OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith had broken a handful of tackles Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers before he found himself standing next to coach John Harbaugh on the sideline.

“Steve said something to me that he was born for AFC North football,” Harbaugh said.

Smith has repeatedly said he will always think of himself as a Carolina Panther. He played for the franchise for 13 seasons.

But after two AFC North games, Smith has certainly made himself at home in a division known for being the most physical in football. He has fought for every yard he has produced this season, shrugging off tacklers, wrestling through facemask penalties and throwing down Adam Jones on his way to his first touchdown.

How tough is it to bring down Smith? The Bengals and Steelers have quickly found out. Smith leads NFL wide receivers with 10 broken tackles, according to Pro Football Focus. The next closest receiver is Golden Tate, who has half that amount.

"If you get him the ball early on and get him involved in the game early on, there’s no telling what he’s going to do," quarterback Joe Flacco said.

There was some questions whether Smith was done as top-flight receiver in the NFL. He is 35 and is coming off a season in which he averaged 11.6 yards per catch -- his fewest since 2007.

Even though it's early, Smith is averaging 14.5 yards per catch and is battling after every reception. His 46 yards after contact is second in the league behind Titans tight end Delanie Walker.

Smith is playing like a receiver who posted this on Twitter while heading to this year's training camp: "If u think I had a chip on my shoulder. U ain't seen nothing yet."

"He doesn’t just tell you by speaking, he tells you by his play, and he’s been doing it for a long time," Harbaugh said. "I’m proud of him, and I’m proud of what he’s done coming in here. We’re just beginning. There’s a lot of football to be played, a lot of challenges in front of us, and he works hard every day.”