BaltimoreRavens.com later confirmed the report with a nifty little blogpost of their own.  The deal is worth a maximum of $50 million with a $10 million signing bonus and goes through 2017 according . . . → Read More: Ravens Sign Lardarius Webb To Six-Year Deal]]> This morning, The Sun’s Jeff Zrebiec broke the news that the Ravens have signed cornerback Lardarius Webb to a six-year deal.

BaltimoreRavens.com later confirmed the report with a nifty little blogpost of their own.  The deal is worth a maximum of $50 million with a $10 million signing bonus and goes through 2017 according Albert Breer of the NFL Network.

Webb is entering his fourth year in the NFL and his second season as a full-time player.

He tore his ACL in December of 2009 and returned to play 15 games in 2010 and all 16 in 2011.

BR.com reports that the Ravens had been trying to work out a long-term deal with Webb and fellow corner Cary Williams.

Good for the Ravens for getting this deal done.  Webb earned the contract last season.  My only request is that we keep him off special teams.  Is that alright with you Harbs?

Aaron Wilson of the Carroll County Times . . . → Read More: Ravens Are Saving Room For Blockbuster Contract Extension For Joe Flacco]]> The Ravens paced a first round tender on Lardarius Webb and a second round tender on Dannell Ellerbe on Monday which put them at an estimated $8 million under the salary cap.  Not a whole lot flexibility as the Ravens would like to also retain Jameel McClain.

Aaron Wilson of the Carroll County Times says that the Ravens are preparing for a long negotiation with Joe Flacco.  ”The Ravens are saving room for a potential blockbuster contract extension for quarterback Joe Flacco that may take several months to negotiate,” Wilson tweeted.

A blockbuster extension huh?  One like Mark Sanchez’s five-year, $58.25 million extension?

Is that really a good idea for the Ravens right now?  He’s a free agent after this season.  Would it be better for the Ravens to hold off on that “blockbuster” deal?

Foxworth is coming off . . . → Read More: Looking Back At Domonique Foxworth’s Terrible Contract]]> I remember thinking back in 2009 that $27.2 million over four-years was way too much to give Domonique Foxworth.  Here we are in 2012, a year in which Foxworth is due $5.6 million, and the Ravens are expected to cut the defensive back along with Chris Carr and Lee Evans.

Foxworth is coming off two major injuries and the only way he will be back with the Ravens will be if he makes a pay cut.  Over the course of three seasons with the Ravens, Foxworth has played in just 16 games.

By comparison, Lardarius Webb has played in 44 games over that same span, made 86 more tackles and caught 3 more interceptions.  Webb is a restricted free agent in 2012.

Foxworth tore his ACL in 2010 and struggled to recover last season.  Carr suffered hamstring and back injuries and would have carried a $4.56 million cap figure in 2012.

The 2011 Ravens brought about one of the best seasons in franchise history. They finished the regular season with a 12-4 record en route to the team’s third AFC North title in team history.

They finished 8-0 at home for the first time ever and swept the season series against the Pittsburgh Steelers . . . → Read More: Ravens Report Card: Breaking down the Baltimore Ravens 2011 season]]>

The 2011 Ravens brought about one of the best seasons in franchise history. They finished the regular season with a 12-4 record en route to the team’s third AFC North title in team history.

They finished 8-0 at home for the first time ever and swept the season series against the Pittsburgh Steelers for the first time since the 2006 season.

They featured a running back in the name of Ray Rice who led the NFL in total yards from scrimmage and brought along a rookie wide receiver in Torrey Smith who finished the season with seven touchdowns, setting a Ravens rookie record. They added a third Defensive Player of the Year award to the mantle with linebacker Terrell Suggs winning this season.

The Baltimore Ravens were two plays away from playing in Super Bowl XLVI, but overall was a season to remember for fans everywhere. Let’s take a final look at the Ravens season unit by unit.

