Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens (11-3) will face the San Francisco 49ers (11-3) Monday in Santa Clara, California. Here are predictions from The Baltimore Banner’s sports staff.

As NFL teams embrace aggressive, analytics-backed mentalities, the Ravens have bucked the trend, going for it on just 11 fourth downs.

Linebacker Roquan Smith, the leader of every pregame huddle, played Secret Santa by having the luxury goods dropped off at the lockers of all his teammates on defense.

Mayor Brandon Scott wanted the smoke, but the Ravens-Dolphins game will remain at 1 p.m.

The challenge has always been figuring out what more Hamilton can do. From there, he usually figures it out himself.

When a Ravens player needs to impress somebody with a good bottle of wine, they know where to turn.

Paul Mancano and Jonas Shaffer look ahead to Monday's potential Super Bowl preview.

The Ravens tight end formed a potent duo with the current 49ers QB at Iowa State.

“I don’t know what it is, whether it’s the lack of prime-time games that we’ve gotten or whatever, but I think the 11-3s are not created equal right now, in terms of the 49ers versus us,” safety Kyle Hamilton said. “We feel a little disrespected by that.”

Funk, who was born in Gaithersburg, will add depth to a running back room that recently lost rookie Keaton Mitchell to a season-ending knee injury.

But two key players who missed snaps Sunday returned to the field.

When the Ravens face the 49ers, no unit will be more important in coordinator Mike Macdonald’s scheme than his second-level defenders.

A late game would mean M&T Bank Stadium crowds exiting the stadium around the time of scheduled fireworks and a drone show, but city officials are not concerned about the crowds.

John Harbaugh said Mitchell avoided “cartilage-type damage” when he was injured, which “helps quite a bit.”

With three weeks to go, here’s how the race for the AFC is looking.

On Christmas Day, the AFC-leading Ravens will take on the NFC-leading 49ers. “I know y’all are excited for it, too,” Justin Madubuike said.

One week after combining for 15 catches, receivers Zay Flowers, Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor managed only two against the Jaguars.

Lamar Jackson's physical, escape-artist style makes a fan base frayed by injury concerns nervous, but letting him do it his way is the only path to the transcendent play that could lead Baltimore to the Super Bowl.

Banner Ravens Podcast hosts Paul Mancano and Jonas Shaffer react to the team’s 23-7 win over the Jaguars, breaking down another uneven performance from the offense, a statement game from tight end Isaiah Likely and a dominant showing from the defense.

The defense outperforms the offense as the Ravens clinch their playoff spot.