the teams with the most cap room. Cleveland is projected to be $21 million under the cap, which gives it freedom to be active in free agency. The Browns can spend on outside talent because they only have three of their starters heading to free agency (running back Peyton Hillis, linebacker D'Qwell Jackson and safety Mike Adams, in addition to kicker Phil Dawson).

For the Bengals, they once again have plenty of cap room entering free agency. Cincinnati has seven of its starters entering free agency, but the Bengals are looking to upgrade at a lot of those spots on offense: wide receiver, running back and both guard positions.

It's time to unveil the defense for my All-AFC North team, which is based on performance this season, and not past reputation. There were many difficult decisions, and there should be. All four defenses in the division finished in the top 10 (Pittsburgh was No. 1, Baltimore was No. 3, Cincinnati was No. 7 and Cleveland was No. 10).

The All-AFC North team will wrap up tomorrow with offense. Of course, tell me who I left off, who should have been on and any other opinions in the comments section below.

Defensive end: Carlos Dunlap, Bengals. Tough call over Pittsburgh's Brett Keisel. Before being slowed by a hamstring injury, Dunlap was getting to the quarterback like no other defensive end in the division. Despite missing four games, he recorded 4.5 sacks and led the Bengals with 27 quarterback pressures, which was four more than anyone else on the team.

Nose tackle/defensive tackle: Haloti Ngata, Ravens. He didn't seem as dominant as last year, but it's hard to argue his impact. Ngata finished with five sacks, five batted-down passes, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He was a cog in the middle for the NFL's second-ranked run defense and he returned a fumble 28 yards for his first career touchdown in Week 3. Some would go with Casey Hampton, but he slipped at the age of 34 and so did the Steelers' run defense, which gave up 33 percent more yards rushing than a year ago.

Defensive tackle: Geno Atkins, Bengals. While the Bengals' run defense faltered in the second half of the season, their front four pressured the quarterback like no other in the AFC North and perhaps the league. And Atkins was a huge part of that by collapsing the pocket up the middle. He tied Oakland's Tommy Kelly for sacks by an interior lineman in the NFL with 7.5. He is the first Bengals interior lineman to top the team in sacks since 1996, when Dan Wilkinson led with 6.5.

Outside linebacker: Terrell Suggs, Ravens. He was the best defensive player in the division and arguably the best in the NFL this season. Suggs made an impact all over the field, becoming the only NFL player this season to finish with at least five sacks, five passes defensed and five forced fumbles. Critics would argue that his production came in three games (season opener against Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Indianapolis), where he totaled nine sacks and six forced fumbles.

Inside linebacker: D'Qwell Jackson, Browns. The comeback player in the division, Jackson finished second in the NFL with 158 tackles. That's 58 more tackles than anyone else in the AFC North. This is after Jackson missed the previous 26 games due to two separate pectoral injuries. He also tied for the AFC lead with three defensive fumble recoveries.

Inside linebacker: Ray Lewis, Ravens. There's no doubt that Lewis isn't the same player that he was five years ago and he had trouble getting off blocks after returning from a toe injury. But there's not a better run stopper in the division. With Lewis as the leading tackler, the Ravens finished tied for first in fewest rushing yards per carry (3.5) and second in fewest rushing yards per game (92.5).

Outside linebacker: James Harrison, Steelers. Many would consider nine sacks (which tied for tops on the Steelers) and two forced fumbles a solid season. But Harrison did this after having two back surgeries in March, missing four games with a fractured orbital bone near his right eye and getting suspended one game following his infamous hit on Colt McCoy. Harrison's ability to get to the quarterback was a big reason Pittsburgh finished No. 1 in the NFL in pass defense.

Cornerback: Lardarius Webb, Ravens. If you didn't know what a great season Webb was having, you did in the postseason when he picked off three passes. He led the division with five interceptions and 20 passes defensed. Not bad for a defender that everyone projected to be a nickelback this season. The Ravens also gave up the fewest touchdown passes this season (11).

Cornerback: Joe Haden, Browns. Haden was the headliner for the NFL's second-ranked pass defense and has the potential to be a shutdown corner. He finished sixth in the league (and second in the AFC North) with 19 passes defensed this season. Haden had three games this year with at least three pass breakups, including a career-high five in the season opener against Cincinnati. There were some slips, such as allowing a game-turning catch to A.J. Green and a game-sealing touchdown to Antonio Brown. Haden barely edged out Pittsburgh's Ike Taylor for this spot.

