(My Sportsbook) - Survive and advance. Legendary N.C. State men's basketball coach Jim Valvano coined the phrase, an objective which applies in the NCAA hoops tourney and basically every pursuit - from the NFL playoffs to a high school chess tournament - that involves a single-elimination bracket.

The Baltimore Ravens advanced after Saturday's 13-10 road upset of the top- seeded Tennessee Titans in an AFC Divisional Playoff, which means they also survived. But my, did the shadow of the Grim Reaper hover over John Harbaugh's team for much of the afternoon.

Most objective observers would tell you that the Titans played better football.

They outgained the Ravens in total yards (389-211), outpaced them by a large margin through the air (281-161), and even gained a relatively sizeable deal of traction on the ground (117 yards) against Baltimore's third-ranked rushing defense.

While conceding that it may have not played its finest defensive game, Baltimore is also unlikely to hold Saturday's game tape up as evidence of the evolution of the team's offense.

Quarterback Joe Flacco made three gigantic plays, one on a 48-yard touchdown play off a busted coverage to Derrick Mason in the first quarter, another on a 37-yard pass to Mark Clayton to set up a field goal in the fourth, and the third on a controversial 23-yard pass play to Todd Heap on the game-winning drive (more on that later), but only finished with 11-of-22 completions, and didn't seem to be permitted to do much by offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.

The running game, which has carried the team for large portions of this season, was borderline invisible, making its 30 carries count for just 50 yards.

So, how in the world did the Ravens win this game?

In a tilt that took place some two-and-a-half weeks after Christmas, Harbaugh and company made the most of the multitude of precious gifts they received.

-In the second quarter, with the score tied at 7-7, the Titans embarked on a mammoth 13-play drive that got Tennessee all the way to the Baltimore 27-yard line. But instead of getting at least three points out of the drive, Kerry Collins lofted a deep ball that was easily intercepted by Samari Rolle on 3rd- and-8, keeping the score knotted.

-Moments later, the Titans offense went to work again, quickly moving from their own 30 to inside the Ravens 30. On a 3rd-and-4 play from the Baltimore 22-yard line, LenDale White had already crossed the first-down line when he fumbled, handing the ball back to Baltimore with 25 seconds left in the quarter and keeping the game tied entering the half.

-In the third quarter, after advancing into Baltimore territory thanks to a 19-yard pass play from Collins to White, normally reliable Tennessee kicker Rob Bironas trotted on the field for a 51-yard field goal attempt. Instead of putting the Titans ahead at last, the kick went wide left.

-After Baltimore scraped together a field goal drive, thanks to a 29-yard punt return by Jim Leonhard followed by Flacco's deep ball to Clayton, Tennessee responded by moving all the way to the Baltimore 13. On a 2nd-and-9 pass play to Alge Crumpler, the veteran tight end neared the end zone before fumbling following what looked like a fairly innocuous hit by Leonhard. Cornerback Fabian Washington recovered the errant football, and the Ravens dodged yet another bullet.

-The biggest blow, however, came on the aforementioned pass play to Heap. A 3rd-and-2 play from the Ravens 32 should have become a 3rd-and-7 from the 27, but the officials missed what replays clearly showed was a delay of game foul on Flacco, Heap made a great catch in traffic at the Titans 45, and seven plays later, with 57 seconds left, Matt Stover was calmly kicking a 43-yard game-winning field goal.

Prevailing wisdom suggesting that it's better to be lucky than good is a little off the mark. The Ravens have been good for most of the season, and wouldn't have made it to a Jan. 10th playoff date with the Titans if they weren't. But even the most ardent Baltimore has to admit that on this day, Harbaugh's club was mighty lucky.

The head coach himself wasn't willing to use the "L" word after the win, arguing that the all-important turnover battle, which the Ravens won, 3-0, was a cause-and-effect situation.

"Start with the offense, the fact that our offense is not turning the ball over," Harbaugh urged after the victory. "That is probably the number one thing. In these kinds of games, you find a way to play with that kind of discipline; that kind of self-control and protect the football. That starts with the quarterback and goes to the running backs and wide receivers. Then our defense, to turn the ball over that many times against these two opponents is remarkable. You guys can figure out how it happened. A lot of good hard hits, I can tell you that. We are proud of those guys for that."

Now it's on to Pittsburgh for the AFC Championship, where the Ravens will try to eliminate the perpetrator of two of their five losses this year, as Flacco attempts to win what would be a fifth consecutive road game to become the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to lead his team to the Super Bowl.

"We've been confident in ourselves all year," said Flacco on Saturday. "It seems like we've been on the road for the longest time. It doesn't matter to us. We're going to go out there and battle the crowd, battle the other team, and give it our best. That's what we did today."

THAT SUGGS

It was almost inevitable that what guaranteed to be a physical contest with the Titans would not have a positive effect on the injury report of the team that won the game.

Inasmuch, the Ravens might be forced to head into Sunday without their top pass rusher, as outside linebacker Terrell Suggs suffered a strained right shoulder in Tennessee and will be questionable to suit up in Pittsburgh.

Suggs suffered the injury in the first half, and did not return.

"I'm not going to sit here and say it's positive, or we're happy about it," Harbaugh said on Monday of Suggs' injury. "We'll just see how it goes. It's going to be close. He's going to work real hard to try to get back. That's all we know."

Suggs sounded more optimistic than Harbaugh about his potential opportunity to play, however.

"Check my track record, I don't miss games," said Suggs on Saturday. "The only way I wouldn't be there is if I didn't have air in my lungs. I'm playing. It's nothing."

Suggs led the Ravens in sacks with eight during the 2008 regular season, and has been responsible for 53 sacks during his six years with the team.

Also injured on Saturday were cornerback Samari Rolle (groin) and safety Jim Leonhard (concussion). The oft-injured Rolle is likely to be questionable right up until game time, but Leonhard, who has also been fielding punt returns, is expected to play.

NEXT UP: THREE-MATCH

Pittsburgh won its only postseason meeting with Baltimore all-time, a 27-10 triumph in a 2001 AFC Divisional Playoff at Heinz Field. The Ravens' loss, which came on the heels of a Super Bowl victory in 2000, was the first in Baltimore's franchise history and was also the first postseason game played at Heinz Field.

The Steelers hold a 16-10 edge in the all-time regular season series with the Ravens, including a sweep of this year's home-and-home. Pittsburgh scored a 23-20 home win in overtime when the teams met in a Monday Night contest in Week 4, then wrapped up the AFC North title with a 13-9 win at M&T Bank Stadium in Week 15. The clubs embarked on a conventional home-and-home split of last year's series, including the Ravens closing out their otherwise disappointing 5-11 season with a 27-21 home victory over the Steelers in Week 17. The Ravens last won in Pittsburgh in 2006, but are 1-7 in their last eight trips there, beginning with the 2001 playoff loss.

A team that has lost two games in a regular season series with an opponent, has gone on face that opponent a third time on 18 occasions in NFL history. The club that is 0-2 heading into that contest is 7-11 in postseason contests, including a win for the eventual Super Bowl champion Giants over the Cowboys in a 2007 NFC Divisional Playoff.

The Ravens have played an opponent three times in one season on two occasions in their history. Baltimore was 2-1 against Tennessee during the 2000 season, including a playoff win, and was 1-2 versus Pittsburgh the next year, including a postseason loss.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is 3-1 against the Ravens in his career, while Baltimore's Harbaugh is 0-2 against both Tomlin and Pittsburgh as a head coach.