Ravens-Dolphins scouting report

ED REEDSmart, athletic safety is a game-changer

Ravens on offense: Le'Ron McClain is one of the best stories in the NFL. A bruising, blocking fullback during his college days at Alabama, McClain has morphed into a bruising, blocking tailback in the pros. The 6-foot, 260-pounder churned out 902 yards and 10 touchdowns on 232 rushes. He's not quick enough to draw comparisons to Jerome Bettis, but on third and 1, it's a pretty safe bet McClain's going to knock someone on their rear and pick up the first down. Tailback Willis McGahee had a miserable season but showed signs of life with a big game against the Cowboys in Week 16. McGahee is a power runner with exceptional acceleration (despite a history of knee woes). He no longer has the shake-and-bake moves of his youth, but he can still be a productive player. Third-stringer Ray Rice adds depth and strength. Rookie quarterback Joe Flacco has had a solid season. He sets up well, scans the field quickly, and delivers pretty darts. Gritty receiver Derrick Mason explodes off the line and has the moves to make defenders miss in the open field. Mark Clayton (17 yards per catch) lacks strength but has tremendous acceleration. Tight end Todd Heap is a reliable third-down option.

Dolphins on defense: Joey Porter (17 1/2 sacks) is an intimidating force. The linebacker with the nonstop motor and nonstop mouth will disappear for long stretches but usually makes at least one game-changing play. Fellow 'backer Channing Crowder (114 tackles) puts up big numbers but hardly strikes fear in his opponents. Safety Yeremiah Bell (a team-high 120 tackles) is a versatile playmaker who can lower the boom.

Dolphins on offense: Sick of the Wildcat yet? Well, the Dolphins aren't. There will be plenty of it in this game. Whether he's taking a handoff from Chad Pennington or a direct snap, the Dolphins' key player is Ronnie Brown. The slick, muscular tailback rushed 214 times for 916 yards and 10 touchdowns and turned out to be the ideal Wildcat player. Brown, a lefthander, has excellent speed and runs with great balance. He rarely goes down after the first hit. He shared the backfield with the rejuvenated Ricky Williams (160 carries, 659 yards). Williams might not have the same pop as he did in his youth but he's about the best backup in the league. Pennington is a field general. A leader with great pocket presence, Pennington deciphers defenses quickly and delivers soft, catchable passes to his receivers. An extraordinarily accurate passer, Pennington is a terrific game manager who rarely makes big mistakes. Blazing receiver Ted Ginn Jr. has inconsistent hands and poor route-running skills. Davone Bess always seems to be open and catches everything thrown to him. Tight end Anthony Fasano has soft hands and will run over defensive backs.

Ravens on defense: The true strength of this team. Safety Ed Reed is the most exciting defensive player in the league. He's extremely smart and athletic. Reed can change a game with a devastating hit or a big interception. Pennington has to be aware of him at all times. Linebacker Ray Lewis is another big-time hitter. Lewis (160 tackles from Ravens' coaches review) has quickness and power and is always, always, always around the ball.

Special teams: Baltimore's Matt Stover, long one of the NFL's most consistent kickers, struggled from long distance this season, hitting only 5 of 9 attempts from 40-49 yards and missing his only attempt at 50-plus yards . . . Ravens returner Yamon Figurs can fly. He returned 29 kicks for 608 yards and 23 punts for 138 yards . . . Ginn can fly faster. An excellent open-field runner, Ginn returned 32 kickoffs for 657 yards . . . Bess returned 21 punts for 231 yards . . . Miami kicker Dan Carpenter hit 21 of 25 field goal attempts with a long of 50 yards.

Miscellany: The Ravens won a Week 7 matchup, 27-13, by holding the Dolphins to 71 yards rushing . . . Baltimore has won nine of its last 11 games . . . The Dolphins had just 13 turnovers, besting the Giants' 16-game season record (14) set in 1990 . . . The Ravens notched an NFL-high 26 interceptions.

JIM McBRIDE