At a glance

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Baltimore Ravens	The matchups: position-by-position edge	New York Giants
	WR — Toomer and Hilliard are big-play threats, something the Ravens lack
	OT — Brown, Petitgout are very solid, but Ogden is the elite OT in this game
	OG — Stone is Pro Bowl-bound, Parker is a savvy vet; Ravens are just OK
	C — Both Zeigler and Mitchell are more than adequate but not outstanding
	QB — Collins can win games for NYG; Ravens hope Dilfer doesn’t lose game
	TE — Sharpe is one of the best big-play, receiving tight ends in the NFL
	RB — Ja. Lewis could be great, but Barber, Dayne and Comella get edge
	DE — Strahan has had a huge postseason; Burnett, McCrary better together
	DT — Both teams have true studs clogging things up in the middle
	OLB — Sharper, Boulware get edge over Armstead, Phillips
	MLB — Ray Lewis has had as fine a season as any middle linebacker ever
	CB — Ravens leave their CBs on an island more than any NFL team
	S — Garnes strong vs. the run, Williams was at Pro Bowl level at end of year
	PK — Stover is ultradependable; Daluiso still not totally back from knee injury
	P — Richardson places many punts inside the 20, is good directional kicker
	KR — Je. Lewis can turn a game around with his return abilities
	ST — Giants rebounded from poor showing early; Ravens are very reliable
	Coach — Billick, Fassel both deserved Coach of the Year consideration
	Assistants — Both teams have future head coaches leading their defenses

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Name of game is smashmouth in old-school bout

Ravens LB Ray Lewis

Though the Ravens and Giants have met just once, you’ll think they’ve been longtime rivals when they face off in Super Bowl XXXV.

That’s because these teams thrive on smashmouth football. Their mantra: run the ball and stop the run. They’re aggressive, they’re physical and they hit — hard.

It’s old-school football at its finest.

It’s also a matchup that no one could have expected. After all, the Ravens went 21 quarters without scoring a touchdown earlier this season, and the Giants were lost in the NFC East excitement created by the free-spending Redskins and Donovan McNabb’s Eagles. Back-to-back home losses did not look promising for the Giants in November.

But both teams righted their ships and enter the title game riding lengthy winning streaks. The Ravens snapped their TD drought in Week 10 and haven’t lost since, winning 10 straight. The Giants haven’t lost since Fassel’s playoff guarantee before Week 13. They’ve won seven in a row.

This matchup pits two top-five defenses that finished the regular season ranked 1-2 in rushing defense. The Ravens, ranked No. 1, set an NFL record for fewest rushing yards allowed in a 16-game season — 970. The second-ranked Giants set a team record, allowing an average of 72.3 rushing yards per game.

But the Ravens achieved the most impressive regular-season record of all, surrendering only 165 points in a 16-game season. They bested the 1986 Bears, who allowed 187 points.

This is the Giants’ first trip to the Super Bowl since the ’90 season, when the game also was played in Tampa. New York held off the Bills 20-19, as Bills PK Scott Norwood’s potential game-winning, 47-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide right with no time left. The Ravens are making their first Super Bowl appearance.

When the Ravens have the ball:

Who would have thought that a Brian Billick-coached team would have such a conservative offense? That’s the case with the Ravens, who are the polar opposite of Billick’s ’98 Vikings team that set a league record for points scored in a season (556).

Begrudgingly, Billick has accepted the Ravens’ run-first offense, which is quarterbacked by Trent Dilfer. In his first year with Baltimore, Dilfer is 10-1 as a starter, with his first action coming in relief of Tony Banks in Week Eight. Dilfer started the following game, which marked the Ravens’ last loss.

Dilfer is not a flashy quarterback by any means, and he can be forced into mistakes. But generally, it’s not Dilfer’s job to win games — it’s his job not to lose them. In the Ravens’ three postseason wins, Dilfer hasn’t thrown more than 18 passes, as the Ravens have sought to control the tempo with their ground game. Dilfer has not thrown the deep ball well at all.

What Dilfer has done is play within himself. He hasn’t continually forced the action (he’s thrown just one interception in the postseason), and he’s benefited from some lucky bounces. From his tumultuous days with the Buccaneers, Dilfer has improved his awareness, but he still needs a consistent running game to support him.

Fortunately, Dilfer has had that in Jamal Lewis, a versatile running back who’s had a very productive rookie year. Lewis is a bruising inside runner with an explosive burst, as well as an adept receiver. But in the last two games, his pace has slowed. He’s looked impatient with his blocking up front, and he may be finally wearing down. The extra week off should help. Priest Holmes has spelled Lewis on occasion and performed well.

The Giants feature a very stout run defense, led by an underrated front seven. DRT Keith Hamilton has been very disruptive inside, and DLE Michael Strahan has been a terror of late. Strahan, who has three sacks in the postseason, will battle ORT Harry Swayne, who is completing his 14th NFL season. Keep an eye on Giants reserve Cornelius Griffin, whom Fassel calls his most athletic defensive lineman. On the other side, Ravens OLT Jonathan Ogden, one of the top tackles in the game, will face DRE Cedric Jones.

