Brady and Patriots ready for Ravens

The NFL play-offs continue tomorrow with four teams left vying for a spot in next month’s Super Bowl XLVII.

Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are chasing a sixth AFC title in 12 seasons against the Baltimore Ravens (11.30pm Irish time) in a repeat of last year’s conference showdown, one which ended in dramatic circumstances with the Ravens missing a late field goal that would have sent the game to overtime.

This era of Patriots dominance began the season after Baltimore won their only Super Bowl, that 2000 victory the last time they wore the AFC crown. A lot is on the line.

New England’s 41-28 win over Houston last Sunday contrasted sharply with the excitement of the double-overtime victory Baltimore eked out in Denver the day before.

That impressive win handed retiring Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis one more game at the highest level.

“You see when (Lewis) makes a play, their whole sideline gets amped up so you’ve always got to know where (he) is at,” Brady said.

“He’s always right in the middle of the defence but whether he’s blitzing or covering or he’s free in the middle of the field, you always have to take him into account.”

Brady will be without his best receiver, Rob Gronkowski, but with home advantage and plenty of options for his accurate arm, the Patriots are expected to march on to New Orleans, where they would be trying for a fourth title.

In the NFC championship game which kicks off at 8pm Irish time, the San Francisco 49ers travel to the Atlanta Falcons buoyed by the dominant performance of pacey quarterback Colin Kaepernick against Green Bay last Sunday. “It’s a big task,” said 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh whose brother John runs the Ravens. “(The Falcons) had a great season... solid in every regard.”

The top-seeded Falcons withstood a Seattle Seahawks rally last week but will face a stiffer defence tomorrow as the 49ers chase their first Super Bowl berth in 18 years. “We know how that feeling was when we didn’t get the job done last year (against the New York Giants),” said 49ers running back Frank Gore. “We’ll try our best to not get that feeling again.”