Last week’s win over Indianapolis in Ray Lewis’ final game in Baltimore was the Ravens’ Super Bowl in the minds of many so-called experts who said they had no chance of beating the No. 1 seed Denver Broncos in Saturday’s divisional round.

Playing in the high altitude and extreme cold of Denver on a short week against a group that hadn’t lost a game since early October was too much to overcome. Baltimore was viewed as a 10-point underdog by the oddsmakers.

The flawed Ravens with the inconsistent offense that couldn’t get out of its own way on the road all season and an aging, underwhelming defense would be beaten down by Peyton Manning, the man who had defeated them nine straight times. The memory of a 34-17 defeat at the hands of the Broncos in Baltimore last month was enough evidence to punch Denver’s ticket to the AFC Championship before even playing the game.

That’s what many media minds told you throughout the week. And while I admittedly predicted the Broncos to prevail on Saturday, I emphatically rejected the foolish notion that the Ravens didn’t have a chance to pull off the upset.

Most Ravens fans would even tell you they didn’t think their team would win, even if they presented a strong front as any loyal fan would throughout the week.

But when Justin Tucker’s 47-yard field goal sailed through the uprights at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in the second overtime to send the Ravens to their second consecutive AFC Championship appearance, coach John Harbaugh, Joe Flacco, Lewis, and the Ravens showed us once again why they play the games and why this franchise has been so successful over the last five seasons.

Yes, the Denver Broncos were the better team all season, but Baltimore was the superior group for four hours on Saturday night.

And that’s all that mattered.

The individual heroics from Flacco, who passed for three touchdowns and 331 yards to outplay Manning like he did in a losing effort against Tom Brady in last year’s conference championship game, will receive the headlines as even Lewis bestowed his long-held title of “The General” on the fifth-year quarterback prior to the game. But Saturday’s win was a lesson in resiliency as the Ravens endured a 15-round heavyweight fight — complete with haymakers thrown back and forth — to survive and advance.

By no means was it a perfect performance as the Ravens’ normally-superb special teams allowed two return touchdowns to Denver’s Trindon Holliday. If told before the game the Ravens would commit such gaffes, most would have bet their mortgage that the Broncos would be the ones preparing for a chance to go to the Super Bowl next Sunday.

The Ravens came to play on both sides of the football. Offensively, they moved the ball just enough on the ground to keep Denver’s front seven honest. The offensive line stymied vaunted pass rushers Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil as Flacco was only sacked once and hit just three times after the Broncos had battered him all day in that brutal Week 15 matchup. Torrey Smith’s schooling of future Hall of Fame cornerback Champ Bailey for two long first-half touchdowns served as the worst performance in the latter’s brilliant career.

After giving up the ball on downs with 3:12 remaining and wondering if they would have another chance to tie, Flacco connected on a deep bomb to Jacoby Jones for a 70-yard touchdown with 31 seconds left in regulation. It was a play that will not only go down as one of the greatest in franchise history but will also be remembered in NFL playoff lore.

On the defensive side, the Ravens finally began to harass Manning in the second half as they held the Broncos to just seven more points after Holliday’s kickoff return for a touchdown. Cornerback Corey Graham — signed mostly for his special-teams duty before injuries forced him into action midway through the season — grabbed two interceptions of Manning, including one in overtime to set the Ravens up in Denver territory for Tucker’s eventual game-winning kick. As has been the case for much of the season, the Baltimore defense would bend but not break for much of the game, but it would also make big plays when it needed to.

All the individual heroics aside, the moments leading up to and immediately following Tucker’s game-winner were what truly epitomize the 2012 Ravens, a team in the truest sense.

First, it was Pro Bowl guard Marshal Yanda pushing Ray Rice and potential tacklers past the first-down marker on a second-and-10 run to move the chains and leave the Ravens within striking distance of Tucker’s impressive range at the 34-yard line. It was the kind of play that won’t show up on the stat sheet but was as big as any to close the first overtime period.

There was veteran safety Ed Reed chatting with Tucker on the sideline, patting him on the shoulder in a lighthearted manner even though the biggest kick of the rookie’s life was only seconds away. Those moments are typically treated much like a pitcher in the midst of a no-hitter, with no one wanting to say a word to the kicker, but Tucker’s acceptance in the Ravens locker room as “one of the guys” made that sight unsurprising to those who follow the team closely.

