BALTIMORE – In the afterglow of Baltimore’s 21-3 AFC wild-card win over Denver, just after the Ravens had stepped over the vanquished Broncos and into Sunday’s 12:30 p.m. playoff date with archrival Tennessee, Brian Billick was asked how his team would try to defeat the top-seeded Titans.
With some not-so-thinly veiled sarcasm directed at departed Jet coach Al Groh – who’d been sarcastic in his praise of the Ravens, saying Gang Green didn’t stand a chance against them – Billick planted his tongue firmly in his cheek and deadpanned, “If I was in New York, I’d say, ‘We don’t have a chance,’ and ‘No way.’ But you guys would blow that out of proportion.”
Thing is, the Ravens look like a tough team to beat; maybe even the team to beat. And they have reason to believe. The Titans have home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs and in two years at Adelphia Coliseum only one team has ever won there. That team is Baltimore, 24-23 on Nov. 12.
“It helps that we won there, that we got that out of the way. We know we’re capable of doing it,” said Ravens defensive end Michael McCrary, who says his team is the team to beat. “I think so. Defense wins championships, [and] we went down in history when we broke two records. We’ve got the No. 1 defense, and next week, that’s going to prove it.”
That defense’s leader, linebacker Ray Lewis, said he thinks Sunday’s tilt in Tennessee will decide the AFC Super Bowl representative.
“I think next week’s just the second round, but I think everybody’s picking that game for the Super Bowl. Everybody was picking the Titans to go back anyway, so I think that game can determine it.”
Baltimore and defending AFC champs Tennessee (13-3) have quickly become fierce AFC Central rivals. Six of the 10 games have been decided by four points or less, and they’ve split the last two season series. And Baltimore won at Adelphia Coliseum Nov. 12 on QB Trent Dilfer’s TD pass with :25 left and a missed field-goal attempt by Tennessee’s Al Del Greco as the clock ran out.
“When we were there, we knew they were going to be [there]. They’re a damn good football team. I’m not sure how many people thought we would go back there,” Billick said. “There’s a great deal of respect between these two teams, and I think they knew we were going back there. We knew we were going to be back there. It’s going to be a hell of a game.”
With added venom. The Ravens are mad that despite allowing just 165 points, and 970 rushing yards – both NFL records – the Titans actually passed them on the final weekend to finish No. 1 in defense.