Baltimore Ravens

Maryland became the sixth state in as many years to abolish capital punishment when Gov. Martin O'Malley signed legislation Thursday repealing the death penalty. The new law could face a challenge at the ballot box next year, however. A group that has led successful petition drives in the past said it would announce Friday whether it will move forward with an expected bid to put the issue to voters in November 2014. The bill was the first to get the governor's signature during a ceremony that...

DECATUR, Ala. — A city judge has dismissed a charge accusing Baltimore Ravens linebacker Rolando McClain of lying to police about his identity. The charge stemmed from McClain writing profanity on a ticket for a window-tint violation on April 21 instead of signing his name. Circuit Clerk Jessica Hayes said Thursday municipal Judge Billy Cook Jr. dismissed the charge at the prosecution's request. She says McClain pleaded guilty to the window tint violation and paid a $182 fine.

The first-year successes of quarterback Joe Flacco and Coach John Harbaugh were among the biggest surprises of 2008, and now both hope to sidestep sophomore slumps. But for any struggles the offense may have, the defense has proven its ability to keep Baltimore in games no matter how low the production on the other side of the ball. The Ravens doled out the dough to keep the defense intact, re-signing 10-time Pro Bowler Ray Lewis and rewarding Terrell Suggs with a six-year, $63 million extension.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Baltimore Ravens acquired center A.Q. Shipley from the Indianapolis Colts for a conditional 2014 draft pick. The trade, announced Thursday by the Ravens, will be finalized after Shipley passes a physical. Shipley played in 14 games last season with the Colts, getting five starts. He played a key role on an offensive line that was often decimated by injuries. He participated on special teams for Indianapolis in an AFC wild-card game in Baltimore last season.

OFFENSE: Baltimore's young offensive line held together enough to let rookie QB Joe Flacco quickly develop into a stable leader, but one who threw only 14 touchdown passes. Most of the Ravens' offense comes on the ground, where three backs -- powerful Le'Ron McClain, shifty Willis McGahee and rookie Ray Rice -- combined for more than 2,000 yards. . . . The Titans' offense has been solid but not spectacular behind QB Kerry Collins, whose best attribute this year is that he hasn't turned the ball over much.

OFFENSE: With rookie QB Joe Flacco starting the entire season, the Ravens finished 18th in total offense, 28th in passing and fourth in rushing. Flacco threw for 2,971 yards, with 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His favorite target was veteran WR Derrick Mason, who had 1,037 yards and five touchdowns. The Ravens relied heavily on a running game that featured the emergence of Le'Ron McClain and contributions from Willis McGahee and Ray Rice. . . . The Dolphins were 12th in total offense with QB Chad Pennington, who came to Miami after the...

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. WHERE: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh. (65,050). WEATHER: Mostly cloudy, flurries possible, low 20s. TV: WUSA (Channel 9), WJZ (Channel 13). RADIO: WWXT (92.7 FM), WWXX (94.3 FM), WTEM (980 AM). RECORDS: Ravens (13-5, wild card); Steelers (13-4, AFC North champions). ANNOUNCERS: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms. OFFENSE: Both teams will rely heavily on the run. Baltimore did not move the ball on the ground well against Tennessee last week, but has had success this year with a combination of three running...

BALTIMORE — For the better part of 2 1 / 2 quarters Sunday, Joe Flacco spent nearly as much time on the ground as he did upright, the offense struggled to finish off drives, and the Ravens couldn't get anything going in the running game. When Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub found Jacoby Jones in the end zone on a 32-yard touchdown pass about midway through the third quarter, the Ravens found themselves behind in a game that they seemingly had in control. But in a dominating final 20 minutes, the Ravens,...

BALTIMORE—The Baltimore Ravens , in an NFL season of prolific offense, used their defense Sunday to earn a trip to New England for the AFC title game. Two early touchdown passes by quarterback Joe Flacco provided all the offense the Ravens needed and they held on to beat the mistake-prone Houston Texans , 20-13, in a conference semifinal at M&T Bank Stadium. The second-seeded Ravens will face the top-seeded Patriots next Sunday with a Super Bowl spot at...