As the kicker lined up to attempt the final field goal, Harbaugh kneeled next to Ray Rice, putting his arm around the Pro Bowl running back.

And in the seconds following the successful field goal, there was the lasting image of the aged gladiator Lewis hunched over on the field in tears — knowing he would have at least one more day in the arena and one more chance to play for the right to go to the Super Bowl — before Rice and other teammates flocked to him. I suppose a final win at home for the 37-year-old wasn’t the Super Bowl for this team after all.

These were images of a team, a family that’s stuck together through trials and tribulations in a rocky but still successful season.

The Ravens reminded everyone — the Broncos, the media, and fans alike — that they’re battle-tested, a major reason why they will now play in their third AFC Championship game in five years. Players spoke with quiet confidence all week despite few giving them much of a chance to win. You never got the sense that the emotions of Lewis’ final home game were going to be too much to move past in order to be ready to play another game on Saturday despite outsiders expressing those concerns.

Make no mistake, this year’s Ravens are hardly Harbaugh’s most talented team, evident by the underwhelming statistics and the number of injuries that impacted them throughout the season. The defense that once dominated no longer strikes fear in the hearts of the opposition. But this nucleus of individuals, from Flacco and Harbaugh to veteran mainstays such as Lewis and Terrell Suggs, should never be counted out in the way they were by many this week.

Call it resiliency, consider it heart, or even chalk it up to destiny if you’d like. The Ravens call it a family.

It’s a valuable lesson to remember as Baltimore prepares to face either the Houston Texans or the New England Patriots next Sunday. In either case, the Ravens will once again be on the road as the underdog and that suits them just fine.

Just don’t count them out.

They’ve been on this ride too many times before.

Few pundits have given them much of a chance, but the Baltimore Ravens have exuded a quiet confidence throughout the week as they travel to Denver to take on the No. 1 seed Broncos in Saturday’s AFC divisional round matchup.

The memory of a 34-17 beating suffered against these same Broncos in Baltimore last month has been a difficult one to erase, but the Ravens hope the return of five starters injured for that contest and the continued development of the offense under new coordinator Jim Caldwell will reverse those fortunes. Despite being a 10-point underdog, Baltimore aims to advance to the AFC Championship game for the second year in a row.

The Ravens are healthier than they’ve been at any point since the early stages of the season as the final injury report listed 17 players as probable for Saturday’s game. Offensive lineman Jah Reid was ruled out but was placed on season-ending injured reserve on Friday.

With Reid out for the wild-card game against Indianapolis, the Ravens made the long-awaited move to place veteran Bryant McKinnie in the starting lineup at left tackle while shifting Michael Oher to right tackle and rookie Kelechi Osemele at left guard. Head coach John Harbaugh hopes the line shuffle will pay dividends again Saturday after the Denver defense pummeled Joe Flacco in Week 15, sacking him three times and hitting him nine times. It won’t be easy as Denver’s Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil combined for 29 1/2 sacks, the highest total among any pass-rushing duo in the league.

In his final meeting against Peyton Manning, Ray Lewis and the Ravens defense hope to finally get the best of the future Hall of Fame quarterback after nine straight losses. Baltimore hasn’t won a game in Denver since the 2001 season, the same year in which the Ravens won their last contest against Manning.

It will be bitterly cold in Denver with temperatures not expected to even reach 20 degrees for the 4:30 p.m. ET start. And, of course, the high altitude has been a topic of discussion as the Ravens play a game in Denver for the first time since 2006.

Saturday’s referee will be Bill Vinovich.

Baltimore will be wearing white jerseys and black pants while Denver sports its orange tops with white pants.

The Ravens lead the all-time regular-season series by a 5-4 margin and own the victory in the only playoff meeting between the clubs, a 21-3 final in Baltimore on Dec. 31, 2000. That was the same postseason in which the Ravens won their only NFL championship in Super Bowl XXXV.

Here are Saturday’s inactives …

BALTIMORE
WR David Reed
S Omar Brown
CB Chris Johnson
LB Adrian Hamilton
OL Ramon Harewood
WR Deonte Thompson
DT Bryan Hall

DENVER
QB Caleb Hanie
WR Andre Caldwell
CB Tracy Porter
FB Chris Gronkowski
TE Julius Thomas
OL C.J. Davis
NT Sealver Siliga

Follow WNST on Twitter throughout the day as Nestor Aparicio brings live updates from Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver.

