Terrell Suggs has always enjoyed tossing a few barbs at Tom Brady and the Patriots. (AP)

Five very early thoughts on the AFC Championship Game between the Patriots and the Ravens, set for next Sunday (3 p.m. on WEEI 93.7 FM) at Gillette Stadium:

1. This will be the first time these two teams have met this year. The last time the Patriots faced the Ravens was back on Week Six of the 2010 season, and in that one, New England came away with a 23-20 win over Baltimore in a really good ballgame that featured, among other things, the final Tom Brady interception of the 2010 regular season and Stephen Gostkowski’s first career overtime game-winner (a 35-yarder to win it in extra time). There are several differences between the two teams since then, including the fact that the Patriots now lean much heavier on their two young tight ends than they did early last season. Overall, the Patriots are 6-1 lifetime against the Ravens, with the one loss coming in the 2009 wild card matchup at Gillette, a game Baltimore won relatively easily, 33-14. More on that game later.

2. The Patriots were able to slay some of their recent postseason demons on Saturday night when they halted a three-game playoff losing streak with the decisive win over the Broncos. They’ll get a chance to take that a step further with a victory over the Ravens, a team that contributed to that three-game losing skid with a painful playoff beatdown back in 2009. That 33-14 loss (which started with an 83-yard touchdown run from Ray Rice on the first play from scrimmage and got worse from there) was a particularly ugly loss for New England — it marked the first home playoff loss for the Patriots since 1978, the first time the Patriots were one-and-done in the postseason in the Bill Belichick era. In addition, Brady suffered the first postseason home defeat of his career, and the Patriots suffered the first loss in franchise history to Baltimore.

In many ways, that contest, as well as memorable regular-season games in 2007, 2009 and 2010 between the two teams have fueled what could be one of the NFL’s most underrated rivalries. Terrell Suggs has never been at a loss for words when it comes to talking about Tom Brady and the Patriots (particularly the Brady rule), and he should be at his voluble best in the days leading up to the game.

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Arian Foster makes the Houston offense go. (AP)

With the Patriots securely in the postseason, it’s time to start sizing up their possible postseason opponents. This is part of a weeklong series of features on the rest of the AFC playoff teams. We’ve already profiled the Baltimore Ravens. Today, we’ve got a look at the Houston Texans:

The skinny: If the Texans were ever going to win the AFC South, this was the year: without Peyton Manning, the Colts were down, Tennessee was rebuilding and Jacksonville started slowly and made a coaching change. Houston took advantage, and now, they enter the final week of the regular season at 10-5, having already clinched the AFC South championship. (They’re currently locked in as the No. 3 playoff seed in the AFC.) They have some impressive wins on their resume, including victories over the Steelers (17-10), Atlanta (17-10) and Cincinnati (20-19). However, they also have more than enough stinkers, including defeats to Oakland, Carolina and Indianapolis. From a distance, the Texans appear to be a competitive young team that has had some occasional struggles with success.

Offense: Houston is down to its third-string quarterback, and while T.J. Yates (78-for-130 for 902 yards with three TDs and three INTs) has played relatively well down the stretch, there are plenty of holes in his game. Offensively, the Texans are powered by running back Arian Foster, who has 1,224 yards on 278 carries for 10 touchdowns and a 4.4 yards per carry average. Houston is anticipating the return of wide receiver Andre Johnson (six games, 31 catches, 471 yards, two touchdowns) for the postseason, and if he is at full strength (he’s been slowed by a hamstring problem), he gives the Texans a pair of dynamic skill position players who are among the best at their position.

Defense: Thanks to linebackers Connor Barwin (11.5 sacks) and Brooks Reed (six sacks) and defensive end J.J. Watt (5.5 sacks), the Texans do a good job getting after the quarterback. They’re one of the best teams in the league when it comes to the rest of their defense: second in average total yards allowed (280.7), tied for second in the league against the pass (184 yards per game), fourth in the league against the run (96.7 yards per game) and fourth in the league in points per game allowed (17).

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With the Patriots holding three picks in the second round (Nos. 33, 56 and 60) and two more in the third (Nos. 60 and 74), the Patriots have plenty of options on Friday. They’ll kick things off with the first pick of the second round, though Bill Belichick showed everyone Thursday that you can never count out the possibility of a trade.

This is an interesting situation for the Patriots. Generally a top pick in the second round can be flipped for a future first. With the Pats already possessing two first-rounders in 2012, would they actually consider going for another?

Assuming the Pats don’t move, here’s a quick look at names to consider with the 33rd pick.

Da’Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson

Bowers was the first overall pick in many early mock drafts, including ours, but knee issues have hurt his stock. Even if he’s healthy, he would not be a fit on the Patriots line given that he measures in at under 6-foot-4 and 280 pounds. He was a bit of a one-year wonder, but his one year (this past season) featured 15.5 sacks. He is one of the most talented pass-rushers in this draft, but system-wise is not a fit unless that Pats feel he can play outside linebacker.

Brooks Reed, DE, Arizona

Reed is a bit more logical of a choice than Bowers when it comes to the Patriots. He may not have as much upside, but he is a better fit as an outside linebacker in their scheme. His height (6-foot-2 4/8) might scare the Patriots away. Reed, 24, had seven sacks in his senior year.

