Playoffs Shaping Up Well for Ravens

With wild-card weekend in the books, the Ravens have got to be pleased with how the first weekend of the playoffs played out. They know they're playing the Texans, which we explained was a very favorable matchup next week. And they know they won't have to play their biggest rival, the Steelers. Pittsburgh lost in overtime to the Denver Broncos on a 80-yard touchdown strike from Tim Tebow to Demaryius Thomas on the first play of OT. That very small chance we talked about was all the Broncos needed.

So now on to the divisional round, where the Ravens host the Texans, and the Broncos head to Foxborough to take on the Patriots. Lets look forward a bit. Let's say the Ravens beat the Texans next week. (Definite? No, but playing the Ravens in Baltimore is going to be a whole lot tougher on Houston than playing the 9-7 Bengals at home.) If Jesus Christ Tim Tebow can pull off another mind-blowing upset in New England, the Ravens would be more than thrilled to try to end the Broncos run in Baltimore in the AFC Championship. Or, lets say level heads prevail and Tom Brady and the Patriots end the unlikely run of the Denver Broncos. The Ravens will head to New England, where they blew out the Patriots 33-14 the last time these teams met in the postseason two years ago. Make no mistake, it would not be an easy game, but there are a lot of players still on the Ravens roster from that game in January 2010, and that experience should only help Baltimore.

Overall, it seems the playoffs are shaking out in Baltimore's favor. If/After they beat Houston, they will only have either the Broncos in Baltimore (should be an easy win) or the Patriots in Foxborough (tough game, but winnable) standing between them and a Super Bowl berth. The current core of players, especially on the defensive side of the ball, are getting older and their window to win a championship is getting smaller. This may just be the year to accomplish that feat.