Quarterfinals: Baltimore Ravens vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

4. Baltimore Ravens vs. 12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The teams with the First Round Byes were a little predictable, except for one. The Steelers had the tradition. The Packers had the uniqueness. The Cardinals had the persuasion. The Ravens had…purple? The most unpredictable of the byes, but one of the more consistent scorers week in and week out. The Ravens have shown they aren't a one trick pony, scoring toward the top end of almost every category. But, then again, the Bucs have consistently survived the Bottom 10 for some reason…

Baltimore Ravens

Pros -

• A patient, but rowdy fan-base.
• How can you not love a team with an Alabama grad as the GM
• When you take into account the Colts bolting on the city, it makes you forget the Ravens did the same thing to Cleveland
• Gives me another excuse to wear purple...

Cons -

• I watched The Wire, which means I don't have exactly the finest impression of Baltimore
• While Ray Lewis is a heck of a linebacker, he's not exactly a player I'd love to root for
• The only remaining cold-weather team, and this isn't exactly Denver

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Pros -

• Possibly the sharpest uniforms in football
• Great location. Not too far away, good beaches nearby, and plenty to do.
• Again, their stadium has a Pirate Ship.

Cons -

• More often than not, they've been the Yuckaneers
• The current team is a long way from competing.
• Not exactly the most passionate of fan-bases.

The Verdict:

With all due respect to the Bucs, this one isn't a contest. One team has been consistently at the top while the other has hung closer to the bottom. The Ravens scored well in every single category outside of location, while the Bucs clung to their high scoring uniforms and beach-side location. The Ravens are a legitimate contender here. They've got a lot to offer a new fan, including a team that's ready to compete, a unique history, intimidating uniforms, and a fanbase that waited a long time for football. They're not going away easily.

Ravens in a beat-down