The Baltimore Ravens haven’t beaten Peyton Manning in their last nine tries, a span covering more than 11 years, and will receive their latest opportunity in Saturday’s divisional round meeting with the Denver Broncos.

Embarrassed in their 34-17 home loss to Denver in Week 15, the Ravens are hellbent on showing they’re a much better team than the one shut out in the first half as the offense could generate nothing against the Broncos’ stout defense. However, the Broncos enter the postseason as the AFC’s No. 1 seed and haven’t lost a game since Oct. 7, finishing the regular season on a league-best 11-game winning streak.

Though the stakes aren’t quite as high as the two AFC championship games in which the Ravens have appeared under coach John Harbaugh, they might feel just as much urgency on Saturday knowing 37-year-old linebacker and spiritual leader Ray Lewis will retire after the season. The wave of emotion seemed to work in their favor in last week’s 24-9 wild-card playoff victory over Indianapolis, but traveling to Denver to deal with the bitter cold and altitude is another challenge entirely as the Broncos possess the league’s fourth-ranked offense and second-ranked defense in terms of yardage.

The Ravens lead the all-time regular-season series with Denver by a 5-4 margin and own a win in the only other playoff meeting against the Broncos, a 21-3 final in the franchise’s first postseason game on Dec. 31, 2000. However, the Ravens haven’t won a game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High since 2001, which happens to be the same season in which they last secured a victory over Manning.

Baltimore is 1-3 in four games against the Broncos in Denver.

Here’s what to expect as the 11-6 Ravens attempt to secure their second consecutive AFC championship game appearance with an upset over the Broncos …

1. Ed Reed will secure an interception of Manning in what may be his final game with the Ravens. I incorrectly predicted the 34-year-old free safety would pick off Indianapolis’ Andrew Luck, so I’ll go to the well one more time for the 2004 Defensive Player of the Year. The Ravens’ interest in retaining Reed’s services after the season appear lukewarm at best, and there’s no guarantee the chronically-injured defensive player will decide to play in 2013 anyway. Even so, with it being a cold and potentially snowy afternoon in Denver, Reed will capitalize on a rare mistake by Manning to force a takeaway to set the Ravens up on a short field. With dangerous targets Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker providing tough matchups against Baltimore cornerbacks, Reed will need to play his assignments to offer help over the top. Even so, the veteran is notorious for gambling and he knows Manning as well as any quarterback in the league.

2. Defensive Player of the Year candidate Von Miller will collect two sacks for the Broncos while Paul Kruger continues his hot streak with 1 1/2 sacks for the Ravens. The installation of veteran Bryant McKinnie at left tackle and the presence of right guard Marshal Yanda — who was inactive for the Week 15 loss — will help an offensive line that allowed quarterback Joe Flacco to be sacked three times and hit nine times by the Broncos last month. McKinnie will do a respectable job against defensive end Elvis Dumervil, but Miller is an absolute nightmare as he can line up on either edge or stunt from the strong-side linebacker position. Kruger will continue his best season as a professional and collect 1 1/2 sacks after picking up 2 1/2 against Indianapolis last week. The sobering thought is that Kruger is likely pricing himself beyond the Ravens’ budget with his strong finish to the 2012 season. They’ll enjoy his services for at least one more afternoon as he provides the most consistent heat on Manning with the banged-up Terrell Suggs virtually a non-factor these days.

3. Bernard Pierce finishes with more carries and more yards than Ray Rice as the Ravens try to find the edges more than you’d think against a fast Denver defense. The conventional wisdom is to run north and south against the speedy Broncos unit, but the numbers suggest otherwise as Denver has been stout against inside runs and vulnerable when running games have tried to run beyond the edges. The Broncos have allowed 3.76 yards per run behind left guard, 3.23 yards per run behind center, and 2.82 yards per run behind right guard. That last number is interesting with Yanda being the Ravens’ best offensive lineman. In the first meeting between the teams, the Ravens tried to run five plays behind veteran Bobbie Williams at the right guard spot and gained only nine yards. The Broncos have allowed 4.9 yards per carry around the left edge and 5.54 yards per carry to the right end. In terms of the workload for Pierce and Rice, the former’s ability to explode through running lanes and create yards after contact is the more appealing option against the league’s third-ranked run defense, but Rice will receive plenty of touches as well as offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell will try to create mismatches for Rice to get the ball in open space as a receiver. Baltimore will exceed the measly 56 rushing yards gained against Denver on Dec. 16, but seeing them run for much more than 100 total would be very surprising. An effective running game would go a long way in keeping Manning off the field, so the Ravens will stick to the run even if only earning modest gains.