Quarterback: B

Joe Flacco had an up and down first half of the season but got better as the season progressed, culminating with his performance in the AFC Championship game, outplaying his counterpart Tom Brady. As the offense became more balanced and Cam Cameron used the run effectively, Flacco’s passing became better. Flacco finished the season with 20 touchdowns and threw for 3,610 yards.

At times he still doesn’t have the pocket presence and ball security you would like to see out of a 4th year starting QB, but he showed this year that he very well could take that next step. He needs more help on the offensive line and with the addition of Jim Caldwell as quarterbacks coach, Flacco’s numbers could trend upwards once again next season.

Running Backs: A

Ray Rice finished with a NFL high 2,068 yards in total offense this season and clearly is the team’s star player and workhorse. He’s in line for a new deal, and anyway you slice it, he’ll be back for the 2012 season. His toughness, quickness and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield make him one of the elite backs in the game.

The Ravens signed Ricky Williams to backup Rice and he did an admirable job in a role, at least publicly, he didn’t mind having. The Ravens mixed it up well with Rice and Williams and that was the key to keeping Rice fresh throughout the majority of the season. Williams has now since retired and the Ravens will look to find his backup, preferably a tough, physical,  between-the-tackles-type back in 2012. That player may already be on the roster in Anthony Allen, but that remains to be seen.

I still say signing fullback Vonta Leach was the Ravens best move of the off-season and one of the best in the NFL. He’s a bulldozer who laid paths for Rice to run for his most rushing yards so far in his career. Leach had no problem taking on linebackers or chipping on defensive ends, he did it all.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: B-

Anquan Boldin led the team with 887 yards receiving and 57 catches, but with Boldin, you want to see more in terms of separation needed against defensive backs.

One player who burst onto the scene was rookie Torrey Smith who led all Ravens receivers with seven touchdowns becoming the team’s vertical threat. Smith became better as the season went along catching the ball over the middle. With another off-season to work on route running he could have a Pro Bowl-type season in 2012.

Lee Evans season ended in a very disappointing way after not being able to hang onto the football late in the AFC Championship game, and only finished with four catches for the season.

The Ravens young duo of tight ends, Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta filled in well this season after the Todd Heap era ended in Baltimore. Ed Dickson finished with 54 catches for 528 yards and five touchdowns. But he was overtaken throughout the second half by the emergence of Dennis Pitta who caught 40 balls for 405 yards and three touchdowns. Pitta blocks well and makes catches all over the field, while Dickson had problems holding onto the football in the 2nd half of the season, with a big drop in the AFC Championship game.

Offensive Line: C-

This group went from a supposed strong spot on the Ravens to a group that will most likely need some changes heading into the off-season. Run-blocking, typically a strong suit was not the same in 2011 as it was in 2010, but looked good because Ray Rice ran so well. The key to the line is guard Ben Grubbs who the Ravens will try hard to hang onto. Marshal Yanda is the line’s best player and a mauler who is just entering his prime.

Michael Oher was solid at right tackle but he may move back to left tackle next season because Bryant McKinnie isn’t the answer there. Veteran center Matt Birk battled injuries and possibly may retire. Center and tackle are areas the Ravens should and need to target in the draft.

Defensive Line: C

The Ravens found a resurgence in Cory Redding and yet another gem in rookie lineman Pernell McPhee, who finished the season with six sacks. These two players along with Pro Bowl tackle Haloti Ngata gave the Ravens good push up front in the first half of the season. Haloti however dealt with a leg injury for a good portion of the season as he began to slow down in the 2nd half.

The push up front the Ravens got in the first half was non-existent in the 2nd half of the season and became harder for linebackers to free themselves of blockers while also being able to get pressure off the edge.

Linebackers: B+

Jameel McClain stepped in place of the injured Ray Lewis for three games in November and did more than keep the Ravens afloat as the Ravens were 3-0 without Lewis on the field. McClain finished the season with 81 tackles and can build upon that for next season.

