Ravens Soar Over Saints

The Baltimore Ravens still have a shot at a winning season and a chance to compete in the playoffs.

Mike Ditka can only hope for the opportunity to do the same next year with the New Orleans Saints.

Tony Banks threw three touchdown passes and the Ravens tied a team record with four interceptions Sunday in a 31-8 rout of the listless Saints.

The victory gave Baltimore (7-7) a three-game winning streak for only the second time in the team's four-year history. The Ravens, who never before won more than six games in a season, are at .500 in December and still in the running for a playoff spot.

As is usually the case this time of year, the Saints (2-12) have nothing to play for except pride.

"It's just no fun. ... It's no fun for me, it's no fun for these guys, it's no fun for the owner and it's no fun for the fans," said a resigned and soft-spoken Ditka. "None of this is by design. It happens and sometimes it's like a snowball it starts and you just can't stop it."

Ditka is under contract through 2002, but he's 14-32 at New Orleans. Owner Tom Benson has said he will make changes at the end of this season.

"I'd always like to honor my contract. When I came here, I came here for a reason: to try to win," Ditka said. "It's been a little harder than I thought. ... I don't know if you get that many chances. Who knows? The chances may disappear."

New Orleans has lost five straight and 12 of 13. The Saints, who played without injured running back Ricky Williams, finished with 11 yards rushing and eight first downs.

"We'e not going to quit. When you start to quit, you might as well stop playing football," wide receiver Eddie Kennison said.

The Ravens built a 17-0 halftime lead, holding the Saints to 96 yards and three first downs. Banks hooked up with Qadry Ismail for a 47-yard touchdown with 14:14 remaining to make it 24-0, and at that point the only suspense was whether Baltimore would record the first shutout in franchise history.

"They outmanned us," Ditka said. "They had a pretty good scheme for what we had. It's a good defense, I think the best I have seen."

Banks went 24-for-36 for 298 yards and three harmless interceptions before leaving early in the fourth quarter. Ismail, who caught three touchdown passes last week in Pittsburgh, had seven catches for 115 yards and a score.

Ismail, who didn't have a reception in each of the last two seasons with Miami and New Orleans, has 58 for 1,003 yards.

The Saints spoiled Baltimore's shutout bid when Billy Joe Tolliver threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Keith Poole with 10:35 left. Earlier in the drive, a 57-yard pass to Lawrence Dawsey ended the Saints' 0-for-12 frustration on third down.

Tolliver, who missed one series with a rib injury, was 16-for-35 for 207 yards and three interceptions.

Baltimore's Corey Harris picked off Danny Wuerffel's pass and went 24 yards for a touchdown with 1:49 left.

"We're stepping in the right direction. Everything is going well, we're 7-7," Ravens safety Rod Woodson said. "If we want even a glimpse of a hope, we've got to win out. So basically each one of these games is like a playoff game to us."

The Saints, playing their 500th game in the NFL (including the playoffs), were held scoreless in the opening half for the first time this season.

Woodson intercepted Tolliver's pass and took it 31 yards to the New Orleans 27, setting up a 36-yard field goal by Matt Stover.

Baltimore went up 10-0 on its next possession. Running back Priest Holmes slipped behind linebacker Mark Fields and caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from Banks along the left sideline.

A 6-yard touchdown pass from Banks to a diving Justin Armour made it 17-0 with 24 seconds left in the half. Banks went 5-for-6 for 48 yards on the drive.

Notes