"Go ahead, tell me who's under more pressure on championship Sunday than Joe Flacco.

All the Ravens quarterback has to do in the AFC championship game against the New England Patriots is this:

• Show a certain teammate (and maybe teammates) that he doesn't get rattled in big games.

• Prove to some Ravens fans that he's got what it takes to win a championship.

• Convince the nay-sayers in the national media that he's a pretty damn good quarterback who can take the Ravens to the Super Bowl.

• Score enough points in the madhouse of Gillette Stadium to keep the Ravens in the game against one of the best quarterbacks of all time and a high-powered Patriots offense featuring dual monster tight ends with speed and flypaper hands.

Whew. Anything else on Flacco's plate today?

Is he supposed to cure cancer, too?

Re-start the Mideast peace talks?

Make the remaining Republican presidential candidates play nice on the campaign trail?

Poor Flacco. The guy can't win sometimes. And having Ravens safety Ed Reed call him out a few days ago isn't going to help."