BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Ravens were perfect at home during the regular season and a .500 team on the road, which explains why they were so desperate to host at least one playoff game.
There are many theories as to why the Ravens are so much better at home. Familiarity with their surroundings? Check. The noise generated by their 71,000 supportive fans? Absolutely. The Sportexe synthetic turf at M&T Bank Stadium?
Say what?
According to Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak, whose team faces Baltimore today in the second round of the AFC playoffs, the Ravens will have the advantage of playing before a boisterous home crowd and on a field that’s seemingly custom-made for Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice.
“First off, the noise obviously is tough. But they get even better on that turf,” Kubiak said. “To me, they get even quicker coming off the edges and setting the edges and what they do, so that makes them even more difficult. I think Ray, as great a player as he is, he even gets a step better on that turf running the ball.”
Kubiak speaks from experience. He watched Rice run for 101 yards in October, helping Baltimore roll to a 29-14 home win over the Texans.
But while Rice has proven to be effective at home or on the road, on grass or on artificial turf, the Ravens (12-4) are unquestionably more dominant in Baltimore. And that is one big reason why the Ravens believe this playoff run will be more successful than the three that preceded it.
Baltimore is the only NFL team to reach the playoffs in each of the last four seasons. In the previous three, however, the Ravens advanced as a wild-card and did not get to play at home. They won a game in each postseason appearance, but on every occasion the strain of repeatedly playing on the road proved too difficult to overcome.
Now, coming off a bye and playing in a venue where they went 8-0 during the regular season, the AFC North champions are confident that home-field advantage will be a big factor in their bid to defeat the Texans (11-6).
Packers vs. Giants. Going into today’s NFC divisional playoff game against the visiting New York Giants, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are best known for all the fireworks they have produced on offense.
That’s a good thing for the Super Bowl champions, because they’ve been remarkably vulnerable on defense.
All season, the Packers (15-1) have been giving up yards in big chunks and bailing themselves out by forcing turnovers. And while the Giants (10-7) might hope to slow the game down by establishing the run and keeping Rodgers on the sideline, the last meeting between the two teams — a 38-35 victory by the Packers on a last-second field goal Dec. 4 — could mean today is shaping up as another fast-paced game that comes down to the last possession.
With Eli Manning and the offense on a roll, the Giants like their chances this time around.
“I think if we get into a shootout like we did last time, I think we will be OK,” wide receiver Victor Cruz said. “But it will have to come down to who has the last touch.”
Meanwhile, the Packers’ defense is looking to hit the reset button in the playoffs.
“This is a fresh start for us to right all our wrongs,” defensive lineman Ryan Pickett said. “We’re excited about it. This is one-and-done, so we have to get it done.”
