NFL Playoff Picks 2012: Why Tom Brady Will Lead Patriots to a Win over Ravens

Tom Brady has led the New England Patriots to four AFC titles and three Super Bowl wins. Right now all that stands between him and another spot in the big game are the Baltimore Ravens, who happen to possess one of the NFL's best defenses. 

The Ravens finished third in the NFL in total defense in the regular season, allowing 288.9 yards per game. Baltimore also ranked fourth in pass defense (196.3 yards per game) and second in rush defense (92.6 yards per game). Still, even though the Ravens have star players on defense in linebackers Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis, defensive lineman Haloti Ngata and safety Ed Reed, Brady is playing as well as he ever has right now, and I don't see Baltimore stopping him.

This season Brady completed 65.6 percent of his passes for a career-high 5,235 yards with 39 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions. His quarterback rating of 105.6 ranked third in the NFL. The 34-year-old quarterback continued his outstanding run against the Denver Broncos in the divisional round, throwing for 363 yards and six touchdowns in New England's 45-10 win. 

The win over the Broncos was the ninth straight victory for the Patriots, and in that stretch Brady has been almost perfect. Over the team's past nine games Brady has thrown for 2,895 yards (321.7 yards per game) with 25 touchdowns and just three interceptions. That is simply phenomenal.

Brady also has two weapons at his disposal who are playing as well as anyone in the NFL right now. Receiver Wes Welker led the NFL with 122 catches and finished second in receiving yards (1,569). Meanwhile, tight end Rob Gronkowski led all tight ends in yards (1,327) and set a league record for touchdowns at the position with 17. 

In addition to Welker and Gronkowski, receiver Deion Branch had 51 catches for 702 yards and five scores, while tight end Aaron Hernandez finished the season with 79 catches for 910 yards and seven touchdowns.

Brady and New England's entire offense are locked in right now. No matter how well the Ravens play on Sunday I just can't see them stopping the Patriots and preventing Brady from reaching his fifth Super Bowl.