NASHVILLE, TENN. - Conjuring up memories and magic of their last Super Bowl run, the wild-card Ravens once again knocked off the top-seeded Tennessee Titans in an AFC divisional playoff game yesterday.
Matt Stover's 43-yard field goal with 53 seconds left in the game lifted the Ravens to an improbable 13-10 victory over the Titans and stunned another sellout crowd at LP Field.
Inspired by a timely offense, a stubborn defense and a rare break by the officials, the Ravens (13-5) became just the second sixth seed in NFL playoff history to upset a top seed.
The Ravens advanced to the AFC championship game for the first time in eight years, where they will play at the winner of today's San Diego Chargers-Pittsburgh Steelers game.
While this playoff game at Tennessee lacked a blocked field goal, this classic was still reminiscent of how the Ravens prevailed in a game in which they were statistically beaten.
"That [2000] team was great, [but] we can't be compared to that team," linebacker Bart Scott said. "That team has its own identity, and we're trying to create our own."
These Ravens won with big plays. A 48-yard touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Joe Flacco to Derrick Mason tied the score at 7. A 23-yarder from Flacco to Todd Heap on third down set up the game-winning field goal in the fourth quarter.
These Ravens won with a stubborn defense. After giving up a touchdown in the first quarter, the Ravens allowed the Titans to get inside their 40-yard line six more times but surrendered only a field goal. The Ravens' defense forced three turnovers on its own side of the field.
These Ravens won with some help from the officials. In a season in which it seemed as if they never got a break from the officiating crew, the Ravens got a big one yesterday: no penalty when the play clock expired before Flacco's 23-yard pass to Heap on the game-winning drive.
"In the end, our guys found a way to win," first-year Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said. "They made their share of plays, too. But we made the ones that made the difference."
In the 2000 season, the Ravens beat the Titans despite being out-gained 317-134 in total yards and 23-6 in first downs. Yesterday, the Ravens won despite being out-gained 391-211 in total yards and 21-9 in first downs.
The difference between the 2000 Ravens and this season's team came down to the offense stepping up a critical times yesterday.
