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Ravens win defensive battle over 49ers

Oct 8, 2007 - 12:44 AM By Tom Kent PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) - The Baltimore Ravens managed just enough offense against the San Francisco 49ers.

Matt Stover connected on all three of his field goal attempts and the Ravens defense shut down Trent Dilfer en route to a 9-7 victory over the 49ers.

Dilfer, who was filling in for injured starter Alex Smith, was ineffective going 12-of-19 for 126 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

"It's hard to execute your game plan when you don't make your third down conversions," Dilfer said. "We had a great plan going in. We were going to do some passing games to set up the run, but we never got in a rhythm."

Smith, who took every offensive snap last season for the 49ers, separated his right shoulder in last week's loss to Seattle.

It was Dilfer's first start since November 27, 2005, while with the Cleveland Browns. Dilfer posted an 11-1 record in leading the Ravens to their only Super Bowl title in 2000, yet was released by current coach Brian Billick in favor of free agent Elvis Grbac after the season.

The 35-year-old Dilfer, who went on to play for the Seattle Seahawks and Cleveland Browns before becoming the 49ers backup in 2005, was openly critical of Billick's decision, yet offered a public apology to his former coach in a conference call with the Baltimore media on Wednesday.

"I talked to him before the game and in the locker room after the game," Dilfer said. "I told him how sorry I was for carrying that bitterness around for so long."

San Francisco (2-3) had a chance to take the lead but Joe Nedney's 52-yard field goal sailed wide right with 2:37 left in the game.

"That was where I thought we would be at the end," 49ers coach Mike Nolan said. "It was a little long though. I would have rather had a 35-yarder than a 52-yarder, but we had a chance to win in the end."

Baltimore (3-2) managed to break the offensive stalemate late in the second quarter when Stover capped a 14-play, 64-yard drive with a 26-yard field goal to give the Ravens a 3-0 lead. Veteran quarterback Steve McNair methodically moved down the field on the drive, completing 6-of-6 passes for 51-yards.

McNair, who has been plagued by injuries this season, threw for 214 yards, completing 29-of-43 attempts.

"You've got to give them a lot of credit," McNair said. "They had a great defensive scheme. We pretty much had to dink and dunk, and run the ball when we had a chance."

"The offense was not perfect by any stretch," Billick said. "We'll look at the tape and and pick it apart like we always do though."

Dilfer ignited a spark in the lackluster San Francisco passing game midway through the third quarter by connecting with Bryan Gilmore on a 42-yard pass that brought the ball to the Baltimore 23. On the next play, Dilfer hooked up with Arnaz Battle in the end zone to cut the Ravens' lead to 9-7.

Ravens running back Willis McGahee grinded out 88 yards on 22 carries. The former first-round draft pick of the Buffalo Bills also caught seven passes for 48 yards.

Derrick Mason had his fifth straight game with at least seven receptions, catching 11 passes for 85 yards, including a key third-down reception that allowed the Ravens to run out the rest of the clock late in the game.

San Francisco running back Frank Gore managed just 52 yards on 16 carries. Gore, who led the NFC in rushing last year while compiling nine 100-yard games, has not totaled a 100-yard effort in five contests for San Francisco this season.

The 49ers, who came into the game last in the NFL in offense, had zero net passing yards at the half and totaled just 163 yards of offense, while managing just six first downs for the game.

"We prepared like we normally would," Baltimore safety Ed Reed said. "We just had to play our assignments and not make any mistakes."

"I don't know exactly what the issues on offense are but we have a lot of work to do," Nolan said.