Mattie T’s In-game blog (Wild Card Weekend: Ravens vs. Dolphins)

Good morning all! Just minutes away from kickoff for the Ravens/Dolphins game & Baltimore has decided to wear the same purple home uniforms that they won in during their 27-13 victory over Miami in Week 17.

1st quarter:

Miami won the coin toss, but will defer & will start the game on defense.

Joe Flacco’s first postseason pass is an 18-yard completion to the veteran wideout Derrick Mason. Now if Baltimore wins today, then Mason returns to Nashville & will face his former team, whom he spent his first 8 NFL seasons with.

Le’Ron McClain coughs it up, as Joey Porter recovers for the game’s first turnover. Now let’s see if Chad Pennington & the Miami offense can take advantage against a very stingy Baltimore defense.

Nice catch by Patrick Cobbs, as he’s able to elude a defender & get the 1st down for Miami.

Another big catch by Cobbs, as his 30-yard grab sets up 1st & Goal at the Ravens’ 9 yard line.

Ricky Williams takes a quick pass from Pennington & gets it to the 1-yard line.

Ronnie Brown tries to run it in on 3rd down, but is stuffed for no gain. Tony Sparano is going to go for 3, so Baltimore’s defense does its’ job on a great goal line stop.

Dan Carpenter’s chip-shot 19-yard FG try is good, which gives Miami an early 3-0 lead.

McClain makes amends for his fumble with a nice kickoff return to Baltimore’s 38 yard line.

First big penalty is called on Miami, with illegal contact called on Andre Goodman. Flacco is showing off his powerful arm early, as he could take several deep shots in this game against a shaky Dolphins secondary.

Flacco loses the ball on a 3rd down quarterback sneak, but the ball is ruled down as Baltimore is able to move the chains & get a first down.

Flacco then hits Todd Heap downfield on a 31-yard catch that sets up 1st & Goal for the Ravens. Baltimore’s offensive line is doing a great job so far giving their rookie quarterback protection in the pocket.

Looks like Will Allen got away with a possible facemask on Derrick Mason on an incomplete 2nd down play in the end zone. 1 play later, Yeremiah Bell makes a touchdown-saving tackle on Todd Heap, who was unable to come down with the ball for the score.

Instead, Matt Stover comes out for a 23-yard FG try that is good. Game is now tied 3-3.

Looks like Miami is running the Wildcat formation, as Chad Pennington lines up at wide receiver. Ronnie Brown takes the direct snap, but is unable to get back to the line of scrimmage.

Nice run by McClain, as he gets 11 yards & gains a first down.

That will end the first quarter, with the game tied 3-3.

2nd quarter:

Flacco with a nice 3rd down completion to Derrick Mason, which looks to be enough for a 1st down near midfield.

Miami almost forces another turnover, as Akin Ayodele just misses an interception.

Ricky Williams gets the first down on a running back sweep, but takes a big hit from Ray Lewis as he’s going towards the sideline.

Terrell Suggs almost wound up with an interception as he was able to break up Chad Pennington’s screen pass to Williams.

Corey Ivy almost commits a crucial face-mask penalty on Patrick Cobbs, but it goes as a non-call.

Chad Pennington is able to scramble out of trouble, but gets intercepted by Jim Leonhard, who returns it to Miami’s 45-yard line. Baltimore will now start its’ first possesion of the game inside Dolphins territory.

Former Heisman trophy winner Troy Smith is in the game for the Ravens & tries the quarterback draw on 3rd & 4, but only gets 2 yards which forces a Baltimore punt.

Great special teams coverage by the Ravens, as they’re able to down it inside the 10 yard line.

Another Wildcat formation with Ronnie Brown, but it doesn’t go for much as Baltimore’s defense is able to sniff it out.

Guess who comes up with Pennington’s 2nd pick of the day? None other than Ed Reed, who led the NFL in the regular season with 9 interceptions. This one is returned 57 yards for a touchdown. Miami is starting to get very thin at wide receiver, with Davone Bess in the locker room tending to a finger injury.

Baltimore now leads 10-3 with 2:30 left until halftime.

The Ravens are finally able to get to Chad Pennington, who takes his first sack of the afternoon. I can’t believe Phil Simms just said “T-Sizzle” on TV. That’s in reference to Terrell Suggs’ nickname, who just sacked Pennington.

Baltimore now calls a timeout in hopes of getting the football back with time left for Joe Flacco, who is 5 for 12 so far with 81 yards passing & a 64.9 rating.

Ravens dial up a 3rd down blitz, as Chad Pennington is forced to throw the ball away. Baltimore is really starting to take control of this game with their defense.

Nice downfield grab by Derrick Mason, who is able to keep both feet inbounds on a 31 yard catch. The play is being reviewed upstairs since there’s under 2 minutes in the half, but replays are showing that Mason did get both feet down before going out of bounds.

Miami sends a 3rd down blitz on Flacco, who throws it over the end zone.

Matt Stover comes on for a 31-yard FG try, which is good through the left upright. Baltimore now leads 13-3 with 16 seconds remaining until halftime.

Halftime in South Florida, with the Ravens up 13-3. Miami has not scored a postseason touchdown since 2000 & will need several of them in the 2nd half in order to stage a comeback win.