4. Flacco will receive better protection this time around, but he will have difficulty finding open receivers as he struggles to crack the 200-yard passing mark. The running game will be critical in determining how much time Flacco receives to throw as the Ravens are likely to use some play-action roll-outs and bootlegs to move the pocket and keep Miller and Dumervil honest in targeting the quarterback behind the offensive line. If Pierce and Rice are unable to gain positive yardage, the Broncos won’t respect the play fakes and the Baltimore quarterback will be unable to evade rushers when trying to throw on the move. Even if Flacco is able to receive more time, the question of whether Baltimore receivers can gain separation against Champ Bailey and Chris Harris remains to be seen. Anquan Boldin was held without a catch and Torrey Smith made one reception for 14 yards before leaving the first Denver game early in the second half with a concussion. Flacco will try to take shots downfield with Smith and Jacoby Jones on the outside, but the Denver secondary has been exceptional all year, averaging a fifth-ranked 6.4 yards allowed per passing attempt. The Ravens will move the chains more effectively than they did in Week 15 — 1-for-12 on third down — but Flacco’s short-to-intermediate passes to tight end Dennis Pitta and Anquan Boldin will become more difficult over the course of the game unless they can connect on a deep ball or two to back up the secondary.

5. The Ravens will put forth a better showing than they did against Denver last month, but Manning and the Broncos will prove to be too much in a 27-17 final. The notion uttered by many this week that the Ravens have no shot against the Broncos is a silly one and wreaks of not paying attention to what happens around the NFL every week. The Broncos are the better team, but that doesn’t mean Baltimore isn’t capable of pulling off the upset, especially with a big return by Jones or a crucial turnover that goes in their favor. Despite their many critics, the Ravens are a good football team and should be commended for winning 11 games this season after the slew of injuries they suffered, particularly on the defensive side of the football. However, the Broncos are a great team and Manning will be too much to overcome as a Baltimore defense that will bend but not break for the first three quarters will wilt on a late touchdown drive to put this one out of reach. The Baltimore offense won’t be embarrassed like it was at M&T Bank Stadium last month, but the unit just won’t be productive enough against one of the best defensive units in the league. The Ravens’ season and the career of the future Hall of Fame Lewis will come to an end in Denver on Saturday.

Releasing their final injury report ahead of Saturday’s divisional round game against the Denver Broncos, the Ravens listed 17 players no worse than probable as they appear healthier than they’ve been since the early portion of the season.

Running back Bernard Pierce, fullback Vonta Leach, linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, and wide receivers Torrey Smith and David Reed all practiced on a limited basis on Friday, but each player was designated as probable against Denver. Pierce and Leach returned to the practice field on a limited basis Thursday after failing to participate in Wednesday’s workout.

Earlier Friday, the Ravens placed offensive lineman Jah Reid (toe) on injured reserve and activated cornerback Asa Jackson from the reserved-suspended list.

Coach John Harbaugh anticipated an optimistic injury report when speaking to reporters following Thursday’s practice, which was the final open day of the week for the media in Owings Mills.

“It’s encouraging to have all our guys,” Harbaugh said. “As I pointed out earlier, we’re not anticipating anybody missing this game. We’ll have that report out for you, but I don’t think it’s going to be anything on there that’s going to surprise you at all. We look like we’re in good shape.”

Meanwhile, the Denver Broncos also turned in a favorable final injury report as only cornerback Tracy Porter was ruled out with a concussion. Head coach John Fox listed seven other players as probable for Saturday’s game.

BALTIMORE
OUT: OL Jah Reid (toe)
PROBABLE: WR Anquan Boldin (shoulder), WR Tandon Doss (ankle), LB Dannell Ellerbe (ankle), LB Adrian Hamilton (illness), FB Vonta Leach (knee/ankle), LB Ray Lewis (triceps), LB Albert McClellan (shoulder), DE Pernell McPhee (thigh), DT Haloti Ngata (knee), RB Bernard Pierce (knee), S Bernard Pollard (chest), WR David Reed (thigh), S Ed Reed (shoulder), CB Jimmy Smith (abdominal), WR Torrey Smith (back), LB Terrell Suggs (Achilles/biceps), G Marshal Yanda (shoulder)

DENVER
OUT: CB Tracy Porter (concussion)
PROBABLE: S Mike Adams (knee), T Ryan Clady (shoulder), T Orlando Franklin (knee), WR Trindon Holliday (ankle), G Chris Kuper (ankle), S Jim Leonhard (thigh), WR Matt Willis (knee)

Here are this weekend’s picks as The D&L Window Tinting Morning Reaction will pick every NFL game this season.

