Coffee Companion (1/11): your daily Ravens fix

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. That way he’ll have an excuse to do the same to start his workday, too.

Catching Up With former Ravens center Jeff Mitchell

Twelve years later, the play sticks in Jeff Mitchell's mind. The one-time Ravens center can still hear the collision, see the Denver player fold and sense the game turning on one bone-jarring hit.

Coffee Companion (1/10): your daily Ravens fix

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. That way he’ll have an excuse to do the same to start his workday, too.

Five Ravens stats that stand out: divisional round

Each Wednesday, blogger Matt Vensel will highlight five statistics that really mean something for the Ravens.

Coffee Companion (1/9): your daily Ravens fix

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. That way he’ll have an excuse to do the same to start his workday, too.

Tale of the Tape: Dennis Pitta's TD catch vs. the Colts

Every week, blogger Matt Vensel breaks down a critical play, sometimes with the help of Ravens players, from that week’s game. Today, he looks at Joe Flacco’s second-half touchdown pass to tight end Dennis Pitta.

Read and react: Tackling five opinions on the Ravens

This feature appears every week on the Baltimore Sports Blitz. It’s just like “What They’re Saying About the Ravens,” but it includes blogger Matt Vensel saying something about what those people are saying. Got it?

Alex Len wowing fans as most-improved Terps player

Going into tomorrow night’s game against Florida State at Comcast Center, two things seem clear about the 13-1 Maryland Terps: they have a terrific freshman class and they’ll be fun to watch this season. I also think they’ll be a real force in the ACC, which seems pretty ordinary once you get past – here’s a shocker -- Duke.

Coffee Companion (1/8): your daily Ravens fix

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. That way he’ll have an excuse to do the same to start his workday, too.

Ravens: after all that emotion, now what?

Let's begin with this truth: few events in recent Baltimore sports history packed the emotional wallop of Ray Lewis' farewell game at M&T Bank Stadium Sunday.

How well did Ray Lewis really play in his return?

Linebacker Ray Lewis made his return from a torn right triceps Sunday, and after he performed what was probably the most anticipated pre-game dance in football history, he quickly made a dent on the stat sheet.

Five Things We Learned from the Ravens' 24-9 win over the Indianapolis Colts [Pictures]

document.write (""); Baltimore Sun reporter/blogger Matt Vensel analyzes the Ravens' big wild-card win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Matt Vensel's Monday morning NFL power rankings

Every Monday morning -- even during the playoffs -- I bring you my weekly premature NFL power rankings.

Coffee Companion (1/7): your daily Ravens fix

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. That way he’ll have an excuse to do the same to start his workday, too.

The Sun remembers: Jan. 6-12

Jan. 10, 1991: "We're a better team than we were yesterday," Orioles manager Frank Robinson says after the trade that brings slugging Houston Astros first baseman Glenn Davis to Baltimore in exchange for three young players — pitchers Curt Schilling and Pete Harnisch, and outfielder Steve Finley. Schilling blossoms into one of baseball's best, while Harnisch and Finley become All Stars. Davis, meanwhile, hits 24 home runs in three years, and retires.

Four Ravens predictions sure to go wrong vs. the Colts

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.

Right Back @ You: Matt Vensel on the Ravens

Baltimore Sun blogger and reporter Matt Vensel answers reader questions about the Ravens in his video mailbag.

Coffee Companion (1/4): your daily Ravens fix

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. That way he’ll have an excuse to do the same to start his workday, too.

Catching Up With former Baltimore Colts linebacker Barry Krauss

Don't misunderstand. Barry Krauss loved Baltimore — from the crabcakes to the Inner Harbor to the rich provenance of the NFL team that picked him sixth overall in the 1979 draft. But five years later, the Colts' move to Indianapolis proved a godsend for the players, said Krauss, a tough linebacker who played 10 seasons with a horseshoe on his helmet.

Breaking down Sunday's Ravens-Colts wild card game with Mike Chappell of The Indianapolis Star

Every week, I hope to bring you a quick Q&A with someone who covers the Ravens’ opponent that week. This week, I chatted with reporter Mike Chappell, who covers the Indianapolis Colts for The Indianapolis Star.

What they're saying about Ray Lewis' retirement

Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis announced Wednesday that he would retire at season’s end. He is one of the greatest linebackers to lace them up. Here is what other media outlets are saying about Lewis this morning.

Coffee Companion (1/3): your daily Ravens fix

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. That way he’ll have an excuse to do the same to start his workday, too.

Five Ravens stats that stand out -- wild-card edition

Each Wednesday, blogger Matt Vensel will highlight five statistics that really mean something for the Ravens.

Coffee Companion (1/2): your daily Ravens fix

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. That way he’ll have an excuse to do the same to start his workday, too.

Hard to tell how good Maryland Terps will be

You've gotta love Mark Turgeon.

Five Things We Learned from the Ravens' 23-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals

document.write (""); Baltimore Sun reporter Jeff Zrebiec (subbing for newlywed Matt Vensel) analyzes the Ravens' loss to Cincinnati and looks ahead to Sunday's playoff date with Indianapolis.

The Sun remembers: Dec. 30-Jan. 5

Dec. 31, 2000: "Defense wins championships," Michael McCrary crows as the Ravens defeat the visiting Denver Broncos, 21-3, in an AFC wild-card game. McCrary, a defensive end, sacks the quarterback three times while Baltimore allows the Broncos offense, ranked second in the NFL, to cross midfield just once. The victory is the eighth in a row for the streaking Ravens (13-4).

Catching Up With ... Raul Allegre

The chant began the instant the Colts' placekicker set foot on the field. From deep within Memorial Stadium, football fans growled his name in near-ritualistic delight.

Five Things We Learned from the Ravens' 33-14 victory over New York Giants

document.write (""); Baltimore Sun reporter/blogger Matt Vensel analyzes the Ravens' big win over New York.

The Sun remembers: Dec. 23-29

Dec. 28, 2003: The Ravens (10-6) win their first division title, turning back the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers, 13-10 in overtime. Jamal Lewis rushes for 114 yards and a touchdown to become the fifth player in NFL history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season.