Baltimore Ravens Seating Chart

The Baltimore Ravens head into the playoffs as one of those teams that probably scares the heck out of any potential opponent they may run up against.

They are without a doubt the most difficult team to figure out in this year's playoffs. One week they look great, the next they are lost. Heck, this team has major swings from one play to the next.

The Ravens came into the season coming off a very surprising run to the AFC championship game during a season in which most thought the team was in rebuilding mode. Instead, the team rallied around their rookie head coach and rookie quarterback and showed that almost anything can happen in the NFL when the postseason rolls around.

The first round features a difficult matchup in Foxboro against the New England Patriots, who are just two season removed from a 16-0 campaign and falling one play shy of perfection.

The Patriots and Ravens already met once this season, with New England benefitting from some very questionable calls and a huge dropped pass to hold on for the victory. The Ravens have been smarting over that loss all season and will be that much more hungry to pick up a huge road victory and move on to the second round of the playoffs.

Baltimore's secondary has been ravaged by injuries this year, making the Patriots a bad matchup, at least on that side of the ball. The one bit of good news is that the Ravens will not have to contend with wideout Wes Welker, who is out for the season after tearing ligaments in his knee in the final game of the year.

In fact, Baltimore's defense struggled in the early going and coordinator Greg Mattison, who replaced the departed Rex Ryan, was the subject of much ire and criticism. The unit has slowly adapted to Mattison's ways and has played really well in the second half of the season taking all of the injuries into consideration.

On offense, the Ravens have been inconsistent at best. Joe Flacco has showed signs of greatness, especially early in the year, but looks to be worn down late in the season. He is having trouble picking up blitzes and locating open wide receivers, and has also overthrown wide open teammates.

That's left the Ravens to lean on the running game, and 2008 second-round draft pick Ray Rice has become the NFL's newest version of Brian Westbrook. He leads the team in both rushing and receiving and has made a number of big plays this year. When the Ravens need a big play, they look to Rice to bail them out of a bad situation.

The Ravens could do some serious damage much the way they crashed the postseason party last year, or they could lose in the first round in decisive fashion. It's just tough to tell which team will show up.