For Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta, competing in his first regular-season action in more than 700 days was a triumph in itself.
But to facilitate the Ravens' win against the Buffalo Bills in the season opener Sept. 11, Pitta had to justify his quarterback's faith in him. For most of the afternoon, he appeared to do just that.
Despite a shaky performance as a blocker, Pitta's route-running was as smooth and sharp as it ever was, and longtime friend Joe Flacco trusted him enough to target him three times during the game's first three quarters.
The results were mixed: an incompletion, a catch that gained 6 yards when the team needed 7 and another that did move the chains.
