Another Playoff chance: Too much to lose for Baltimore Ravens – NFL Special
The Baltimore Ravens will play their first playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) regular season against newbies, the Houston Texans, on Sunday, January 15, 2012.
They however, failed themselves in all the previous attempts. Only difference for them this time around is that they have a home game.
Furthermore, they are coming out of a bye in the wild-card week.
They claimed the skip of the wild-card game, courtesy of their win in their last home game against Cincinnati Bengals.
This will make them probably the only side in the NFL to have played in the postseason for the fourth consecutive season.
They are also probably the only team in the American professional football premier league to have ended up as losers in all previous tries.
Baltimore aims to fight off the losers' tag this year as it is one of the reasons that their game against the playoff newcomers, Houston Texans, is more important for them as it is for their opposition.
Ravens’ coach, John Harbaugh, and players such as Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis, have spoken high of their hopes and optimism for a definite win this time.
It is yet to be seen if their wishes come true.
The side, apparently, is said to be ready to defeat the Houston Texans.
However, they are also wary of their weakness against the comparatively less competitive teams.
No doubt, the Texans have won the American Football Conference (AFC) South title and claimed their first-ever playoff berth, but they do not have experience of playing a single playoff game.
The experience may not turn out to be a factor that matters as such given it has not helped the Ravens win a playoff season.
Ravens, so far, have played in three playoffs and lost in all.
However, the Texans will definitely feel absence of their regular and star quarterbacks, Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart. They are now left with the top draft pick, T.J. Yates.
The Ravens will be aware of all these developments at the Houston, and will attempt to capitalise on them to supplement their win efforts.
It is the Ravens' strength that they play better in challenging and competitive conditions.
The pressure of home-ground and home-crowd will warm up the situation for them and might make the win easier for them.
It is however, likely to add extra pressure on them for a must victory. The Ravens realise that they cannot get away with the loss all too easily this time. The fans' hype and expectations are at the peak.
Ravens’ players are also frustrated of losing again in the postseason and they are aiming for a must win this time.
It will require them to perform better on the field and keep the pinch of their frustration and spectators' demand behind them.
Otherwise, they stand chances of quickly succumbing to the pressure and end up losing once again. A loss this time will make them lose too much.
A win is also more significant for them since it will make them finish atop the AFC north.
They are among the top five teams in the league, and have defeated their arch-rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, in their chances for a playoff bye and the divisional title.
This became possible for them through two wins against Steelers in their regular season.
By and large, the Ravens are going into the playoff game as favourites.
They however, need to work on their weakness that exposes them against the strongly emerging Houston Texans.
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