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The uproar after Week 1 was how much the Baltimore Ravens missed wide receiver Anquan Boldin, and the Ravens certainly would benefit from his toughness and clutch plays. But the Ravens miss tight end Dennis Pitta much more than Boldin.

Pitta, who is on the injured reserve-designated for return list after injuring his hip in training camp, may have been the Ravens' leading receiver at this point. Now the tight end position is one of the biggest weaknesses for the defending Super Bowl champions.

The Ravens have gotten little production out of Dallas Clark, Ed Dickson and Billy Bajema. Joe Flacco has connected on a little more than half of his passes to them (20 completions on 39 targets). Compare that to last year with Pitta, who caught 65.5 percent of the passes thrown his way (61 of 93).

The Ravens' tight ends have scored no touchdowns and have produced no catches more than 20 yards. Pitta had seven touchdowns and eight receptions greater than 20 yards.

Entering the season, the Ravens looked like they were in better position to handle the loss of Pitta more than the void left by the trade of Boldin. But undrafted wide receiver Marlon Brown, who has filled Boldin's spot in the starting lineup, leads the team with three touchdowns.

The biggest disappointment for the Ravens is Dickson. He has dropped four of the nine passes thrown in his direction, according to Pro Football Focus. One pass in Buffalo went off Dickson's hands and resulted in an interception.

The Ravens are clearly losing patience with Dickson.

“Ed just needs to go catch the ball,” coach John Harbaugh said. “He needs to run fast, get open and catch the football, put it away and get up field. That’s all he needs to do. And if he’s thinking about anything besides that, he’s doing himself a disservice.”

The pressure is on Dickson, who will be a free agent after the season. Through four games, he has more drops than catches (three).

"Mentally, it seems like a bad dream," Dickson said.

The Ravens' tight ends have produced the fewest receiving yards in the AFC North. Even the Pittsburgh Steelers, who didn't have Heath Miller for two games, have gotten 230 yards out of their tight ends, which is 12 more than the Ravens. Cleveland Browns tight end Jordan Cameron has more catches, yards and touchdowns than the entire tight end group in Baltimore.

The statistics would look different if the Ravens had gotten the projected production out of Dickson. A third-round draft pick in 2010, Dickson caught 54 passes and scored five touchdowns in 2011.

“The stats kind of speak for themselves that you’re alluding to,” Harbaugh said. “He’s not the same player right now that he was then, obviously.”

Here are some numbers, many of which come courtesy of ESPN Stats & Information, to remember for Thursday night's game between the Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos:

10 -- Times the Ravens pressured Peyton Manning on 24 second-half dropbacks (41.7 percent) in the AFC divisional game.

12 -- Wins by the defending Super Bowl champions in the past 13 season openers. The only loss came from the 2012 New York Giants.

13 -- Victories by the Ravens in prime-time in 19 games under coach John Harbaugh. That's a .684 winning percentage.

30 -- Carries by Ray Rice in the last meeting with the Broncos. It was his most in the 2012 season.

37 -- Percent of the Ravens' receptions lost with wide receiver Anquan Boldin traded and tight end Dennis Pitta on the injured reserve-designated for return list. They combined for 126 of the Ravens' 334 catches in 2012.

80 -- Consecutive regular-season starts by quarterback Joe Flacco, tied with Jarret Johnson for the longest streak in Ravens history. He will break that mark Thursday night.

148 -- Combined career sacks by Terrell Suggs (84.5) and Elvis Dumervil (63.5).

2,839 -- Days since the last game the Ravens didn't have either Ray Lewis or Ed Reed in the starting lineup. It last happened on Nov. 27, 2005.

It was 236 days ago when Joe Flacco threw that fateful, 70-yard touchdown pass to Jacoby Jones, leading the Baltimore Ravens to a double-overtime playoff win at the Denver Broncos. The Ravens went on to win the Super Bowl, and the Broncos were left to think of what might have been. Flacco and the Ravens return to Denver's Sports Authority Stadium on Thursday night to kick off the 2013 season in a rematch of two of the top teams in the AFC.

