Giants to run tonight

If preseason games are so insignificant, then why do the Baltimore Ravens seem to care so much about Sunday night's matchup against the New York Giants?

The Ravens will break out their black uniforms, which they usually save for special occasions. Looking good is one thing, but the team is eager to impress a crowd of more than 70,000 fans and a national television audience by playing well, too.

Oddsmakers have the Ravens as 3-point favorites with the total set at 33.

''We just want to show them that we're a tenacious defense with a lot of depth,'' linebacker Bart Scott said. ''There's a lot of guys here who could be starting on other defenses. ... Let's see if (the Giants) can match our tempo and intensity. It's important we take each game like it's our last.''

Moments after he blew the final whistle of an upbeat training camp, Ravens coach Brian Billick gathered the players on the field Saturday at McDaniel College. He congratulated them for working hard over three straight weeks, then issued a warning: Don't let up.

''We've had a phenomenal camp. Best I've ever been a part of. But we have to follow through,'' Billick said later. ''Things have been going well, there have been a minimum amount of distractions and we had a great game Monday night (a 29-3 win over the Philadelphia Eagles).

''For them to not follow up at home Sunday night on national television, not to have the right focus and passion ... I don't know that they won't, but conventional thinking says that's a trap you can fall into. We want to make sure collectively and individually we don't do that.''

The Giants, meanwhile, are seeking to improve upon an uneven performance in their preseason opener, a 24-21 loss to Carolina. Brandon Jacobs and Reuben Droughns, who are expected to receive the brunt of the carries in place of the retired Tiki Barber, combined for 32 yards rushing on nine carries.

It won't get any easier against a Baltimore defense that ranked No. 1 in the NFL last season and limited Philadelphia to 23 yards on 18 attempts Monday.

''We just want to be consistent and have everyone do the right thing,'' Giants quarterback Eli Manning said. ''Baltimore is a defense that does a lot of looks. It will be a good test for the offensive line and the receivers to read and make adjustments.''

New York's defense will be tested, too. The Panthers put together three long scoring drives in the first half and finished with 154 yards rushing, averaging 5 yards per attempt.

''We have to stop the run,'' linebacker Antonio Pierce said. ''Last week the team rushed for 150, and 70 or 80 against the first defense. Our No. 1 goal is to stop the run every weekend, especially since we didn't do it the week before.''

The Ravens rested their first-string offense against Philadelphia after Steve McNair directed a 93-yard touchdown drive on Baltimore's opening possession. McNair and new starting running back Willis McGahee are expected to get more playing time Sunday night.

McGahee, who ran for 20 yards on four carries, will be the Giants' main focus of attention.

''If you can't stop the run in this league you don't have a chance,'' linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka said. ''We had a lot of corrections we had to make, but they were not devastating things. If wasn't like there were major flaws in our defense. It was an issue of focusing on the basics.''

Cornerback Aaron Ross, New York's first-round draft pick, will see his first NFL action after missing the opener with a hamstring injury. Wide receiver Plaxico Burress (ankle injury) will miss the game.

Manning is expected to play into the second quarter, followed by Jared Lorenzen and Tim Hasselbeck.

The second stage of the competition to be Baltimore's No. 3 quarterback will take place in the second half. Drew Olson got the jump on Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith last week, directing three scoring drives in the fourth quarter after Smith went 3-for-11 for 34 yards.