The Baltimore Ravens already have the New England Patriots' attention.
Defensive lineman Vince Wilfork is part of a Patriots team that snuck past the Ravens in January's AFC Championship Game. That playoff loss seemed to galvanize Baltimore, and Wilfork is expecting a battle on "Sunday Night Football."
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"We're going to have to play almost a perfect game to walk away on the road Sunday night with a victory," Wilfork told The Boston Globe. "This is a good Baltimore football team, we've seen over the years, but I think this team now is stacked, probably one of the best teams that Baltimore's had."
It's annoying to hear pundits pounce on a Week 3 affair as potential "playoff preview" material. Let it breath. Besides, nobody will be caught off-guard if these two are playing in January.
This one is intriguing because -- along with the Pittsburgh Steelers -- the Ravens and Patriots are among the conference's most consistent teams. Sunday night is a glimpse at two unshakeable philosophies, with future Hall of Famers embedded on both sides and a building hatred for one another.
Sign us up.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.