dennis pitta

All but labeled a bust and given up on through the first couple of games, Ravens third-year cornerback Jimmy Smith has been one of the defense's best and most improved players.

Now, Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton has launched a similar career route to Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.

Dennis Pitta underwent surgery in July to repair a fractured and dislocated right hip and remains on the injured reserve-designated to return list.

The Ravens used three wide receivers on 43 percent of their snaps last season last season. This season, they have used three-receiver sets even more.

The Ravens are forcing themselves to be escape artists even more often this season. But their straitjacket straps have been too tight, their chains unshakable.

Meanwhile, the Ravens are still waiting for Dennis Pitta, their top tight end, to return to the football field.

A collection of what other media outlets are saying as the Ravens prepare to play on the road against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

The Ravens returned to practice Monday after getting the mandatory four days off for the bye week. Harbaugh said that the bye week provided players with a good opportunity to get some rest and spend some time with their families, and all of them came back on time and "with a lot of enthusiasm."

Looking at which Baltimore Ravens got a lot of playing time and which Ravens rode the pine in the first seven games of the 2013 season. Only five players, including middle linebacker Daryl Smith, have played every snap.

When the Ravens passed their way to a Super Bowl title last winter, they were most effective when they spread out opponents and put the pedal to the metal with their no-huddle offense.

A roundup of NFL experts' picks for Sunday's game between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.

In Sunday's 19-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Ravens once again created little running room for their running backs, a troubling trend that could prompt the coaching staff to make schematic changes.

Just five days ago, the Ravens were left with only three healthy wide receivers for their game against the Miami Dolphins. When they put out their inactive list about 90 minutes before Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers, they figure to have significantly tougher decisions to make.

The Ravens have re-signed tight end Billy Bajema and cut running back Shaun Draughn.

Each week, Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston will answer questions from readers about the Ravens.

Ravens rush linebacker Terrell Suggs delivered a strong message Sunday, showing he's regained his 2011 NFL Defensive Player of the Year form.

Now Torrey Smith is justifying that faith through his emergence as one of the best young receivers in the game heading into Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium. For an offense that lost Boldin, tight end Dennis Pitta to a serious hip injury and has a dormant running game, Smith has become indispensable as the lone constant threat.

Left tackle Eugene Monroe excused himself from dinner with head coach Harbaugh Thursday night because he wanted to go upstairs at the team facility and spent more time studying the Ravens' offense.

Injured ravens tight end Dennis Pitta continues to ramp up his activity, raising optimism that he could return at some point this season.

The Ravens welcomed back starting wide receiver Marlon Brown, kick returner Deonte Thompson and starting cornerback Lardarius Webb in their final full practice before Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins.

Although Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco endured arguably his worst game ever last Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, the mistake-filled performance hasn't dented his confidence.

Although Dickson is big, strong and fast, his hands have been extremely suspect this season with his unreliability showing up again Sunday during a 23-20 road loss to the Buffalo Bills. Dickson allowed an accurate Joe Flacco pass to bounce off his hands for one of Flacco's five interceptions.

Ravens offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell is keeping things simple for his unit

So far this season, the Ravens aren't getting the kind of big plays that other NFL tight ends are producing, or the kind of reliability they are accustomed to from the position.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh delivered an impassioned show of support Friday for quarterback Joe Flacco.

Torrey Smith insists that the Baltimore Ravens are not using him any differently, that he is running the same routes down the field and facing the same kinds of coverages that secondaries used to account for him a season ago. But the speedy wide receiver is on pace to be targeted 58 times more than he was last season.

So far in the 2013 season, quarterback Joe Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens are missing a key element from their 2012 season: big passing plays down the field.

Baltimore Sun blogger and reporter Matt Vensel gives his take on the Baltimore Ravens' 14-6 win over the Cleveland Browns, including thoughts on the Ravens' offensive identity, Terrell Suggs and their fierce pass rush, Marlon Brown's surprising start, and more.

The Ravens will commemorate their Super Bowl XLVII victory one final time before Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns with a video tribute and the unveiling of world champion banners. Whether they pay homage to last year's team by getting back to the same offensive script from their stunning postseason run is not as clear.

For all the talk about the Ravens' overhauled defense, their offense is also in transition, and much of the burden has fallen on Joe Flacco's shoulders to help accelerate the learning process for the team's new pass catchers. Judging by the results ¿ Flacco threw two interceptions and 28 incompletions in the 49-27 loss to the Broncos ¿ the situation remains a work-in progress.

The uproar over the Anquan Boldin trade is understandable, but the bigger concern should probably be the organization's poor evaluations of their young wide receivers.

Delivering punishing stiff-arms, boxing out cornerbacks for position and running crisp routes, Boldin delivered a trademark performance Sunday during a 34-28 victory Sunday night over the Green Bay Packers.

With a passing game in flux due to the offseason trade of Anquan Boldin and a hip injury to tight end Dennis Pitta, the running game was being counted on to be the rock-solid foundation of the Ravens' offense.