Simply a tossup/ Denver-Baltimore playoff may come down to flip of

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Dec 31, 2000 | by John Branch

BALTIMORE - Of all the matchups - the Broncos' offensive line vs. Baltimore's front seven, Trent Dilfer vs. Denver's secondary, Shannon Sharpe vs. Bill Romanowski - one may be the most telling of them all.

Heads vs. tails.

After all, whichever team wins the coin toss may want to ask for a best two-out-of-three. Baltimore is 7-0 this season when it loses the coin toss, Denver is 7-2.

Figuring out the key to today's AFC wild-card playoff game between Baltimore and Denver takes a dartboard. Or, more appropriately, a Ouija board, since that was invented in Baltimore.

It's strength vs. strength. Weakness vs. weakness. Hall of Fame- bound tight end vs. the team that made him a hall-of-famer. Star rookie runner vs. star rookie runner. Playoff rookie coach vs. a man chasing Lombardi's legend. The former Browns playing for a city that hasn't hosted a playoff game in 23 years vs. the team that broke the heart of Browns fans three times not so long ago.

It has been deemed one of the best wild-card playoff matches in recent memory by people sitting in television studios and manning Internet sites. Of course, being called a great wild-card game is kind of like winning an Emmy category open only for UPN and Fox shows. But if the real game plays out anything like it does on paper, expect to be watching NFL Films highlights for years to come.

Baltimore's defense is being compared with some of the best in history, though a Super Bowl win is the only way anyone will remember. The numbers don't lie: A record-low (for a 16-game schedule) 165 points allowed, four shutouts, the fewest rushing yards allowed since the 1964 AFL Buffalo Bills. If there are three phases to every team, Baltimore's defense counts for at least two.

But the Ravens haven't faced a team ranked higher than seventh in total offense - until now. Denver has the NFL's No. 2 offense, with the No. 2 rushing attack (145 yards per game) and the No. 3 passing attack (265 per game), even if nobody except Denver coach Mike Shanahan knows who will play quarterback.

The Ravens don't care who it is. After all, both sore-shouldered Brian Griese and backup Gus Frerotte have led their teams to an average of 30.3 points per game. Baltimore allows 10.3 per game.

"That makes the matchup very intriguing - their strength vs. our strength," Baltimore coach Brian Billick said. "And then our offense and their defense, you know, we've performed . . . equitably with one another."

It's a euphemism for "equally crummy." Baltimore's offense is 16th, powered by Jamal Lewis (1,364 yards), the likely runner-up to Denver's Mike Anderson (1,500 yards) for the NFL's offensive rookie of the year award. But don't be fooled - Baltimore's offense goes in scoring funks, none worse than the O-for-October it pulled during a 2- 3 slump. And the funk is back; Baltimore's past 28 drives have produced two touchdowns, 15 first downs and 288 yards.

If only Denver's defense didn't show such signs of similar schizophrenia, this one might be easier to tab. The Broncos are typically strong - but occasionally awful - against the run, and their last-place pass defense tends to treat receivers like they have open sores.

One of those receivers today will be Shannon Sharpe, who compiled a Hall of Fame resume as Denver's tight end before being cast off to Baltimore. He'll be trying to spite a coach - Shanahan - who thought Sharpe was beyond his usefulness, especially at his price range.

Shanahan isn't wrong often. His team has won seven playoff games in a row, and his 7-1 postseason record is approaching Vince Lombardi's 9-1 legendary mark.

Compare that to the enthusiastic Billick, in his second year, hoping to bring NFL success to a classic NFL city that woke up one morning in 1984 to find that the team was in Indianapolis. Baltimore hasn't hosted a playoff game since 1977, hasn't witnessed a winning playoff team since 1970. The 2,500 tickets made available to the public for this game last week sold out in 18 minutes, another 650 on Friday sold in 4.

Throw all those matchups in the blender, just in time for New Year's Eve parties. Examine them, see if there is anything that seems to give an edge to one team over the other.

Then, when all else fails, watch the game. And flip a coin.

- John Branch may be reached at jbranch@gazette.com

Winner will face Titans

After Miami's overtime victory over Indianapolis on Saturday, this much is known: The winner of today's Denver-Baltimore game will go to Tennessee at 10:30 next Sunday. There is also no longer any chance for another game at Mile High Stadium.