Broncos-Ravens Divisional Playoff Preview!!!!!!

When the Ravens defeated the Colts on Sunday, and it was determined that Baltimore was heading to Denver to take on the Broncos in the Divisional Playoffs, I immediately began to break this game down in my head. One thing continuously stuck in my mind: I really wish the Ravens weren’t the team coming to Denver this weekend. This game scares me a lot. Why does it scare me? Here are my reasons why this game has kept me up all night all week long……………..

1)    The Ray Lewis factor: Lewis is retiring at the end of the playoffs, and that fact alone has me nervous. Is this going to be a situation where Lewis rides that retirement sentiment all the way to New Orleans and the Super Bowl? I hope not, but you know how these storylines can become so impactful. Lewis and the Ravens will be so pumped up for this game because no one wants to let Lewis done in what could be his final game ever.

2)    The Ravens playoff savvy: The Ravens have won a playoff game in five straight postseasons, and they have won big games on the road before (New England 2009). They are not afraid of playing on the road, and it seems like they almost relish it. Even when they lose on the road in the playoffs, they tend to play very well (AFC Divisional Playoff at Pittsburgh in 2010 and the 2011 AFC Championship).

3)    The Flacco Factor: Joe Flacco is not one of the elite level Quarterbacks, but he does have the ability to rise up and outplay some of the great ones in these playoff games. He actually outplayed Tom Brady last year in New England in the AFC Championship Game, so it is not crazy to think that he can’t go shot for shot with Peyton Manning this week in Denver.

4)    Week 15: Denver-34 Baltimore-17: Throw the first game between these two out the window. The Ravens were missing five starters for that game including Lewis. The game was actually closer than people think, but Flacco’s killer interception to Chris Harris swung the game and gave Denver a 17-0 lead right before halftime. Also, the Ravens were breaking in a new offensive coordinator in Jim Caldwell. You really can’t put too much stock into that game even if the Broncos won convincingly.

5)    The “Nobody Believes in Us” angle: Most people have picked the Broncos to win very easily, and that will provide plenty of bullentin board material for the Ravens. You don’t think it will fire up Ray Lewis and that defense this week? It definitely will, and look for a very inspired Baltimore team to come to Denver with a chip on their shoulder.

6)    Peaking at the right time: Remember when the Ravens were struggling at 9-5 and they lost three in a row? They righted the ship, destroyed the Giants the next week, rested their starters in Week 17, and took care of business last week over the Colts. Maybe they were not too worried about the regular season, and they were just focused on getting into the postseason and making their run. The Ravens are healthier than they were a month ago, and now they might have some confidence moving forward like the Giants and the Packers the last two postseasons.

7)    Pressure is on Denver: The pressure in this game is squarely on the Broncos. Denver and Peyton Manning won’t have too many chances together, and how many chances are they going to get as the #1 seed in the AFC? Denver has everything to lose in this one, and sometimes when a team is the favorite they play tight, make some mistakes early, and then it snowballs on them. The Ravens come in as a huge underdog, and they can play fast and loose. Plus, don't forget that the Broncos make a lot of mistakes that include fumbles, dropped passes, and wrong routes. Trindon Holliday basically fumbles once every game for Denver as a punt or kick returner. One bad break like that and the Broncos could start to unravel.

8)    Upsets in the Divisional Round: Every year one of the top four seeds gets knocked off in this round in the playoffs. Did anyone see the 15-1 Packers going down at home to the Giants last year? Was their anyone who suspected the Jets somehow defeating the Patriots in 2010? The Jets shocked the world in 2009 with their Divisional Playoff upset of the 13-3 Chargers. No one thought the Arizona Cardinals were going to go into Carolina and knock off the 12-4 Panthers in 2008. Every year there is a big upset in this round. The real shocker this weekend would be if the Broncos got knocked off in this spot. It could happen and sometimes it takes place in one of the most unlikely game of the weekend. 

Now, that I am done basically painting the 2012 Ravens as a better team than the 2000 Ravens, here are my reasons why I can be confident going into this game........

1) Peyton Freaking Manning: This is why John Elway and John Fox recruited Manning to come to Denver. He can give us the best shot to go to the Super Bowl. Manning had a great season, led the team to a 13-3 record, and helped get us homefield advantage. Now it is time for Manning to really make his mark in Denver. Manning needs to play not like the superb 2012 version of Peyton, but he needs to play like the cyborg 2009 version of Peyton in this one. I want to see one of those classic 7-8 for 75 yards and a touchdown type of drives to start the game. Follow that with a 6-7 for 88 yards and another touchdown to basically put the Ravens away early in the game. Manning can do that, and he needs to set the tone early and not be denied all game long.

2) Mile High: Last year, Denver's new Mile High was rocking for the Wild Card game against Pittsburgh. The crowd was loud, noisy, and pumped up the entire game. This game has to be at another level. The fans will be loud and crazy, but the mystique of Mile High has to comeback. We can use the crowd to get some false starts and force timeouts, and all of those factors can play a role in this game.

3) Denver Defense: This is one of the best Bronco defensive units in a long, long time. Von Miller needs to wreak havoc in this game. Elvis Dumervil needs to make Flacco's day miserable. Their defense can shut down the Ravens offense. The Ravens receivers are good, but you have to like the matchup for the Broncos with their secondary. Champ Bailey, Chris Harris, and Tony Carter have all done an excellent job this year of shutting down an opponent's passing game, and this week can not be any different.

4) Manning vs. Brady: Come on, everyone wants to see Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady in the AFC Championship. The Ravens got their last year, and they had their shot. Now it is time for a duel for the ages between these two great quarterbacks. The last time Manning and Brady faced off in the playoffs was the 2006 AFC Championship. It is about time we got this matchup again. The fans want it, the public wants it, the NFL wants it, and you know CBS wants it. This has to happen. 

The Pick: Baltimore (+9) over DENVER:

There are so many things that scare me about this game, but the one thing that I can hang my hat on is the fact that the Broncos have the homefield and the altitude, they have a really good defense, and they have Peyton Manning. The Ravens will keep it close, but I can't go against my team at home. Lets Go Broncos!

Final Score: Broncos-27 Ravens-23