Strong safety: Troy Polamalu, Steelers. This wasn't his finest season, but Polamalu was a major presence on the NFL's top-ranked defense. Always lurking around the line of scrimmage, he finished third on the team with 91 tackles to go along with two interceptions and one sack. His best game came in the last one of the regular season, when his interception set up the game's only touchdown and his sack came from him breaking through the line after perfectly timing the snap.

Free safety: Ryan Clark, Steelers. The obvious choice would be Ed Reed. But even Reed would acknowledge that he struggled for most of the season. He managed three interceptions, his fewest for a 16-game season, and missed tackles toward the end of the season because of a shoulder injury. Clark enjoyed the best season of his 10-year career, leading the NFL's top-ranked defense with 100 tackles. That also ranked second in the AFC North. If you questioned Clark's impact, look at how the Steelers fared without him in Denver, when he had to sit out the playoff game because of a blood condition.

» Conference Championship Final Word: Ravens-Patriots | Giants-49ers

Three nuggets of knowledge about Sunday's Ravens-Patriots AFC Championship Game:

Protecting Brady: One of the most underrated aspects of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's record-tying performance last week was his stellar pass protection. Brady was barely touched in a divisional-round win over the Denver Broncos. He threw for 363 yards and six touchdowns with zero sacks. Brady was hit only twice in 34 pass attempts. Pass protection once again will be key against an aggressive Ravens’ defense. Baltimore didn’t register a sack last week but traditionally has success getting to Brady, particularly with outside linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs.

Forgetting Wes: Much of the Patriots talk this week has focused on their talented tight end duo of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. (We now call them the “Boston TE Party.”) The pair combined for 261 total yards and four touchdowns in the divisional round. But are people forgetting about Wes Welker? He led the NFL in receptions (122) by a wide margin this season and also led the Patriots in receiving yards (1,569). Welker quietly had six catches for 55 yards and a touchdown against Denver. The Ravens will be doing all they can to slow New England’s tight ends. That could create a lot of opportunities for Welker. He could see a lot of Ravens corner Lardarius Webb, who had two big interceptions last week against the Houston Texans.

The Ninkovich factor: One of the surprise stars in New England's win over Denver was linebacker Rob Ninkovich. The sixth-year player recorded five tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble. But when you go deeper into the statistics, you discover Ninkovich is one of the tone-setters for the Patriots’ defense. Including the postseason, Ninkovich has all eight sacks in New England victories. In three Patriots’ losses, Ninkovich was a non-factor with 13 tackles and zero sacks.

In Sunday's 20-13 divisional playoff win, the Baltimore Ravens managed three points in the final three quarters. They went three-and-out on eight of 15 drives. Their longest drive of the game was 59 yards.

One reason for the Ravens' struggles is that they were playing the NFL's second-ranked defense in the Texans. But this has become status quo for the Ravens defense, which won the game with three interceptions.

"We feel like we're the big brother of the team," safety Ed Reed said after the game. "But our offense will get going. We knew that. We knew they would make plays when they needed to."

Reed has also been a big brother when it comes to the secondary. He's played an important role in the development of cornerback Lardarius Webb from a third-round pick in 2009 to one of the top defenders in the NFL this season.

Webb made two interceptions in the playoff game to increase his team-leading total this season to seven.

"I've actually been very hard on him the last couple of weeks because I know how good he wants to be, and I know what he can accomplish," Reed said. "For him to come out and make the plays that he did was awesome."

BALTIMORE -- Thoughts on the Texans’ 20-13 loss to the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium:

What it means: The Texans blew a gigantic opportunity to get to the AFC Championship Game. Although they outplayed the Ravens for much of the afternoon, they didn’t do enough to overcome two early mistakes and paid the price. T.J. Yates had the Texans in good position for a drive that could have forced overtime, but he threw a jump ball for Andre Johnson that was picked by Ed Reed just before the two-minute warning. The sting and regret will last a good while, but the season will be rated a giant success once we look at it from a broader perspective.

What I didn’t like: Houston committed two early gaffes that would have killed a lot of teams given the setting. Jacoby Jones foolishly misplayed a punt that the Ravens recovered, and Yates threw a bad interception to Lardarius Webb. Baltimore turned both takeaways deep in the Houston end into touchdowns. Yates wound up with three interceptions.

What I liked: The pass rush on Joe Flacco was a constant source of trouble for Baltimore. He was sacked five times, including three times by rookie end J.J. Watt in the second half. Flacco felt the heat even on the rare occasion when there was not any, but the Ravens' protection scheme was often overmatched. Johnson had 111 receiving yards, and Arian Foster had 132 rushing yards.

What I wonder: Why doesn’t Kareem Jackson turn his head or play the ball? A couple of completions from Flacco to Anquan Boldin came on excellent throws into small windows with Jackson in close coverage. If he’d turned as the ball arrived, he’d have had chances to break up a play.

