Cam Cameron

Let's start with this: Don't expect the Ravens to put up 60 points Sunday. Don't expect Joe Flacco to take endless shots downfield to Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones. Don't expect Anquan Boldin to suddenly run wild in the middle of the field off a lot of intricate rub routes. Don't expect a lot of razzle-dazzle plays involving Ray Rice. Or for the Ravens to march down up and down the field in the no-huddle offense as if they had they invented it. Bottom line? Don't expect this team to suddenly morph into The Greatest Show on Synthetic Fiber Turf.

If you looked at the Ravens' schedule a few weeks ago, it seemed like little more than an intriguing late-season test against a fellow divisional leader, a chance to glimpse the revived Peyton Manning in his unfamiliar orange uniform. But after a tumultuous week in Ravenstown, Sunday's home game against Denver Broncos shapes up as something far bigger - a potential pivot point in the uncertain plot of the 2012 season. The Ravens hope to end a streak of dispiriting losses in which their wounded defense has failed to hold late-game leads.

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. RUNNING IT BACK Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco said he was stunned by the firing of offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. ... Ravens linebacker Jameel McClain has already been ruled out for Sunday's game with a neck injury.

Kevin Cowherd Ravens 27, Broncos 24 Only because the Ravens are at home. And they're desperate. And they might have Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs back. And a three-game losing streak would cause The Castle to implode. Edward Lee Broncos 30, Ravens 17 The Broncos are 0-5 all time against the Ravens in Baltimore, but the Ravens are reeling, and a change from Cam Cameron to Jim Caldwell at offensive coordinator isn't the end-all solution. Peyton Manning will fortify his candidacy to be named the NFL's Most Valuable Player.

At the beginning of the season, NFL Network analyst Jamie Dukes predicted that the Ravens and San Francisco 49ers would meet in Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans in February. While his selection of the 49ers - currently 9-3-1 and the No. 2 seed in the NFC - looks strong, the 9-4 Ravens have dropped two winnable games, fired offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, and may be forced to play the 10-3 Denver Broncos this Sunday without their two top three inside linebackers and the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year in outside linebacker Terrell Suggs.

As the Ravens' new offensive coordinator, Jim Caldwell's responsibilities have grown considerably over the past five days, extending far beyond his old role overseeing quarterback Joe Flacco. Set to call plays for the first time at the NFL level after replacing Cam Cameron, who was fired Monday morning, Caldwell has to rapidly absorb the big-picture details that accompany this high-profile assignment. Everything from devising game plans, deciding when and how to run and pass, implementing protection and run-blocking schemes and pulling the trigger on the no-huddle offense he helped install is under his control.

WEATHER: Mostly sunny, high near 48 . Tonight is expected to be mostly clear, low around 38. TRAFFIC: Check our traffic updates for this morning's issues. TOP NEWS Williams forced out as BCCC president : The president of Baltimore City Community College, Carolane Williams, was forced out this week, following a tumultuous two years and a recent dramatic drop in enrollment. O'Malley: Counties shouldn't pay speed camera contractors per ticket : Gov. Martin O'Malley said Tuesday that state law bars speed camera contractors from being paid based on the number of citations issued or paid - a so-called bounty system approach used by Baltimore City, Baltimore County and elsewhere in Maryland.

Did the Ravens fire the wrong coach ("Ravens can Cameron," Dec. 11)? What was worse this year so far - the offense or the defense? I think that John Harbaugh made the wrong decision. Joe Flacco has turned the ball over twice in the last two games. If we had had just one of these back from each of these games, we would have won easily. Cam Cameron does not execute plays, and the blame here has to be on the quarterback. However, the defensive team has played poor all year and has trouble getting to the opposing quarterback without a decent blitz to keep the other team honest.

Each Wednesday, blogger Matt Vensel will highlight five statistics that really mean something for the Ravens. 187.2 -- net passing yards per game for the Ravens offense after the first four games of the 2012 season. The Ravens fired offensive coordinator Cam Cameron on Monday, a culmination of a few factors that had been building for a while now. One of the biggest issues for Cameron, presumably, was the struggles of quarterback Joe Flacco. Launched by the powerful right arm of Flacco, the Ravens rocketed off to their best offensive start through four games in team history.

Sports writer Mike Preston 's criticism of fired Ravens coach Cam Cameron was caustic and unfair ("Harbaugh now has no shield from critics, Flacco has no excuses," Dec. 11). Mr. Cameron didn't drop the ball that would have been a touchdown in a game last season that very likely would have sent us to the Super Bowl. And Mr. Cameron didn't miss the kick that might have sent us there as well. Also, he had nothing to do with our special teams let-down when the Redsklns returned the ball 64 yards at a critical phase of last Sunday's thriller.