Drew Forrester finished 3-1 last week while Luke Jones was 4-0 in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs. Forrester is now 164-78 and Jones is 156-86 overall. Official standings are only kept based on the NFL picks.

To hear their full explanation, click HERE.

Ravens at Broncos: Denver 23-10 (Drew), Denver 27-17 (Luke)
Packers at 49ers: Green Bay 31-26 (Drew), Green Bay 26-21 (Luke)
Seahawks at Falcons: Atlanta 26-23 (Drew), Atlanta 21-20 (Luke)
Texans at Patriots: New England 27-17 (Drew), New England 31-20 (Luke)

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — It’s no secret that quarterback Joe Flacco can’t do it by himself if the Ravens are to pull off the upset against the No. 1 seed Denver Broncos in Saturday’s divisional round playoff at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Better pass protection, a more productive running game, and a stronger defensive effort in the second half against quarterback Peyton Manning and the Denver offense are just a sampling of the goals the Ravens must accomplish to fare any better than they did in the humbling 34-17 defeat suffered at M&T Bank Stadium last month. But if Baltimore is to have any chance of advancing to the AFC championship game for the second consecutive year, the fifth-year quarterback must play like he did in last year’s conference-deciding game when he outperformed New England’s Tom Brady and was a Lee Evans catch away from sending the Ravens to their first Super Bowl since Jan. 2001.

All other factors aside, the ball will rest in Flacco’s hands at some critical juncture — if the Ravens are fortunate enough to play well in other phases of the game — and he will be counted upon to make a game-changing play.

Flacco did just that in the regular-season loss to Denver, but it was arguably the lowest moment of his career when tossing an interception to Broncos cornerback Chris Harris that was returned 98 yards for a touchdown to create a 17-0 deficit instead of a one-possession game at halftime on Dec. 16. The crucial turnover was Flacco’s second of the afternoon and finished a stretch of three straight games in which the quarterback had lost a fumble and thrown an interception.

The sight of him lying face down on the turf after trying to chase Harris the length of the field threatened to be the defining moment of the season for both him and the Ravens as they suffered their third consecutive loss that afternoon.

“Stuff like that happens sometimes, and believe me, I’m the last guy that wants it to happen,” Flacco said. “But you’ve got to go out there and keep your head up and play the game, and I think I did a great job of rebounding from that, and I think our whole team did. That’s why we are where we are right now.”

Flacco hasn’t thrown another interception since then, a span covering 92 attempts. He threw for 591 yards and four touchdowns in wins over the New York Giants and the Indianapolis Colts, the two real games the Ravens have played that sandwiched a cameo appearance by starters in the regular-season finale. Baltimore scored a combined 57 points in those victories and posted a combined 974 yards of offense, albeit against two defenses that hardly stack up to the Broncos’ formidable unit.

For the most part, the offense has looked more productive and crisp since new offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell’s debut against Denver. The Ravens have shown a more consistent commitment to run the ball and have effectively moved the pocket, using play-action roll-outs and even the occasional bootleg to allow Flacco to throw the ball on the run.

Of course, the Ravens must run the ball effectively to make such calls feasible against the second-ranked Denver defense that includes the best pass-rushing duo in the league in Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil. The Broncos teed off on Flacco in their first meeting, hitting him nine times and collecting three sacks. Even the threat of moving Flacco around will make it more difficult for the Denver pass rush to find the same success on Saturday.

“It’s helped us because of the fact we should be able to move the pocket some, particularly with some of the elite pass rushers that we have been facing,” Caldwell said. “If they know your launch point, it’s going to be in the same spot all the time. That can make things a little rough for you.”

