MIAMI — MIAMI - As if his play yesterday wasn't statement enough, Ed Reed stood behind a bouquet of microphones and fired a warning shot that surely echoed from South Beach to Tennessee.
"Here we come," said Reed. "Here come the Ravens."
Actually, it probably wasn't a warning as much as it was a promise. With their dominant 27-9 win over the Dolphins in yesterday's opening round of the playoffs, Reed and his teammates sent a message not just to the Tennessee Titans, next week's opponent, but to the entire league. It didn't always look this way, but the Ravens are suddenly a team built for a playoff run. They're Super Bowl-caliber. And they're capable.
Not everything clicked perfectly yesterday, but enough went right to dispel many of the doubts surrounding the Ravens. Would postseason pressure buckle the rookie quarterback's nerves? Would a hostile road crowd drown their ambition? Could the offense do enough to light up the scoreboard? And would they even have to?
Take note, Titans: These aren't the Ravens you narrowly beat, 13-10, back in October - a point the Ravens are quick to point out.
"We're much better," wide receiver Derrick Mason says. "When you get to the playoffs, things change. Cards are not the same as they were in the regular season."
That's true. The tiny things that seem to decide each game swell with importance in January, which is why the Ravens feel so good about yesterday's win. If you look at the defense, at the turnover battle, at the starting field possession, how can Coach John Harbaugh and his players not feel confident heading into next week's game? And how can the Titans and other surviving playoff teams not realize that even though most of the names, faces and characters have changed since the Ravens won the Super Bowl, their chances actually feel much better at this point in the playoffs?
Just like in 2000, the road to the Super Bowl runs through Nashville, Tenn. (Also for your consideration, if you're the sort who swallows happenstance as prophecy: For the first time since the Ravens hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, the Super Bowl will be played again in Tampa.)
The championship Ravens team, just as this year's, had to face the Titans on the road in the second round of the playoffs. Here's the biggest difference in the two groups: This year's team is more well-rounded.
Sure, the Ravens slipped by Tennessee then, 24-10, but their offense had only six first downs and 134 yards of offense in that game.