Ray Lewis finished with 91 tackles but was slowed in the 2nd half of the season with the turf toe injury. Teams began focusing on Lewis, taking him out of the equation on plays and exploiting him on 3rd downs by bringing a speedy tight end or wide receiver across the middle. Lewis is still the heart and soul of this team, but he’ll need help entering his 17th season.

Outside linebacker Terrell Suggs finished the year as the AP Defensive Player of the Year and with 14 sacks, a new career high. But Suggs was a non-factor in the playoffs, finishing with zero sacks as he saw more and more double teams. Getting pressure from the defensive tackles and Jarret Johnson would have helped the rest of the line in getting to the quarterback.

Secondary: B-

Lardarius Webb turned in a very solid season, and is as close to a Pro Bowl cornerback the Ravens have had since Chris McAllister. The future is bright for the Ravens with their other young cornerbacks in Jimmy Smith and Cary Williams. These three tackle well, play aggressive in press coverage and match-up well with bigger receivers because of their athleticism.

Safety Bernard Pollard was a great addition for the Ravens bringing a toughness and sense of physicality to the team. He tackled a lot better and played well in run coverage than expected. Ed Reed really struggled through his injuries this season, but always knows when to turn his game up a notch which he did in the postseason.

Special Teams: C-

How does a head coach with so much experience dealing with special teams allow his team to have such a poor unit? Whether it was covering on kickoff or punt returns, the Ravens gave up too much in those areas, even with some pretty good gunners and tacklers in this group.

Billy Cundiff was inconsistent this season, battling injuries and dealing with field goal misses including the 32-yard kick in the closing moments of the AFC Championship game. Sam Koch shined again this season averaging nearly 47 yards per punt.

Lardarius Webb did well returning kicks, but he’ll need to focus more on his cornerback duties, and rightfully so. The Ravens will have to find someone full-time to return punts and kicks.

Coaching Staff: B-

Head coach John Harbaugh got his players ready to play most weeks, playing physical, hard-nosed football. The losses on the road to inferior opponents is still baffling, and will somehow need to be corrected.

Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron found the right balance in the offensive game plan, after the loss to the Seattle Seahawks. It helped the running game and helped make Joe Flacco more efficient. He’ll be back in 2012 and I would like to see more plays added to the offense because it is still very vanilla with the type of explosive talent on this side of the ball.

Defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano moves on to Indianapolis as the Colts new head coach, but the players here loved him and responded to him well. He was aggressive with the game plan and blitzed fairly often in different looks. New defensive coordinator Dean Pees stresses that much won’t change in terms of the game plan and execution. What remains to be seen is what players will be gone and who stays a Raven in 2012.

Follow me on Twitter: MattCLund

The Ravens played the role of spoiler before, handing the Patriots a 33-14 loss at Gillette Stadium in the 2009 wild . . . → Read More: Ravens Report Card: Breaking down the Ravens 23-20 loss to the Patriots]]> In a match-up of two teams with very contrasting styles of play, the AFC’s #2 seeded Baltimore Ravens traveled north to take on the #1 seed New England Patriots for the AFC Championship.

The Ravens played the role of spoiler before, handing the Patriots a 33-14 loss at Gillette Stadium in the 2009 wild card playoffs, but that particular match-up was different than this one.

The Patriots didn’t have a young duo of TE’s in Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. They also didn’t have Wes Welker, who was injured during the Patriots playoff run that year.

Still that did not faze the Ravens as they confused and frustrated Patriots QB Tom Brady in the game, much like they did in 2009. The Ravens defense picked off Brady twice and sacked him once.

The Ravens had an offensive and defensive game plan that on most afternoons contributes to a Ravens victory. Despite that however, it came down to the right foot of kicker Billy Cundiff to tie the game and send it to overtime when Cundiff missed a 32-yard field goal wide left giving the Patriots the 23-20 victory and an AFC Championship in front of the home crowd.

