(SportsNetwork.
Wholesale NBA Jerseys .com) - It may not be a
big divisional matchup, but Saturdays AFC playoff matchup between the Baltimore
Ravens and hosting New England Patriots figures to be a good one. After all, it
appears you cant go wrong with Joe Flacco and Tom Brady in the postseason. The
Patriots and Ravens rank first and second in the NFL in victories since 2008,
with New England amassing 88 in that span. Baltimore has 82, a number it
increased with last weekends 30-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC
Wild Card round clash. The Ravens went into that game 0-3 in Pittsburgh in the
postseason, but sacked Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger five times to
highlight a solid defensive effort and got a pair of passing touchdowns from
Flacco. Flacco threw for 259 yards and he teamed with head coach John Harbaugh
for their seventh playoff victory together. Thats playoff football. Thats Joe
Flacco, a jubilant Harbaugh beamed. Hes the best quarterback in football. Well
take him any day of the week, twice on Sunday...or Saturday night, if that be
the case. Baltimore is 10-4 in the playoffs under Harbaugh with a Super Bowl win
and the Ravens have handed the Patriots two of their four all-time losses in 19
home playoff games. Baltimore beat New England in a 2009 wild card matchup and
again in the 2012 AFC Championship game prior to winning Super Bowl XLVII. The
Ravens shut Brady and the Pats out in the second half of that game to rally for
a 28-13 and avenge a loss to New England in the previous AFC title game. This is
the fourth postseason battle between the clubs, with each taking place in
Foxborough, though Brady doesnt factor home-field advantage that much into the
matchup. It always goes to execution and how well you play because theres
nothing that the crowd can do to help you make the plays that youre supposed to
make, he said. I think there are things that -- the communication and the
ability to communicate late in the play clock is a strong advantage for the
offense. New England is making its sixth straight postseason appearance, but
hasnt won the Super Bowl since 2004 or reached the championship matchup since
2011. A victory in this game, though, would make the Patriots only the fifth
team to reach four straight conference championship games. The Pats won the AFC
East with their third straight 12-4 season, securing the top seed in the
conference. They have advanced to the Super Bowl in three of the previous four
seasons they have claimed the top seed. New England head coach Bill Belichick
comes in having won 19 postseason games, tied with Don Shula for second most
all-time and one back of Tom Landrys NFL-leading 20. WHAT TO WATCH FOR Saturday
could become a milestone day for Brady after he passed for over 4,000 yards with
33 touchdowns in the regular season. Bradys 43 postseason touchdown passes rank
third in NFL history and he comes in just behind second-place Brett Favre (44)
and the all-time leader Joe Montana, who had 45. Brady also is one of two
quarterbacks with at least 6,000 passing yards in the playoffs and no other
quarterback has recorded as many postseason wins as his 18. While the Ravens had
success last weekend in getting to Roethlisberger, Brady and his ability to move
the ball quick present a different challenge. Its different because Ben
scrambles a little more and hes a little stronger shrugging off tackles and
things like that, noted Harbaugh. Neither one of them really scramble to run;
both of them scramble to throw. Tom does a great job of getting the ball out
quick. Theyre both excellent before the snap. New England did get 13 rushing
touchdowns this season, but none of its players ran for more than Jonas Grays
412. However, receivers Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell combined along with
tight end Rob Gronkowski for 248 receptions and 23 touchdowns. Gronkowski,
limited to seven games and none in the playoffs last season due to a knee
injury, led the Pats with 12 touchdown catches and should provide an added
offensive punch New England did not have when it lost to Denver in the AFC
Championship Game. Hes a real key to our offense, Brady said of his tight end.
