Defensive Line

Although cameras will attempt to capture every move by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and other key players like Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, running back Ray Rice and inside linebacker Ray Lewis, the grunt work on the offensive and defensive lines figures to be pivotal in Sunday's AFC championship game. "Pretty much every game is decided in the trenches, and then by guys making plays," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "Whoever wins the trenches has a great chance to win the game.

Brendon Ayanbadejo didn't make a fourth consecutive start on Sunday, but the inside linebacker still made a sizable contribution in the Ravens' 33-14 pasting of the New York Giants. Ayanbadejo finished with three tackles, including one sack and two quarterback hits. Defensive tackle Haloti Ngata and rookie free safety Omar Brown also posted sacks of Giants quarterback Eli Manning, and Ayanbadejo tied strong safety James Ihedigbo and defensive tackle Arthur Jones for the team lead in quarterback hits.

Baltimore's football teams haven't always lost on last-ditch field goals, as per the past two weeks. Sometimes, they've blocked those kicks. In 1978, with eight seconds remaining and the Colts leading 7-6, Denver tried a field goal. But defensive tackle Mike Barnes crashed through the Broncos' line, leaped and slapped the ball with his right hand, saving the day against the defending AFC champions. Thirty-four years later, Barnes recalls the play. "I knew I was going to block the kick when we lined up," the one-time Pro Bowl lineman said.

After watching Wilde Lake lineman Moise Larose dominate both sides of the ball against Reservoir, Maryland coach Randy Edsall walked down from the stands and posed a simple question to Wildecats coach Michael Harrison . “Coach Edsall's first comment to me was, 'Is he a defensive player or an offensive player?' I sort of turned around and said, 'Coach, that's really your concern. That's not mine anymore,'” Harrison recalled with a laugh. Larose, a 6-foot-6, 290-pound senior, starred for the Wildecats this fall at offensive tackle and on the defensive line.

Isaiah Black threw a go-ahead 24-yard touchdown pass to Micah Till with 2 minutes, 14 seconds left, and Wise's defense held off a furious late drive by Quince Orchard to capture its first Class 4A football state championship with a 12-7 victory Friday night at M&T Bank Stadium. Black did not attempt a pass in the first half as the Pumas (13-0) from Upper Marlboro stuck to their run-heavy offensive script, but the junior took over at just the right time in a game controlled by two dominant defenses.

Not many people would confuse the players who make up the San Diego Chargers defense as superstars, but there are a few emerging playmakers along the defensive line. Defensive end Corey Liuget leads that group in tackles with 32 and batted passes with six. Rookie defensive end Kendall Reyes leads the defensive line in quarterback pressures with 10 and quarterback hits with seven. And both players have two sacks each. That's why Ravens right guard Marshal Yanda wasn't simply focusing on Liuget during the week of preparation for the Chargers.

The Ravens coaching staff has been ecstatic with their winning record, but never happy with the overall performance, especially on defense. If the Ravens are going to go deep into the postseason and possibly to the Super Bowl, they have to find more to build on than just saying a "win is a win. " They might be on to something now. In the past three weeks, the Ravens' defense has gotten better. No, they are not the Ravens of old, but the younger players are more consistent and the style of play is more aggressive.

Over the past few weeks, the dinner conversation sometimes got a little overheated at Jack and Will D'Angelo's Reisterstown home. With Jack playing for Calvert Hall's football team and younger brother Will playing for Loyola's, there wasn't much to agree upon when talk turned to the Turkey Bowl coming up at M&T Bank Stadium on Thursday morning. For the 93rd time, Calvert Hall and Loyola will meet on Thanksgiving Day, but this will be the first time that Jack, a senior starting lineman, and Will, a sophomore reserve receiver, square off. Athletes since they were little, both brothers have strong competitive streaks and, of course, that comes out in everything from pick-up basketball games in the driveway to video games in the basement to conversations about the Turkey Bowl at the dinner table.

It took a little while, but Jameel McClain has finally gotten used to the voices buzzing in his head. After Ray Lewis tore his triceps late in the Week 6 win over the Dallas Cowboys, McClain assumed his role as the Ravens' starting middle linebacker. With the new gig came: two small speakers in his helmet, a green dot the size of a quarter, the responsibility of relaying the play calls transmitted by defensive coordinator Dean Pees to his fellow defenders and making sure each is where they are supposed to be before the snap.

Every morning, Monday through Friday, blogger Matt Vensel will hook you up with reading material -- mostly on the Ravens but with some other Baltimore sports stuff, too -- to skim through as you slug down coffee and slack off at the start of your workday. That way he'll have an excuse to do the same to start his workday, too. RUNNING IT BACK The Ravens hope that a few quality drives against the Cleveland Browns will help their offense build some momentum . … Mike Preston thinks the Ravens need to keep running the ball Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.