Grading the Ravens 23-20 loss to the Patriots

Quarterback: A

Joe Flacco has heard the criticism all season. Ripped by the media and by Ed Reed this past week, he showed today that he can win and beat the best of the best at any given time.

The rushing attack sets up everything in this offense, but coming into this game, Flacco needed to make some throws to give the Ravens a chance to beat the Patriots. He did just that, getting out of the pocket to extend some plays, like the touchdown throw to TE Dennis Pitta when the Patriots had everyone else covered in the red zone.

Flacco made some throws in tight spaces that were right on the money on that same drive, connecting with WR’s Lee Evans and Anquan Boldin for gains of 20 and 37 yards respectively. He felt pressure, moved around and bought time, looking almost like his QB counterpart Tom Brady, stepping up or to his left and right to make throws.

He also had his head-scratching moment of the day when he threw a crucial 4th quarter interception on a drive that the Ravens ran the football effectively and moved down field. Flacco inexplicably threw into double coverage, and at least two other Patriot defenders were also in the area, ending the drive where the Ravens desperately needed points.

Still, this was a game that quieted the critics of Flacco because as the running game faltered, he drove the Ravens down field. This game is something to build on for next season.

Running Backs: C

The running game never really got into a good groove, even as the coaching staff mixed in backup RB Ricky Williams. The amount of running though did help to set-up the play action passing which was key in this game.

Ray Rice ran the ball 21 times for just 67 yards, while also catching a pass for 11 yards. Williams ran for 22 yards on six carries.

FB Vonta Leach was his usual bulldozing self, getting into the Patriots LB’s on numerous occasions with some good blocks.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: B+

This group played very well and was in complete rhythm all day with Joe Flacco. Even when passes from Flacco were under thrown, they were being caught. Anquan Boldin had a monster game catching six passes for 101 yards, including a key 29-yard catch on a 3rd and 1 that put the Ravens in position to tie or win the game in the 4th.

Torrey Smith tied the game at 16 in the 3rd quarter with his 29-yard touchdown catch and run and finished with 82 yards receiving. Smith had a very nice game and showcased his outstanding speed. He had to come back to a ball under thrown by Flacco that turned into a 42-yard catch, the longest of the day for the Ravens.

Lee Evans emerged in this game for the Ravens, catching three passes for 39 yards, but had a ball stripped from him in the end zone that would have given the Ravens the lead late in the 4th quarter.

TE Dennis Pitta stepped up in this one, hauling in a six-yard touchdown catch and finishing the day with 41 yards receiving. He’s got very good hands and is a strong, strong kid. TE Ed Dickson caught two passes for 23 yards, but drops plagued him again in this one.

Offensive Line: C

The offensive line struggled early in this game, getting beat on a three-man rush by the Patriots on Mark Anderson’s sack in the 1st quarter. Flacco will help this grade though, because he made plays with his feet getting out of the ever-collapsing pocket. Tackle Michael Oher briefly left the game with an ankle injury, but Patriots DT Vince Wilfork had his number all game.

Defensive Line: D-

I said last week that this group needed to step up in order for the Ravens to win this game. They helped to limit Tom Brady, but struggled to contain the Patriots rushing attack which ran for 96 yards. Haloti Ngata and Terrence Cody weren’t factors in this game. A healthy Ngata might have helped, but he was nursing an injury most of the season.

Linebackers: C

This group was quite disappointing in such a big game for the team. Terrell Suggs’s much-hyped match-up with Tom Brady was a non-factor, as he collected just five tackles and zero sacks. Suggs had zero sacks in both postseason games for the Ravens.

Ray Lewis finished with 12 tackles, but a lot of those were in coverage tackling Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski. Just a really quiet effort by these guys, as they got close to Brady but not enough to totally disrupt his game. Paul Kruger had the only sack for the Ravens.