Hes a very talented player and weve got to find ways to get him the ball. Hes
got to be a big factor. Were all excited to be out there this week. The Pats are
likely to have Edelman back in action to. He led the team with 92 receptions to
go along with 972 yards and four TDs, but missed the final two regular season
games due to a concussion. Anytime you dont get to go out and play with your
teammates its very tough, especially at the end of the year where you are
preparing for postseason, but all of that is in the past. Im looking forward to
today and preparing for the Ravens and getting ready for this game, Edelman
said. Brady will be going up against a Ravens team that ranked 24th against the
pass, but was dominant in allowing only 88.3 rushing yards per game. And though
they give up yardage, the Ravens can also wreck havoc on a quarterback thanks to
linebackers Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil. Dumervil set a single-season
franchise record with 17 sacks and then picked up another two versus the
Steelers. He was part of a pass rush that forced Roethlisberger into throwing a
pair of interceptions. Then there is Suggs, who has had many battles with Brady
and the Pats offense. He made six tackles and had a pick versus the Steelers and
comes in with 12 career playoff sacks, tied with Reggie White for third
all-time. Hes phenomenal. Hes (in his) 12th year; it looks like its his third
year out there, said Brady of Suggs. Hes the leader of that defense, he makes
great plays. I think theres the play thats called, and then what he actually
does. So even though he has a certain responsibility, if he sniffs it out he
takes a shot and goes for it. New England also may have some respect for Flacco,
who has faced the Pats five times in Foxborough and has averaged 225.8 yards per
game while throwing nine touchdown passes. His 92.8 passer rating is the beat by
an opposing quarterback at Gillette Stadium since 2008 with a minimum of three
games and he completed a trio of TD passes with no interceptions in the 2012 AFC
Championship game. Flacco has thrown for 1,399 yards and 13 touchdowns with no
picks over Baltimores current five-game playoff winning streak. Hes a good
quarterback in all situations. Hes a good quarterback, period. I have a lot of
respect for him, noted Belichick of Flacco. While Torrey Smith represents a
deep, reliable threat for Flacco to look for -- with Smith leading the Ravens
with 11 touchdown catches -- Steve Smith topped the team with 79 catches in his
first season with the club and added another five receptions for 101 yards
against the Steelers. Known for excellent hands, Steve Smith may see himself
facing Pats cornerback Darrell Revis a lot in this game. Revis was credited with
14 passes defensed this season and picked off a pair of passes. Quarterbacks
sometimes tend to avoid throwing to his side of the field, but Flacco said that
limits an offense too much. I think as a play-caller, you have to just go out
there, rely on your guys that you have that are out there, rely on the fact that
they have ability. And as a quarterback, you have to go out there and just go
through your reads. And if hes open, throw it to him; if hes not, dont, Flacco
said. Linebacker Jamie Collins led New England with a career-high 115 tackles
and was one of only three players this season with at least four sacks and a
pair of interceptions. OVERALL ANALYSIS Its never easy, but the Ravens are one
team that has been able to run with the Patriots in the playoffs, and obviously
playing on the road does not bother the team. Baltimore is 10-5 all-time on the
road in the postseason, but Harbaugh doesnt think that gives his club any added
advantage. I dont think it really matters. Its a new game. Really, the past, the
future -- Its just whoever plays best Saturday afternoon is going to be the team
that wins the game. Its always that way. So, I dont think it makes any
difference at all one way or the other, said Harbaugh. The Ravens combined a
good defense with an offense that managed to put up points last weekend, but now
they face a motivated Patriots team that has begun to see its window of success
under Brady enter the latter stages. Were always trying to win the last game of
the year. We set pretty high expectations and I think we all have high
expectations but youve got to go out there and earn it, declared Brady. Its not
easy and this is a first step for us. A lot of teams played last week, we didnt
get a chance to do that. This is a week where we can really try to make an
impact on this season. Weve worked pretty hard to get to this point. New England
is going to have to work hard again this weekend and though Brady may take some
shots, hell probably also have an opportunity to make some plays against a
suspect secondary, with a healthy Gronkowski being the difference maker. Sports
Network Predicted Outcome: Patriots 27, Ravens 24
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From China .com) - Carmelo Anthonys 27 points and 11 rebounds
propelled the New York Knicks to their first winning streak in over two months
