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HEADLINE NEWS - Team Notebook |
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Thursday - 12/20/2001
 Ravens Try to Keep It Under 40:
The Ravens are 1-4 in games against the Bengals when they are forced to throw 40 times or more in a game. In games with fewer than 40 pass attempts against Cincinnati, Baltimore is 6-0. In Cincinnati�s 21-10 victory last September 23, Ravens QB Elvis Grbac was forced to throw a team-record 63 passes and completed a team-record 33. All of the Bengals� points came off Ravens� turnovers. Jermaine Goes for Total Return Crown:
Jermaine Lewis leads the AFC with a 14.0-yard punt return average on 30 returns. He is also second in the AFC with a 24.5-yard kickoff return average. If Jermaine leads the conference in both categories, he would become just the second player in NFL history to lead his conference (since 1970 merger) in both punt and kickoff return average (along with Mel Gray in 1991). If he leads the entire league in both categories, he would join Mel Gray of Detroit and Billy Thompson of Denver as the only two players in NFL history to lead the entire league in both return categories. Players Who Led Their Respective Leagues in Both Punt and Kickoff Return Average, NFL History
| Player, Team | Year | Punt Return Avg. | Kickoff Return Avg. |
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| Mel Gray, Detroit Lions, NFC | 1991 | 15.4* | 25.8* | | Billy Thompson, Denver Broncos, AFL | 1969 | 11.5** | 28.5** |
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* led NFL ** led AFLSpecial Teams:
The Ravens rank in the top 10 in the NFL in several key special teams� categories. | Category | NFL Rank | Value | NFL Avg. |
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| Punt return average | 3 | 13.3 | 10.1 | | Opponent punt return average | 1 | 3.0 | 10.1 | | Opponent net punting average | 4t | 34.0 | 35.6 | | Kickoff return average | 9 | 23.7 | 22.0 | | Avg. Team Drive Start after kickoff | 3 | 31.4 | 28.2 | | Opponent Field goal percentage | 2 | 53.6% | 76.0% | | Field goal percentage | 9t | 84.6% | 76.0% |
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Fourth-Quarter Scoring:
The Ravens have scored almost twice as many points in the fourth quarter than their opponents (106-55). The teams with the most fourth-quarter points in the NFL in 2001:| Team | 4th Quarter Points |
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| Miami Dolphins (9-4) | 111 | | San Diego Chargers (5-9) | 110 | | Baltimore Ravens (8-5) | 106 | | Arizona Cardinals (5-8) | 101 | | San Francisco 49ers (11-2) | 96 | | Chicago Bears (10-3) | 94 | | Oakland Raiders (10-3) | 86 | | New England Patriots (9-5) | 86 |
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