Chances are, the Houston Texans will account for Peter Boulware's whereabouts in passing situations Sunday at Reliant Stadium. The Ravens' Pro Bowl linebacker figures the referees will be watching closely, too.

Boulware was hit with a personal foul in each of the past four games (though one was not enforced because of an offsetting penalty), prompting him to conclude earlier this week that his reputation has extended beyond being one of the fiercest pass rushers in the league to one of the most monitored by officials.

"I think the red flag comes up when [the officials] see me and they say this guy, he's gotten a few of these," Boulware said. "I think they are looking at me, and anything close, they are going to call it. Whereas other guys, if it's close, it may go the other way."

If that's the case, the officials could be busy keeping tabs on Boulware against the Texans. Quarterback David Carr has been sacked a league-high 68 times this season, four shy of former Philadelphia Eagle Randall Cunningham's record by a quarterback in 1986.

Houston's offensive line has been hit with a number of injuries, including a season-ending shoulder injury to starting tackle Tony Boselli, and a groin injury to tackle Ryan Young that forced him out of six games thus far.

The game sets up nicely for Boulware, who had gone five games without a sack before getting to New Orleans Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks for an 8-yard loss in the third quarter of Sunday's game.

Boulware has no multi-sack games this season because of constant double teams, but he still leads the Ravens with five sacks.

"I almost forgot what it was like to get to the quarterback -- it had been five or six weeks," said Boulware, who led the AFC with 15 sacks last year. "But it was good to get it. Hopefully I can keep going this week and get a few more and end the season off the way it should be."

The way it had been in the past was Boulware pushing double digits in sacks by this point in the season. That was with former Ravens defensive tackle Sam Adams helping to collapse the pocket, and Michael McCrary, whose season ended early with knee problems for the second straight year, rushing from the other end position.

Now Boulware is rushing with Riddick Parker, Kelly Gregg, Tony Weaver and Adalius Thomas, nicknamed the "Buddy Lee Group" by Ravens coach Brian Billick. Guess who generally draws the double team?

"With McCrary on one side and Boulware on the other, both of them would get opportunities to rush the passer," defensive line coach Rex Ryan said. "They know where Peter is. He is a marked guy. But that's what happens when you lead this league in sacks as Peter has.

"You get sacks in bunches. Sometimes you can go in a drought just like a great hitter, then all of a sudden you get hot."

It has been personal fouls, not sacks, that have come in bunches for Boulware. Boulware's hand grazed the face mask of Saints backup quarterback Jake Delhomme after a third-down incompletion from the Ravens' 6-yard line. The penalty gave New Orleans a new set of downs, and Deuce McAllister scored on the next play for a 27-7 Saints lead.

The week before, almost the exact same thing happened against Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jon Kitna, and the penalty helped set up a field goal at the end of the first half.

"The rules are what they are, and I'm learning now that you cannot touch the quarterback's head at all," Boulware said. "If that's the case, then I guess they are all legitimate. It's just really a tough rule when you are playing hard, and I'm playing against a tight end, tackle, running back, fullback, and I'm hitting their head and they are hitting my head. Then when the quarterback comes, I have to re-think all my rules.

"I've got to be extra careful, but at the same time, I don't want to slow down. I don't want to take it easy, but I've got to make an extra effort to stay away from their head."

Said Billick: "He's got to understand that's going to get called. Whether you agree with it, not agree with it, think we're protecting the quarterback too much, them's the rules. So play by the rules."

Meanwhile, Houston has allowed fewer than four sacks in just one game this season. The San Diego Chargers sacked Carr nine times, and the Cleveland Browns registered eight. Texans coach Dom Capers is taking the glass-half-full approach.

"We don't focus on the record," Capers said. "Obviously, David has been sacked more than we would want him to be. We've had our share of inconsistency and certainly our share of injury, starting with Tony."

Still, Carr almost certainly will set that record before the end of the season, and if Boulware gets hot, that could happen Sunday.

"I'd like to get some, but you never know how sacks go," Boulware said.

NOTES: There were no changes to the injury report, and cornerback Tom Knight was the only player who did not practice yesterday. Knight, who is rehabilitating a hamstring injury, is not expected to play Sunday. ... Ravens cheerleaders teamed with the Marines in a Toys for Tots drive last night.

Next for Ravens

Matchup: Ravens (6-7) vs. Houston Texans (4-9)

Site: Reliant Stadium, Houston

When: Sunday, 1 p.m.

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

Line: Ravens by 3

SunSpot: For more coverage, visit sunspot.net/ravens