Anquan Boldin's performance looms large with Ravens' deficiencies

49ers receiver Anquan Boldin played Sunday's game against Green Bay with a chip on his shoulder.

The veteran receiver saw his number called early and often, catching a game-best 13 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown in San Francisco's 31-28 win. No NFL receiver had a better opening week than Boldin.

The Ravens traded Boldin away for a sixth-round pick, with the reasoning that it was time to bolster the middle of the defense and save some cap space, which would have been roughly about $2 million. What was suddenly John Harbaugh's loss became brother Jim Harbaugh's gain.

The Green Bay secondary couldn't slow Boldin as a receiver. Boldin made the Green Bay defenders pay with stiff arms and crushing blocks. It was vintage Boldin, and not necessarily the one we saw in Baltimore. He looked like the star from Arizona that drew so much attention when he played alongside Larry Fitzgerald.

But with Baltimore not having Boldin on the books anymore, the Ravens were able to sign a variety of defensive players to help cope with the losses of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, including Elvis Dumervil, Daryl Smith, Michael Huff, Chris Canty and Marcus Spears.

Then again, that argument will have to wait a week after the Ravens' defense gave up a franchise-worst 49 points to Denver Thursday, with Peyton Manning tossing seven touchdowns in the process.

No one could have predicted Dennis Pitta's dislocated hip injury that would leave him out indefinitely, or Jacoby Jones' knee injury, which will cost him at least a month. But given what's since transpired, the Ravens sure could use Boldin right about now.

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