by virtue of Wednesdays 98-91 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. LOS ANGELES
-- Josh Beckett and Adam Wainwright were both on their game in a pitching duel
that exceeded all expectations. Pinch-hitter Justin Turner delivered an RBI
single in the eighth inning off Wainwright, and the Los Angeles Dodgers edged
the St. Louis Cardinals 1-0 Thursday night in their first meeting since last
years NL championship series. Beckett pitched seven sharp innings in his
showdown with the Cardinals ace, who held the Dodgers hitless through five. Left
fielder Matt Kemp helped Beckett by throwing out a runner at the plate in the
seventh. Beckett scattered four hits, walked two and struck out four. The
right-hander has a 1.34 ERA over his last seven starts, a stretch that began
with his no-hitter in Philadelphia on May 25. His season ERA is 2.11 in 15
starts. "I knew it was going to be tough, but I dont think I deserve very much
of the credit," Beckett said. "My defence really picked me up tonight, and we
got a late run off of a pretty tough pitcher." Juan Uribe, just off the disabled
list after missing 34 games with a right hamstring strain, led off the eighth
with a single and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Drew Butera before rookie
Miguel Rojas infield single put runners at the corners. Turner, batting for
reliever Brian Wilson, came through with his 20th RBI of the season. "I think
hes used to that. Hes gotten some big hits for us this year," Kemp said. "Hes
always ready to hit, and tonight he got the big hit. It was a battle today. It
was a battle of the pitchers -- two good pitchers going at it, and we had to
wait out Wainwright." Wilson (1-2) tossed a perfect inning and Kenley Jansen got
three outs for his 24th save. "Thats how playoff games usually are -- 1-0. When
we play them, its always two good teams going at it," Kemp said. "I think our
pitchers match up with their pitchers, and vice versa. Weve had some battles
over the years, and theyve gotten the best of us the last couple of years. But
hopefully we can grind it out and see them in the playoffs again this year." The
Cardinals won 97 games last season, five more than Los Angeles, and beat the
Dodgers in the NLCS. Wainwright won Game 3 at Dodger Stadium. This time,
Wainwright (10-4) took a hard-luck loss, giving up five hits while going the
distance for the 19th time in 201 regular-season starts. The right-hander was
runner-up to Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw in last years NL Cy Young Award voting.
"I think one run would have bbeen enough tonight the way he was throwing the
ball," said Cardinals second baseman Mark Ellis, a former Dodger.
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China. "He was typical Wainwright. He has four above-average
pitches and throws them wherever he wants. He knows their lineup and how to
throw those guys." Wainwright walked his first batter, Dee Gordon, then retired
15 in a row before Rojas led off the sixth with a clean single to left field.
Beckett followed with a Texas Leaguer to right, and Allen Craig made a diving
catch with the outfield playing shallow against the pitcher. Gordon followed
with a bloop single to left, but Yasiel Puig grounded into a double play. Puig,
the NL player of the month for May, is batting .242 with no homers, six RBIs and
25 strikeouts in 25 games since his last home run on May 28 against Cincinnatis
Homer Bailey at Dodger Stadium. Craig hit a two-out double in the seventh, just
beyond Puigs reach on the right-field warning track, then tried to score on
Jon Jays sharp single to left. Kemp charged the ball and threw a perfect strike
to Butera in front of the plate for a sweep tag as Beckett thrust both arms over
his head in jubilation. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny challenged the call by
umpire Vic Carapazza, but a replay review upheld the decision and the game
remained scoreless. "I wasnt surprised they sent him. Right there in the late
innings, its do or die," Kemp said. "I got a good jump on it, got to the ball
quick and threw it. Butera made a good tag and we got the out. Defence is just
as important as offence. Defence won us that game today." NOTES: Cardinals RHP
Joe Kelly, on the DL with a left hamstring strain thats sidelined him for 66
games, is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Friday with Triple-A Memphis.
... Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez missed his third straight game with a sore
right shoulder and had an MRI. ... The Dodgers flight from Kansas City didnt
arrive in Los Angeles until about 2 a.m. following their 5-4 win over the
Royals, and manager Don Mattingly called off batting practice. ... The Cardinals
began a five-game stretch in which they will face all three pitchers who have
thrown no-hitters this season, including Kershaw on Sunday and San Franciscos
Tim Lincecum on Tuesday. ... The Dodgers were 20-14 in Uribes absence. ...
Adrian Gonzalezs RBI streak ended at seven games, one shy of the L.A. Dodgers
record shared by Puig, Tommy Davis, Reggie Smith, Adrian Beltre and Shawn Green.
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