These Baltimore Ravens...

This time around, The Patriots will be in white, and Baltimore will host the game. Also, both teams will know the sting of losing on the foot of a kicker. Granted, Billy Cundiff missed a chipper at 32 yards compared to Gostkowski's 42.

This time around, The Ravens will be honoring a late owner with a 3-lettered breastpatch "ART." Art Modell was loved in Baltimore for bringing back a franchise. Cleveland may rock, but there's no Art there anymore.

This game will be a test of wills, a showdown between bitter rivals. I believe we can call the Ravens our rivals. Even though we could be rivals to half the League... Our arch-nemesis still has a stupid looking Manning-face, but it is fair to call The Ravens Rivals.

KNOWN FOR DEFENSE
Ray Lewis and Ed Reed will be joined by some new faces. The powerful front is anchored as always by 340 lb Haloti Ngata, and once again by the 345 lb Maake Kemoeatu. Also, Arthur Jones rounds out the 3-4 with 315 lbs of his own. And you thought Vince and Kyle were big...

With names like Kindle and McClellan on the outside, the absence of T-Sizzle (Suggs) is being felt. Also, rookie Courtney Upshaw is not a comparable replacement so far in 2012. Still the LB corps will be considered a strength due to Ray Lewis and Jameel McClain on the inside.

Safety Bernard Pollard (by the grace of the almighty) is hurt and should miss the game. This way, The Curse of Pollard cannot continue to injure key Patriots. Lardarius Webb and Cary Williams are the top CBs this year. With a hobbled Ed Reed and without Pollard, the Ravens may be vulnerable in the secondary. We may even have a James Ihedibgo sighting...

FLACCO'S OFFENSE
The Offensive Line welcomes a veteran free agent from Cincinnati at LG Bobbie Williams, but the group remains largely intact. From left to right, they are: McKinney, Williams, Birk, Yanda, Oher. Likewise, Flacco has two big TEs in Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta. Both TEs are receiving threats, but The Ravens have an excellent running game with RB Ray Rice running behind FB Vonta Leach and the TEs. We don't want to give The Ravens short-yardage 3rd downs because they can execute well as a veteran group.

The Ravens passing game is a bit of a wild card every year. Flacco seems to have targets with WRs Anquan Bolden, Torrey Smith, Jacoby Jones, and Tandon Doss. Each year, Flacco seems to have some speedy guys that catch deep passes, but the lingering question mark is Joe Flacco. No one knows whether to praise him or to just continue to leave him on the second tier of QBs. Look for him to continue his career averages as a second tier QB with a 24/39 for 256 yards. He is good on down-field throws, but is not consistently able to string together long drives. That's my reason for keeping him in the second tier. Whats yours? Comment below.