Ravens Eyeing a Return to Super Bowl Glory
Big Ben's Swollen Head Makes Baltimore the AFC Team to Beat in 2009.
Jan 8, 2009
Ravens Rookies Nevermore
Forget the fact that this is the first NFL team Harbaugh has coached, or that his quarterback, Joe Flacco; is also a rookie.
Forget about the Tennessee Titans starting the season 10-0 and securing home field advantage for the playoffs. The Titans narrow 13-10 victory in week five versus the Ravens can also be tossed out the window.
The Ravens are peaking at the right time and look to shut down all comers on their quest for their second Super Bowl this decade.
It has been several weeks since these teams last locked horns together, and both Harbaugh and Flacco have matured tremendously. Baltimore’s stellar defense has their back also, almost the same defense that stomped Kerry Collins (with the Giants) in their 2001 Super Bowl win.
Baltimore Ravens Retracing Super Bowl Path
If history repeats itself then Baltimore is in really good shape. On their way to a Super Bowl victory in 2001, the Ravens beat the Titans that year in the playoffs. Like they are in 2009 Baltimore was a wild card entry and Tennessee was number one. And as mentioned, Titans quarterback Kerry Collins was under center for the Giants in a 34-7 rout. How’s that for déjà vu?
If the Ravens do indeed reach the Super Bowl how’s this for irony? The New York Giants are defending champs and could quite possibly represent the NFC again! Only in the NFL can you get such drama.
Defense Wins Championships in the NFL
Every NFL fan knows how dangerous the Ravens defense is (ranked 2nd in the NFL), and the Titans are also punishing (7th), but experience favors Baltimore. Defensive captains Ray Lewis and Ed Reed will have their teammates psyched for this divisional playoff game.
Tennessee touts prolific run stopper Albert Haynesworth, and also a solid secondary, but the experience just isn’t quite up to par with Baltimore’s.
The Ravens held the Titans to just 47 yards rushing in their first meeting, and intercepted Collins twice. If the defense can repeat that performance combined with a more experienced Flacco under center, and a three-headed rushing attack (McGahee, McClain, and Rice), Baltimore will win.
AFC Playoffs Bottom Line
With injuries to Ben Roethlisberger (head) in Pittsburgh, and Ladainian Tomlinson (groin) in San Diego, it doesn’t matter who wins that game. Neither team will be healthy enough to reach the Super Bowl. The winner of the Titans/Ravens game will decide who represents the AFC in this years Super Bowl.
