Both teams will try to run; the Chiefs have been a bit vulnerable up the middle, so watch for Ray Rice to go there. Both teams will play bruising defense. Points will be at a premium and so will big plays. But if they happen, they will probably come from the Ravens’ side. The Ravens hoped to be a topfive offense this season and instead are 20th, but Joe Flacco has better receivers than Matt Cassel does. The Chiefs’ offense entered the final week of the season with the topranked running game but the 28thranked passing game. That makes this a difficult matchup against the league’s fourthranked run defense. Kansas City is not built to come from behind. If the Ravens put up points early, as they did against the Patriots in the wildcard round last year,Packers Jerseys, the Chiefs could be in trouble. Still thinking about last year, when the Patriots lost at home to the Ravens in the first round of the playoffs? Forget it. The Patriots are the best team in the N.F.L. right now, and the competition is not terribly close. Their defense makes big plays; their offense is frighteningly efficient. They lead the league in scoring and turnover differential. They are relatively healthy and have won eight in a row. The bye will let running back Danny Woodhead heal from the hit to the head he took Sunday and will allow a host of players who got Sunday off to get ready. Then, watch out, A.F.C. New England beat four of the other five playoff teams this season. Only Kansas City escaped, and its turn could be coming. The Steelers may have hastened Eric Mangini’s departure from Cleveland on Sunday, but their more immediate reward is the mostneeded bye week of any playoff team. Safety Troy Polamalu played Sunday — he had an interception — but his Achilles’ needs more rest. (Remember, the Jets beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh when Polamalu was out two weeks ago). Ben Roethlisberger has been battered behind an injuryriddled offensive line. Still, the only team to make the Steelers look bad this season was the Patriots, who scored 39 points in Pittsburgh. The rematch would be for the A.F.C. championship. Are there two teams feeling worse as they enter the playoffs? The Chiefs were demolished at home by Oakland on Sunday and the Ravens were lifeless in a win over Cincinnati. These are strikingly similar teams: run intensive, reliant on defense,Cheap Packers Jerseys, sporadic with offensive explosions. As bad as the Chiefs’ loss to the Raiders was, the Ravens might have suffered more: offensive tackle Michael Oher,Cheap Wes Welker Jersey, cornerback Josh Wilson and safety Ed Reed were injured, problematic because their secondary is already shaky. FirstRound Byes Players to Watch: If the Ravens bottle up running back Jamaal Charles, it will fall to Cassel to attack Baltimore’s cornerbacks. Cassel had a superb season (27 touchdowns, 5 interceptions) until Sunday, when he had no touchdown passes and threw two interceptions. The author introduces： QO Cheap Nick Barnett Jersey on sale 475 365d JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.www.365djerseys.com Read More