Billick fires Fassel, will call plays himself

updated 2:03 p.m. ET Oct. 17, 2006

BALTIMORE - Jim Fassel was fired as offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday, a move designed by coach Brian Billick to get more firepower from the league’s 28th-ranked attack.

The Ravens scored only 10 offensive touchdowns in their first six games and were held to 16 points or fewer three times. Even though Baltimore sits atop the AFC North, Billick felt a change in the team’s offensive philosophy was imperative.

“Clearly, in order for us to expand on our 4-2 start, we have to have more offensive productivity,” Billick said at a news conference at the Ravens’ headquarters. “It was my opinion going forward, in order to bring about the level of production that we need offensively, to get where we want to go, that I needed to step back in on a day-to-day basis.”

Billick said he will assume the duties of offensive coordinator, which includes calling plays on game days.

Billick, a close friend of the former New York Giants coach, called the dismissal of Fassel “one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make.

“I have an obligation to this organization to do what I think is in the best interests of this team, regardless of how difficult those decisions are,” he said. “Jim Fassel has been a valuable and loyal coach to me.”

But Billick could no longer tolerate his team’s sputtering offense, which had brought about some grousing in the locker room.

Wide receiver Derrick Mason said “the (heck) with football” after going without a catch in Sunday’s 23-21 loss to Carolina, and Jamal Lewis complained about being forced to share time in the backfield with Musa Smith and Mike Anderson.

“Everyone wants to know where the old Jamal Lewis went,” he said. “When you hear things about who’s hot or who’s not or whatever, a lot of that I just feel like is smoke being blown. There’s nothing you can do about it.”

Billick said the dismissal of Fassel wasn’t necessarily a reaction to Sunday’s game.

“There was no single incident, no episode, nothing specific that brought about this change,” Billick said. “It was a collective evaluation on my part that something dramatic had to be done.”

Fassel was in his second year as the Ravens’ offensive coordinator after serving a season as a senior consultant to the offense. He was promoted to offensive coordinator after Baltimore fired Matt Cavanaugh following the 2004 season.

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From 1997 to 2003, Fassel guided the Giants to two NFC East titles, a conference championship, an appearance in the Super Bowl and a wild-card playoff berth. He was named NFL coach of the year in 1997 and lost the 2001 Super Bowl to Baltimore.

With the Ravens, Fassel struggled unsuccessfully to come up with an attack that could support one of the league’s best defenses. Baltimore hoped the addition of quarterback Steve McNair would fuel the offense, but the change did not bring about the desired results.

McNair has a 64.1 quarterback rating and has thrown seven interceptions, compared to five touchdown passes. He began the season with an 83.8 career QB rating and with 53 more touchdown passes than interceptions.

Fassel did not immediately return calls Tuesday seeking comment.

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