"When their offense lined up on 3rd down with 1:38 left Sunday, the Ravens were inches away from Foxborough, Mass. One short surge straight ahead and they were in the AFC championship game.

But when fullback Vonta Leach picked up no yards in a cloud of dust, the Ravens, whose offense struggled to move the ball after a fine first quarter, needed one final defensive stand to survive.

Houston Texans quarterback T.J. Yates heaved a Hail Mary in the final 20 seconds, but when his prayer hit the turf at M&T Bank Stadium, giving the home team a 20-13 win, the Ravens lived to play another game. Their opponents next Sunday will be the high-scoring New England Patriots."