Trying to win a shootout against the second-highest scoring offense in the league would be a near-impossible task, so the Ravens must move the chains on third down to sustain drives and keep Manning off the field as much as possible. Baltimore went 0-for-9 on third down against Denver in the regular-season meeting before finally converting for the first time late in the third quarter when the Broncos had already built a 31-3 lead. The Ravens finished that ugly game going 1-for-12 in that department.

In limiting the Ravens to 41 rushing yards on 14 carries in the first half, Denver forced Flacco into third-and-long situations throughout the first half when the game was still undecided. Efficiency will be key in not just creating third-and-manageable chances but also in needing to score touchdowns when the Ravens are able to move the ball inside the red zone. Kicking field goals rarely gets the job done against quarterbacks and offenses the caliber of Manning and Denver.

CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE >>>

(Updated: 3:50 p.m.)

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — In their final full practice open to the media ahead of their playoff game against the Denver Broncos, the Ravens regained two vital members of their offensive backfield as backup running back Bernard Pierce and Pro Bowl fullback Vonta Leach returned to practice on Thursday.

Each player worked on a limited basis in the Ravens’ final full practice of the week before departing for Denver on Friday afternoon. Pierce hadn’t participated in practices in the previous two days as he’s dealt with a knee injury. The veteran Leach has been hindered by an ankle injury for the last month and received Wednesday’s practice off after working on Tuesday.

Linebacker Dannell Ellerbe worked on a limited basis once again, but two players were added to Thursday’s report as wide receivers Torrey Smith (back) and David Reed (thigh) were limited participants as well.

“It’s encouraging to have all our guys,” coach John Harbaugh said. “As I pointed out earlier, we’re not anticipating anybody missing this game. We’ll have that report out for you, but I don’t think it’s going to be anything on there that’s going to surprise you at all. We look like we’re in good shape.”

Pierce relished the opportunity for some extra rest as he’s dealing with a sore right knee. The 2012 third-round pick watched practice from the sideline on Tuesday and Wednesday, which was a good indication that the Ravens weren’t overly concerned about the injury.

In contrast to Pierce, Leach has typically received at least one practice off in each of the last few weeks to rest his sore ankle. The three-time Pro Bowl selection removed any doubt that he would be ready to go against Denver. All signs point to Pierce being available as well.

“I had to take it easy a couple days,” said Pierce, who rushed for a game-high 103 yards in the wild-card playoff win over Indianapolis. “My body was real beat up, but I’m back. I’m feeling good, and it’s time to play football.”

The rookie back has become a larger part of the running game over the last five games in which he’s rushed for 388 yards on 62 attempts, which is good for just below 6.3 yards per carry. Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice remains a large part of the offense, but many are calling for the physical Pierce to receive extensive work to wear down opposing front sevens.

Regardless of his strong performance over the weeks of the season, Pierce said there will be no way to keep him off the field in terms of his health for Saturday.

“I’m a very competitive person,” Pierce said. “I’m ready to die for my team on any given Sunday, so I’m not missing anything.”

Guard Jah Reid (toe) was the only player absent from practice on Thursday as his status for the divisional playoff game in Denver remains in serious doubt. The second-year offensive lineman did not play in last Sunday’s win over Indianapolis, leading the Ravens to insert veteran Bryant McKinnie at left tackle and slide rookie Kelechi Osemele to left guard and Michael Oher to right tackle.

There were no changes to the Broncos’ injury report on Thursday as cornerback Tracy Porter (concussion) was the only player not to participate.

BALTIMORE
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: G Jah Reid (toe)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: LB Dannell Ellerbe (ankle), FB Vonta Leach (knee/ankle), RB Bernard Pierce (knee), WR David Reed (thigh), WR Torrey Smith (back)
FULL PARTICIPATION: WR Anquan Boldin (shoulder), WR Tandon Doss (ankle), LB Adrian Hamilton (illness), LB Ray Lewis (triceps), LB Albert McClellan (shoulder), DE Pernell McPhee (thigh), DT Haloti Ngata (knee), S Bernard Pollard (chest), S Ed Reed (shoulder), CB Jimmy Smith (abdominal), LB Terrell Suggs (achilles/bicep), G Marshal Yanda (shoulder)

DENVER
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: CB Tracy Porter (concussion)
FULL PARTICIPATION: S Mike Adams (knee), T Ryan Clady (shoulder), T Orlando Franklin (knee), WR Trindon Holliday (ankle), G Chris Kuper (ankle), S Jim Leonhard (thigh), WR Matt Willis (knee)