The stakes are different, and so are the teams. Gone are Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Anquan Boldin from the Ravens. Baltimore is expected to have 10 different starters from the team that hoisted up the Lombardi trophy, and that doesn't include former Broncos defensive standout Elvis Dumervil, who is expected to play in passing situations.

The Broncos won't have Dumervil or Von Miller, who has been suspended for six games, rushing after Flacco this time. But Peyton Manning is back, along with the addition of Wes Welker to an already dangerous wide receiver group.

Broncos team reporter Jeff Legwold and Ravens team reporter Jamison Hensley discuss whether the opener will be a repeat of that memorable AFC divisional playoff game.

Hensley: Much has been made of the 50-foot Flacco banner hanging at the Broncos' stadium. Flacco has embraced the hate, saying it's not a bad thing for opposing fans to dislike you. The Ravens' focus, as it has been all offseason, has been to move forward. It's the start of a different era in many ways for the Ravens in their first game without Lewis and Reed. But it's easier to move forward when you're the ones sitting on top of the football world. How much will the "revenge factor" play into this game for the Broncos?

Legwold: Broncos coach John Fox, much like John Harbaugh with his "What's Important Now" mantra to leave the championship season behind, has tried to leave the past in the past. But questions about the kneel-down in the waning seconds despite Manning at quarterback and two timeouts in hand, as well as a third-and-7 running play late in the game, have trailed him all through the offseason. A lot of the Broncos players are willing to say memories of the playoff loss pushed them through the tedium of May and June. But over the past two weeks, they've stuck to the script -- that it's a new year, a new team -- but deep down they all know they let a potential Super Bowl trip, home-field advantage and a seven-point lead with less than a minute to play get away. And Dumervil's departure does add a little spice as well. How has Dumervil fit in and what kind of year do you think he'll have?

Hensley: Terrell Suggs has talked about Dumervil having the right mentality to play for the Ravens, and Harbaugh commented how Dumervil is already taking a leadership role. He really is a perfect fit for the Ravens on the field, too, where they have never had an elite pass-rusher to pair with Suggs. Over the past six seasons, Suggs has had only one teammate record more than seven sacks in a season. And being a pass-rusher is Dumervil's primary role. The Ravens will use Courtney Upshaw on early downs to set the edge against the run, which should keep Dumervil's legs fresh in pass-rushing situations. The Ravens have a familiarity with Dumervil because inside linebackers coach Don Martindale was Denver's defensive coordinator in 2010 and was Dumervil's position coach in 2009, when the linebacker-end led the NFL with 17 sacks. Baltimore is catching a break Thursday night with Dumervil now wearing purple and Miller serving his suspension. How are the Broncos going to generate a pass rush on Flacco?

Legwold: That is the $380,687.50 question, which is how much of Miller's base salary he'll surrender during the six-game suspension. But without Miller (18.5 sacks in '12) and Dumervil (11.0 last season), the Broncos will mix and match on a variety of down-and-distances. Derek Wolfe is a key player, because of his ability to play inside and outside along the defensive line and still create matchup problems. Jack Del Rio believes Wolfe is ready to take an enormous step in his development, and among the defensive linemen only Dumervil played more snaps up front than Wolfe did as a rookie last year. The Broncos will ask Shaun Phillips, who they think has plenty left to give after 9.5 sacks for the struggling Chargers last season, to be a spot rusher. And Robert Ayers, who was a first-round pick in 2009, has always said he could put up the sack numbers if given the chance. He's played through four different coordinators -- Del Rio is his first to be on the job for two consecutive seasons -- but has just 6.5 career sacks. Now is his time. On Flacco, how has he dealt with all that comes with a Lombardi trophy and a nine-digit contract?

