Cheers & Jeers » Ravens, Eagles are set for a bird fight

POSTED November 21, 2008 | 12:00 AM

Baltimore coach John Harbaugh, who served as an assistant in Philadelphia from 1998-2007 before coming taking over the Ravens this season, knows what to expect from Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson this weekend.

“He’ll have a couple blitzes ready for every type of protection we’ve run, so that’s part of the guessing game,” said Harbaugh. “Really, more than anything, just being prepared for what he might do — that’s what we do.”

The Eagles are tied with the Steelers with a league-high 36 sacks, and they allow fewer than 20 points per game.

But when facing a team that blitzes as much as the Eagles, it can lead to big pass plays down the field if the pass protection can hold up.

“Philadelphia brings it from a lot of areas, and you have to make sure your eyes are up and you know where to go with the ball,” said Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. “They’re good at what they’re doing, so we’re going to make sure we scheme, that we have a good scheme going into the game.”

Ravens receiver Mark Clayton wouldn’t stop smiling when asked about the team taking aggressive shots down the field on Sunday.

“It’s exciting, I’m looking forward to playing against a high-caliber secondary,” Clayton said. “We’ll see what we put in for those guys, I am sure we will take into account that they do a little exotic stuff.”