Missing in action much of the season, the Ravens' pass rush will stir once again on Sunday in Kansas City and give chase to Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel.
Catching him, of course, will be the problem.
Even with linebacker Terrell Suggs playing his best, the Ravens posted a franchise-low 27 sacks in the regular season. Filtered another way, the Ravens ranked last in the league in sacks-per-play. Their previous low ranking in sacks per play was 26th in their maiden season of 1996.
And yet, as coach John Harbaugh is quick to remind you, they won 12 games. So how much of a liability is that pass rush and how have the Ravens compensated for a lack of sacks in 2010?
It's a liability that will grow larger in Sunday's wild-card round if the problem goes unabated. To this point, though, the Ravens have been able to negate the deficiency with 27 turnovers.
But after two weeks without a sack — and just eight in the past six weeks — the Ravens are operating with reduced margin for error in the secondary.
"I think with us, the big thing that happens is I think quarterbacks are getting it out quicker," second-year defensive coordinator Greg Mattison said. "If you noticed in some of the games — like the Cleveland game, for example — that ball was out right away. I think they know that we are going to pressure and I think they respect some of the guys that are coming, and so the ball is out quick.
"Yes, we would like to have more sack numbers, but the biggest thing is what leads to third downs and what leads to third-down percentages. Even though you're never where you want to be on that, I think that percentage is in the ballpark, and that's what the sacks give you. They give you the ability to get your [stops on] third downs."
More statistical download: the Ravens ranked 15th in third-down defensive efficiency, successful on 38 percent of their third downs.
The Ravens have compensated with quarterback hits and hurries, a vague statistical category without the finality of a sack.
"Sacks are the icing on the cake," said linebacker Jarret Johnson. "That's what you're going for, but your main goal is to move the quarterback around, get him off the spot and to not give him time to set his feet and to identify the coverage. We've done a good job of that."
And when quarterbacks unload early, Johnson said that's "a win in our favor."
Johnson had 11 sacks the past two seasons. He had 1.5 this season. Suggs was consistent and relentless with 11, but the next highest sacker was defensive tackle Haloti Ngata with 5.5 against constant double teams. Defensive end Cory Redding followed with three.
This is a team with a proud history and tradition for sacking the quarterback. The Ravens registered a franchise-high 60 sacks in 2006, and had 101 over the 2005-06 seasons. They were the first two seasons with Rex Ryan as coordinator.
In Ryan's four seasons directing the defense, the Ravens averaged 41.7 sacks per year. In Mattison's two seasons, they've averaged 29.5.
But the biggest difference in that distinction is that Ryan had players in their prime, and he used them well in his helter-skelter style of blitzes. Mattison has a defense that has gotten old and a secondary that has been vulnerable, although opportunistic.
Sunday's matchup should be revealing to both teams. While the Ravens struggled to reach the quarterback in December, the Chiefs likewise had difficulty protecting their passer. After allowing just 15 sacks in their first 11 games, the Chiefs have allowed 15 in the past four.
Chiefs left tackle Branden Albert of Glen Burnie has given up 17 sacks over his past 29 games. That's who will be on Suggs in Arrowhead Stadium.
Cassel was sacked seven times in Week 17 by the Oakland Raiders, by far the Chiefs' worst game. But getting to him isn't as simple as it might seem.
"He moves around the pocket well and he scrambles quite a bit," Ngata said. "I was actually surprised to see on film that he does tuck the ball and run, and he's not really scared to do that."
Said linebacker Ray Lewis of Cassel: "He makes a lot of plays. He makes way more plays with his legs than people think he does, and that goes back to speaking about the talent that they have. … They're getting him [out] on bootlegs, they're getting him on edges, they're getting him to where he's spreading everybody out and then running for 10, 12 yards. So they're using their talent very, very well and Cassel is really managing the game well as well."
Cassel, who learned under Tom Brady in New England, has thrown for 27 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. The Chiefs rely offensively on the NFL's best run game with Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones.
That's where the Ravens defense will start — trying to make Kansas City one dimensional, strength against strength. If the Ravens accomplish that, the pass rush will come easier.
"Me, personally, I love it when teams try to run the ball," Johnson said. "That's my game. At the same time, they've got a really good scheme, they've gashed a lot of really good defenses. Even though it's something we like to see, you don't want to be chasing them down the field. Because if they're able to get the running game going, you're going to be in a lot of trouble."