Well ladies and germs we have arrived at what is arguably the best round of football playoffs each year, the conference championships!!! Last week ye ole tender went 3 for 4 with his picks, and I am not sure anyone expected the niners to go point for point with the Saints. Alas the 2 biggest offenses in football are gone, 3 of the best defenses are left and no one is surprised Tammy and the Patriots are still standing.
This weeks matchups are about as even as they can get and in the AFC the top 2 seeds all year will face off, which hasnt happend since 2004 with the Pats and Steelers (Just pointing out again that someone from the AFC North is always in this game). The NFC is not the game most people expected but may actually be the game, when all is said and done, that everyone is talking about.
This week I am going about this a little different. First it is Thursday, not Saturday that I am laying the picks out, but also I am going to analyze each team and cover each game on separate days. Today we go with the first game Saturday between the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens. Here is what I think of the visiting Baltimore Ravens and later this afternoon I will post my thoughts on the Patriots and make my game pick.....
BALTIMORE RAVENS:
The Ravens did something last week that they have never done, and that was win a playoff game at home after a first round bye. They defeated the Houston Texans 20-13, and by no surprise were led to victory behind a tremendous defensive effort that caused 3 turnovers. The offense did struggle a bit but some credit must be given to Houston's 2nd ranked defense. The first thought I had coming out of that game was, "The AFC better watch out next year for a healthy Texans team." With that said the Ravens offense will need to play better this week in Foxboro, which I believe will happen as the Patriots D is ranked 15th in points allowed and 31st in yards.
The amazing part about this week is that if you listen to the local media and fans it sounds as if the Ravens lost last week. Yes the offense did not make some necessary adjustments and play calling was suspect at times, but the team won and is going to their 2nd AFC Championship in 4 years of the Harbaugh/Flacco era. Ultimately all that matters in the playoffs is WIN! It doesnt have to be pretty, and it doesnt have to be a blow out it simply has to have you score more points than the other team PERIOD!! There are plenty of other team fans around the league that would be happy with making the playoffs 4 years in a row and going to their conference championship 2 of those years (Just look 40 miles down the road to that sad sack of a franchise before you complain too much).
With all of that said the Ravens offense has to come ready to play this week, but so does the defense. Contrary to popular belief Joe Flacco does not need to have an elite game to prove his worth because trying to out shoot Tammy and that Pats offense will only bring and L. Joe Flacco is not elite, but that is okay because this team doesnt need elite. They need better than average, which he is. This is the most balanced Ravens team ever, yes EVER! FEED THE BEAST this week by letting your best offensive weapon, Ray Rice, touch the ball 30 times (rush and receiving) and use the clock to keep Tammy off the field. Have Joe then use play action and the gun to run the effective offense he can because this defense can be scored on, ALOT! In games that the Ravens have used playaction, the shotgun and ran Ray Rice, Joe Flacco averages a QB rating of 97.4 which aint too shabby. Using time of possession as a weapon has worked against the Patriots most years. Defensively the Ravens will need to look back at their gameplan from '09 when they walked in to Foxboro and manhandled the Pats. They also need to look at what the Jets and Steelers have done recently to beat the vaunted offense. Baltimore needs to rush 4 and drop all the rest back in to coverage. They need to chip and press those RIDUNKULOUS TE's as much as possible to throw off the timing and routes. The 4 pass rushers need to get pressure and collapse the pocket as much as possible so Tammy is uncomfortable and makes bad throws.
I have said all year that this Ravens team is the most balanced team in football and the best team in the AFC. They are now 7-0 against playoff teams this year, but are 1-6 against Tammy and the PATS. If the Ravens want to take the next step they will need to get this game to "ugly" status as quick as possible and play physical Ravens football. The Patriots arent built for Ravens Football.
What are your thoughts and keys to the Ravens keys?
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