Bill Belichick would be the first to tell you that media predictions are meaningless, but for what it’s worth, the Patriots are the popular pick to win Sunday’s AFC championship game and advance to another Super Bowl.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk predicts New England will win by a score of 27-20. Florio notes that the maligned Patriots defense has shown significant signs of improvement over the last several weeks and that the team as a whole will have extra motivation on its side.

Wrote Florio: The internal offense-vs.-defense strife in Baltimore seems to be real, and it could lead to an ugly confrontation on the sidelines if the Pats jump out to an early lead and the Ravens can’t respond. Also, the Pats’ defense quietly is improving.

Throw in the fact that the Patriots would love to give owner Robert Kraft something about which to feel good as he continues to mourn his wife’s passing (Myra Kraft’s initials remain on their jerseys), Tom Brady’s memory of a home thrashing two years ago from the Ravens, and a burning desire by Brady and Bill Belichick to finally get that fourth championship, and it’s hard to envision the Patriots losing.

Florio’s PFT counterpart Gregg Rosenthal also picks the Patriots to advance in a closely-contested 31-27 game. For Rosenthal, the vaunted Ravens defense has not proven that it will be able to contain a potent New England offense that ranked third in the NFL in the regular season with 32.1 points per game.

Wrote Rosenthal: Is the Ravens defense more dominant than the Patriots offense? After watching Houston’s running game push Baltimore around last week, I’m rolling with the Patriots there. Terrell Suggs disappears too often. New England’s tight ends are too hard to defend.

On the other side of the argument is FoxSports.com’s Peter Schrager, who calls for a 30-27 Ravens upset, citing the Baltimore defense as his primary reason.

Wrote Schrager: I know it sounds crazy, but I like the Ravens on Sunday. Like the Cowboys did earlier this season vs. New England, the defense should stifle Brady just enough to give the offense a chance. And unlike the Cowboys earlier this season, the Ravens offense will be able to get the job done.

Baltimore Sun writer Peter Schmuck also likes the hometown Ravens in a 27-24 game, pointing out Baltimore’s excellent record against playoff teams as the deciding factor.

The oddsmakers say the Pats are a touchdown better, but the Ravens are 6-0 this year against the other teams that made the playoffs, Schmuck wrote. The Pats are 2-2 against playoff teams, and both wins were against the Broncos.

Sports Illustrated NFL writer Peter King released his championship game predictions on Friday and gives a 23-13 nod to the Patriots.

I can’t see Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron and quarterback Joe Flacco, even going against a pedestrian at best secondary, fixing all that ails the Baltimore offense in one week, King wrote. The Ravens won’t have to win a scoring contest against the Patriots, but they’ll have to score in the 20s, absolutely minimum, to win.

And can you see these Ravens, unless two or three of the scores are set up by the defense with short fields, going on four or five scoring drives Sunday? I can’t.

Following are more picks from several national writers and analysts.

Pete Prisco, CBSSports.com: Patriots 31, Ravens 21

Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: Patriots 24, Ravens 23

Cris Collinsworth, Inside the NFL: Patriots

Warren Sapp, Inside the NFL: Ravens

Ron Jaworski, ESPN: Patriots

Seth Wickersham, ESPN: Ravens

Adam Schefter, ESPN: Patriots