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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. --The Broncos travel to Baltimore in search of their ninth straight win, which would tie for the third-longest streak in franchise history. Below is a gathering of notes and numbers concerning Sunday's AFC clash.
SERIES HISTORY
The Broncos and Ravens have faced off nine times in NFL history, including one playoff contest. Denver is 3-6 in the series.
Both teams have held down home field advantage, as Denver is 3-1 when hosting the Ravens and Baltimore is 5-0 at home against the Broncos, with the lone playoff victory coming in the AFC Wild Card Round in 2000.
Most recently, the Ravens defeated the Broncos 31-17 in October of 2010 in Baltimore.
BRONCOS PLAYERS VS. BALTIMORE
Cornerback Champ Bailey owns two interceptions, seven passes defensed and a forced fumble in his five career games against Baltimore.
Quarterback Peyton Manning has won his last eight games against Baltimore, including two playoff victories. He has thrown for three or more touchdowns three times on the Ravens and has a quarterback rating of 103.8 in his career against the club.
Tight end Jacob Tamme made one catch in his last game against the Ravens. It was for a 13-yard touchdown.
Linebacker D.J. Williams has recorded double-digit tackling performances in each of his last two trips to Baltimore, totaling 26 tackles.
NOTEWORTHY NUMBERS
The Broncos enter Week 15 ranked fourth in both total offense and total defense, making them the only NFL club in the top five in each category.
The Broncos rank in the top 10 in three major offensive categories: yards per game (390.1, 4th), yards per play (5.9, 7th) and points per game (28.8, 2rd). The Ravens are 18th (344.4), 16th (5.5) and ninth (25.5) in those same categories.
The Ravens have out-rushed the Broncos by a narrow margin, averaging 108.8 yards per game on the ground to Denver's 106.1.
The Broncos' 284 passing yards per game are nearly 30 yards greater than Baltimore's average of 235.5.
Denver has allowed 19 sacks on the year, the third-lowest total in the league. The Ravens have allowed 31 sacks. Only nine teams in the league have given up more than 31 sacks.
The Broncos offense is fifth in the league in third-down conversion percentage, moving the chains on 44.1% of third downs.
The Ravens are sixth in the league in red zone offense, finding the end zone on 59 percent of their trips inside their opponents' 20-yard line.
Defensively, Denver ranks in the top four in three major categories: yards per game (309.4, 4th), yards per play (4.8, 3rd) and points per game (19.8, 4th).
Baltimore ranks 25th in run defense, allowing 128.3 rushing yards per game, and 10th in pass defense, surrendering 246.3 yards per game.
Denver ranks sixth in run defense, allowing 93.7 rushing yards per game, and seventh in pass defense, giving up 215.7 yards through the air.
The Ravens have the best red zone defense in the league. Opponents score on only 40 percent of their trips inside the Baltimore 20-yard line.
Each defense is in the top half of the league in takeaways. Denver is tied for 15th with 21, while Baltimore is tied for seventh with 25.
ANY-MINUTE MILESTONES
A win in Baltimore would be the team's ninth straight, tying for the third-longest winning streak in Broncos history.
With 34 interceptions as a Bronco, cornerback Champ Bailey needs one more to pass Tyrone Braxton for sole possession of fourth place in franchise history.
Cornerback Omar Bolden is one special-teams tackle shy of becoming the 13th Broncos rookie since 1994 to record at least 10 special-teams stops.
With eight touchdown receptions on the year, wide receiver Eric Decker is one shy of setting a new career high.
Defensive end Elvis Dumervil and linebacker Von Miller can each pass Dennis Smith for the most fumbles forced by a Bronco in a single season since the statistic was tracked beginning in 1984. They have six forced fumbles a piece.
Miller needs one sack to tie Dumervil for the most single-season sacks in franchise history.
Wide receiver Trindon Holliday needs one return touchdown to become the third player in Broncos history with at least three special-teams return scores in a single season.
Tight end Joel Dreessen is two receptions shy of matching a career high of 36.
Linebacker Wesley Woodyard needs three tackles to reach the century mark for the first time in his five-year career.
BACK TO B-MORE
Defensive tackle Justin Bannan played 63 games and made 19 starts for Baltimore in his four seasons with the club from 2006-2009.
Wide receiver Matthew Willis spent the 2007 season on the Ravens' active roster and also spent time on the team's practice squad in 2008.
Safety Jim Leonhard spent the 2008 season as a Raven, recording 85 tackles, one sack and a pick-six.
Wide receiver Brandon Stokley played four years for the Ravens from 1999-2002. He was a member of the club's Super Bowl XXXV championship team.
Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio coached Baltimore's linebackers for three years from 1999-2001 and won a title with the club in 2000.
