Ray Finkle Award Winner Billy Cundiff Baltimore Ravens

BILLY CUNDIFF

 

The final play of the AFC Conference Playoff Game between the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens ended dramatically.

Billy Cundiff with 11 seconds in the fourth quarter on the 32 yard line kicks the field goal but misses to left and losses the game earning him the Ray Finkle Award!



His Response!!

2012 AFC Conference Championship Baltimore Ravens vs New England Patriots

New England Patriots 

vs. 

Baltimore Ravens

Sunday, 3:00 p.m. ET, Gillette Stadium

The Offenses

Brady

Flacco

Green-Ellis

Rice

Welker

Boldin

Dickson

Gronkowski

If the game will be won by the New England Patriots it will be on the offensive side of the ball. The weapons of Tom Brady leading the way with accurate passes that come quickly and often can disrupt any defense ask the Denver Broncos, whom they put up 45 points against! He may not have to hand off much to his backs Ben Jarvis Green Ellis or Kevin Faulk, the running game is just to set up the pass. The efficiency of the passing offense has been the strength for a few years and Wes Welker has been a key part as a number one receiver with Deion Branch and Chad Ochocinco getting the leftovers. There aren't many scraps left because the tight end position for the Patriots is making history. At tight end they have to of the best in the game, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez who can take over any game and dominate the opposition.

The Baltimore Ravens have a few more challenges in their offense Joe Flacco has been criticized for whether he can put together a good enough game to beat the New England Patriots? He will have to us all the tools he has to keep the clock running while they have the ball to limit the touches for Brady and the Patriots. The Ray Rice show will need to be front and center to pound the offensive line into submission while using Vonta Leach as a battering ram and catapulting into the secondary of the Patriots. The torching on the line should help to balance the offense and allow Flacco to get the ball to Anquin Boldin and rookie Torrey Smith. Boldin so far in the playoffs has been their only deep threat so, Smith will have to make his talents show on the big stage. Ed Dickson has been a serviceable tight end and should be held in check especially if Flacco has trouble finding his receivers. He could have a big game, but needs to cease every opportunity!  

The Defenses

 Wilfork

Lewis

Arrington

Reed

Mayo

Suggs

McCourty

Webb

Could the defense of the Patriots keep the over under 70 or less. The offense may score 35 points so that means the defense will need to keep the Ravens under 35 points, right? Vince Wilfork will man the middle to help stop the bruiser backs while Jerod Mayo helps the middle of the field and the break-aways! So Devin McCourty and Kyle Arrington will man the outside deep threats. Sounds like a good plan, so Brandon Spikes and Patrick Chung needs to take every chance to double team and take any threats of the deep ball and even with clock management will have a tough time putting up 36 points.

Grrr! Grrr! The Purple will be looking to turn red, white and blue just black and blue. The Patriots flag will need to be white if the ring leader and captain Ray Lewis has any say in this game. His game may have lost a step or two but finesse and know how keeps the fire burning hot! Now that Terrell Suggs is healthy and back on the field there will be blitzing going on in Gillette Stadium. The passing defense will not be sold short if Ed Reed, Lardarius Webb and Bernard Pollard can get a few interceptions that could disrupt Brady and his ability to find the open receiver!

PREDICTION

With defenses winning championships, Bill Belichick the mastermind, Tom Brady on pace to break every season and post season record, the tight end tandem of the Patriots, the blitzing ability by the Ravens and ok all the intangibles!

PATRIOTS 37 and RAVENS 13

Here is the cheering section!
(Check out Stacy Keibler '99 Ravens Cheerleader)

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2012 AFC Divisional Playoffs Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans

Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans

Sunday, 1:30 p.m. ET, M&T Bank Stadium

The Quarterbacks

There will be many different philosophies when fans look into these quarterbacks. The common denominator will be how will they do against the defenses? Will Joe Flacco be able to have enough completions to keep the drive alive and let the rushing game develop? He is a veteran that should be able to handle the pressure. Flacco did win against the Matt Schaub led Houston Texans way back in October throwing for 305 yards. He will have to do it again against the 3rd ranked passing defense.
The injury replacement T.J. Yates came in and stepped up and through a wild card berth made it to the divisional game. The test is here to see if the the magic will survive. Survival is the key word because the Baltimore Ravens play in the face of the quarterback the whole game. The veterans staring at you while signal calling he will need t find the receivers quick and stay away from turnovers. If both quarterbacks stay injury and turnover free tey will do there job.

Advantage - Ravens

Running Backs

Rice

Foster

Rice

Foster

The running back matchup will be like a heavyweight fight. Both getting plenty of carries and will take the load off the quarterbacks while sustaining drives that will eat the clock at around 5.0 yards a carry. The mighty Ray Rice, all 5'8" 212lbs of him is a beast between the tackles. Once he hits the hole he takes the whole field. This season he carried the ball 291 times for 1,394 yards and 12 touchdowns an average season of greatness. The greatness does not stop there he also has the skills to catch the ball out of the backfield and 76 receptions for 704 yards this season will attest to that fact. A complete all purpose back had 2,068 yards of total offense.
Not one to take a back seat or lye down, Arian Foster bounced back from early season injury and put together 1,224 yards with 10 touchdown season rushing and 617 yards receiving with an added two touchdowns. Like Rice a running back that can do it all and both are fan favorites that should hear 27 and 23 chanted all game. Playoff fantasy football owners lock in!

Advantage - Even

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

Boldin

Johnson

Smith

Daniels

Big name wide receivers need to have big games. The injury to Andre Johnson and his 492 yards was limited all season, the one time pro bowler took second fiddle behind the 677 yards earned by the stand out tight end Owen Daniels who will play with a hand injury. Johnson is probable for the game so we could see the game we have waited for all year! If not Arian Foster will more than likely get more touches and Ben Tate will get the extra short yardage 3rd down plays.
The Ravens also have an aging vet that needs to step it up. Anquan Boldin did have 887 yards receiving this year but, only scored three times in the regular season. He did split touches with Torrey Smith that had 841 yards receiving nearly eclipsing the one time superstar.
Could the balance, untapped potential and injury concerns make this game so unpredictable that we could see one of these receivers have an MVP game? 

Advantage - Even

Defenses

Lewis

Cushing

Suggs

Barwin

Could this game resemble the College BCS National Championship Game with one team never makes it to the 50 yard line? Doubt it! What we should see is a down in the trenches grudge match between the offensive and defensive lines that could go down for the ages.
Ray Lewis Raven's leading tackler with 95 tackles and 72 were solo is still getting it done while leading with passion. He does have some help with Terrell Suggs getting in the mix with a team leading 14 sacks and a presence feared by most receivers cutting across the middle.
The Texan's don't have the flashy names but they finished the season the 3rd ranked passing and the 4th ranked defense in the league. Brian Cushing the man they look to for their passion had 114 tackles and 76 were solo to set the tempo for this hungry defense. Connor Barwin loves feeding on quarterbacks so getting 11.5 sacks this season will just makes him hungrier for more in the playoffs.
You might not need a stop watch for this game. You may need a seismograph to track the quake you may feel from these defenses.
Advantage - Even

Prediction Ravens 13 - Texans 10

Now fans time to show your pride!

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