What they're saying about the Ravens

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Rice has only broken two tackles this season, the fewest for any running back with over 50 carries, according to Pro Football Focus. In comparison, Reggie Bush has caused 16 missed tackles on just 11 more rush attempts. Even Ravens backup Bernard Pierce has broken 10 tackles this season.

Rice's 1.6 average yards after contact is only better than four starting running backs this season (Daryl Richardson, Willis McGahee, Lamar Miller and Chris Johnson). In each of his previous four seasons as the Ravens' featured back, Rice averaged 2.3 yards or more after contact.

* Dan Hanzus of NFL.com raves about linebacker Terrell Suggs' recent play.

The sun is shining brightly upon the campus of Ball So Hard University.

Terrell Suggs is back in a big way for the Baltimore Ravens. The veteran linebacker is healthy and playing like a man possessed. Or more specifically, a man with his sights set on another Defensive Player of the Year award.

* Peter King of SI.com, in his Monday Morning Quarterback column, picks Suggs and kicker Justin Tucker as positional players of the week. Here's what he says about Tucker.

Can't get much better than this guy. Tucker kicked field goals of 42, 50, 25 and 44 Sunday in Miami, and the last one won the game with 1:42 to play. In his 13-month career with Baltimore, Tucker is 45 of 50 on field goals, making all 22 attempts from inside 40.

* The South Florida Sun Sentinel's Chris Perkins breaks down six game-changing plays from the Ravens' win over the Dolphins.

Joe Flacco to Torrey Smith for 22 yards on third-and-10 -- What happened: This late third-quarter play kept alive the touchdown drive that allowed Baltimore to take a 23-13 lead early in the fourth quarter. The Ravens were on their own 34-yard line when Flacco found wide receiver Torrey Smith in a soft spot in the Dolphins' zone coverage. This was a key to their 11-play, 94-yard touchdown drive (a 28-yard carry on first down from the Dolphins' 6-yard line helped, too). It was this drive that gave the Ravens their 10-point lead.

NFL power rankings

* ProFootballTalk moves the Ravens up three spots to No. 7 this week.

From pretender to contender, in one three-hour stretch.

* In ESPN.com's rankings, the Ravens climb five spots to No. 9 this week.

In Ray Rice's career, the Ravens are 23-3 (including 20 straight wins after Sunday's victory) when Rice has at least 25 touches and 30-24 when he is active and does not.

* Hensley explains the decision to move the Ravens to No. 9 in ESPN.com's poll.

File this under the "disrespected" category, but this is the first time the Ravens have moved up in the Power Rankings this season. I actually had to check this a couple of times to make sure this was correct. The Ravens remained in the same spot after their two previous wins this season (over the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans).

* With the win over the Dolphins, former Ravens coach Brian Billick moves the Ravens up to No. 13 -- two spots higher than last week -- in his poll on FoxSports.com.

Even though he only finished with 74 rushing yards, Ray Rice had 27 carries. That needs to be the formula for this team as the Ravens fight to get back on track offensively.

* Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com pushes the Ravens up five spots this week, to No. 9.

It wasn't pretty, but they found a way in Miami. The defense got after it with seven sacks. They still aren't clicking on offense.

* CBSSports.com's Pat Kirwan puts the Ravens at No. 15, six spots higher than last week.

If the Ravens stick to the run like they did this past week with 40 carries and the defense pressures quarterbacks like they did last week with six sacks then they will take the division and move back up the rankings. Joe Flacco just doesn't have the receiving weapons or the protection to be a pass-first team.

* The Ravens move up six spots this week, to No. 10, in the AP Pro32 poll.

* NFL.com's Elliot Harrison ranks the Ravens at No. 12, three spots above last week.

Gritty road win for the Ravens, who are hot one week, cold the next. Joe Flacco certainly played better this time around than he did during his five-interception afternoon in Buffalo, although he did give up a costly pick-six against the Dolphins. The real story of this game was the Ravens' renewed interest in their best player. Ray Rice ran the ball 27 times, which is analogous to the Vikings giving Adrian Peterson 84 carries. You have to multiply carries given to Baltimore running backs like you would dog years.