For months, they've heard the talk about how they could be the weak link of an otherwise championship-caliber team. They've been reminded about their roles in blowing two 14-point leads in an AFC divisional playoff loss to the New England Patriots in January. They've dealt with injuries and change, and now the Ravens' secondary gets another challenge: Peyton Manning.
"It's about as tough as it gets," said Ravens cornerback Kyle Arrington of Sunday's regular-season opening matchup against Manning and the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field. "They don't make them easy, I'll tell you."
One of the most prominent storylines of the NFL's kickoff weekend is how Manning, now 39 and entering his 18th season, will fare in new head coach Gary Kubiak's offense.