Hensley: The money and increased notoriety haven't really affected Flacco. If anything, he's become more vocal. There was a playful trash-talking exchange during training camp between Flacco and Suggs, who told his quarterback that the defense's "swag is on a thousand million." Flacco responded: "Then what's my swag at? I get paid more than you. A lot more!" What has really changed is the wide receiver group around Flacco. This unfamiliarity led to four interceptions in six quarters of work this preseason. His top two receivers from a year ago won't be there Thursday. Boldin was traded to San Francisco, and tight end Dennis Pitta is out indefinitely with a dislocated hip. They accounted for 36 receptions in the postseason, which was nearly half of Flacco's completions. That being said, it was Torrey Smith and Jones who did the most damage in the playoff game in Denver. The Ravens are hoping wide receiver Brandon Stokley can move the chains on third downs and tight end Ed Dickson (hamstring) can contribute in the season opener. There has to be more confidence in the Broncos' passing attack with Manning and his bunch of talented receivers.

Legwold: There is plenty of confidence in what the potential can be with Welker in the mix. The Broncos loved Stokley as a slot receiver, but Welker is younger and offers a bigger upside in terms of production. Welker will also have the best receivers to his outside shoulders in Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas, the best combo he's had since the Patriots decided they didn't want Randy Moss around any longer. The 229-pound Thomas and the 214-pound Decker make the Broncos a tough matchup for any secondary. In the preseason, teams simply backed off into coverage and took their chances they could allow the catch and make the tackle before too much damage was done. The pace, especially at altitude, is a little something new as well. The Broncos ran 49 plays, excluding penalties, in the first half alone against the Rams in the preseason. They won't always go that fast, but if they get the look they want from a defense, they'll put the pedal to the floor and not allow a substitution. The key issue will be protection: Left tackle Ryan Clady missed plenty of the preseason after offseason surgery, and Denver has surrendered pressure in the middle of the field at times. The three-wide look is what the Broncos want their base formation to be on offense, but they can't do it if they can't protect Manning. It has to be a strange thing for a Baltimore defense that has been the franchise's signature for so long to have so many changes.

Hensley: There were a lot of changes to the Ravens' defense, but there were necessary changes. The Ravens weren't a top-10 defense for the first time since 2002. This defense had slumped to No. 17 in the NFL. It's never easy to part ways with the likes of Lewis and Reed. But the Ravens aren't replacing two Hall of Fame players in their prime. Baltimore had to replace two aging players who weren't the same playmakers from a few years ago. The additions of Dumervil, defensive lineman Chris Canty, linebacker Daryl Smith and safety Michael Huff have made this a stronger and more athletic defense. The Ravens' defense is going to be significantly better in two areas: stopping the run and pressuring the quarterback. The biggest concern, especially when you're starting two new safeties, is the communication in the secondary. One mistake there and Manning will burn you for a touchdown. How is the Broncos' secondary holding up this summer?

Legwold: The Broncos would feel better if Bailey felt better. Bailey did not practice Sunday or Monday because of a left foot injury he suffered in the preseason loss in Seattle and is still a major question mark for Thursday's game. Bailey has been on the field for practice, but has not participated in any of the drills. The end result means Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie would likely line up much of the time in Bailey's left cornerback spot. Rodgers-Cromartie is one of the more athletic sidekicks the Broncos have had for Bailey since Bailey arrived in 2004. Chris Harris and Tony Carter, the player who gave Jones a free release off the line of scrimmage on the game-tying bomb last January, will play in the nickel and dime as well. But overall the Broncos kept 11 defensive backs -- six corners, five safeties -- and can mix and match for almost every situation. They have flexibility and use it, so every defensive back in uniform Thursday night could see some action in the defense.

Could this be Ray Lewis, the Sequel?

The Baltimore Ravens announced they have placed tight end Dennis Pitta (hip) on the Injured Reserve-Designated For Return list Wednesday. Just like Lewis last season, the Ravens originally believed one of their top players was done for the year. And, just like Lewis, they're giving him a chance to come back toward the end of the season and perhaps the playoffs.