Secondary: B+

The group gave up 239 yards through the air, but CB Lardarius Webb played very well, finishing with six tackles and an acrobatic interception in the 1st half. Safety Bernard Pollard had a solid game with 12 tackles total and deflecting a pass in the end zone that CB Jimmy Smith picked off.

They stayed close to the Patriots receivers, not allowing anything on the back end and tackled pretty well. The pressure they put on the receivers threw off the timing with Brady and his group.

Special Teams: C

Punter Sam Koch averaged nearly 44 yards on his four punts, but the kickoff return yardage given up was far too great in this game. Kicker Billy Cundiff hit field goals from 20 and 39-yards respectively, but the biggest one of them all, the 32-yard field goal to tie the game with 11 seconds left, went wide left.

Coaching: B+

A complete job by the coaching staff for this game. John Harbaugh had his men ready to play in this game. Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron went to some roll-outs and play action passes for Flacco that worked well, that kept the Patriots defense off-balance. The defense as a whole unit had Tom Brady out of rhythm in the game, never quite getting that head full of steam and that kept the Ravens in the game.

Final Take

This one’s going to hurt for a while. The Ravens were the better overall team on this day but the Patriots are three-time Super Bowl champions, and they again found their way to the Super Bowl.

Its always tough when all game competitors fight tooth and nail with their opponent only to have one play do them in. In this game, there were two plays that fans will take from this game. A big turning point in the game being the fumble by kick returner Danny Woodhead that the Ravens recovered but only ended up getting a field goal instead of a TD. A touchdown there drastically changes the outlook of the game.

What’s frustrating is the Ravens outplayed the Patriots in almost every facet. Joe Flacco outplayed Tom Brady in this ballgame. Brady did not throw a touchdown, the first time in 36 games he failed to do so. Flacco threw for 2 TD’s and finished with a 95.4 passer rating.

The Ravens outgained the Patriots 398 to 330 and won the time of possession by nearly seven minutes. They outgained the Patriots in rushing yards and won the turnover battle, turning the ball over just once.

All those crucial stats and the ebb and flow of the game all come down to one play, one kick, millions of emotions running through the minds of fans and that indelibly will be the play that everyone remembers from this game.

The AFC Championship loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers took a good while to flush from the minds of fans, but I have to feel that this loss will sting just a little more.

You start to look back at all the variables of the season. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed in the homestretch of their careers, a perfect regular season home-record and a first-round playoff bye. Beating the hated Pittsburgh Steelers twice and then seeing them lose in their playoff game. The stars seemed to be aligning.

But it wasn’t to be.

It’s something Ravens fans should cherish and use to look forward to next season. You don’t know if or when they’ll have another opportunity to get back. One thing is for certain, Ravens players and coaches will be motivated to get back out on the field and show why they are one of the upper-echelon teams in the NFL.

The Ravens held off a Texans rushing attack, led by RB Arian Foster . . . → Read More: Ravens Report Card: Breaking down the Ravens 20-13 victory over Houston]]> The Baltimore Ravens returned to the friendly confines of M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday afternoon, fresh off a much-needed bye week, taking on a hungry and determined Houston Texans squad primed to make it to their first ever AFC Championship Game.

The Ravens held off a Texans rushing attack, led by RB Arian Foster who carried the ball 27 times for 132 yards and a touchdown. The name of the game however was turnovers and the Ravens had four takeaways total – two in the final eight minutes of regulation- to secure the 20-13 victory over Houston in front of a loud crowd of 71,547 at “The Bank” (the largest crowd in Ravens history) and advancing to their second trip to the AFC Championship game in four years under head coach John Harbaugh.

Winning the turnover battle and time of possession were keys to victory in the game, but important because the first two turnovers, all in the 1st quarter, led to both of the Ravens touchdowns on the day. Using the bye week to prepare, the Ravens appeared focused, not committing a single penalty in the game – a first in Baltimore Ravens history – and not turning the ball over once themselves.

