When opportunity wafted through the stale humidity of Thursday's preseason opener, second-year Ravens cornerback Cary Williams made sure to seize the moment.

Playing three quarters against the Carolina Panthers out of necessity, Williams gave evidence the Ravens do, indeed, have depth at a position ravaged by injury this summer.

He knocked down a second-quarter pass in the end zone from quarterback Jimmy Clausen, picked off the Carolina rookie in the third quarter and, helmet flying, made a jarring, waist tackle on Armanti Edwards later to deny a long completion.

This was the breath of fresh air the Ravens' secondary needed in a difficult training camp that has already cost them the services of Domonique Foxworth.

"Cary played really well," coach John Harbaugh said after the Ravens' 17-12 win over the Panthers at M&T Bank Stadium. "It was good to see. I can't wait to see the tape, but from my eye on the sideline, I thought he played with great discipline.

"He really played with an attention to detail and technique. When he does that, he's a heck of a player. So I enjoyed Cary out there. It was good to see."

There was more where that came from.

The Ravens were down three cornerbacks and two safeties at the start of the game. When Chris Carr departed after a few plays, it left them with five available corners — and only Williams had gotten onto the field for the team last season.

With Williams at left corner, nine-year veteran Travis Fisher at right corner and rookie Prince Miller playing both corner and nickel, the Ravens easily handled the Carolina passing game. Even when rookie Chris Hawkins and first-year corner Doug Dutch played, the Panthers were hard-pressed for success in the air. They completed just 18 of 40 throws and suffered seven sacks.

"We've got guys banged up in the secondary and we knew ahead of time some guys would be asked to do extra," Williams, 25, said. "One thing about us, we take care of each other. When we have guys go down, we've got guys who can step up."

Fisher, a one-time second-round draft pick with the St. Louis Rams, had three tackles and was solid in coverage. Miller broke up two passes and had three tackles, but his biggest contribution was a scintillating 57-yard punt return on which no fewer than seven Panthers put a hand on him.

At only 5- feet-8, Miller went undrafted last April and knows special teams will play a major role in his bid to make the team.

"I hope it does," he said. "That's the plan — just go out there and play well in all phases."

Fisher spent six years with the Rams and two with the Detroit Lions before signing as a free agent this spring.

"It was a blessing from God," he said about joining the Ravens. "It was a team I always wanted to play on, a team with a great defense. Things have been working out for me. I hate to say it because a couple teammates went down."

Williams joined the Ravens last November after getting cut by the Tennessee Titans. He brought baggage: he will start the regular season with a two-game NFL suspension for an off-field incident that occurred while he was in Nashville.

But he has proven resilient. He got kicked out of Fordham after two seasons for fighting with coaches. Then he dominated at a Division II school in Topeka, Kan., (Washburn University) before getting drafted by the Titans.

Now he's got a golden opportunity in Baltimore.

"I look at it as a great chance to go out there and show what I can do," Williams said. "I take it one day at a time and try to get better every day."

Thursday, he played with a foot injury that came in training camp. But it didn't show.

Williams broke up three passes and made three tackles, probably playing more snaps than anyone on the field. Coaches love his height and reach at 6-foot-1, and he showed he knows what to do with the ball once he's got it. He made a nifty 32-yard run with the interception after intended receiver Dexter Jackson slipped on the new, wet turf.

"I think the next time I get one like that, I'll definitely take it to the house," he said. "That wasn't the fastest Cary Williams [you saw]."

In the context of the game, his knock-down of Clausen's second-quarter toss for Brandon LaFell in the corner of the end zone was more important. LeFell had inside position on the pass, but Williams' long reach allowed him to slap the ball away.

"I didn't think I was in that good of position until the ball was thrown," Williams said. "And I didn't realize I could probably put two hands on it. But I ended up getting one on it, which is a good thing."

ken.murray@baltsun.com