Billick: Picked Patriots To Make Super Bowl, But Wouldn't Be Surprised If Ravens Upset
BOSTON (CBS) -- The New England Patriots are a favorite to head to Arizona in a few weeks, but there is some concern surrounding Saturday's AFC Divisional Round game against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Pats host the Ravens at Gillette Stadium, a place that Baltimore has won twice in their last three postseason trips. Quarterback Joe Flacco seems to elevate his game when it matters the most, and the Ravens are one team who isn't intimidated when it comes to playing at Gillette.
Former Ravens head coach Brian Billick, who led the franchise to their first Super Bowl title back in 2000, joined 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich Friday morning to preview this weekend's game, and though he picked the Patriots to make it to the Super Bowl, he wouldn't be surprised to see a Baltimore upset come Saturday night.
"I picked New England from the beginning of the season to go to the Super Bowl, and there is no reason to change that now based on how they've looked since the middle of the season," said Billick. "Having said that, when you look at the Divisional Round and even the Wild Card round, the home teams will be favorites and there is no reason they shouldn't be. But of all the games this weekend, what one road team is going to win, you'd have to say Baltimore. That's where the concern has to be.
"If we sit here Monday and Baltimore is the one team to upset the home team, that would not surprise a lot of people."
Of course that depends on the Ravens ability to contain Patriots' tight end Rob Gronkowski. Not many teams have had success in doing so, and if Gronk goes off against a weak Baltimore secondary, it will be a big key for a New England victory.
"I'd just lock him in his hotel room and not let him out," Billick joked when asked how to contain Gronk. "All year we've done sessions on how people have tried to defend Gronkowski, and none of it works unless you jam him at the line and have someone behind him. I don't care if it's a corner, safety or linebacker.
"I think Gronkowski is the key. Oddly enough he hasn't faced Baltimore all that much, he has really only played in three games. He had a good Conference championship in 2012 (2011 season) with five receptions, all for first downs. The other two came during the regular season he didn't have much of a presence," said Billick. "Baltimore hasn't had to really deal with Gronk a great deal, and I think he can be the major difference of the game."
Billick also talked about his Super Bowl run back in 2000, and what it was like to have such a vocal leader in Ray Lewis:
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