Tapes

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. If the Denver Broncos didn't learn in December that Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta has developed a nose for the end zone, they will certainly take note when watching film from Sunday's win over the Indianapolis Colts. When the Ravens needed a big play and a little bit of breathing room in the third quarter of the wild-card win, quarterback Joe Flacco again turned to his sure-handed tight end as they neared the opponent's goal line.

If Baltimore prosecutors want to show jurors a video of teenage murder victim Phylicia Barnes and the man accused of killing her engaged in "sexual relations," they must do so in open court, a city judge has ruled. The ruling, which denied a prosecution motion to close the court during the playing of the tape, came last week after one of three unlisted hearings, but appears in documents available at Baltimore Circuit Court. A public schedule had said a hearing would be held Tuesday.

Ravens 33, Giants 14Ravens 33, Giants 14 Strategy: Offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell finally put his creative stamp on the offense, orchestrating season highs with 533 yards of total offense and 224 rushing yards. That included an option pitchout from Joe Flacco, getting Ray Rice isolated against slower linebackers to good effect, and selectively targeting suspect cornerback Corey Webster. Getting  wide receiver Torrey Smith in single coverage against Webster was an effective gambit to gain separation.

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 first-half interception that was returned for a touchdown. In an instant, an already-ugly performance for Joe Flacco and the Ravens offense took an abrupt turn for the worse late in the first half of Sunday's 34-17 loss to the Denver Broncos. After starting the game with a string of three-and-outs and another lost fumble by Flacco, the Ravens had finally started to gain some yards and some momentum, and they threatened to cut into the Broncos' lead as the second quarter wound down.

Baltimore County police are searching for two woman who allegedly stole two bottles of vodka from a Glyndon liquor store last month. Police released images on Wednesday of two woman at The Wine Post on Railroad Avenue where one of them took two bottles of vodka off the shelf and placed them in a bag, according to a police statement. The women took off in a tan or silver Toyota Sienna van and headed toward Owings Mills Boulevard. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 410-307-2020.

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 Cam Cameron's final three-and-out as Ravens offensive coordinator. You might have heard by now that the Ravens relieved Cam Cameron of his duties on Monday, firing the embattled offensive coordinator amidst his fifth season in Baltimore and replacing him with Jim Caldwell. I was the last media member to ask Cameron a question in a podium setting (last Thursday, he interrupted my question about Ray Rice's workload to give what seemed like a prepared statement about how the offense needed to convert more first downs)

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 cornerback Corey Graham's interception on a trick play ran by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Before Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jonathan Dwyer rumbled into the end zone and before quarterback Charlie Batch took a spin in a hot tub time machine and played like it was 1999, the Steelers were desperately looking for a spark on offense Sunday.

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 Steelers QB Byron Leftwich's touchdown scramble against the Ravens. In the first minute of Baltimore's 13-10 win in Pittsburgh on Sunday night, Steelers backup quarterback Byron Leftwich did something that few people in Heinz Field -- probably Leftwich included -- believed he could do. The Steelers had the football inside Ravens territory after cornerback Cary Williams was flagged for a 42-yard pass interference penalty.

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 Sam Koch's touchdown run on a fake field goal against the Raiders. The intentions of the Ravens have been questioned after they scored on a fake field goal while up 24 points in the third quarter of Sunday's blowout victory over the Oakland Raiders. To their credit, the Raiders didn't whine about the fake, though defensive tackle Tommy Kelly did ask reporters, “Would you run a fake field goal?