Here we go again.
In a rematch of last year's AFC title game, the New England Patriots will once again host the Baltimore Ravens with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.
In what could be the last stop of Ray Lewis' last ride, the Ravens take on yet another future Hall of Fame quarterback in Tom Brady. Last week in the Divisional Round, Baltimore faced Peyton Manning, rallying in the final seconds to force overtime with a miraculous touchdown pass from Joe Flacco. It was in the second OT session when the Ravens' defense came through and intercepted an ill-advised pass from Manning to set up the game-winning field goal.
But now they take on Brady, who with New England's win over Houston last week, broke Joe Montana's record for most playoff victories. He's also just four postseason touchdown passes shy of tying Joe Montana's record of 45.
"It's a chess match, because he understands every coverage, he understands every defense," Lewis said about Brady's ability to read defenses, via NFL.com. "And if you give it away too early, then the game is like checkers for him."
While much of the focus will be on the Brady-Lewis narrative, the x-factor of the AFC Championship game might be Baltimore's quarterback. Flacco 7-4 record in the postseason isn't too shabby, and five of those wins have come on the road (tied with Eli Manning for the most in NFL history).
"I would like to think that I go out there and play consistently and approach everything the same way," Flacco said earlier this week. "I think that's been proved out. We win a lot of football games around here, and this is actually the third time I'm standing up here getting ready to play in an AFC championship game."
Will Flacco finally get over the hump and help extend Lewis' last ride to New Orleans for the Super Bowl? Or will Brady and the Patriots send the Ravens home for the second year in a row?
Scroll down for live updates.
Jacoby Jones gets no room to run. Ravens will start at their own 14 after a 9-yard return.
| @ BaltimoreLuke : Clear communication issue as Graham wanted Chykie Brown to switch on that third down. #Patriots back on top. Ellerbe penalty huge. #Ravens |
Patriots take a 10-7 lead. The drive was 11 plays, 79 yards, 5:10.
Brady takes the shotgun snap and finds Welker running toward the sideline for the easy touchdown. Ravens' cornerbacks were yelling at each other right after he caught it.
Ridley tries to power his way up the middle but gets stuffed for about 1 yard.
Ravens blitz forcing Brady to get rid of it fast but Pollard was at the line to bat it down. Incomplete.
After an 8-yard gain by Ridley up the middle, Brady hits Hernandez on a slant route and the Pats pick up 5 yards and a first down. Ball at the 2-yard line.
Ridley runs up the middle for 4 yards and a first down. Patriots hurry up and run a screen to Welker, who runs down the right side until he's finally brought down by Suggs for a gain of 24.
Brady hands it off to Ridley who runs up the middle for 7. Patriots are in Ravens' territory.
After a 7-yard pass to Welker, Brady hits Lloyd with a quick screen on his left that goes for 4 yards and a first down.
Following a return of 22 yards by McCourty, Ridley runs right for about 3 yards. Ellerbe is flagged for a personal foul giving 15 more yards to New England. He slapped a NE player after the play.
| @ _BLowe : The absence of Talib hurting the Pats. Arrington was lined up opposite Torrey Smith on the 25-yard gain. That's a tough matchup for NE. |
Ravens go up 7-3 after the extra point.
| @ MikeReiss : Backup safety Patrick Chung requires medical attention on the field after Ray Rice TD, then walks to sideline under his own power. |
Rice gets hit in the backfield but stays on his feet, runs left and into the end zone for the TOUCHDOWN. Ravens take the lead. Rice broke 2 tackles on the run. Chung is down on the play.
Flacco goes for the fade pass to Pitta in the left corner and he comes down with the ball but he didn't get both feet in bounds. Incomplete.
Rice gets another handoff and starts to his right, then cuts up the field for about 5 yards. First and goal from the 2-yard line coming up.
Ray Rice runs up the middle this time, bursts through a hole and cuts to the left for about 8 yards.
Flacco drops back and fires a high pass to Torrey Smith who jumps up and comes down with the catch at the 25-yard line. Great throw and catch.
Pearce gets a carry this time, bounces to the outside and picks up about 4. Ball is at NE's 40.
Flacco drops back and finds Pearce running right out of the back field and he goes down the right sideline for about 9 yards.
They go to Rice on first down again and he picks up about 2 running left.
Flacco drops back, gets plenty of time and finds Rice on his right coming out of the backfield and he picks up 11 yards and another first down.
Rice gets the handoff in shotgun formation but he is held to just 2 yards.
Flacco drops back and hits Pitta open down the middle of the field and the Ravens pick up 17.
Flacco runs a play-action and hits Leach that would have been about a gain of 5, but the ball got stripped and knocked out of bounds back a couple yards. So just a 3-yard gain.
| @ JeffDuncanTP : Baltimore's four drives have started at the 13-, 10-, 8 -& 10-yard lines. They did not run a play in New England territory in the 1st Qtr. |
| @ _BLowe : From a starting field position standpoint, Pats have had a significant edge - it's just not showing up on the scoreboard. |
Patriots dominating time of possession, 10:30 to 4:30.
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