Ravens Nation

Former NFL kickers Mike Nugent (Jets) and Billy Cundiff (Cowboys) tried out for the Ravens at their Owings Mills training complex on Tuesday, but no signings were announced by the team.

With Hauschka’s ability to miss pivotal field goal kicks, should we assume that the Ravens are actively looking for a new kicker or simply doing this as a motivational tactic?

Suggs hasn’t been the force that he’s been in past years, in both the pass rush and making plays in the second level. Is this because he’s sitting pretty with a newly signed contract or because he’s gained some weight and isn’t as mobile as he once was? We think it’s a little bit of both and if the Ravens are going to make a push for the playoffs, effort and leadership need to come from the players that you pay that way.

This weekend, the Ravens visit the Bengals in a rematch of a Week 5 game that Cincy somehow stole in Baltimore.

This one will operate as an elimination game only if the road team fails to settle the score. If Cincy wins, they’ll move to 6-2, giving them a two-game lead over the 4-4 Ravens that would be, as a practical matter, a three-game lead due to the fact that the Cincinnati sweep would give the Bengals the first head-to-head tiebreaker.

A win by Baltimore, however, would make the division a three-team race — especially if the Steelers lose to the Broncos in Denver on Monday night.

It’s proving time for the Bengals. And maybe the Ravens, too.

Cincinnati sits atop the AFC North along with Pittsburgh at 5-2, and the Bengals have beaten the Steelers and Ravens. Next week, they visit the Steel City.

So this is make or break time for a team usually too fragile to handle such pressure. And usually too inept to put themselves in this position.

But these Bengals have impressed with their moxie and their versatility. They’re favored by three points.

“We’re in a good spot right now,” quarterback Carson Palmer said. “Being 5-2 and tied for first in the division — it’s ours to lose, really. We just need to hang on for as long as we can and finish the season with a bunch of wins and see what happens as far as the playoff picture’s concerned.

“But that’s a little far down the road for us right now. It’s about Baltimore, and then it’s about Pittsburgh. I don’t even know who we play after that, honestly.”

Sweep both games and it would take a monumental collapse for Cincinnati to not make the playoffs, no matter who else is on the schedule.

Baltimore got back to winning by handing Denver its first loss. The Ravens were awfully sloppy in their three-game slide, but were close at the end of all three defeats.

They also are carrying a grudge after falling at home to Cincy four weeks ago.