LBs Jessie Armstead and Mike Barrow are New York’s leading tacklers. Armstead continues to play at an exceptional level, being named to his fourth straight Pro Bowl this season. It took some time for Barrow to pick up the Giants’ defense, but he has come on, providing great speed and range.

The Ravens will have to be on their toes against a constantly changing Giants defense. In the NFC championship game, coordinator John Fox confused Vikings QB Daunte Culpepper by using various looks. Fox is a highly regarded coach, as elements of his scheme against the Rams last season were used by the Buccaneers in last January’s conference-title game.

TE Shannon Sharpe has proved to be a pivotal player for the Ravens this season. He’s the team’s leading receiver, and he’s scored two touchdowns in three postseason games, including an NFL-playoff-record 96-yard catch and run in the AFC title game against the Raiders. Though he’s not the most well-rounded tight end, Sharpe has proved to be a top pass catcher at his position. He needs 44 receptions to eclipse Ozzie Newsome’s all-time TE record of 662 receptions.

It would surprise no one to see the Giants defend Sharpe with CB Jason Sehorn, who has two interceptions in New York’s two postseason games. Sehorn has bounced back from last season’s knee injury and is coming off an outstanding performance against Vikings WR Randy Moss. Otherwise, Sehorn might see speedy WR Qadry Ismail, the only Ravens wideout to record a 100-yard game this season.

The Giants have great size in the secondary. Aside from Sehorn (6-2, 215 pounds), New York starts CB Dave Thomas (6-3, 218), SS Sam Garnes (6-3, 225) and FS Shaun Williams (6-2, 215). All are very physical, and Thomas, in particular, has come on in the playoffs.

When the Giants have the ball:

What a difference a week made for the Giants’ offense, which may have picked up the steam necessary to challenge the Ravens’ stellar defense with its NFC title-game victory over Minnesota.

Giants offensive coordinator Sean Payton created a game plan that had New York attacking through the air early and often, as well as utilizing a number of formation shifts at the line of scrimmage. The Giants probably will be more conservative offensively vs. the Ravens, but if they can get on the board early, it could be huge; New York is 10-0 this season when leading after the first quarter.

QB Kerry Collins was in total control of the Vikings’ weak secondary, spreading the ball around and throwing a variety of different passes with pinpoint precision.

Collins doesn’t figure to have as much time to look downfield as he did vs. Minnesota. The Giants’ cohesive offensive line gave Collins all kinds of time to scan the field vs. the Vikings, but the Ravens’ defensive line was able to put plenty of pressure on the Raiders’ quarterbacks without much help from blitzers. The linebackers also got to the quarterback with regularity.

Collins is not exactly known for his mobility, but he did take advantage of several designed rollouts that allowed receivers to find gaps in Minnesota’s zone defense. WRs Ike Hilliard (10 catches for 155 yards and two touchdowns vs. Minnesota) and Amani Toomer, whose bum ankle shouldn’t be much of a problem by the Super Bowl, are Collins’ favorite targets. The Giants may try to increase TE Pete Mitchell’s role in this game, as the Ravens often give opponents the underneath passes in an effort to deny big plays.

RB Tiki Barber continued his quality running with 69 yards on 12 carries vs. the Vikes. His speed, burst and receiving ability out of the backfield will be primary concerns for the Ravens. Two concerns for the Giants’ ground game, however, are Barber’s broken left forearm, which requires him to wear a protective cast and limits him from carrying the ball under his left arm, and Ron Dayne’s recent inability to hit the holes quickly or move the pile.

The Ravens’ top-rated run defense stymied the Raiders’ league-leading rushing offense to the tune of just 24 yards on 17 carries. DTs Tony Siragusa and Sam Adams take on multiple blockers as well as anyone, often allowing LBs Ray Lewis, Peter Boulware and Jamie Sharper to run free to the ball and make plays all over the field. Giants C Dusty Zeigler and OGs Ron Stone and Glenn Parker are a quality group on the interior, but they will be put to the ultimate test in Tampa.

While there is a perception that the secondary is an area of weakness, CBs Duane Starks and Chris McAlister have picked up their games the past month and dispelled any notions that they can be picked on. McAlister is a very big and physical cover man with good speed, while Starks came up big with two interceptions vs. the Raiders.

Baltimore forced five turnovers in the AFC championship and had a league-leading plus-23 turnover differential. It has allowed just two passes of over 20 yards in the playoffs and has surrendered only a single offensive touchdown in three postseason games. However, the Giants’ offense has a renewed sense of confidence following its record-setting performance against Minnesota.

Special teams:

At first glance, Baltimore would appear to have a distinct advantage. Ravens PK Matt Stover was second in the league in scoring, finishing behind only Marshall Faulk on the strength of 35 field goals during the regular season. Jermaine Lewis is a very explosive punt returner, and the Ravens’ coverage teams have been excellent. Baltimore blocked two field goals vs. Tennessee in the second round of the playoffs, returning one for a touchdown. P Kyle Richardson has sacrificed some leg strength in the name of directional kicking and has yielded mostly positive results.

The Giants have reason to feel comfortable with PK Brad Daluiso and his history in the postseason, but his distance on kickoffs leaves a lot to be desired. The Giants’ special teams have been frequently criticized for poor performances, but they’ve gotten things under control as of late.

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