Ravens vs. Patriots: Keys to a New England Victory in the AFC Championship

It's hard to believe, but with one of the bottom-of-the-barrel defenses in the NFL, the New England Patriots have made it this far. They're playing for the AFC Championship, and with a win, they'll be appearing in their fifth Super Bowl in 10 years. 

This Sunday will feature New England's biggest challenge all season—the Baltimore Ravens.

In order to knock off one of the elite defenses in the NFL, the Patriots are going to have to follow these keys for a victory. 

Protect Tom Brady

There is no secret here. Tom Brady is New England's best player; he has to be protected. If Brady has pressure put on him and is forced to make quick decisions, then New England's offense is more likely to struggle. 

Offensive linemen Matt Light, Nate Solder, Sebastian Vollmer and Logan Mankins are going to have their hands full with two of the NFL's elite pass rushers in Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata. If the Patriots can control these two, then they'll certainly increase their chance of coming out as the victor. 

Find the Open Receiver, Don't Force Passes

When Tom Brady gets into trouble, it's usually because he's forcing the ball to receivers. We all saw what happened at the end of the Randy Moss era in New England, Brady simply forced too many passes his way. 

New England has a plethora of weapons in Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez and Deion Branch. Chances are that one of those four receivers will offer a nice window for Brady to throw into each play. 

Shut Down Ray Rice

We all know what happened the last time these two teams met in the playoffs back in early 2010. Ray Rice ran all over the Patriots as he compiled 159 yards and scored two touchdowns.

If Rice is contained, then New England will be in a much better position dealing with the arm of Joe Flacco than the explosive legs of Ray Rice. 

Build an Early Lead

We all saw what happened last Saturday night against the Denver Broncos—the game was over in the first quarter as the Patriots built a 14-0 nothing lead. 

I'm not saying that if it's 14-0 by the end of the first quarter, then the game is over. What New England has to do is score points and force Joe Flacco to throw rather than dealing with Ray Rice. 

Put the Game in Joe Flacco's Hands

The previous two keys play right into this one—the Patriots need to make Joe Flacco beat them. 

Flacco is far from the greatest quarterback and has been notoriously pathetic in the postseason. He's completed only 53.1 percent of his passes in his career while averaging 153.3 yards per game and tossing six touchdowns compared to seven interceptions.

Flacco is not a great playoff quarterback, and New England has to take advantage of that. 

Final Prediction: New England 31, Baltimore 17

Be sure to check out Tony Santorsa's blog: PatriotsPlus