The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Denver Broncos 38-35 on the road to advance to the AFC Championship game. Rookie Justin Tucker in overtime with a 47-yard field goal helping the Ravens advance to the playoffs in dramatic fashion.
The Ravens took advantage of a sleeping Broncos secondary as they piled together some huge plays throughout the game keeping them close and within striking distance.
Joe Flacco proved how big his arm was and if anybody doubts how clutch he is late in the game, they might want to look back at this game.
With 31 seconds remaining in the game, Flacco hit Jacoby Jones with a 70-yard pass that wound up in the end zone making the score 35-35. The Broncos blew the coverage and the combo of Flacco and Jones made them pay.
Flacco finished the night with 331 passing yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. Again, if there's any doubt that Flacco isn't ready to take his team the distance in 2013, then look at the tape. He found a hole early in the Broncos' defense, Champ Bailey.
Bailey continued to get burned by Torrey Smith who caught two of Flacco's three touchdowns and they were all for big gains. The longest went for 59 yards into the end zone. Smith finished with 98 yards on three receptions.
As for Peyton Manning, the defense let him down, but he also threw a costly interception, his second of the game in overtime that gave the Ravens the ball in Broncos territory.
The Broncos snapped their 11-game winning streak and now find themselves out of the playoffs.
Ray Lewis' career remains alive and now they are once again just a game from the Super Bowl.
Next up for the Ravens will be either the New England Patriots or Houston Texans in the AFC Championship game.
