from the Baltimore Sun

[Kentucky Jet]

McGahee has Jets' number

Ravens RB excelled against New York during time in Buffalo

By Edward Lee | Sun reporter

6:05 PM EDT, September 12, 2007

The New York Jets might be just what Willis McGahee ordered.

The Ravens running back has enjoyed sustained success against the Jets' rush defense, compiling at least 110 yards in each of his last five games when McGahee was the featured back for the Buffalo Bills.

New York comes to M&T Bank Stadium Sunday at 4:15 p.m., but McGahee downplayed his track record against the Jets.

Reed on his punt return TD against the Bengals Video

Ed Reed discusses 'tough' loss to Bengals Video

"I just had a good experience with them," he said. "There's been one time when they stopped me [for] under 100 yards. They're going to game plan just like we're going to game plan. So it's another game for us. I'm looking forward to it on Sunday. We've just got to go out there and play."

In his last five contests against New York, McGahee has averaged 132.6 yards and 5.1 yards per carry. He scored three rushing touchdowns during that span.

McGahee's success has not been overlooked by at least one Jets player.

McGahee presents "the same challenges at Buffalo, where he killed us a bunch of times," said linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who played with McGahee at the University of Miami. "Strong guy, a fast guy. He's very explosive. So it's all those things you want in a back and that you hate to see in a back. We have to get after him."

McGahee said he feels fine after his 19-carry, 77-yard effort in Monday night's 27-20 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals and said he has no expectations about his workload Sunday.

"If my number's called, I'm going to go out and do what I've got to do," he said. "I can't get involved in that situation. I've just got to worry about what I need to do and how I'm going to help this team win."

Count coach Brian Billick as one who would like to see McGahee continue his trend against the Jets.

"Willis is a good back, that's why we coveted him," Billick told the New York media during a conference call today. "Obviously, he is very familiar with [the Jets], and that is a plus."

Mangini's Ravens ties

Jets coach Eric Mangini scored his first job in the NFL as a 23-year-old ballboy for the Cleveland Browns during training camp in 1994. He worked there in public relations and eventually landed a job as a quality control assistant during the Ravens' first season.

One of Mangini's first duties after coming to the Ravens in 1996 was phoning in the team's selection of offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden as the fourth overall pick in the draft.

"I got to phone in the first pick ever (for the Ravens)," recalled Mangini, who met his wife, Julie, the daughter of prominent Baltimore attorney Ron Shapiro, during his stay with the Ravens. "I remember Mr. (Art) Modell giving me a hard time because it was filmed. I wasn't exactly used to that."

Mangini is now quite used to the spotlight. Last year he made a cameo appearance in one of the final episodes of "The Sopranos".

"It was a great opportunity, and then they gave me a role I would be good at, eating dinner," Mangini said.

Ross in for Sams

Running back Cory Ross watched the Ravens' Monday night game at home and didn't think the injury to return specialist B.J. Sams was serious.

Then Ross went to lift weights Tuesday and discovered that Sams' season was cut short by a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Today, the team placed Sams on injured reserve, promoted Ross to the active roster from the practice squad, and signed wide receiver Romby Bryant to fill Ross' spot on the practice squad.

"When you're out here on the field, everybody's equal, everybody's playing football, and that's what you're doing," Ross said. "To be promoted is just their way of telling you, 'Hey, we might need you to come out here and play for us, so be ready."

Billick declined to tip his hand on who would have return duties, saying, "We'll determine at the end of the week how we want to proceed. It could be a combination of both."

Notes: Billick would not disclose the team's conversations with the NFL about several calls by game officials. "Next game," he said. ... McGahee said he doesn't know too much about the extent of Bills tight end Kevin Everett's cervical spine injury, adding that he hadn't even seen the replayed clip on television. "My hat goes off to him," McGahee said. "I'm sorry for what happened to him. In football, anything can happen." ... Former Ravens offensive coordinator Jim Fassel will provide analysis of Sunday's game on CBS Radio