Championship Sunday Preview: Fun In Foxborough

Are you ready for some football?

Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots:
It was just two years ago that the stingy Baltimore Raven defense invaded Foxborough, handing Tom Brady his first career postseason loss at home.

In their wild-card matchup on Jan. 10, 2010, Baltimore's Ray Rice took the first play from scrimmage 83 yards for a touchdown, giving his team a lead they would never requlish. At the time it was the longest rushing play of Rice's young career and the second longest rush in NFL postseason history.

Rice hopes to have a repeat performance of
his first postseason trip to New England.

Baltimore held a 24-0 after the first quarter and despite quarterback Joe Flacco only completing four passes for 34 yards, the Ravens went on to win the game, 33-14.

Most of their production came from the ground game, with Rice rushing for 159 of the team's 234 total rushing yards. The Ravens hope for much of the same against the 17th-ranked rush defense. This season, Rice completed his third straight season with at least 1,200 rushing yards, setting a career-high with 1,364. He also set career-highs in attempts (291) and touchdowns (12), but it might be his all-around game that makes him one of the most dynamic and dangerous backs in the game today.

The 24-year-old running back caught 76 passes out of the backfield this season for 704 yards, averaging just under 10 yards per completion at 9.3.

And while the New England defense will be saddled with the assignment of stopping Rice, Baltimore's D will need to shutdown the prolific and efficient Patriots' offense. Led by their veteran core group of Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Haloti Ngata and Terrell Suggs, whose 14 sacks were good enough for the team lead, they know it would be their final shot to retaste Super Bowl glory.

Slowing down the tight end tandem of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez should be the key to the Ravens' success.

As for the Patriots, Brady and Co. head into Sunday's AFC Championship game confident as ever after torching the Denver Broncos last week, 45-10 and winning their first playoff game since the 2007-08 season, where they beat the San Diego Chargers also in the AFC title game.

Brady, who is coming off a record-setting performance with six touchdowns passes, five coming in the first half, remembers this Baltimore defense far to well. In his first postseason loss at home, the former sixth-round pick was sacked three times, while also throwing three interceptions.

Brady has seen enough of the Raven D and is
seeking his revenge.

In that loss, he threw for just 154 yards and no matter what he says, it still stings today.

Brady is 4-1 in his career against the Ravens, including the playoffs. In those games, the three-time Super Bowl champion has throw six touchdowns, but six interceptions, three obviously coming in one game. And now with a 9-2 career record at home in the postseason, he will not let history repeat itself.

Even though Baltimore was undefeated at home this season, they posted a 4-4 record on the road and head into one of the toughest places to play in the NFL. Although, history tends to repeat itself.

Trying to make their fifth Super Bowl appearance in the last 11 years, New England will be out for revenge and ready to settle the score.

BAL X-Factor: Ray Rice


NE X-Factor: Tom Brady


New England, 27-21