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The Tennessee Titans are 56-24 since 1999, tied with St. Louis for the NFL's best record during that time.
But when the Titans open the playoffs in Baltimore on Saturday, they face these daunting numbers: The Ravens have won five straight games and six of the past seven in the series.
``They've been a thorn in our sides, and sometimes to move on in the future, you have to be presented with the past,'' Tennessee's Eddie George says. ``Maybe this is one of those times.''
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George has played a role in the Titans' troubles.
In a playoff game at Nashville during Baltimore's run to the 2001 Super Bowl, Ray Lewis wrested a pass from George and ran 50 yards for the clinching score in the Ravens' 24-10 victory. Baltimore won despite only 134 yards of offense.
These are two lower-seeded teams that the higher seeds do not want to face because they are so physical.
Baltimore's defense is better, and it's playing at home, which is why it's a 1-point favorite. But if Steve McNair's leg injuries have cleared up, he can beat any defense.
Let's assume that.
TITANS, 20-16
Dallas (plus 3) at Carolina
The Cowboys beat the Panthers 24-20 in Dallas, one of just two games in which
Tuna's troops defeated a team that finished with a winning record.
But Carolina is favored by three points in the Saturday night game. That's for being at home and because Dallas' offense has been inept on the road, scoring 10 points or fewer in four of eight away games.
This might turn on the performance of the two inexperienced quarterbacks, Jake Delhomme for the Panthers and Quincy Carter for the Cowboys. Give the edge to Delhomme, because a rested Stephen Davis is more of a running threat than Troy Hambrick.
PANTHERS, 14-9
Seattle (plus 7) at Green Bay
The Packers lost their first home playoff game ever to Atlanta at this stage
a year ago.
Don't look for it to happen again. The Packers beat the Seahawks 35-13 at Lambeau Field on Oct. 5. That loss made Mike Holmgren 1-1 in Green Bay since leaving as Packers coach after the 1998 season.
Green Bay also is coming into the postseason playing very well. It's won four straight games and six of seven, and Brett Favre is playing as well as he has for a while.
Favre over Holmgren.
PACKERS, 31-23
Denver (plus 3) at Indianapolis
Another rematch, this one just two weeks old.
That first game went to Denver, 31-17. Clinton Portis was out, but Quentin Griffin and Mike Anderson combined for 192 yards rushing as the Broncos controlled the ball for nearly 45 minutes.
Conventional wisdom says it's hard for one team to beat another twice in one season, especially when the games are so close together. History says so, too -- as recently as three years ago, St. Louis trampled New Orleans on the final day of the season, then went back to the Superdome and lost a first-round playoff game.
Still, the Broncos match up very well against the Colts and the RCA Dome is not as intimidating as a lot of indoor arenas.
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