The Ravens will travel to Foxboro to take on the New England Patriots for the AFC Championship on Sunday, January 22nd at 3:00 pm. The last time the Ravens traveled to Gillette Stadium, they trounced the Patriots 33-14 in the 2009 AFC Wildcard Playoffs.

Grading the Ravens 20-13 victory over Houston in the AFC Divisional Playoffs

Quarterback: C

Two things stood out in this game; having a healthy Anquan Boldin was a welcome sight for Joe Flacco, and the timing between quarterback and wide receivers looked crisp for the first time in a few months. If only Flacco’s receivers could help him out catching the ball at times, we may be onto something.

Flacco threw the ball efficiently, completing 14 of 27 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns. Both of those touchdown tosses were set-up by the Ravens forcing turnovers, as Flacco showed nice touch on throws most of the day. Two throws to Boldin were laid perfectly onto his back shoulder, one being his 10-yard touchdown catch. He also lofted a nice pass for WR Torrey Smith in the 1st quarter that Smith dropped.

Flacco’s pocket awareness was poor, however, as he had a ball swatted from his hand in the 1st quarter and luckily recovered by a Ravens lineman. When he gets bottled up, he still has trouble corralling the football and when its the playoffs, protecting the football is necessary.

Running Backs: C-

Ray Rice had a tough day running the football, only gaining 60 yards on 21 carries. The Texans did a nice job of limiting big runs from Rice as his longest carry all day was nine yards. The magic number was for Rice to get 25 touches in the game for the Ravens to have a good chance at winning, and he had exactly that.

Ricky Williams pitched in with six carries for 27 yards. I felt that it should have been Williams, not Rice, getting the call on the 4th and 1 from the Houston 1-yard line that the Ravens were stood up on late in the 3rd quarter. A touchdown there could have put the game out of reach for the Ravens.

For the first time all season, FB Vonta Leach was limited by the opposing team in his blocking abilities. The Texans had a nice game plan for Leach, getting the linebackers to target him early and often. Leach did throw a key block to allow Flacco a few precious seconds on the touchdown throw to Boldin.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: C

The Ravens got Anquan Boldin back from injury for this game and what a return indeed. He looked much faster running his routes and showed great hands. Boldin finished the afternoon with four catches, 73 yards and a touchdown. Flacco and Boldin picked on Texans 2nd-year CB Kareem Jackson all afternoon, he had no answer for Boldin.

Torrey Smith was quiet and held to just one catch for nine yards. Lee Evans may have had one of the biggest catches of his career, hauling in a one-handed, 30-yard reception, with a defender draped on him. Maybe that catch will be a confidence booster for Evans.

The Ravens are going to face New England, a team with an outstanding duo of TE’s that are involved in the passing game. The Ravens need to get their young duo of TE’s more involved in their game plan. Dennis Pitta finished with two catches for 29 yards and Ed Dickson had a catch for 14 yards. Dickson had another drop in the game as the ball, while slightly behind him, was right in his hands to catch.

Offensive Line: D-

Credit the Houston Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips with bringing different looks of pressure in the game, because the Ravens offensive line got worked hard all afternoon. On one play, Texans DE J.J. Watt gave guard Marshal Yanda a swim move that Yanda is still trying to figure out. That usually doesn’t happen to Yanda.

On some blitzes and different stunts the Texans threw at the Ravens line, they looked confused at times. Joe Flacco was swarmed most of the 2nd half and was sacked five times. The good news is the Ravens won’t have to face the Texans front seven again, one of the best in the NFL. The even better news? Next week they’ll get New England’s front seven which isn’t quite that good.

Defensive Line: D

The Ravens didn’t generate much of a rush in getting to Texans QB T.J. Yates, and credit goes to Houston’s offensive line, which did a nice job. The Ravens finished the game with zero sacks, which is worrisome. DE Cory Redding finished with three tackles and DT Haloti Ngata finished with just one tackle.

