Ravens Bank On Banks

October 25, 1999 / 11:05 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Brian Billick has turned his sputtering offense over to Tony Banks, who becomes the Baltimore Ravens' third different starting quarterback in seven weeks.

Banks, who started 43 games in three seasons with the St. Louis Rams, gets his first start with the Ravens (2-4) on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. He replaces Stoney Case, who took over for Scott Mitchell in Week 2 but returns to the bench after successive 15-for-37 performances against Tennessee and Kansas City.

"Why the change? It's as simple as having to provide an impetus to make something happen offensively," Billick said Monday. "It's not an indictment of Stoney Case. I think Stoney Case has a future as a quarterback; he may have a future as quarterback with the Baltimore Ravens."

The Ravens failed to score a touchdown against the Titans and did not get into the end zone against the Chiefs until Banks entered in the fourth quarter of a 35-8 loss. Baltimore is averaging 14 points a game, worst in the AFC except for the expansion Cleveland Browns.

Banks, 26, was traded to the Ravens in April for two draft picks and entered the season as the third-string quarterback. Now he's the main man.

"It's good to hear. I've been waiting a long time, trying to be patient and stay mentally ready," Banks said. "Being a backup is something I've never done before. I struggled with it a little while, but I figured I'd get my shot eventually, if not here than somewhere else."

Banks made his Baltimore debut against Kansas City, going 8-for-14 for 69 yards. He led the Ravens in the preseason in completions and passing yardage.

"I definitely have a lot of confidence in what I do," Banks said. "I don't think there are so many guys who throw the football the way I do."

Case had one career start in four NFL seasons before this year. After relieving an ineffective Mitchell in a loss to Pittsburgh, he started the following week against Cleveland and ran for two touchdowns in a 17-10 victory. He then threw the game-winning touchdown pass in overtime against the Atlanta Falcons.

But Case struggled mightily in his next two starts, particularl against the Chiefs, when his inexperience was on display before a national television audience.

"Right now I felt like Tony, with his 43 starts and experience in the league, is something we need right now to get us off the path we've taken offensively," Billick said. "This team needs something to happen. I don't know if Tony Banks is the answer, but maybe he can make a difference for us. We're too close to being on the verge of a team that can compete for me not to try something."

Case did not complete 50 percent of his passes in any of his starts. Two of his three interceptions against Kansas City were returned for touchdowns, and now he's once again No. 2 on the depth chart.

"I'm obviously disappointed. I don't necessarily agree with it, but it's the coach's decision," Case said. "This won't effect my confidence at all. I had a bad game, made some bad decisions. I threw three picks, two of them went the other way. It was just a bad game. Life goes on."

In other news, the Ravens signed free agent wide receiver Marcus Nash, who caught four passes for 76 yards with Denver last year. He was the Broncos' top draft pick in the 1998 draft.