What I also wonder: If Matt Schaub and Mario Williams played in these playoffs, where would the Texans be standing?

What’s next: An offseason with reset expectations for a team that’s likely the favorite to repeat as AFC South champ and be a popular Super Bowl pick. There is a big decision ahead on Williams’ contract situation. There will be a lot of rehab for Schaub, who’s recovering from foot surgery.

BALTIMORE -- Thoughts on the Baltimore Ravens' 20-13 win over the Houston Texans in the divisional playoff game:

What it means: It was an ugly and unimpressive win by the second-seeded Ravens, especially on offense. But Baltimore stepped up when it needed to do so, converting 17 points off three Texans turnovers. The Ravens improved to 9-0 at home and won a playoff game in Baltimore for the first time in 11 years. This also marked the fourth straight season that Baltimore has won a postseason game.

Coming up big: Cornerback Lardarius Webb became the third Ravens player to make two interceptions in a postseason game. His first one led to a touchdown in the first quarter, and his second one turned the momentum in the fourth. Ed Reed picked off Texans rookie quarterback T.J. Yates in the final two minutes of the game for the fourth forced turnover by Baltimore.

Flacco struggles: Joe Flacco threw two touchdowns but he finished 14-of-27 for 184 yards. He didn't get much help from his teammates. There were five drops by receivers. He was also sacked five times. His counterpart, Yates, was 17-of-35 for 175 yards and three interceptions.

Getting run down: The Ravens' usually stout run defense showed major cracks against Houston. Arian Foster ran for 132 yards and one touchdown to become the first running back to gain more than 100 yards against the Ravens in 16 playoff games. The most rushing yards that Baltimore had given up to one running back was 91 against Eddie George in January 2001.

Critical call: Leading by four points (17-13) late in the third quarter, the Ravens decided to go for the touchdown instead of settling for the field goal at the 1-yard line. Ray Rice chose to drive into the middle of the line rather than leap and got stopped short. It ultimately didn't hurt Baltimore.

Converting on mistakes early: The Ravens jumped out to a 17-3 first-quarter lead because they converted two turnovers into two Flacco touchdown passes. A fumble on a punt return (deep in Texans territory) led to a 1-yard Flacco touchdown pass to blocking tight end Kris Wilson, and a Yates interception resulted in a 10-yard scoring pass from Flacco to Anquan Boldin.

What's next: The Ravens advance to their second AFC championship game in four seasons. Baltimore plays at top-seeded New England next Sunday at 3 p.m.

BALTIMORE -- Houston owns the two giant mistakes of the first half, so the Texans are incredibly fortunate to be in the game at halftime.

It’s 17-13 and it feels like the Texans are steering the game right now.

That’s pretty impressive considering Jacoby Jones’ terrible botched punt return positioned the Ravens for one touchdown and T.J. Yates’ poor interception to Lardarius Webb set up another.

If the Texans can avoid gigantic mistakes like that in their own end, they stand a reasonable chance at pulling an upset here.

Yates has bounced back nicely, and Arian Foster’s finding a rhythm -- he's got 95 yards on 15 carries. Cornerback Kareem Jackson has been beaten on a couple great throws by Joe Flacco, but Jackson’s been in good position against Anquan Boldin; he’s just not been able to make a play on the ball.

All things considered, Houston’s got to feel good about being within four points.

Three months ago, the Ravens limited Houston to 220 yards passing and one offensive score. Of course, wide receiver Andre Johnson didn't play because of a hamstring injury.

In Sunday's divisional playoff game, Baltimore has to contend with Johnson, one of the best big-play receivers in the NFL. The last time the Ravens faced Johnson was a year ago when he produced 140 yards receiving and two touchdowns.

“We have to have our eye on him, but he’s a guy that usually makes some plays whether you keep your eye on him or not,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “He presents big matchup problems.”

The Ravens have held their own on pass defense. Baltimore has given up an NFL-low 11 touchdowns through the air (no other team has fewer than 15) and has allowed has allowed 46 passes over 20 yards (which is tied for eighth-fewest in the league).

But the Ravens have had their problems with big receivers like Johnson, who is 6-foot-3, 226 pounds. Baltimore struggled to contain Kenny Britt (nine catches for 135 yards), Larry Fitzgerald (three for 98), Malcom Floyd (five for 96) and Vincent Jackson (three for 84).

“He’s a complete wide receiver,” cornerback Lardarius Webb said of Johnson. “He’s physical, strong, good route-runner, blocker, he’ll go get the ball. He’s a game-changer.”