Unlike the players who have been put on this list in the AFC North -- Cincinnati wide receiver Andrew Hawkins, Cleveland guard Jason Pinkston and Pittsburgh tight end Matt Spaeth -- Pitta isn't guaranteed to return this year. When coach John Harbaugh has addressed Pitta's situation, he's talked about the "optimism" of getting him back.

"Dennis is a great player," Harbaugh said earlier this week. "And this is an opportunity that seems like it might make sense."

There is only a slight risk involved by giving this designation, which can be placed on just one player this season, to Pitta. If one of the Ravens' star players -- like Joe Flacco, Ray Rice or Terrell Suggs -- sustains an injury that will sideline them eight to 10 weeks, the Ravens would have to use one of their spots on the 53-man roster on a player who can't play for a significant period of time.

But, if Pitta has any chance of coming back, this is a move the Ravens had to make. He is the Ravens' best target on third downs and in the red zone. He is Flacco's best security blanket with Anquan Boldin gone.

A team that has gone to the playoffs in each of the past five years, the Ravens understand what kind of a boost it would be to get Pitta back for the postseason. They experienced it last season when Lewis did it.

Even if Pitta can't come back, it's remarkable that there was a chance of him doing so. He fractured and dislocated his hip in the first week of training camp. The discovery that there was no ligament or cartilage damage opened the door for his return.

"I would love to play this season," Pitta told the team's website last week. "I think there's a possibility of me coming back. There's also the possibility that I won't be back until next season. I'm prepared for both decisions. Right now, I'm taking it day-to-day and doing everything they allow me to do. I'm getting stronger every day.”

Still, the Ravens believe there is a chance. It's the same faith they had when they put Lewis on the IR-Designated For Return list last year.

In ESPN.com's NFL preview, the Baltimore Ravens were the consensus pick to finish second in the AFC North. I was one of two prognosticators (Ashley Fox was the other) who has the Ravens winning the division for a third straight season, but I was obviously outnumbered on this point. The Cincinnati Bengals are the favorite to win the division. As I put it, The defense is faster and more athletic, and the offense can score points with Joe Flacco, Ray Rice and Torrey Smith. The demise of the defending Super Bowl champions has been greatly exaggerated.

Here is the Intelligence Report that I wrote on the Ravens:

1. Backing up the contract: Most quarterbacks don't have anything to prove after winning a Super Bowl and earning the game's MVP honors. But there's still a chip on Joe Flacco's shoulder, or more specifically, a $120.6 million contract on it. He has to put up more than pedestrian numbers to back up being one of the highest-paid players in the game. In five NFL seasons, Flacco has never thrown for 4,000 yards or more than 25 touchdowns in a season. The Ravens' belief is, with Jim Caldwell remaining the playcaller, Flacco will carry over his spectacular postseason -- 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions -- into the 2013 regular season.

2. Replacing Ray Lewis and Ed Reed: No one is ever going to replace Lewis and Reed as far as what these future Hall of Fame players have meant to the franchise, and the Ravens aren't trying to do that. Baltimore, though, thinks it can replace two great players who were at the end of their careers. Daryl Smith, the all-time leading tackler in Jaguars history and the Ravens' new middle linebacker, has been Baltimore's best defensive player this preseason. Safety Michael Huff is more versatile than Reed and provides more of a physical presence. Plus, Smith and Huff will combine to make $1.7 million this season, which is $13 million less than what the Ravens paid Lewis and Reed last season. The biggest challenge is filling the leadership void.

3. Offensive identity: Are the Ravens going to pass more because of the big-money contract given to Flacco? Or are they going to be a run-first team after the losses of wide receiver Anquan Boldin and Dennis Pitta? The Ravens' identity is going to be a little of both. A balanced attack isn't a haphazard guess. This is based on what the Ravens did in the playoffs with Caldwell running the show. In the postseason, Flacco dropped back to throw 132 times and the running backs received 128 carries. The two most proven playmakers are Flacco and Ray Rice, and it would be unproductive to take the ball out of either one of their hands for an extended period.

