hines ward

Wide receiver Steve Smith Sr., playing in perhaps his final NFL season, is padding some potential-Hall-of-Fame statistics this year with the Ravens.

They won't meet on the field tonight, but Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald are competing nonetheless. Fitzgerald, 32, has 952 career receptions. Smith, 36 and perhaps in his last NFL season, has 951.

Wide receiver Steve Smith Sr., playing his final NFL season, is padding some potential-Hall-of-Fame statistics this year with the Ravens.

As he enters his 15th and final season, the Ravens wide receiver's legacy appears secure. He has a hard-earned reputation as one of the most intense competitors to play in the NFL and one of the best pass catchers of his era. An undersized receiver who was initially labeled a return specialist, Steve Smith Sr. has 915 career catches, 13,262 receiving yards and 73 receiving touchdowns.

Outside linebacker Terrell Suggs' hit on Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford Saturday night wasn't illegal, just a cheap shot.

When NBC Sports executives began planning their Super Bowl XLIX pregame show before the season even began, Ravens coach John Harbaugh was their top choice as a guest analyst. The Ravens¿ 35-31 AFC divisional round loss to the New England Patriots was NBC¿s, and the Super Bowl viewers¿ gain.

NBC's "Sunday Night Football" is the gold standard of NFL television, no doubt about it. But last night's telecast of the Ravens 43-23 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers was not one of the network's greatest performances.

The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers are two teams that love to hate each other.

Three weeks after receiving a kidney transplant from his brother, a former Ravens' player, Chris Kemoeatu has heard all of the wisecracks. "Everyone jokes about me having a Ravens' kidney," he says. His brother, Ma'ake, gave it to him.

After ranking in the top 10 in the NFL in total defense for nine consecutive years, the Ravens fell off dramatically during the past two years when they became uncharacteristically vulnerable.

Standing in front of his locker Thursday, Ravens veteran wide receiver Steve Smith was already displaying signs of intensity and his trademark no-nonsense attitude.

No team has been awarded more compensatory picks than the Ravens, who have shown that they are able to identify talent in the draft and unafraid to let talented but costly contributors leave in free agency.

The Ravens meet today with LSU wide receiver Jarvis Landry, one of the better and tougher receiver prospects in the NFL draft. The meeting is expected to include coach John Harbaugh.

Nobody at either the Ravens or the Steelers' facilities this week agreed with the outside perception that the matchup has lost a little bit of luster

The Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers renew the NFL's hardest-hitting rivalry Sunday at Heinz Field. Prominent players like Ray Lewis and Hines Ward are gone and neither team has a winning record, but you can count on a close game when these teams crash in each other.

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.

Where is the outrage from Ravens fans as Ozzie Newsome and John Harbaugh turn the Ravens into the Florida Marlins of football?

'DWTS' competitors get down to business of dance at Owings Mills JCC

Jones, who scored a pair of touchdowns in the Ravens' Super Bowl victory over the San Francisco 49ers, was the first contestant announced by ABC. He's hoping to become the fourth NFL player to win the dancing competition following previous wns by Emmitt Smith, Hines Ward and Donald Driver.

Jacoby Jones danced in several NFL end zones this season as he went from unheralded free agent pickup to one of the heroes of the Ravens' Super Bowl XLVII victory over the San Francisco 49ers earlier this month.

This Sunday, the enigmatic Raven will take on another, slightly more colorful role -- red carpet correspondent for The Rich Eisen Podcast

'Those people have had it easy. Barbecues and picnics...'

Veteran delivers big hits, including one that set up Ray Rice's memorable fourth-and-29 conversion vs. Chargers

It is not Demaryius Thomas, the Broncos¿ No. 1 receiver. Nor is it Eric Decker, one of the best No. 2 receivers across the land.

When Ravens star middle linebacker Ray Lewis tore his right triceps against the Dallas Cowboys and underwent surgery, the reigning AFC North champions didn't slam the door on his potential return this season.

Jacoby Jones' 63-yard return in the first quarter was his third return for a touchdown this season and his second in the past two games.

There was no Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward or Ray Lewis, but as both teams predicted all week, it turned out to be more of the same with the Ravens-Steelers rivalry.

In this game-day staple, blogger Matt Vensel makes four sometimes-courageous predictions for the game. All he asks is that you don't hold it against him whenever those predictions end up being embarrassingly wrong.

When the Ravens and Steelers meet again Sunday night at Heinz Field, the stakes will be high, as they seemingly always are. But some of the faces of the rivalry, from Ray Lewis' intimidating scowl to Hines Ward's mischievous grin to Ben Roethlisberger's steely gaze, will be missing.

As the Ravens prepare for Sunday's AFC North showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the latest chapter of what many consider the NFL's best rivalry, The Sun caught up this week with several participants from the series to get some of their memories from past meetings.

The Ravens accomplished that mission in 2011, sweeping the season series and also winning the division for the first time since 2006 by stomping the Steelers in the season opener then breaking their hearts when Torrey Smith caught a last-minute touchdown pass in Pittsburgh.

Every morning, Monday through Friday, blogger Matt Vensel will hook you up with reading material -- mostly on the Ravens but with some other Baltimore sports stuff, too -- to skim through as you slug down coffee and slack off at the start of your workday.

The latest chapter in this rivalry could be played without Roethlisberger, Hines Ward and Ray Lewis on the field. It will be the first time since the final game of the 2007 regular season when none of the three have been in the game.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers receiver and longtime Ravens nemesis Hines Ward has a new job as analyst for NBC's "Football Night in America." But he's still feeling the old "hate" when he comes to Baltimore.

Hallmark has turned the tackle into a holiday ornament.

Heading into the draft, it appears the Ravens, who were AFC North champions in 2011, haven't given much ground to their division rivals. Here's a quick look at what each of those three teams has done.

Baltimore Sun news highlights for Wednesday, March 21, 2012.

Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Hines Ward has tearfully announced his retirement after he was released by the team, proclaiming that he will be a "Steeler for life" -- as if that's some kind of badge of honor.

Viewers of WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh were stunned this morning when anchor Todd McDermott reported that long-time Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward had signed with the Ravens.

Bounty controversy sparks reaction across the NFL; Ravens' Jarret Johnson weighs in

Hines Ward, a longtime nemesis of the Ravens, won¿t return to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2012 season. The Steelers announced on their website Wednesday that they plan to release the veteran wide receiver.

Hines Ward is just one of many Baltimore sports villains

Ray Lewis said he will appeal the $20,000 fine he was assessed after a helmet-to-helmet hit on Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward . The Ravens linebacker said, "It won't change the way I play in this league."

Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston answers your questions about the Ravens