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New England Patriots Will Face Their Demons In Divisional Round

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By @ConnorFultonRS

Tom Brady New England Patriots

Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

On Saturday night, we learned who the New England Patriots will encounter in the Divisional Round: Terrell Suggs and the feisty Baltimore Ravens.

No team gives Tom Brady and the Patriots as much trouble in the playoffs as the purple-clad survivors of the AFC North. While there is certainly reason to be nervous about playing the Ravens, this is a golden opportunity for the Patriots to right some of the recent playoff wrongs as they begin their 2015 postseason journey.

The Ravens are one of the few teams that do not fear playing the Patriots on the road in January, as evidenced by their wins of 33-14 in the 2009 AFC Wild Card Game and 28-13 in the 2012 AFC Championship Game. If it wasn’t for Billy Cundiff’s infamous miss in the 2011 AFC Championship Game, the Ravens could have very well pulled off another playoff victory over the Pats.

That being said, playing the Ravens in the Divisional Round could be a blessing in disguise. Should the Patriots emerge victorious next weekend — and that is by no means guaranteed — they will be well on their way to the Super Bowl. By confronting their recent playoff nemesis, the Patriots will be that much closer to eradicating the chains that have held them back from a fourth Lombardi Trophy and face their next opponent with renewed confidence.

Of course, the Patriots first have to actually beat the Ravens before reaping these benefits. The key to victory lies on the Patriots’ offensive line, which will be tasked with slowing down one of the most ferocious pass rushes in the league. The Ravens have been so good at disrupting the Patriots’ playoff rhythm because of their aggressive front seven that throws a wrench in Brady’s progressions.

Sure, the Ravens instill fear in Patriots fans because of recent playoff heartbreaks. But it could very well end up being the best matchup for the Pats, allowing them to exorcise their demons as the gear up for a run at the Super Bowl.

Connor Fulton is a Patriots writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter @ConnorFultonRS, or find him on Google.

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