Associated Press A matchup of the top-ranked rushing offense and defense in the AFC title game will follow an NFC championship featuring two surprise teams next Sunday. The Baltimore Ravens, in their fifth season since moving from Cleveland, play at
Associated Press
A matchup of the top-ranked rushing offense and defense in the AFC title game
will follow an NFC championship featuring two surprise teams next
Sunday.
The Baltimore Ravens, in their fifth season since moving from
Cleveland, play at Oakland for the AFC crown. The Raiders haven’t been this far
since the 1990 season, when they played in Los Angeles, and not since 1980
while representing the Bay Area.
Baltimore, the only team to beat the
Titans in Adelphia Coliseum, won there again, 24-10 Sunday. Oakland routed
Miami 27-0 on Saturday.
The NFC matchup has Minnesota, which appeared to be
in a rebuilding mode when the season began, at the New York Giants. The Giants,
criticized all year for playing an easy schedule in a weak division, also were
a preseason long shot.
But they whipped Philadelphia 20-10 Sunday, one day
after the Vikings beat New Orleans 34-16.
Baltimore at Oakland
As the
Titans showed last year and the Broncos did in 1997, getting to the Super Bowl
as a wild card no longer is far-fetched. Of course, the Ravens (14-4) must do
more offensively, protect their punter better and remain staunch on defense
against the Raiders (13-4).
The defense is a given, particularly with
Defensive Player of the Year Ray Lewis making a million or so tackles every
game. It shut down Denver’s potent attack in the wild-card round, then
befuddled Eddie George and Steve McNair in Sunday’s victory.
Next up is the
balanced Oakland attack, which will test Baltimore’s skill against the rush
with halfback Tyrone Wheatley and quarterback Rich Gannon, who is terrific at
escaping pressure and running. The Raiders led the league in rushing and the
Ravens were No. 1 against it.
“What can you say about the Baltimore Ravens
defense?” Oakland coach Jon Gruden said. “To break an NFL record in terms of
points yielded, that’s a great accomplishment.”
Expect more out of
Oakland’s receivers, led by Tim Brown, and its kicking game than Tennessee
managed.
“This is a new challenge for us,” said safety Rod Woodson, a
veteran of AFC championship games while with Pittsburgh. “They have the No. 1
rushing attack in the NFL. It seems we have three weeks of
challenges.”
Baltimore, winner of nine straight, must gain more than the
134 yards it got vs. Tennessee, because the Raiders are far more dangerous
offensively than the Titans. If the Ravens don’t move the ball efficiently,
they have to rely on turnovers and special teams again. Even though they led
the league in takeaways, that’s still a difficult way to survive. And Oakland
had only 20 giveaways, the fewest in the AFC.
Early betting line: Oakland
by 6.
Minnesota at New York Giants
The Vikings earned their
spot in the NFC title game thanks, as usual, to their offensive strengths:
playmakers Randy Moss and Cris Carter catching passes from Daunte Culpepper,
plus Robert Smith running behind a rebuilt but solid blocking unit.
They
received somewhat unexpected help from a maligned defense that ranked 28th
overall. New Orleans did little with the ball Saturday.
“You don’t win 11
games with just an offense,” Carter said.
That defense will need to shut
down New York’s inconsistent running game, particularly outside threat Tiki
Barber. Then the Vikings (12-5) can turn to their powerful offense, with
Culpepper, basically a rookie, throwing to the dynamic Moss and Carter.
Of
course, the nasty winds of the Meadowlands could play havoc with Minnesota’s
big-play attack. That means Smith would become the offensive key.
That
wouldn’t serve the Vikings well, because the Giants, led by linebackers Jessie
Armstead and Mike Barrow, can stop the run. But if the Vikings can turn this
into a shootout, their arsenal is far more impressive. Neither team’s secondary
is a strength, either.
Still, the well-coached, determined Giants (13-4)
have displayed great resilience. They didn’t impress all season, but look where
they are.
And the last time the Super Bowl was in Tampa, they won
it.
Early betting line: Minnesota by 1
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rebound between two Kapa’a players during the Red Raiders’ 60-52 junior varsity
victory Friday night. Racca scored eight points in the contest.
