The Baltimore Ravens are walking into the unknown. Three potential teams await the Ravens in the second round of the AFC playoffs, none of which the Ravens have played this season.
The Ravens? spoils of racking up a 13-3 record, second best in the NFL, was a bye in the first round of the AFC playoffs. Like fans around the league, the Ravens will be sitting at home watching the Indianapolis Colts take on the Kansas City Chiefs while the New England Patriots face off with the New York Jets.
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If the Colts win, the Ravens will host Indianapolis at a to-be-determined date the weekend of Jan. 13-14. If the Chiefs win, Baltimore will then host the winner of the Patriots-Jets showdown that same weekend.
“In today?s game, you see everybody anyway because of the film exchange,” head coach Brian Billick said Tuesday. “We?re fortunate. That?s partly the nice thing about a bye is that we have the time to bank some things so that we can react quickly to whatever team presents itself for our first game.”
While the other AFC playoff teams are preparing for this week?s matchups, Billick said he has little doubt that the Ravens are on everyone?s radar.
“They?re doing the same thing,” Billick said. “They?ve got people banking materials for the [possibility] that they win, but that?s a lot harder to do when you?re knee-deep in your preparation for a game. That?s one of the nice things about a bye.”
Each of the Ravens? potential opponents provide a series of matchup issues. The two most glamorous teams are the Colts and Patriots.
New England (12-4), of course, has won three Super Bowls this decade, but its talent level has dropped precipitously in the last few seasons after cost-cutting moves. The Patriots? current young crop of receivers barely resembles the one that was so important during the team?s earlier championship run. Still, few would bet against head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady, a duo that has been as successful as any in the modern NFL. Belichick is 11-2 in the playoffs, second best in NFL history behind Vince Lombardi.
The Colts (12-4) went from being one of the top teams in the NFL to an underdog in the playoffs. The team started the season 10-0 buoyed by the arm of quarterback Peyton Manning, but it lost four of the last six contests thanks to a porous run defense that is one of the worst in NFL history.
The Jets (10-6) are one of the surprise teams in the NFL, never jaw-dropping but always disciplined. Quarterback Chad Pennington has been resurgent this season, throwing for 3,352 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Ravens receiver Derrick Mason said his team can get rested during this time period and watch other teams beat each other up.
“The odds are in your favor,” he said. “Hopefully, we can come back in two weeks and keep this thing going.”
NOTES
The NFL announced that Ravens cornerback Chris McAlister was named the AFC defensive player of the week for his role in Sunday?s 19-7 win over the Buffalo Bills. McAlister helped seal the win with a third-quarter interception returned 31 yards for a touchdown. He also knocked down a deep pass.