Final decision....... Ravens @ Patriots
Final decision....... Ravens @ Patriots
For the first time in over 25 years the AFC Championship Game will feature a rematch from the previous season.
The two teams have met twice previously in the postseason with each winning a game.
The last thing the Ravens needed on top of all that was a Pats team being fueled by the words of a special-teamer, albeit a very good one. Baltimore special teams star Brendon Ayanbadejo really stepped in it this past weekend when he started talking trash in advance of Sunday's game.
In a series of Tweets, Ayanbadejo called the Patriots' extremely effective up- tempo offense a gimmick, needled them for ultimately failing in their near perfect 18-1 season back in 2007, and even brought Spygate back before finishing up by ripping the organization for releasing wide receiver Tiquan Underwood a day before the Super Bowl last year.
No matter how close this rivalry has been at times, though, more often than not the Patriots have gotten the best of Baltimore when it has counted and New England seems to hold a number of significant advantages going into Sunday's contest.
In AFC title games, New England is an impressive 7-2 and a perfect 4-0 in Foxboro.
By limiting substitutions, Brady puts an incredible strain on the opposition and its ability to handle a plethora of playmakers, like Hernandez, as well as the game's top slot receiver, Welker, outside the numbers threat Brandon Lloyd and running backs Stevan Ridley, Woodhead and Vereen.
"They look to create advantages for themselves, and they do it with tempo a lot of times," Harbaugh said. "It's not just the fact that they go fast sometimes. They force you to line up. Sometimes they'll force the defense to show their hand because you have to defend the play. If you don't, they'll run the play."
Consider this -- since 2010 Flacco has thrown 12 touchdowns versus just two interceptions in the postseason, compiling a 102 passer rating. Over that same span, Brady has tossed 13 TDs with five picks and compiled a 101.5 rating.
"I think the two best teams are in the finals," Brady said. "Baltimore certainly deserves to be here and so do we, so it's very fitting. We played them early in the year. They got us. We're going to have to play our best game this week."
Patriots 24, Ravens 20
