Divisional Weekend/Game No. 1

As usually happens in situations like a game in the divisional round of the playoffs, it would be more fun and entertaining if the Baltimore defense had to play against the Tennessee defense.

That can only happen on paper, but it’s been happening all this week in both Baltimore and Nashville leading into the matchup between these two teams in a divisional game in the AFC Playoffs.

Kickoff is 3:30 p.m. CST from LP Field in Nashville. CBS has the broadcast.

The Ravens defense put on quite a show last week in beating Miami in the wildcard round and that has the whole football nation talking about Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and those mean and nasty guys from Baltimore.

All that’s done is tick off the mean and nasty guys on the Tennessee defense, and rest assured, they have those type of guys. DT Albert Haynesworth (above), LB Keith Bulluck and CB Cortland Finnegan are among the best in the business, and they enjoy the rough, in-your-face style that is so associated with Baltimore.

And, they don’t like it one bit that their defense has been forgotten.

“Well, that’s what everybody is saying, they are the best,” Finnegan said this week in Nashville. “We’ve got a lot to prove to people for a team that finished 13-3 with the No. 1 seed in the AFC. All of us on defense have sort of put it in our back pocket as a little extra ammunition.”

When the first and second All-Pro teams were announced on Friday, they included six defensive players in this game. Lewis, Reed, Haynesworth and Finnegan made the first team, with Baltimore’s Haloti Ngata and Terrell Suggs on the second team.

Here’s an important tidbit on all six of those guys: they were all drafted by their teams. Lewis, Reed, Haynesworth, Ngata and Suggs were first-round picks. Finnegan was a seventh-round choice.

The most important defensive statistic in any season is points allowed and Tennessee was second in the league, giving up 14.6 points per game. Baltimore was third at 15.2 points per game. But the Ravens actually allowed fewer touchdowns, giving up 21, while the Titans allowed 24.

Baltimore led the league in interceptions with 26 (Tennessee had 20.) But the Titans defense was second in forced fumbles with 23 (Baltimore had 15.) When it comes to quarterback sacks, the Titans have a 44-34 edge over the Ravens.

“The Ravens defense has been at the top of the league for the last few years,” Bulluck told NFL.com. “It’s a very good defense. But we do have a problem with them being considered so much better than our defense. And now we get the chance to show it. It’s quite an opportunity.”

So ultimately this game will come down to which offense can make the most happen against these top-notch defenses. Both have strong running games that are not built around just one back each. The Ravens have Le’Ron McClain, Willis McGahee and rookie Ray Rice. The Titans have LenDale White and rookie Chris Johnson.

And it’s an interesting quarterback matchup: the rookie Joe Flacco against grizzled veteran Kerry Collins. These guys finished the year with nearly identical passer ratings (Flacco 80.3, Collins 80.2). The Titans had much better pass protection, although they’ll be without starting center Kevin Mawae, who is out with an elbow injury.

INJURY UPDATE

Baltimore – LB Antwan Barnes is out. Listed as questionable were these key players: TE Todd Heap (back), WR Derrick Mason (shoulder), S Ed Reed (knee), CB Samari Rolle (thigh), K Matt Stover (ankle) and CB Fabrian Washington (neck). All are expected to play.

Tennessee - DE Dave Ball and C Kevin Mawae are both out. S Tuff Harris (calf) is listed as questionable.