Ravens, Lewis look to continue recent mastery over Titans

BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Ravens' dominance of the Tennessee Titans can be traced to the rivalry within the rivalry: Ray Lewis versus Eddie George.

Tennessee (12-4) will be seeking to snap a five-game losing streak against Baltimore (10-6) in a first-round AFC playoff game today. The biggest roadblock in the Titans' trek to the Super Bowl is Lewis, the NFL Defensive Player of the Year and one of the fiercest linebackers in the game.

During their five-game run against Tennessee, the Ravens limited George to one touchdown and an average of 55.4 yards rushing per game, thereby forcing the Titans to go to the air. Even that didn't work -- the Titans won't soon shake the image of Lewis stripping George of a screen pass and sprinting 50 yards for a touchdown in the 2000 playoffs.

"Ray is always in the right place," Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher said. "He's difficult to block and he makes plays in the passing game. He can turn games around by himself."

Throughout a stellar career in which he's run for 10,009 yards and gone to four Pro Bowls, George has been tormented by Lewis.

Baltimore's reign over the Titans began in 2000, when the Ravens became the first visiting team to win at Tennessee's new Nashville home. Two months later, Lewis' robbery of George clinched a 24-10 victory that sent the Ravens to the AFC championship game.

It all begins with No. 52, the digits on Lewis' jersey.

"Ray is kind of an old school type of linebacker, where he's going to get to the ball no matter if he has to go through you or around you," Titans tight end Frank Wycheck said. "He doesn't have an 'S' on his chest, but he's pretty close."

That's what people used to say about George, before he began to show the effects of taking a beating week after week from guys like Ray Lewis.