4. Dynamic defensive duo: Over the past six seasons, Terrell Suggs has had one only teammate record more than seven sacks in a season. That's why no one is more excited than the 2011 NFL Defensive Player of the Year over the Ravens landing an elite pass-rusher like Elvis Dumervil in free agency. Since Dumervil entered the league in 2006, his 63.5 sacks are tied for seventh most in the NFL. This addition certainly got the attention of Ben Roethlisberger, Andy Dalton and Brandon Weeden.

5. Receivers need to step up: The Ravens lost more than their top two receivers when Boldin was traded and Pitta went down with a dislocated hip. They also lost their most-clutch receivers. Over the past two seasons, Boldin and Pitta combined for 17 touchdowns in the red zone. Last year, Boldin and Pitta led the team in third-down catches. The pressure to convert inside the 20-yard line and move the chains falls on wide receiver Torrey Smith, tight end Ed Dickson and two recent veteran additions in Brandon Stokley and Dallas Clark.

Most significant move. The Baltimore Ravens kept seven wide receivers but Tandon Doss still didn't make it. Doss, a fourth-round pick in 2011, went from battling for the No. 2 wide receiver job at the start of training camp to not having a job by the end of the preseason. He never had the same chemistry with quarterback Joe Flacco that rookies Marlon Brown and Aaron Mellette did. Doss' stock with the Ravens plummeted in the third preseason game, when Flacco threw an interception because Doss ran the wrong route. The Ravens chose to keep both promising young receivers (Brown, an undrafted rookie; and Mellette, a seventh-round pick) and two receivers dealing with injuries (LaQuan Williams and Deonte Thompson).

The most surprising move was waiving running back Bobby Rainey, who scored two touchdowns in the preseason finale. It looked like Rainey was going to make the team after the Ravens waived Anthony Allen and Delone Carter. That leaves the Ravens with two tailbacks, Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce. Rainey likely will go on the practice squad.

Potential return. When Dennis Pitta dislocated his hip in the first contact practice of training camp, coach John Harbaugh ruled out the starting tight end for the season. Harbaugh later said there was a chance that Pitta could return, and it looks like the Ravens are going to give him a chance to do so. The Ravens decided not to put Pitta on injured reserve, which indicates that the team will put him on the injured reserve-designated to return list. But the Ravens can't use that designation, which can only be placed on one player, on Tuesday.

The Ravens currently have one healthy tight end on the roster: Dallas Clark. The hope is Ed Dickson, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, will be ready for the season opener. The Ravens cut veteran Billy Bajema and undrafted rookie Matt Furstenburg on Saturday. Baltimore will likely bring back Bajema when Pitta is put on IR-designated to return and sign Furstenburg to the practice squad once he clears waivers.

What's next. General manager Ozzie Newsome says a team can't have enough cornerbacks and he has a history of adding offensive linemen after the final major cutdown. At this point, the Ravens have four cornerbacks on the active roster: Lardarius Webb, Corey Graham, Jimmy Smith and Chykie Brown. The fifth cornerback, Asa Jackson, is suspended for eight games. The Ravens could use another cornerback, especially one who can make an impact on special teams.

Baltimore is carrying eight offensive linemen on the roster, but that could change. Center Ryan Jensen, who had foot surgery, could go on injured reserve. The Ravens need to upgrade with a backup offensive lineman who has the versatility of playing multiple positions.

Here are the Ravens' moves to get down to the league limit of 53:

Waived: S Omar Brown, WR Tandon Doss, TE Matt Furstenburg, DT Cody Larsen, G Antoine McClain, RB Bobby Rainey, J.J. Unga, RB Anthony Allen, CB Marc Anthony, ILB Nigel Carr, RB Delone Carter, ILB Brandon Copeland, QB Dayne Crist, OT Jordan Devey, OT Rogers Gaines, TE Alex Silvestro, C Reggie Stephens.

Contract terminated: TE Billy Bajema, QB Caleb Hanie.

Injured reserve: D.J. Bryant (knee).