49ers vs. Ravens: Thanksgiving Feast Proves Ravens Are Team To Beat in AFC

There was nothing terribly shocking about Thursday night's collision between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens. It was a low-scoring game in which the defenses thrived. Anyone surprised by that hasn't watched either of these two teams this season.

Baltimore is the best team in the AFC. Even though the Steelers are 3-0 against the Ravens in the playoffs since 2001, they have no stake to that claim.

Not now.

Anyone who doubts that needs only to look at the 2-0 record that the Ravens have over the Steelers this season.

New England is close. Their defense has improved in recent weeks and the teams they'll likely play in the AFC playoffs are far from offensive juggernauts.

However, do they have what it takes to win in the playoffs? With such a small running game, I have my doubts—especially when they play tough defenses. 

Houston had a claim to that title, but the lack of Matt Schaub will clearly hurt them.

The 49ers are still the second-best team in the NFC. Their 9-2 record verifies that. More importantly, they have done very well outside of their division. The NFC West is a bad division, but only two of the 49ers' nine wins have come against division rivals. 

If road wins over the Bengals, Eagles and Lions, a tough home win over the Giants and a 4-1 record in the Eastern Time Zone don't prove that this team is for real, nothing will.

That being said, this isn't about the 49ers. They didn't win on Thursday—Baltimore did. It's not about the Patriots, Steelers or any other team in the NFL. 

What does Baltimore have that sets them apart?

First, they have a strong running attack.

Ray Rice didn't have a statistically great game on Thursday, but San Francisco's run defense is the best in the league. Rice did a fine job picking up hard yards when he needed to.

Of course, the Ravens have a strong defense. They always do, and this unit takes a backseat to none of the defenses they have had since winning the Super Bowl in 2000. 

Much like the 2000 team, the 2011 Ravens have big men in the middle that eat blocks and allow the linebackers to run free. Throw that in with a fine secondary and incredible pass-rushers and this is a defense that won't allow points to anyone.

Baltimore is well on their way to gaining home-field advantage. Their 2-0 record against the Steelers and 1-0 record against Houston go a long way in separating the Ravens from those teams.

It's not quite as easy when it comes to home-field advantage against New England, but remember that the Patriots haven't won a playoff game since losing Super Bowl XLII. Both of their playoff losses came at home. What's more, one of those came against the Ravens.  

What's got the Ravens into trouble is that they've played to the level of their competition. Their three losses this year have been against vastly inferior teams, and that's not insignificant. 

Even so, ultimately, they won't be playing those teams in the playoffs.

Baltimore has had no problem getting up for their bigger games of the season. 

Their game is custom-built for the playoffs. The teams best equipped to beat them would have to go into Baltimore, where the Ravens are 6-0 this season. 

It doesn't look good for the rest of the AFC.