Throughout the last 4-5 weeks, the Ravens have faced some talented offensive lines, but that’s really no excuse with the players that are in the interior. You feel like this group is just ready to break out at some point and hopefully it happens next week.

Linebackers: C+

Ray Lewis wanted to make sure his team stayed undefeated at home this season, while also answering critics, and had himself a good game. Lewis finished with eight tackles and almost had an interception. Terrell Suggs finished with six total tackles, while also defending a pass. Outside of Lewis, the other linebackers were quiet in this game.

A major difference in this game compared to the game in October was that both Suggs and OLB Jarret Johnson were able to set the edge and limit the areas where Texans RB Arian Foster could run. That did not happen in this game as Foster went over 100 yards rushing.

Secondary: B+

This group stepped up big time in this game. CB Lardarius Webb had a great game, intercepting two passes and recording four tackles. Both he and fellow CB Cary Williams wrapped up and tackled well. They really only had to worry about WR Andre Johnson beating them deep, which he didn’t.

Safety Ed Reed turned it on and turned in his best game of the season. His play was vintage Reed, finishing with six tackles, an interception (which sealed the game) and three passes defended.

Special Teams: B+

Finally, this group held its own on kickoff and punt returns. Outside of the opening kickoff that Texans CB Danieal Manning returned 60 yards, the group kept the Texans in check and didn’t allow them great field position.

Kicker Billy Cundiff was one of the many Ravens who benefited from the bye week. His leg looked strong, connecting on field goals from 48 and 44-yards respectively. Punter Sam Koch averaged nearly 50 yards on his punts, including the longest of 64 yards.

Lardarius Webb still scares everyone when he’s deciding to either return it or call a fair catch. He muffed a punt deep in Houston territory early in the game that luckily reserve LB Albert McClellan recovered.

Coaching: C

The offense looked to be on fire in the 1st quarter, but after that it was pretty much quiet time for the Ravens. The drives in the 3rd and 4th quarter lacked direction, as that allowed the Texans to hang in the game.

The defense made sure the Texans didn’t get any closer than it was. Defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano tried to mix it up and get some semblance of pressure to QB T.J. Yates, but could not. Yates helped the Ravens by throwing three really bad interceptions. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed weren’t going to let the Texans come into Baltimore and beat them on their home turf. The field coaches stepped up big time today for the Ravens.

Final Take

It wasn’t pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but the Ravens got it done and head to New England for the AFC Championship. The biggest key to winning that game will be getting to Patriots QB Tom Brady and not allowing him to sit in the pocket and make throws. Just ask Chargers QB Philip Rivers how that worked out for him. Could be a long afternoon for the Ravens if they cannot generate a pass rush.

The Ravens won’t have to deal with the likes of Texans RB Arian Foster in New England, but the Texans RB had an outstanding day, rushing for 127 yards, the first time the Ravens have allowed an opponent to rush for over 100 yards in postseason play.

Ray Lewis and Ed Reed both showed that you never count out the great ones, and they proved that in this game. Hopefully the team is feeding off that energy, to get these two guys a Super Bowl ring, because this could be the final chance the Ravens get this far. Standing in the way is a Patriots defense ranking nearly dead last in most defensive categories.

The Ravens will need to have a strong running game and manage the clock efficiently and if they can do those two things, and manage to get the Patriots into some trouble by forcing turnovers, then the Ravens should stamp their ticket for a trip to Indianapolis and Super Bowl XLVI.

Follow me on Twitter: MattCLund

Want to comment or have questions about the Ravens? E-mail us at podcast@baltimoresportsreport.com or call the phone line: 443-379-4BSR (4277).

It wasn’t pretty, but a win is a win and the Ravens are headed to New England for the AFC Championship.  Though road games haven’t been their area of expertise this season (see Jacksonville) and they looked sloppy against T.J. (frickin) Yates, you have to be impressed with these 53 mighty mighty men.