Spread: Patriots by 3 1/2
Hash marks: It’s the first time these teams have faced each other in the playoffs. . . . The Ravens are 2-0 in road wild-card games. . . . The Patriots have won 11 consecutive home playoff games. . . . Patriots QB Tom Brady is 14-3 in career postseason starts.
The Ravens win if: Their defense can get to Brady without drawing penalty flags. The Ravens have already accused officials of protecting Brady this season, and they have to make sure their zeal to get to the veteran QB doesn’t cross the line. They need consistent pressure.
The Patriots win if: They can overcome the loss of Wes Welker and the limitations of a hurting Randy Moss in their offense. Welker’s knee injury last week will have a huge impact on this team in the postseason, and Moss, despite Bill Belichick’s assurances to the contrary, has been limping on sore knees in the past week.
Ravens player on the spot: OLB Terrell Suggs. Suggs did not lead the Ravens in sacks this season — he had 4 1/2, two behind former Broncos defensive lineman Trevor Pryce — but he has to be the main man in the pass rush. He has four sacks in his last three playoff games.
Patriots player on the spot: RB Laurence Maroney. Maroney didn’t always run with authority this season and continues to vex scouts throughout the league who believe he should have done far more thus far in his career. With the Patriots thin at the receiver spot, they may need to lean on the ground game more than they have.
Bet you didn’t know: The Patriots have not lost a home playoff game since 1978, and the Ravens have won five of their seven road playoff games since the team moved from Cleveland and took on its new identity.
Key matchup: Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron vs. Belichick. Belichick is certainly playoff-tested and will likely show something Ravens second-year QB Joe Flacco has not seen before. Flacco is unflappable and presents a challenge, but he has to be aware of those linebackers Belichick likes to drift into the passing lanes.
The call: Ravens 24-23
Jeff Legwold, The Denver Post
