AFC Championship Game 2012: 4 Matchups to Watch in Ravens vs. Patriots

A colossal matchup between two the NFL's best offenses and defenses, the New England Patriots host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

And, we know the obvious matchups, such as Tom Brady versus Joe Flacco, as well as the Ravens receivers versus the Patriots' vulnerable pass defense. That being said, here are four matchups that will really determine who moves on to Super Bowl XLVI.

Terrell Suggs vs. Matt Light

Ah, the protection of New England quarterback Tom Brady and the strict pass-rush of Baltimore's Terrell Suggs. Patriots left tackle Matt Light has been in this position before.

Protecting Brady's blindside for most of his career, Light has earned a trip to three Pro Bowls, has one All-Pro selection, and has been a part of all four of New England's AFC championship teams (collecting three Super Bowls rings along the way).

As for Suggs, he's the Ravens' all-time sack leader at just age 29 and has been selected to five Pro Bowls, along with two All-Pro selections. So, it's certainly a matchup that will determine a lot in this game.

Light will solely be responsible for shutting down Suggs, and Terrell will simply have to get by him.

Even if Suggs gets minimal sack opportunities, his pressure will be known as he can force fumbles quite well. Knowing that Brady trusts his offensive line quite well, he'll stay in the pocket as usual to pick apart Baltimore's pass defense.

So, expect Suggs to try and get by Light whether inside, outside or by bull rush. Light is one of the better blindside tackles in the game, otherwise he wouldn't be one of the few players left over from New England's initial 2001 Super Bowl team.

Of all the matchups in this game, Suggs versus Light may have the most impact.

Ravens Pass Defense vs. Rob Gronkowski

Provided that Brady has time to throw—and he will have enough on most snaps—the next matchup to look for when New England has the rock is Rob Gronkowski versus the Ravens pass defense.

Baltimore has never faced a tight end quite like Gronk, because he can stretch the field, beat any single coverage, and is athletic enough to beat some double coverages. Perhaps his yards after the catch is Gronk's most impressive aspect, since he's extremely hard to tackle.

It won't matter if it's the linebackers or secondary trying to blank him, because Gronkowski will produce. The key is keeping him at the line of scrimmage for as long as possible.

So, whether he's lined up in the slot or in the box, expect the linebacker over him to get a jam, and then either Ed Reed or Bernard Pollard to roll down coverage to remain physical.

The Ravens can't afford to play off of Gronkowski for most of the game, as that will allow him to find the soft spot in zones as well as hit the seam or crossing route at full speed.

Also, his presence will create more favorable matchups for Wes Welker, Deion Branch and Aaron Hernandez against Baltimore, as all are quite capable of beating single coverage more often than not. However, the Ravens will minimize that damage by remaining physical with Gronk all game long.

That being said, don't be surprised if Gronkowski releases on delay routes while helping a bit more with pass protection. His services will be needed, but the Patriots can't afford him to be blanketed off the snap so quickly.

Mark Anderson vs. Bryant McKinnie

When Baltimore has the rock, the pass protection of quarterback Joe Flacco will be extremely crucial to the Ravens' production.

Last week against Houston, Flacco was sacked five times and hit another six, so expect Bill Belichick to unleash havoc on Baltimore's offensive line. And it all starts with pass-rusher Mark Anderson.

Anderson, who served as a backup to Andre Carter until Carter's unfortunate injury, still recorded 10 sacks and forced two fumbles in 2011. And since filling in for Carter, Anderson has become New England's most menacing edge rusher.

He can go inside, outside and also do it from a three or two-point stance. Therefore, Baltimore left tackle Bryant McKinnie, who's a one-time Pro-Bowler, has his hands full.

Fortunately for McKinnie, he has the experience factor over Anderson as he's been in the league since 2002. The downside is that McKinnie's age also works against him, as well as Anderson's quickness.

Provided that the Ravens can establish a solid rushing attack early on, McKinnie may not have to block an overly aggressive Anderson in passing situations. A good ground game always keeps a defense honest and prevents a consistent pass rush.

To that end, McKinnie must hope that fullback Vonta Leach has a flawless game.

Vonta Leach vs. Patriots Linebackers

The best unit on the New England defense is their linebacker corps.

Jerod Mayo and Rob Ninkovich are the leaders of that group, and both have their own specialty.

Mayo is a sure tackler that controls the middle. In 2011 he recorded a team-leading 95 tackles, as well as having defended four passes and recording two interceptions.

Nickovich also defended four passes and got two picks, but he's more of a pass rusher, as he recorded 6.5 sacks in addition to recovering three fumbles. In other words, both know how to find the football, and it's Vonta Leach's job to prevent that.

Whether it's in pass protection or leading ahead for running back Ray Rice, Leach must make all of the Patriots linebackers obsolete in this game.

If there's one way to really take control, it's by keeping Tom Brady and company off the field while slamming the rock on the ground. And Rice, going between the tackles, off tackle and outside, must be led by Vonta Leach.

A two-time Pro Bowl selection, Leach is one of the few true fullbacks in the game, and it's something not many teams know how to defend. For Baltimore to have success and balance on offense, Leach's ability to shun any tackler or pass rusher for 60 minutes will make arguably the biggest difference in this game.

Follow John Rozum on Twitter