OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Facing the Baltimore Ravens defense is like playing chess against a grandmaster. You might fare well for a while, but eventually you're going to make a costly mistake.

Just ask the Miami Dolphins. Or the Tennessee Titans.

The Ravens (13-5) forced five turnovers against Miami in their playoff opener and cruised to a 27-9 victory. Top-seeded Tennessee pierced Baltimore's defense for 391 yards last week, yet three turnovers inside the 20-yard line doomed the Titans to a 13-10 defeat.

"We'll give you a little bit," Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis said, "but we're not going to give you everything you're looking for."

Those two playoff performances were merely an extension of the regular season, when Baltimore recorded an NFL-best 34 takeaways to finish with a plus-13 turnover differential. The Ravens' ability to steal the football has not gone unnoticed by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who intend to be particularly careful today in the AFC Championship game.

"They are very opportunistic. If the ball is in the air where some DBs might drop it, they don't seem to drop very many. The linebackers as well," Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said.

Ed Reed led the league with nine interceptions before adding two more against the Dolphins. He returned the first pick in Miami for a touchdown.

The Ravens are also efficient at making the opposition put the ball on the ground. Just before halftime in Tennessee last week, LenDale White ran for 5 yards and a first down at the Baltimore 17 before losing the ball on a hit by Jarret Johnson.

Then, with the game tied in the fourth quarter, strong safety Jim Leonhard and linebacker Bart Scott clubbed Alge Crumpler at the end of a 6-yard gain, forcing a fumble that Baltimore recovered at the 1.

"Most of the times when we do give up (a play), one thing we take pride in is just getting the hit after the ball is thrown," Lewis said. "When the ball is thrown or handed off, everybody finds the football. There's where I believe a lot of the turnovers are coming from."

A positive turnover differential is the product of both units, and the Ravens offense has done its part. Baltimore has committed one turnover in two postseason games — a fumble by running back Le'Ron McClain.

If Joe Flacco and the Ravens protect the ball, and if Baltimore's defense can force Roethlisberger into throwing it into their hands, then Baltimore could pull off an upset. But Roethlisberger was intercepted once in two games against the Ravens this season, a big reason why Pittsburgh won twice.

"Ben is a quarterback who is very cautious with what he does out there," Reed said.