Ray Lewis, who has played 17 seasons for the Baltimore Ravens and defined the team's defensive excellence, announced his decision to retire Wednesday, telling teammates that "this will be my last ride. " "I told them I just felt so much peace in where I am with my decision because of everything I've done in this league," Lewis said during the Ravens' media session with several of his teammates watching. "I've done it, man. There's no accolade that I don't have individually but I've never...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — New Titans safety Bernard Pollard promises that Tennessee's revamped defense will be aggressive and ready to play what he calls "smack you in the mouth" football. If one player fights, Pollard sees a team where all fight. If one coach goes through something, they all do. And whatever is said inside the Titans' building remains among the "brotherhood. " "What happens here, what you hear here, stays here," Pollard said Tuesday. That's part of an all-for-one...

Maryland became the sixth state in as many years to abolish capital punishment when Gov. Martin O'Malley signed legislation Thursday repealing the death penalty. The new law could face a challenge at the ballot box next year, however. A group that has led successful petition drives in the past said it would announce Friday whether it will move forward with an expected bid to put the issue to voters in November 2014. The bill was the first to get the governor's signature during...

BALTIMORE — For much of the past decade and a half, opening day in Baltimore has been an exercise in make-believe, a day for everyone to get dolled up in orange and black for one spring afternoon, cram into Oriole Park at Camden Yards, pretend there is hope for that year's Orioles and imagine what it might feel like to see the charade made real as spring turns to summer, and summer to fall. But on Friday afternoon, the 46,653 who sat in the warm sunshine and cheered for...

An offseason of losses gave way to a big Baltimore Ravens gain Sunday as the team announced it has agreed in principle on a five-year deal with former Denver Broncos defensive end Elvis Dumervil. Dumervil, a three-time Pro Bowl selection who had 63 1 / 2 sacks and 16 forced fumbles in six seasons with the Broncos, will be at the Ravens' facility on Tuesday to take a physical and if all goes well, to sign a contract. "I think this move is awesome," Ravens outside linebacker Terrell...

He had already clutched the Lombardi Trophy about 10 hours after he held it for the first time. He had watched quarterback Joe Flacco receive a new car as the MVP of Super Bowl XLVII and he had done one more interview as a newly minted champion. But before Baltimore Ravens Coach John Harbaugh left New Orleans on Monday afternoon, he stopped in front of a group of reporters, grabbed his arm and then aggressively pulled at his cheeks. "Is this real?" Harbaugh asked. "Is it a dream?"

Maryland lawmakers are among those planning to re-arrange their work schedules Tuesday to pay tribute to the Baltimore Ravens. Legislative aides said that both the House and Senate will convene earlier than the usual 10 a.m. (or so) with hopes of wrapping up legislative business in time for members to get from Annapolis to Baltimore to see the Super Bowl champions . A victory parade is scheduled to leave Baltimore's City Hall at 10:45 a.m. and wind through downtown en route...

The line between Ravens and Redskins territory, if such a thing existed, might run directly through the halls of Reservoir High , a Howard County school located just west of Interstate 95 about halfway between downtown Baltimore and Washington. It would run between the offices of school resource officer Jason Hall — a founding member of the school's Redskins Fan Club, whose walls are plastered with Redskins memorabilia — and assistant athletic director Josh Sullivan, a Ravens fan since the...

Why the Texans can win… They steadied themselves with their first-round playoff triumph over the Bengals after finishing the regular season with three straight losses. That gave the Texans a win in the first playoff game in franchise history. Now they seek their first road playoff victory. To get it, they'll probably have to play the same way they played against the Bengals. Rookie QB T.J. Yates had a modest 159 passing yards but didn't throw an interception. RB Arian Foster ran for 153 yards and the Houston...

NEW ORLEANS — As parts of the stadium went to black in the opening moments of the second half, the worst nightmare for the Baltimore contingent was that the Ravens could lose momentum at the exact point they were on the cusp of delivering a knockout blow in the Super Bowl, and taking away the ending this back-from-the-brink season deserved. But Joe Flacco knew, even when a three-plus touchdown lead had evaporated and he was in agony on the sideline watching his defense be picked...

NEW ORLEANS – The Crescent City's unique brand of voodoo threatened to sneak up on the Baltimore Ravens, the kind of dark magic that defies logic and explanation but maybe not fate. "Is it real? Is it real?" Ravens safety Ed Reed would later say in disbelief. But nothing could darken this day for the Ravens. When it was all over and the mercurial team flickered back to life to win Super Bowl XLVII , Baltimore players embraced the gleaming Vince Lombardi Trophy. Their...