Ravens capitalize on Miami turnovers

MIAMI—The Baltimore Ravens had Chad Pennington spinning, ducking, on his heels, and on his back.
And when he did manage to get a pass away, they often were there to snatch it.

The Ravens came up with four interceptions, including one returned 64 yards for a touchdown by Ed Reed, to win 27-9 yesterday to spoil the Miami Dolphins’ first playoff game in seven seasons.
Baltimore stuffed Miami’s ground attack and negated the “Wildcat,” but most of all the Ravens harried Pennington into uncharacteristic mistakes.
After throwing only seven interceptions during the regular season, he had four during a 22-minute flurry midway through yesterday’s game.
“We heard all week that they don’t turn the ball over,” linebacker Ray Lewis said. “But we force turnovers.”
With a rookie coach in John Harbaugh and a rookie quarterback in Joe Flacco, wild-card entrant Baltimore (12-5) won for the 10th time in 12 games and now will play this coming Saturday at AFC South champion Tennessee.
“We’re going to Tennessee,” Reed said. “Be there.”
The playoff victory was the first for the Ravens since they beat Miami in a first-round game in January, 2002. The result put the brakes on this season’s remarkable resurgence by the Dolphins (11-6), who won the AFC East after going 1-15 in 2007.
“It has been a special year; that’s why it hurts so much,” Pennington said. “You want to keep it going and see how far you can take it.”
A soft schedule contributed to Miami’s turnaround—and there was nothing soft about the Ravens. They forced repeated mistakes by a team that tied an NFL record with only 13 turnovers during the regular season.
Reed had two interceptions, and Jim Leonhard and Fabian Washington made one apiece. Terrell Suggs recovered a fumble by Patrick Cobbs early in the second half at the Miami 19, and four plays later Le’Ron McClain scored on an eight-yard run for a 20-3 lead.
Pennington, playing his first game since being chosen the NFL Comeback Player of the Year, was sacked three times and faced constant pressure.
“It always starts up front,” Ravens’ defensive tackle Trevor Pryce said. “We had some favourable match-ups, and we took advantage of them. It’s quite simple.”
Baltimore’s secondary also had Miami overmatched. Pennington, who finished 25-for-38 for 252 yards, said the Ravens made good plays on three of the interceptions, and he regretted throwing only one.
“I just couldn’t get them to go my way,” he said.
San Diego visits Pittsburgh this coming Sunday in the other AFC semi-final after edging Indianapolis 23-17 in overtime on Saturday night.