NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- The Tennessee Titans get a chance to avenge their only loss at Adelphia Coliseum when they meet the Baltimore Ravens Sunday in the AFC divisional playoffs.
The Titans are 16-1 here, the only loss a 24-23 defeat to AFC Central rival Baltimore on November 12.
"I knew we would play them again," Titans coach Jeff Fisher. "They have the confidence of a playoff team and really dominated Denver."
Tennessee had a chance to win the game but the normally reliable Al Del Greco missed a crucial extra point with 2:30 to play and a 43-yard field goal as time expired. The loss snapped a 13-game home winning streak for the Titans.
The Titans appeared poised for another memorable home triumph when safety Perry Phenix intercepted a pass by Trent Dilfer and returned it 87 yards for a score to snap a 17-17 tie with 2 1/2 minutes remaining. But Del Greco missed his first extra-point attempt since November 7, 1993 and the Ravens went back on the attack.
Dilfer orchestrated a nine-play, 70-yard march that culminated with his two-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Johnson with 25 seconds left. Matt Stover made the extra point for a 24-23 lead.
After Chris Coleman returned Stover's squibbed kickoff to the Tennessee 44, Steve McNair hit running back Eddie George with an 11-yard pass to the Baltimore 45 and scrambled for 17 more yards to set up Del Greco's kick. But the 17-year veteran pushed his kick wide right.
Dilfer had perhaps his best game as a Raven, completing 23-of-36 passes for 281 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown to Qadry Ismail.
Rookie Jamal Lewis rushed for 99 yards on 23 carries and tight end Shannon Sharpe caught eight passes for 92 yards.
Meanwhile, Baltimore's record-setting defense stuffed Eddie George, holding him to 28 yards on 12 carries.
Without an effective running game, Steve McNair nearly led the Titans to victory, completing 21-of-34 for 228 yards and two touchdowns.
On October 22, the Titans posted a 14-6 win at Baltimore despite being outplayed most of the way.
Baltimore had 24 total first downs to seven for the Titans and nearly double the total yards, 368-191.
George left that game early in the first quarter with a right knee injury and did not return. Rodney Thomas replaced him and produced 53 yards on 18 carries.
Titans linebacker Randall Godfrey made the play of the game, returning an interception 24 yards for a touchdown early in the third quarter.
Ravens quarterback Tony Banks threw three interceptions before being replaced by Dilfer early in the fourth quarter. Lewis was held to 58 yards on 17 carries.
The winner of Sunday's game will play the Oakland Raiders in the AFC championship game.
Baltimore set NFL records for fewest points allowed in a 16-game season (165) and fewest rushing yards (970) and held the high-powered Denver Broncos without a touchdown in a 21-3 win last week in the wild card round. It was the first playoff game in the five-year history of the franchise.
The Broncos averaged 30 points a game and entered as the AFC's second-best rushing team at 145 yards per contest, but they got past midfield just once against a defense that set Denver's efficient offensive line was unable to open any holes consistently for rookie running back Mike Anderson against Baltimore's vaunted front seven.
Ray Lewis, the four-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker, had seven tackles and an interception, while right end Michael McCrary recorded three sacks. Tackles Tony Siragusa and Sam Adams clogged the middle and linebackers Peter Boulware and Jamie Sharper cut off the outside. As a result, Anderson, who ranked third in the AFC with 1,500 rushing yards, was held to 40 on 15 carries.
Jamal Lewis played the role of workhorse for the Ravens, rushing for 110 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries.
While Baltimore set the record for fewest points allowed in a 16-game season, the Titans were the league's second stingiest defense (191 points) and ranked first in total yards ahead of Baltimore.
The Titans lead the all-time series, 6-4.
