4. Will Torrey Smith be the X-factor?

( Baltimore Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr. / January 12, 2013 )

In an inspirational performance following the death of his younger brother, Tevin, the night before in a motorcycle accident, Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith caught six passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-30 win in September over the Patriots.

Now, the former Maryland standout is coming off a huge game against 12-time Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey, toasting him for a pair of touchdowns during the AFC divisional round.

Last year in the AFC title game, Smith caught three passes for 82 yards and a touchdown against New England.

In two career games against the Patriots, Smith has nine receptions for 209 yards and three touchdowns with five catches 25 yards or longer and an average of 23.2 yards per catch.

The Patriots will likely place their biggest, strongest cornerback on Smith, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers starter Aqib Talib.

It's questionable, though, whether Talib can run stride for stride with Smith.