As for a history lesson, the Patriots did a pretty good job in taking an undersized Arizona defensive end back in 1996 with Tedy Bruschi.

Brandon Harris, CB, Miami

The Patriots have spent a pick in the first two rounds on a cornerback in each of the last three years. Two of them (Devin McCourty and Darius Butler) are still with the team, while they ended the Terrence Wheatley era early. At 5-foot-9 and 193 pounds, Harris has the prototypical size of a Pats corner. Harris came out after his junior year, but given that he was a three-year starter, there are not experience issues.

“Every year my confidence rose,” he said at the combine. “I’m at the point right now that my confidence is so high and I believe in myself a ton.”

Torrey Smith, WR, Maryland

Smith is a major risk/reward pick. He could be great downfield threat or he could be the next Darrius Heyward-Bey. While Smith’s speed has led to comparisons to his former Maryland teammate, he doesn’t want anyone getting him confused with the former Raiders first-rounder.

“I feel like it’s ignorant for people to compare two completely different people,” he said at the combine. “Just because we went to the same school doesn’t mean anything. If he didn’t go to Maryland or I didn’t go to Maryland, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. At the end of the day, we’re two completely different people. I went on a completely different path than he did.”

Smith had 1,055 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior.

Ryan Williams, RB, Virginia Tech

Williams is another one-year wonder, and though he may be one of the more overrated players in the entire draft, he could be an option if the Pats decide to go with a running back. A sophomore, Williams has less mileage than the other backs in this draft, though he followed his 1,655-yard freshman year with an unproductive 477-yard sophomore campaign that was slowed by injury and decreased carries.

Lots and lots of shakeups in the latest edition of the WEEI.com mock draft, and though this one has Marcell Dareus going first overall, I’m still not accepting it as a sure thing like everyone else. As a result of J.J. Watt and Aldon Smith both being projected to go in the first 10 picks, all three Patriots picks are different this week.

1. Carolina (2-14) Marcell Dareus, DL, Alabama

Happy now? I have no problem with Dareus being the first overall pick. In fact, I thought it was laughable earlier in the process when some didn’t have him in the Top 10, but I’m still not sold on him definitely being the first player drafted. That’s what happens when the draft’s best player is a cornerback, though. As for Robert Quinn being in this spot last week (something I still feel the Panthers should consider), don’t rule it out just because you haven’t heard a million people say it yet. Remember, nobody had Philip Rivers as a Top 5 pick in 2004 or Mario Williams as the top pick in 2006.
2. Denver (4-12) Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU

As was mentioned in the previous blurb, Peterson is the best player in this draft, and even impressive pro days from the other top prospects could not change that. Do the Broncos have bigger needs? Yes, but corner is big enough a need to make passing on Peterson’s talent a foolish idea.

3. Buffalo (4-12) Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M

A player involved in the lawsuit is showing that he doesn’t hate the NFL by agreeing to attend the NFL Draft? Why is this a story again? Miller’s a bright kid with elite talent, so anything he does that displays dominance on the field or maturity off it shouldn’t be a surprise. Miller not going in the top five picks, however, would be a surprise.

4. Cincinnati (4-12) Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri

Gabbert is not likely to end up being one of the best quarterbacks in the league, so is he really worth the fourth overall pick? When a team’s incumbent wants nothing to do with the organization anymore, he might be. If the Bengals are forced to find a replacement for Carson Palmer, Gabbert is the only logical option this high.

5. Arizona (5-11) Robert Quinn, DE/OLB, North Carolina

Whether it’s first overall, fifth overall or as Mr. Irrelevant, Quinn is going to be worth it for whichever team drafts him. He didn’t play a down last year due to an NCAA suspension, but neither his character nor his talents as a pass-rusher are in question.

6. Cleveland (5-11) Da’Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson

There was a time when it seemed Bowers could be the first overall pick, but that time ended after his knee kept him from participating in the combine. His bad pro day performance was seemingly a result of him trying to prove he was healthy when he wasn’t, and now he’ll be lucky if he doesn’t fall even farther than No. 6.

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Brooks Reed (AP)

A league source says that while the Patriots have worked out Arizona defensive end/linebacker Brooks Reed, they have apparently not had him in to Foxboro for an on-site visit. The source said Reed was one of three Arizona defensive ends New England recently put through a workout — and that the Patriots did focus on Reed — but Reed has not visited the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. (That would run contrary to initial reports that Reed had an official visit with New England late last month.)

Even though it seems incidental, there is a fundamental difference between a workout and an on-site visit. While teams are allowed to conduct as many workouts as possible, they are allowed to host up to 30 prospects on pre-draft visits to the facility. (Thus far, the only two pre-draft visits for the Patriots that we have been able to confirm are Miami defensive lineman Allen Bailey and Oklahoma State running back Kendall Hunter.)

Reed is a 6-foot-3, 263-pounder who was a defensive end in college. He had 114 career tackles at UA and 17 career sacks, and earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors as a senior. However, his size and speed leave many thinking he would make a nice transition to outside linebacker at the next level. His time of 4.65 seconds for the 40-yard dash at the combine was among the fastest for defensive ends and linebackers, and his initial burst of 1.54 over the first 10 yards left many believing Reed will be a late first-round or early second-round selection.