With the successful debut of Chester Taylor as a kickoff returner in Sunday's 37-25 loss to the New Orleans Saints, the Ravens now have a diversity at that position that few other teams can claim.
Taylor's straight-ahead, powerful running style helped him average 25.6 yards on five returns, including a 40-yarder against New Orleans. The Ravens' normal return man, Lamont Brightful, is smaller and quicker and is averaging 20.8 yards this season.
Brightful had been performing well as the kickoff returner, but the team felt Taylor would be better suited for a team like the Saints, especially from a physical standpoint. Brightful is listed at 5 feet 10, 160 pounds, Taylor 5-11, 213.
"They are an outstanding coverage team," Ravens coach Brian Billick said. "[Special teams coordinator] Gary Zauner did a nice job of recognizing the only returns that have shown up at all against these guys are right down the pike. Bright is good at setting and bouncing and going outside to use his speed.
"But Bright is at a point to where if you run by him real fast with any kind of breeze, he is going to fall over. We just felt like with Chester, who has shown some real talent running the ball, [we needed] to put it in his hands and go right down the gut and see what you can come up with. He did an excellent job."
So will the two now split the duties? "Depends on the scheme," Billick said. "We're very pleased with what Brightful is doing. But that was a specific scheme to send a bigger, more stronger guy right down the pike because getting outside on these guys just doesn't happen."
Injury updates
Linebacker Ray Lewis will have surgery on his left shoulder in Colorado today, a procedure that is expected to leave him with four to six months of rehabilitation.
Receiver Brandon Stokley returned to the team yesterday after having successful surgery on his left foot. Stokley was put on injured reserve two weeks ago.
Reunion talk
There is strong speculation former Ravens defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis, now with the Washington Redskins, was offered the Michigan State coaching job.
If that was the case, Lewis may have turned to Ravens secondary coach Donnie Henderson to be the team's defensive coordinator.
Lewis, though, reportedly did not accept the job.
"Marvin and I are great friends," Henderson said. "Based on the rumor out there about him getting the job at Michigan State, obviously, that is speculation.
"As for how that affects me, just because we are friends doesn't mean it will change my situation here in any way, shape or form."
How it went wrong
Yesterday, Billick further explained the miscommunication on the Ravens' fake punt in the first quarter Sunday.
On a fourth-and-seven from the 50-yard line, punter Dave Zastudil was supposed to throw to Ron Johnson for what was designed to be a 10-yard completion. Instead, Johnson was covered and Zastudil froze, then scrambled briefly before his punt attempt was blocked.
Billick said Bart Scott, the up-man in the punt formation, tried to signal Zastudil to cancel the fake after seeing how the Saints were aligned.
"We were hoping for a situation to get a throw to the outside," Billick said. "They had shown a vulnerability there. Bart communicated to punt block that he saw it wasn't going to work. The communication between him and David was not adequate. David didn't get the word, so to speak, then compounded it by trying to punt it late, which was not part of the process."
Catchy message
Frustrated by the Ravens' receiving corps, fans expressed their displeasure to Billick in Sunday's game. The receivers dropped seven passes.
"As I came running off the field at halftime, there is that group of fans that are right there as we're going in the tunnel," Billick said. "One guy yelled out, 'Get [Travis] Taylor out of there and put [Chris] McAlister in.' ... I understand from that perspective, it's do something."