Miami, FL (Betting Express) - Ed Reed had two of Baltimore's four interceptions, running one back for a touchdown, and the Ravens defense stifled Miami to record a 27-9 win over the Dolphins in an AFC Wild Card contest.
With the victory, Baltimore advances to play the Tennessee Titans next weekend.
The Ravens forced five turnovers and limited Miami to 276 yards, continuing their remarkable turnaround from last season. Baltimore went 5-11 in 2007, finishing last in the AFC North, but under first-year head coach John Harbaugh, they went 11-5 in the regular season.
"We want to be that kind of a defense," Harbaugh said. "Tenacious, aggressive defense that turns the ball over."
Rookie quarterback Joe Flacco threw for 135 yards, completing only 9-of-23 passes, but did not have an interception and ran for a touchdown to help Baltimore win its first playoff contest since 2001 -- when the Ravens also beat Miami in a Wild Card-round matchup.
"Joe played like a veteran in the playoffs," Harbaugh said. "Made some tremendous throws, very poised in the pocket...he played playoff-winning football."
LeRon McClain ran for 75 yards and a score, while Willis McGahee compiled 62 yards on the ground in Baltimore's win.
Miami also came into Sunday's contest having completed a massive turnaround under a first-year coach. After a franchise-worst mark of 1-15 last season, Tony Sparano helped the Dolphins go 11-5 this year, giving the team its first division title since 2000 and its first postseason berth since 2001.
But Chad Pennington threw an uncharacteristic four picks, having been intercepted only seven times all season, while passing for 252 yards and a TD on 25-of-38 completions.
"It's been a special year, and that's why it hurts so much, because you wanted to keep it going," Pennington said. "You wanted to keep it going and see how far you could take it and be a really special story."
Miami was held to just 52 yards rushing, as Ronnie Brown had a team-high 19 yards on the ground, in addition to catching Miami's sole touchdown pass.
With the score tied at 3-3 after one quarter, Miami was driving early in the second and advanced to midfield before Pennington's pass to Ted Ginn, Jr. was intercepted.
The Ravens were forced to punt, and the Dolphins took over deep in their own territory, but managed to advance out to the 19. But facing a 3rd-and-8, Pennington tried to go again to Ginn, deep to the left side. But Ginn fell down on his route as the ball was off the mark, and Reed was there to grab it and run the 64 yards back through traffic for a TD.
The score put Baltimore up 10-3 with 2:30 left in the half, and after Miami needed to punt, the Ravens added a 31-yard field goal from Matt Stover with 16 ticks left to take a 13-3 lead into halftime.
Pennington's interception woes continued shortly into the third quarter, as he was picked off on the third play of the frame. The Dolphins defense held, however, and after a Ravens punt, Miami started a drive at its own two-yard line.
But after driving out to the 18, Patrick Cobbs had the ball poked out by Marques Douglas, and Terrell Suggs recovered at the Miami 19.
McClain ran twice before Flacco found Mark Clayton for six yards. McClain then ran up the middle eight yards into the end zone, hopping on his right leg for the final two steps to keep from going down, and the Ravens pushed their lead to 20-3.
Miami's next drive saw more success, as Pennington completed eight consecutive passes. Among them was a 23-yarder to Brown on the first play of the drive that got the Dolphins near midfield. A series of short passes got Miami to the Baltimore 13, and the eighth of Pennington's throws went for a loss, as the Dolphins faced a 2nd-and-12.
On the next attempt, though, all that momentum was ruined, as Pennington's attempt to Cobbs was intercepted.
But Miami again held the Ravens to a punt, and took advantage of it on the first series of the fourth quarter. The Dolphins, with the help of two pass interference penalties, got to midfield before Pennington dumped off a short pass to the left. Davone Bess was there to make the catch, and he darted 45 yards to the five-yard line. Pennington completed two passes in a row to Brown, the second one going for two yards into the end zone.
The Dolphins only got within 20-9, though, as the extra-point attempt was blocked.
Another Ravens punt set Miami up at its own 32, and once more, the Dolphins got into Baltimore territory. But once more, an error hampered them. On 2nd- and-7 from the Ravens 25, Pennington was swarmed almost immediately on an end- around attempt as he went to hand the ball to Ginn. The transfer went awry, and Ginn punched the ball into the backfield, eventually landing on it at the 44.
Faced with a 3rd-and-26, Pennington's deep pass to Ginn went incomplete, and Miami had to punt with 7 1/2 minutes left in the game.
But any hopes of a Miami comeback took a big hit on the ensuing Ravens drive. Near midfield, McGahee ran through the right side of the line and avoided the first defender, stiff-armed another, and sprinted 48 yards toward the end zone before being tackled at the four-yard line.
Miami's defense held for two plays, and Baltimore might have had to kick a field goal after being put in a 3rd-and-goal, but Flacco went up the middle himself for the five-yard touchdown.
With it, the Ravens led 27-9, and with just 3:53 remaining, they held on for the win from there.
After McClain fumbled on the initial drive of the game, the Dolphins capitalized, as Dan Carpenter booted a 19-yard field goal with a little over eight minutes left in the first. Baltimore's ensuing drive went 11 plays and resulted in a 23-yard field goal from Stover.
Game Notes
Derrick Mason caught four passes for 71 yards -- all in the first half -- for Baltimore...The Dolphins picked up 18 first downs, compared to 16 for the Ravens...Including the regular season, Baltimore has won six of its last seven games...Miami's loss ended a five-game streak it had to end the regular season...Pennington's four interceptions were the highest he had in any game since he was picked off five times in a December 20, 2003 contest against New England.
