— The Ravens took an impassioned first step toward the Super Bowl by riding an emotional defense that has long been the signature of the team.
At a bitterly cold Arrowhead Stadium, the players rallied around the tragedy surrounding safety Ed Reed's brother and forced five turnovers in a 30-7 rout of the overmatched Kansas City Chiefs in an American Football Conference wild-card game on Sunday.
Winners of five straight games, the fifth-seeded Ravens play the rival and second-seeded Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on Saturday in the divisional round of the playoffs.
The victory, met with jubilation by fans, was bittersweet for the players.
In the locker room after the game, wide receiver Derrick Mason handed the game ball to Reed in memory of his brother, Brian Reed, 29, who has been missing in Louisiana since police said he jumped into the Mississippi River to elude officers on Friday. Police called off the search Saturday for Brian Reed, who according to his mother, Karen Reed, struggled with drugs and alcohol.
Reed held up the game ball as teammates huddled around him. "My family would appreciate this and so would my brother," Reed said. "My brother would want us to beat Pittsburgh."
Dozens of fans proudly wore Reed jerseys in bars throughout the Baltimore area Sunday, showing support for their favorite player, who pushed through his worry. The Pro Bowl safety finished tied for the team lead with four tackles, including a devastating hit on wide receiver Dexter McCluster.
In a fitting tribute to one of the NFL's top playmakers, the Ravens tied a team playoff record with five turnovers, intercepting Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel three times and causing two fumbles.
With a wind chill of 14 degrees, the Ravens broke open an early close game later in the second quarter by scoring 27 unanswered points against the AFC West champions, after a disappointing start.
Fan spirits were up at the half, buoyed by a late touchdown that put the favored Ravens in the lead.
"It's nerve-wracking," said Tykell Johns, a 35-year-old credit analyst from Windsor Mill who was watching the game with friends at Padonia Station in Timonium.
Across the table, his younger brother, Lechea Johns, 33, wore a Ray Rice jersey and a concerned expression as he stared up at the flat screen posted above his head.
"The offense is not doing what it's supposed to be doing," he grumbled. "In order to beat Pittsburgh, they're going to have to bring it — the offense and defense, everybody has to step up."
In the third quarter, safety Dawan Landry intercepted Cassel in Kansas City territory. Six plays later, quarterback Joe Flacco essentially clinched the victory with a 4-yard pass to Anquan Boldin to put the Ravens ahead, 23-7.
By then, it was standing room only at the Field House in Canton, and there was little of that, as the Ravens closed out the third quarter with a significant lead and fans developed a new appreciation for Flacco.
"He's really been stepping up," said Joashia Franklin, a 35-year-old Baltimore native who now lives in D.C.
The final Ravens touchdown sent Canton fans into a frenzy, bounding around, hugging and high-fiving.
Flacco "showed that he can [handle] himself in a big game," said Colin Kendall, 24. "He adjusted to the pressure."
Some fans said the season's inconsistent play made for good entertainment, if inelegant victories.
"A win is a win, whether it's ugly or not," said Danielle Aydelotte, a 28-year-old customer service representative from Parkville.
"You've got to give [Coach John] Harbaugh credit," she added. "How many coaches took their teams [to the playoffs] three years in a row? … We're on the right track and just need to follow through."
After the game, Harbaugh credited the concern for Reed with helping focus the team.
"What Ed and the Reed family are going through is a big part of this victory," coach John Harbaugh said. "I think that's what will be remembered by our players. We're a family and the Reed family is part of the Raven family. That's the way it works with our organization."
Before Reed's ordeal, another member of the Ravens was hit with a family matter. Linebackers coach Dean Pees dealt with the death of his older sister last week and missed some practices leading up to Sunday's game.
"Anytime you lose someone like that, it draws everyone of us closer," linebacker Ray Lewis said.
The Ravens now travel to Pittsburgh, where they're looking for their first playoff win against their biggest rival. The Steelers ended the Ravens' run as defending Super Bowl champions in January 2002 and beat the Ravens in the AFC championship game in January 2009.
This marks the third meeting after the teams split the season series.
"It seems like it's poetic justice," Harbaugh said. "I'm sure they'll bring their 'A' game and we'll try to bring our 'A' game. We'll see what happens."
Several players said Reed will serve as motivation for this year's Super Bowl run.
"I told the guys [Saturday], 'Let's keep Ed on the field as long as possible because it gives him something to think about,'" Mason said. "When it's over, that's the hard part. Hopefully, he won't get off the field until February."
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