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It all comes down to today. Two AFC juggernauts facing off for the right to go to the Super Bowl – the New England Patriots host the Baltimore Ravens with kick-off scheduled for 7.00am AEDT, and we’ll have a live blog all the way through.
The Patriots put an end to Tebow time last week as they destroyed the Denver Broncos 45-10.
Tom Brady was almost untouchable, tossing six touchdowns, four to his mutant tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez who have appeared uncoverable for most of the season.
The Ravens, who played their first home playoff game under coach John Harbaugh, scraped home with in an ugly 20-13 win over the Houston Texans.
So much pressure will be on the shoulders of Joe Flacco, who has been under heavy pressure from his team mates (Ed Reed called him out in an interview earlier this week), the media and fans.
Through all the criticism, Flacco is 7-0 against playoff teams this year, and has won at least one playoff game in each of his first four seasons – the only player in history to do so.
Sceptics will argue that the Ravens’ victories both in the past and this season have been on the back of their vaunted defence, and the powerful running game led by Rutgers graduate Ray Rice – who famously broke off an 80 yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage the last time these two teams met in the playoffs.
The Patriots defence on the other hand has been often criticised, and were gouged by the Ravens when they last met – however, they were the best they’ve been all year last week, holding the Broncos to just ten points, and forcing an early fumble from Tim Tebow that really turned the game on its head.
In any case, this is one of those times where you can throw stats out the window. All that matters is this one game for both teams; for Bill Belichick’s men it’s a chance at a possible re-match with the Giants, to get some revenge for that 2008 Super Bowl.
And for the Ravens coach Harbaugh?
Well, he might get to go toe to toe with his brother in the biggest sporting event of the year. Which is what I predicted at the start of the playoffs…and what I hope is the scenario staring at us after tomorrow’s games.
Join us just before 7.00am AEDT for all the coverage – I’ll try to keep my Ravens bias to a minimum, but no promises.
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