RAVENS AT A GLANCE
	Priest Holmes
	Last year: 6-10, fourth place in AFC Central Key returnees:: WR Jermaine Lewis (41 catches, 784 yards, two punts returned for TDs); LB Ray Lewis (3 sacks); RB Priest Holmes (233 carries, 1,008 yards, 43 rec.); DE Michael McCrary (14.5 sacks), LB Peter Boulware (8.5 sacks) New faces: QB Scott Mitchell (Lions), QB Tony Banks (Rams), FB Charles Evans (Vikings), RB Steve Broussard (Seahawks), TE Aaron Pierce (Giants), OT Harry Swayne (Broncos), DE Fernando Smith (Jaguars), CB Chris McAlister (first round) New places: QB Jim Harbaugh (Chargers), QB Eric Zeier (Bucs), DT James Jones (Lions) Watch out: Counting on McAlister to come up big in secondary. Better than '98: Billick has simplified protection schemes to reduce sacks (41). Worse than '98: Still missing big-time back. -- Scripps Howard News Service

Since being named head coach of the Ravens in January, Billick has become a household name. His face and the name "Billick" appear on billboards around town.

After three consecutive losing seasons since moving from Cleveland, the Ravens are selling their coach and counting on him to overcome myriad problems.

One of them is a lack of cash. Owner Art Modell, who has no other businesses to support the team, is $185 million in debt, even though his new stadium deal is one of the most profitable in the league. The NFL had to arrange a $65 million loan to keep lenders from foreclosing this summer, and he has to find a minority partner to help pay it back.

The cash shortage has hindered the team in free agency. Its big-ticket offseason acquisition was OT Harry Swayne, who got a $5 million signing bonus. Meanwhile, the Ravens lost starting OLs Orlando Brown and Wally Williams, DT James Jones and TE Eric Green in free agency.

Billick isn't bothered by any of this. He notes that his old team, Minnesota, wasn't a free-spending club until last year and yet was a perennial playoff contender. He plans to install the same multiple offense that helped the Vikings become the highest-scoring team in NFL history last year. The Bill Walsh (Billick wrote a book with him) and Dennis Green disciple isn't deterred by the fact he has little of the offensive talent he had in Minnesota.

Billick's new quarterback, Scott Mitchell, produced just three points and fumbled four times in his first eight series of the exhibition season. Backup Tony Banks did throw a TD pass in each of the first two games, but he has been shaky in practice.

Billick, though, believes in his system and isn't going to back off.

"I'll go down 2-14 trying to make something happen before I'll bleed at 6-10," he said.

Billick thinks he can produce enough offense to complement a strong defense and make the playoffs at 9-7.

Here's a position-by-position look at Baltimore's roster:

Quarterbacks
Billick is gambling he can revive the career of Mitchell, who was acquired in exchange for two draft picks. Right now, it's looking like a huge gamble. Mitchell, possibly rusty after playing just two games in Detroit last year, was ineffective in the first two exhibition games. Even though Banks outplayed Mitchell in the first two games, Billick insists Mitchell is his quarterback.

But Mitchell has to prove he can operate Billick's offense first. Billick also brought in Stoney Case, a player he thinks has potential, and cut Wally Richardson. Grade: C-

Running backs
Even front-office executive Ozzie Newsome admits starting RB Priest Holmes is the fifth-best running back in the division. Holmes gained 1,008 yards last year, but 400 of them came in two games against the Bengals. He'll never be a franchise back, but Billick hopes the Ravens' passing game can overcome the lack of a strong runner.

Errict Rhett and Jay Graham are fighting for the backup job, and Chuck Evans, one of Billick's Minnesota imports, will upgrade the FB position. Grade: C

		The big question for the Ravens concerns quarterback Scott Mitchell. How will he perform in new coach Brian Billick's system? Will he excel or will he falter? Even though he was demoted from starter to third-string quarterback in Detroit last season, Mitchell should flourish under Billick. Things went awry for Mitchell with the Lions, but Billick has the type of offensive mind to get the most of Mitchell's talents. The offense needs to help out Baltimore's talented defense. If that's happens, the Ravens are capable of a 9-7 season this year.

Receivers
Billick was so frustrated early in camp at the way Baltimore's receivers were dropping passes that he said he was looking for anybody in the receiving corps to step up. Then Jermaine Lewis and Patrick Johnson emerged in the second exhibition game.

Billick has to hope they play well, along with rookie Brandon Stokley, who has had shoulder problems. Billick also hopes to get some help from a veteran group that includes Floyd Turner, Webster Slaughter, Billy Davis, Qadry Ismail and Justin Armour. Lovett Purnell, Aaron Pierce and Greg DeLong will man the TE position. Grade: C-

Offensive linemen
Jonathan Ogden is one of the best at left tackle, Harry Swayne is solid at right tackle, and ORG Jeff Blackshear, who signed a five-year, $18.7 million contract extension in June, is underrated.

The other two slots, left guard and center, are wide open. Everitt Lindsay, another ex-Viking, figures to win one of them, with James Atkins or Jeff Mitchell likely to win the other. Billick is confident this group can be a good one. Grade: C+

Defensive linemen
How this unit performs depends on whether DE Michael McCrary recovers from two offseason knee surgeries and decides to play after reportedly walking out of camp in a contract dispute. The Ravens need him to return to his Pro Bowl form. The key to this unit is depth.

Billick plans to rotate eight players, with Rob Burnett, Tony Siragusa, Larry Webster, Lional Dalton, Keith Washington, Larry Fitzpatrick and Fernando Smith all playing roles. The Ravens want to come at opponents in waves. Grade: B-

Linebackers
If Peter Boulware, who was held out until the final exhibition game after his shoulder popped out during minicamp, stays healthy, this can be one of the best groups in the league. A defensive end in college, Boulware is developing into an all-around linebacker.

Pro Bowl MLB Ray Lewis goes from sideline to sideline, and Jamie Sharper is improving his pass coverage skills on the weak side. Cornell Brown, who played in Boulware's spot in the exhibition season, provides depth. Grade: B+

Defensive backs
The Ravens have upgraded one of their worst units, drafting CBs Duane Starks and Chris McAlister in the first round the last two years. Starks has improved this year. While McAlister is playing behind DeRon Jenkins and is making the usual rookie adjustments, the kid from Arizona has a world of potential.

The safeties could be a problem. Veteran Rod Woodson, making the move from cornerback to free safety, has lost a step, and SS Kim Herring separated his shoulder twice last year. Grade: B

Special teams
Scott Bentley is battling veteran Matt Stover for the kicking job. The Ravens can save $600,000 by keeping Bentley, so Stover must outkick the youngster. Second-year man Kyle Richardson is developing into a dependable punter.

The team has a good corps of kick returners led by the always-dangerous Jermaine Lewis, and Bennie Thompson spearheads the coverage teams. But the special teams struggled with mistakes in the second exhibition game. Grade: B-

Material from Pro Football Weekly.
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