SAN DIEGO -- The Baltimore Ravens potentially lost a chance at the AFC North title, a home playoff game and a first-round bye. Perhaps more disturbing of all is that Baltimore lost its aura of dominance on defense for a night.

The 34-14 loss to the San Diego Chargers on Sunday was a beatdown. It was an embarrassment on national television. And it might be a blueprint on how to make an outstanding defense look ordinary.

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers got rid of the ball quickly and decisively. He attacked downfield, which had the NFL's No. 3 defense backpedalling from the opening drive and never let the pass rush dig in against him.

Every time you asked a Ravens coach or player about how a proud defense got humbled, the answer was always the same: a veteran quarterback. It's the veteran quarterbacks who know how to shift protection. It's the veteran quarterbacks who know how to avoid getting hit.

The Ravens thrive on getting to the quarterback, leading the NFL in sacks. When Baltimore's rushers can't get their hands on the quarterback, the game often falls out of their grasp.

In 10 wins, the Ravens have 40 sacks. In four losses, there's only been five sacks. And in Sunday night's game against Rivers, Baltimore's pass rush was shut out.

"It’s a reality check," Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs said. "You don’t show up to play in big games, you’re going to get your [butt] whipped."

The reality check is maybe the Ravens will have trouble beating veteran quarterbacks. That's not to say they haven't. Baltimore swept the Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger this season, but he's known for holding onto the ball to make plays.

The Ravens lost at Tennessee when they couldn't sack Matt Hasselbeck, and the result was the same when they failed to hit Rivers.

Outside of Roethlisberger, look at the quarterbacks that the Ravens have beaten: Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez, Matt Schaub (without Andre Johnson), Kevin Kolb, Andy Dalton, Alex Smith, Colt McCoy and Dan Orlovsky.

What happens if the Ravens have to face Tom Brady in the playoffs? Or Aaron Rodgers in the Super Bowl? Or even Rivers again in the postseason?

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Rivers completed 7 of 8 passes for 139 yards when the Ravens rushed a defensive back, the most yards Rivers has thrown for against the blitz over the last two seasons. It is also the second-most yards the Ravens have given up this year with secondary pressure.

"Philip Rivers deserves a lot of credit for that. He's a veteran quarterback," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "He knows how to get his protections organized. That's something these top guys do really well and he did that really well tonight."

The Chargers focused their protection on Suggs, who has been one of the most dominant defenders in the NFL. By always putting two blockers on him, Suggs wasn't a leading contender for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He became the invisible man. The only evidence that Suggs played was his penalty for a head slap.

"When we did get there, he got the ball off," Suggs said. "He’s a veteran quarterback, he’s a great quarterback. Like I said, I just pray we get another chance to see him."

If the Ravens do meet Rivers and the Chargers in the playoffs, they had better make sure he doesn't have time to throw because the Baltimore secondary couldn't cover the Chargers' receivers.

The Ravens were hampered by a toe injury to Lardarius Webb, the team's best cornerback who didn't practice all week. That meant starting rookie first-round cornerback Jimmy Smith with Cary Williams.

Both Smith and Williams spent most of the game chasing Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd downfield. Pro Bowl safety Ed Reed seemed hesitant all night because it looked like all the Ravens were playing the same coverage.

"Whether you have guys hobbled or not, it's difficult," Harbaugh said. "They match up well against every group of defensive backs in the league. That's a tough challenge. That's why the Chargers are so dangerous on offense."

The Ravens allowed the Chargers to score on their first five drives. According to NBC, that's the first time this has ever happened to a franchise that has been defined by defense.

Baltimore couldn't stop San Diego on third downs. The Chargers converted 6 of 10 third downs as they put together scoring drives of 74, 80, 80 and 89 yards.

And the Ravens never forced the Chargers to punt.

"They made plays and we didn’t," said Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis, who stood with his right foot in a bucket of ice for his injured toe. "They had a game plan and they wanted to throw the ball. I was talking to Jimmy and he gets to understand that when you get veteran quarterbacks how they manipulate certain things and that’s the learning curve."

What the Ravens have to learn is how much these losses on the road hurt them, especially in December. Baltimore secured a playoff berth for the fourth straight season even before kickoff, but there's more on the line for the Ravens than that.

If the Steelers win at San Francisco, the Ravens fall one game back for the AFC North title as well as a first-round bye. The Ravens, who so often put pressure on the quarterback, now have put the pressure on themselves for the final two weeks of the regular season.

"Championship teams get on the road and keep playing. They peak. They don’t’ take a step back," Suggs said. "Now, we can either hope it ends in our favor or go on an amazing run."