OVERRATED RAVENS RIPE FOR UPSET

Still riding the wave launched by shedding the “winless” tag last week against Miami, the Buffalo Bills head to Baltimore this week to face the allegedly fearsome Ravens.

I say allegedly, because for a team commonly considered among the National Football League’s elite, the Ravens haven’t done squat since destroying the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV waaaay back in January 2001.

That team’s accomplishments mean roughly as much to this Baltimore squad’s chances on any given Sunday as the exploits of Johnny Unitas and Alan Ameche back in 1958.

Trent Dilfer, who quarterbacked that team, is long gone. Running back Jamal Lewis starts a two-game suspension this week.

Then there’s middle linebacker Ray Lewis, the two-time defensive player of the year. Lewis certainly deserves credit for going nearly five years without being implicated in a double murder, but his game no longer lives up to his fearsome reputation.

Apparently eager to out-talk teammate Deion Sanders, Lewis has become today’s Bruce Smith. Television crews love to mike him for games, since he’s never lacking for clumsy attempts at sounding spontaneous while trying to inspire teammates who look like they’d rather be anywhere else.

During the Ravens’ appearance on Monday Night Football earlier this month, the ABC crew treated us to Ray Lewis offering his sage advice to Jamal Lewis. An admitted liar who ratted out his buddies to get himself out of a long prison term counseling an accused drug dealer who would ultimately rat out his buddy in order to avoid a long prison term -- what a great image presented by league that cares about little else.

While he still loves talking tough, the on-field Ray Lewis bears little resemblance to the guy who terrorized opposing offenses during his remarkably short prime.

The Baltimore stat crew still makes sure his tackle totals wind up in the double figures, just as Buffalo’s used to make sure Bruce got a half-sack as long as he was within spitting distance of a fallen quarterback. But the defense he leads has been far from overwhelming this year.

On opening day, the Ravens got slapped around at Cleveland in a 20-3 loss. Then-winless Kansas City beat them up, in the aforementioned Monday nighter. While Lewis was hamming it up for the cameras, the Chiefs gutted Baltimore for 178 rushing yards, 125 by Priest Holmes.

Their wins have come against Cincinnati and Washington teams that haven’t come close to living up to expectations, as well as Pittsburgh -- before Ben Roethlisberger took over at quarterback.

Factor in a Baltimore offense that was far from explosive even before Jamal Lewis got suspended and the six-point spread favoring the Ravens, and the Bills look like a prime upset possibility.

But beating the pathetic Dolphins at home is a very different proposition than knocking off a decent, if overrated, squad on the road.

Buffalo’s defense doesn’t figure to give up a whole lot to an offense featuring a couple of backup running backs, Chester Taylor and Musa Smith, along with struggling second-year quarterback Kyle Boller. The expected return of Lawyer Milloy should help, too.

The key on offense will be generating a consistent ground game. Travis Henry says his sprained foot feels good enough to start on Sunday, and Bills coach Mike Mularkey says he’ll comply, despite Willis McGahee’s 111-yard performance against Miami.

Mularkey says both backs will see time, but the Bills have yet to pull Henry, except when he’s been banged up.

If Buffalo can keep the heat off Drew Bledsoe with a semi-steady running game, the Bills are a threat to win their second straight.

Again, though, winning in a hostile environment is much tougher than in the friendly confines of home. And until Mularkey’s Bills prove themselves capable of doing so, it’s tough to predict that they will. Ravens, 16-13.

Detroit at N.Y. Giants (-6): The Lions returned to reality last week. Giants, 20-9.

Philadelphia (-7) at Cleveland: The Eagles can’t win every game by double figures and Cleveland got its running game going last week. Eagles, 24-20.

Jacksonville at Indianapolis (-9.5): This AFC South showdown will demonstrate how far the Jaguars still have to go. Colts, 31-17.

Tennessee at Minnesota (-7): Daunte Culpepper is ridiculous, whether or not Randy Moss can go. Vikings, 34-23.

San Diego at Carolina (-3): This might have been a spot for the 1-4 Panthers to turn it around, but now Stephen Davis is hurt again. Chargers, 16-14.

St. Louis (-6) at Miami: The Dolphins are the least-dangerous home underdog of the year. Rams, 24-5.

Chicago at Tampa Bay (-7): The Bucs are a shell of their former selves, and Thomas Jones is running pretty well for Chicago. But Jonathan Quinn is just terrible. Bucs, 18-7.

Atlanta at Kansas City (-4): The Chiefs’ season is on the line once again. Chiefs, 28-20.

N.Y. Jets at New England (-6.5): The Patriots win the battle of AFC East unbeatens, but not by a touchdown. Patriots, 28-25.

Dallas at Green Bay (-3.5): It’s becoming painfully apparent that the Cowboys aren’t going too far with Vinny Testaverde at quarterback. Not that such a revelation should surprise anyone. Packers, 21-13.

Seattle (-7) at Arizona: The Seahawks went from dominant to average in a big hurry. Arizona’s usually a pretty good place to recuperate, though. Seahawks, 30-10.

New Orleans at Oakland (-3): Tough to say which of these 2-4 teams is more disappointing. But the Kerry Collins Factor tips the scale. Saints, 33-28.

Denver (-6) at Cincinnati: Ruben Droughns is running wild and the Bengals can’t stop anyone. That adds up to a long Monday night in Cincinnati. Broncos, 26-14.

(Last week: 11-3 overall, 11-3 against the spread. Season: 56-32 overall, 44-42-2 against the spread).