Ray Lewis's storied career leads to the AFC Championship game next week after Baltimore's thrilling and shocking 38-35 double overtime upset of the 13-3 Denver Broncos Saturday.
One of two teams will meet him there: Tom Brady and the high-octane offense of the New England Patriots (12-4) or superstar running back Arian Foster and the mighty defense of the Houston Texans (13-4).
That will be determined at 4:30 p.m. EST Sunday when the Patriots and Texans collide at Gillete Stadium in Foxboro, Mass in the latter half of the AFC Divisional Playoff.
The last time these two teams faced on Dec. 10, New England took Houston apart, routing them in a lopsided 42-10 victory that saw Brady throw for four touchdowns. Foster and the Texans are chomping at the bit now, especially after a column in the Boston Globe called the Texans' winning record "fraudulent."
It's going to be one high-powered match-up on the road to Super Bowl XLVII. Latinos Post breaks down the key match-ups for this Sunday:
Offense
Tom Brady.
Among NFL quarterbacks, very few names have embodied excellence and dominance for as long as the name of the man who has turned New England into a powerhouse name in football. The two-time NFL MVP and three-time Super Bowl Champion threw for 4,827 yards and 34 touchdowns this season, a decent year for the lofty standards he has set over his storybook career.
Against Houston, he dominated in New England's December pounding of their AFC Divisional Playoff opponent, completing 21 of 35 passes for 296 passing yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. If he can get the same kind of protection in the pocket he got against the Texans last time, the Patriots will be headed for a rematch with Baltimore in the AFC Championship game.
New England tight end Wes Welker always brings his A-game come playoff time, and Rob Gronkowski, tied for fourth in the NFL with 11 touchdown catches, gives Brady some reliable weapons on the passing end, along with wide receiver Brandon Lloyd. Running back Stevan Ridley also had a strong season for the Pats, notching 1,263 yards and averaging 4.4 yards per carry and 12 touchdowns on 290 carries, putting the running game in play for New England.
For Houston, quarterback Matt Shaub, who threw for 4,008 yards and 22 touchdowns this season, will be at the helm. Shaub looked strong against Cincinnati last week, completing 29 of 38 passes for 262 yards and an interception returned for a touchdown. Look for him to try and connect with deadly wide receiver Andre Johnson, second in receiving yards this season with 1,598 yards and four touchdowns on 112 catches. Owen Daniels, who has six touchdowns this season, is also a weapon that can't be ignored.
On the ground game, Foster, who was sixth in NFL rushing yards this season with 1,424 of them, will be looking to avenge his dreadful 46-yard day in Houston's crushing defeat at the hands of the Patriots in December. With everything on the line and a lot to prove, one of the best running backs in the game could have a breakout day.
Defense
This is where Houston can win the game, if they play as their stats say.
Ranked fourth in the NFL with their pass rush, which hit opponents hard for 43 sacks this season, the Texans will be led by the hard-hitting J.J. Watt, who led the league in sacks with 20.5 of them in 2012.
Watt had a slow day against New England with only two tackles in December and will be looking to pick it up a notch. If he and the defense can get to Brady, Houston's odds of playing for the right to go to the Super Bowl seem that much more likely. If they don't, it could be December all over again for Houston.
New England will have to contain Foster, and as their ninth-ranked rushing defense suggests, they have the capacity to do that. They do not, however, have a lot of luck against the pass, giving up 4,342 passing yards to opponents to rank 29th, near the bottom of the NFL in passing defense this season.
They'll need their defensive players like Pro Bowlers Vince Wilfork, their defensive tackle (48 tackles and 3.0 sacks this season) and linebacker Jerod Meyo (147 tackles and 3.0 sacks) to step up their game. If they allow Foster or Johnson to have a breakout day, there may not be any return trip to the AFC title game this season.
Game Schedule
Game time begins at 4:30 p.m. on CBS. For more game information, visit the NFL's official website.
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