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Ravens slip past Vikes into playoffs

BALTIMORE -- The formula that won a Super Bowl for the Ravens got the defending champs back into the playoffs.

Combining a stout defense with a run-oriented attack, Baltimore struggled past the Minnesota Vikings 19-3 Monday night to earn an AFC wild-card berth.

Baltimore opens the playoffs Sunday on the road against the Miami Dolphins. The New York Jets visit Oakland on Saturday in the other AFC game.

Terry Allen ran for 133 yards on 23 carries, and the Ravens forced four turnovers and held Minnesota to 179 yards.

"We played great defense, we ran the ball well," Baltimore coach Brian Billick said. "That's a great combination going into the playoffs."

It's precisely the technique the Ravens employed in running the table in the playoffs last season as a wild card.

"When you play good defense and run the ball, that'll get you into the playoffs," Billick said. "Sounds familiar, doesn't it?"

The Vikings were 0-7 on the road and playing with third-string quarterback Spergon Wynn, but the Ravens didn't pull away until Jamie Sharper scored on an 8-yard fumble return with 1:37 left after Peter Boulware's fourth sack.

"Offense wins games, defense wins championships," Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis said. "Just ride us, baby, we'll get you there."

Baltimore's victory eliminated the Seahawks from the playoff hunt. Seattle quarterback Trent Dilfer, who took the Ravens to the Super Bowl last season, led a late charge.

Elvis Grbac struggled for much of the season as the replacement for ex-Buc Dilfer, the first quarterback to be supplanted after winning the Super Bowl. Grbac entered with 18 interceptions, 15 touchdowns and a 71.9 quarterback rating.

He wasn't much better against the Vikings, going 10-for-27 for 160 yards as the Ravens offense struggled against a team that had allowed 84 points in its past three games, all losses.

Baltimore couldn't score a touchdown on offense but managed four field goals by Matt Stover.

Minnesota was playing its first game under interim coach Mike Tice, who took over for Dennis Green on Friday. Although the Vikings scored first, they never added to their first-quarter field goal.

"I thought we had open receivers we didn't get the ball to," Tice said.

About the only good thing about the game for Minnesota was that it marked the end of a dismal season.

"We just couldn't find a way to win," said receiver Randy Moss, who had two catches for 9 yards. "I can't pinpoint a part of the season where things went wrong. From Day 1 in training camp to today, a lot of things happened."

None of it good.

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