Ravens coaches are defending Ethan Brooks more than the right tackle is defending himself.

Brooks readily accepted a fair amount of responsibility for his part in the Ravens allowing seven sacks to the Miami Dolphins five days ago, while vowing to not let such a performance affect his play Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

The coaches, however, say things were not as bad as they seemed. Right tackle has been a troublesome spot the past two seasons for the Ravens, but coaches say Brooks is not adding to the problems.

"He's doing OK. He's doing a better job in pass protection than it might look," offensive line coach Jim Colletto said. "Sometimes it's his doing, sometimes it's out of his hands. But he's doing pretty well. He's consistent."

Brooks, who took over for Edwin Mulitalo in the third game of the season, is not allowing for such leeway. Besides giving up a couple of sacks, Brooks was hit with three false-start penalties.

"There's not much to say about it really," Brooks, 30, said. "I didn't play well, that's the bottom line. That game is over. I just have to go out there Sunday, and that's a good thing because I get another shot to redeem myself and play as well as I can. I look forward to the competition of Kevin Carter or [Jevon] Kearse."

Brooks found himself facing Jason Taylor a number of snaps against Miami and will likely face the equally explosive Kearse in passing situations.

Kearse, listed as questionable, is expected to come back from an 11-week foot injury that has kept him out since the opener.

He will join a defensive line that might be as physical if not as fast as Miami's. Titans starters have registered 14.5 sacks, including seven by Carter.

"We've always played good against them, and I would expect us to play good again," Colletto said. "I don't get worried about those sacks [against Miami]. The sacks the linemen are responsible for, I worry about those. The other ones, we have to work at improving other things. So I don't get overly concerned about that.

"Every game we've had with the Titans up front is as physical a game as we've had. All five games have been a flat-dead war up front. They play no different than they have in the past, and it won't be any different again."

What the Ravens hope will be different on their part from Sunday's disappointing effort will not come solely from the line but from quarterback Jeff Blake.

Coach Brian Billick said earlier this week that he thought Brooks played well and that Blake could have done more for his own benefit.

"There are a couple of things he could have done to help us in terms of stepping up in the pocket, throwing the ball away," Billick said. "He'll see that in the film, and obviously you stress it.

"Sometimes it's a matter of knowing on a particular route you can wait it out until hell freezes over, but once the primary or secondary is not there, nothing is going to be there and throw it away. Sometimes it's just a matter of something like stepping up in the pocket, little things like that."

Blake did not have a problem with that. Asked about his plan if he sees Kearse and Carter coming hard off the edges the same way Miami's ends did, Blake said, "I'm going to get my butt up in the pocket, like I'm supposed to, or take off and run.

"Every week isn't going to be the same. Every week, I'm not going to be on [when] throwing the ball. Every week, my receivers are not going to be on [when] catching the ball. Every week, my line is not going to be on [when] blocking. Every week, Jamal [Lewis] is not going to see the holes like he's supposed to. Sometimes that is going to happen, and you just have to learn to fight through it."

That is the philosophy adopted by Brooks for Sunday.

"I have to look at what went wrong in that last game and try to adjust it," Brooks said. "I feel good about this week's preparation going into the Tennessee game. I just feel like it's a chance to redeem myself.

"Right now, there are still things to work on, technique and all that stuff. I'd love to end my career here; how many more years, I don't know, but I'm not really worried about that too much."

NOTES: Linebacker Ed Hartwell hurt his kneecap and left practice with 45 minutes left in the session. Hartwell did not have tests on the knee, but he might be listed as questionable for Sunday's game. The Ravens will know more about his condition today. Linebacker Ray Lewis (calf/shoulder, doubtful) and cornerback Chris McAlister (ankle, questionable) did not practice. Tony Weaver (knee) was upgraded from questionable to probable, and Mulitalo (chest, probable) was added to the injury report, but both practiced.

Next for Ravens

Matchup: Ravens (4-6) vs. Tennessee Titans (6-4)

Site: Ravens Stadium

When: Sunday, 1 p.m.

TV/Radio: Ch. 13/WJFK (1300 AM), WQSR (102.7 FM)

Line: Titans by 2

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