Baltimore’s defense has held Miami to just 95 net yards in the 1st half. Great job here, considering that the Dolphins had 359 total net yards during their 27-13 Week 7 loss to the Ravens.

3rd quarter:

Miami starts with the ball , as Ronnie Brown gets upended on a 1st down run for just 1 yard. Brown springs right back up though, but those types of plays are always scary to watch.

Chad Pennington makes yet another mistake, as he throws an interception to Fabian Washington. This is Pennington’s first multi-turnover game all season, as Baltimore is showing why they were among the league leaders in defensive takeaways.

For the record, Pennington’s last three-interception game before today was on October 7th, 2007 against the N.Y. Giants in a 35-24 loss. (Pennington was a member of the Jets)

Great special teams coverage once again by Baltimore, as they down the ball on the 1-yard line.

Nice run by fullback Lousaka Polite, who breaks off Miami’s biggest run of the game to date, an 11 yard gain.

Dolphins yet using more trickery, as an attempted halfback toss from Ricky Williams is failed.

Down goes Pennington….this time, veteran defensive end Trevor Pryce gets him.

Patrick Cobbs coughs it up on a fumble & Terrell Suggs recovers. Baltimore’s defense has been outstanding today & i hope Tennessee is watching very closely as it’s looking more & more like it will be Titans vs. Ravens for a berth to the AFC Championship Game next weekend.

Joe Flacco hits Mark Clayton on a 6-yard gain to set up 1st & Goal. On the next play, Le’Ron McClain takes it 6 yards into the end zone for Baltimore’s first offensive touchdown of the day. Ravens now lead 20-3 with 7:33 left in the 3rd quarter.

Nice play by Pennington as he makes a one-armed pass to Ted Ginn Jr, who completes it for a 1st down.

Miami has now gone into no-huddle & it seems to be working, as Pennington has 5 straight completions.

Pennington is favoring Ginn on this drive, as the twosome have hooked up on 5 completions.

Pennington throws his FOURTH interception of the day, this one to Ed Reed (2nd INT of the day). Reed seemed to be limping though after the return, which could be a huge concern should Baltimore go on to win this game & advance to the Divisional Round against Tennessee.

This is Pennington’s first game with at least 4 interceptions or more since his 5 INT game against New England on December 20th, 2003.

That will end the 3rd quarter, as Baltimore is in control of this game with a 20-3 lead.

4th quarter:

Davone Bess finally springs some life into Miami’s offense, as he takes a wide receiver screen from Pennington & dashes for a 45-yard gain to the Ravens’ 5-yard line.

2 plays later, Pennington fakes it to Williams & hits Ronnie Brown (who made a great 1-handed grab) for the touchdown.

Carpenter’s extra point is blocked, so it’s still a 2-possession game. Baltimore leads 20-9 with 13:09 left in the 4th quarter.

Flacco throws a bomb downfield & just misses Mark Clayton on a big play. This crowd is starting to get louder, as Miami’s season could be over in 13 minutes or less.

Again, Flacco just misses Clayton on a 3rd down play as he tries another downfield pass.

Let’s see if Pennington & the Dolphins offense once again goes to the no-huddle, as they will try to comeback against a Ravens defense that has already forced 5 turnovers today.

Miami is working it downfield, as the no-huddle continues to be effective.

Almost disaster, as Ted Ginn Jr. fumbles a reverse & falls on it, but the Dolphins lose 19 yards on the play. Pennington’s next pass to Ginn is incomplete, which forces Miami to punt with under 8 minutes left in the game.

Baltimore will now try to pound the ball on the ground & use up as much clock as possible with a two-score lead.

Lorenzo Neal catches a big pass on 3rd & 2, which is good for a Baltimore first down.

McClain got hurt on the Neal catch & is on the sidelines. Baltimore has great depth at running back, as Willis McGahee just broke open a 48-yard run down to Miami’s 5-yard line. Ravens are now trying to deal the knockout blow here & punch their ticket to Nashville for the Divisional Playoffs.

McClain is back onto the field & is unable to haul in Flacco’s pass, which now sets up 3rd & Goal.

Flacco takes the quarterback draw & darts in untouched 5 yards for the touchdown. Stover’s extra point gives Baltimore a commanding 27-9 lead with 3:53 left in the game.

Pennington gets sacked once again….Kerry Collins better be watching a lot of game tape, because Baltimore’s defense is going to be after him all day long next weekend.

Miami is unable to convert on downs, so Baltimore takes over on offense.

Ravens get a 1st down & kneel to end the game. John Harbaugh is victorious in his playoff debut & now gets a chance to knock off the top-seeded Titans on Saturday in Nashville.

Postgame:

Game ball goes to both Ed Reed & Baltimore’s offensive line.

Reed gave the Ravens the lead for good on his 64-yard interception return for a touchdown in the 2nd quarter.

Reed then added another interception in the 3rd quarter, which was his 2nd of the game.

Baltimore’s O-line also deserves huge credit for not allowing Joe Flacco to get sacked all afternoon & paving the way for the Ravens to rush for 151 yards on the ground.

Baltimore has now earned a trip to Tennessee & will face the top-seeded Titans next Saturday in the Divisional Playoffs.

Baltimore has won their only previous Divisional playoff meeting against Tennessee, a 24-10 win in Nashville  during the team’s Super Bowl-winning season in 2000.