Reportedly, former Baltimore Ravens CB Corey Ivy is at the Ravens Training Complex in Owings Mills undergoing a physical and should be signed as early as later today. Nothing has been confirmed, but it looks pretty good for Ivy to become a member of the teams' depleted secondary corps shortly. Ivy had short stints with the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

According to some sources, Ivy has been confirmed as signing this afternoon with the Ravens. Perhaps his recent time here as well in Pittsburgh's locker room makes him the best fit in the wake of losing outstanding rookie Lardarius Webb to a knee injury for the season. More to follow as we hear it, or post it in comments below if you do before The Beatdown does.

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Direct from the NFL themselves, here are the updated "official" playoff scenarios for the entire league, including of course, your Baltimore Ravens:

2009 NFL PLAYOFF SCENARIOS 
_______________________________________________________________________

December 22, 2009

For Week 16 

AFC 

CLINCHED:   Indianapolis – AFC South and homefield advantage throughout AFC playoffs

                           San Diego – AFC West

 
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 

San Diego clinches first-round bye with: 

1. SD win or tie OR
2. NE loss or tie

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 

New England clinches AFC East division title with: 

1. NE win or tie OR
2. MIA loss or tie

 
CINCINNATI BENGALS 

Cincinnati clinches AFC North division title with: 

1. CIN win OR
2. CIN tie + BAL loss or tie OR
3. BAL loss 
   

Cincinnati clinches a playoff spot with: 

1. CIN tie OR
2. JAC loss or tie + NYJ loss or tie + HOU/MIA game ends in a tie

BALTIMORE RAVENS 

Baltimore clinches a playoff spot with: 

1. BAL win + JAC loss or tie + NYJ loss or tie OR
2. BAL win + JAC loss or tie + DEN loss OR
3. BAL win + MIA loss or tie + NYJ loss or tie + DEN loss OR
4. BAL tie + NYJ loss + JAC loss + TEN loss or tie + HOU/MIA game ends in a tie

 
DENVER BRONCOS 

Denver clinches a playoff spot with: 

• DEN  win + JAC loss or tie + MIA loss or tie + NYJ loss or tie + PIT loss or tie

 
 NFC 

CLINCHED:   New Orleans – NFC South and a first-round bye

                        Minnesota – NFC North

                           Arizona – NFC West

                           Philadelphia – Playoff spot  

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 

New Orleans clinches homefield advantage throughout NFC playoffs with: 

1. NO win or tie OR
2. MIN loss or tie 

MINNESOTA VIKINGS 

Minnesota clinches first-round bye with: 

1. MIN win + PHI loss or tie OR
2. MIN tie + PHI loss

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 

Philadelphia clinches NFC East division title with: 

1. PHI win + DAL loss or tie OR
2. PHI tie + DAL loss

GREEN BAY PACKERS 

Green Bay clinches a playoff spot with: 

1. GB win + NYG loss or tie OR
2. GB win + DAL loss OR
3. GB tie + NYG loss

DALLAS COWBOYS 

Dallas clinches a playoff spot with: 

1. DAL win + NYG loss or tie OR
2. DAL tie + NYG loss

Normally I wait until at least Wednesday to post something like this, asking the Ravens opponents to post their questions about the upcoming weekend's game. However, in lieu of what is already going on over at Baltimore Beatdown with a fun FanPost from a Steelers' fan, I thought I'd return the favor with a slight twist.

Too many times there is so much trash talking that it dissolves into personal attacks that both sites' moderators need to step in and tell all sides to "cool it." Well I'm laying down the law that on this post, it's all good and anything goes. So get it all out in the open, Steelers fans We know you don't like our team and we certainly don't like yours either! So let's not be all fake about it and act civil when we know we just want to spit it out. Perhaps it might be best to keep the foul language out of it, but there are a lot of other ways to spew your hatred in this rivalry, which I wrote today is the best in the NFL here.

So, what up, Pittsburgh? Can you take it as well as you give it out!?

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Even if you don't root for either of these teams, when they're on the tube, football fans everywhere tune in for an example of what real, old school football is really like. Hard hitting, violent action defines this rivalry and records or stats don't matter when these two teams face each other. First off, the players seem to dislike each other as much as their fan base does, as especially evidenced by the comments in the posts on both SB Nation sites when they come up on the schedule. The Pittsburgh Steelers SB Nation site, Behind The Steel Curtain, has a huge and loyal following who travel to other teams' site as well as their fans do to opponents' stadiums around the league. Conversely, Baltimore Beatdown has a passionate following that knows their football pretty well and can talk smack with any other teams' fans in the league as well.

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More photos » by Rob Carr - AP

2 days ago: Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh celebrates while walking off the field after the Ravens defeated the Chicago Bears 31-7 in an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

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The Baltimore Ravens won twice in a row for the first time since opening the season with three straight. Granted it was against the weakest teams in the NFC North and both games were at home, but when you beat the teams you are supposed to by a combined score of 79-10, it still is impressive In fact, the Ravens have now moved to the league's #2 team in points allowed, giving up an average of 16 points/game, second only to the New York Jets' 15.5 However, over the teams last eight games, they've been the NFL's stingiest, allowing a paltry 11.9 points per game. At home they only gave up that same 11.9 points/game while scoring an average of just under 30 points/game (28.8), while finishing their home schedule 6-2. On the road has been a different story, though. So far the Ravens are only 2-4, averaging 20 points a game while surrendering 21.7. However, since the Bye week, they are being outscored by an average of only 14-12. The Green Bay Packers have been the only team since the Bye week, home or away, to score more than 17 points against us (27) and they put up 36 in Pittsburgh yesterday in their disappointing last second 37-36 loss

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More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

2 days ago: Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco looks for a receiver during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009, in Baltimore. Baltimore won 31-7. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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Moving one step closer to the post season, the Baltimore Ravens defense pitched a shutout against the Chicago Bears' offense, winning 31-7 and now sit firmly in the driver's seat for the Wild Card with an 8-6 record. By virtue of the Ravens competition for the Wild Card all losing this weekend, this means Baltimore now sits in the 5th seed and actually leads the Wild Card race with the Denver Broncos falling at the last minute to the Oakland Raiders The Ravens own the tie-breaker with Denver due to their 30-7 victory over the Broncos earlier this season.

With QB Joe Flacco having one of, if not the best game of his career, the Ravens only mistake all day was letting the Bears return a punt from our end zone for a TD in the first half for their only score Flacco's stats included 21 of 29 for 234 yards and four TD passes, including two to rarely used Todd Heap His QB rating for the game was a robust 1356, easily the best of his career. Compare that with Cutler's 79 B rating with three picks and that alone sets the tone for what transpired on a frigid day after a blizzard paralyzed the city and forced the Bears to arrive in Baltimore only late last night

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More photos » by Rob Carr - AP

9 days ago: Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco throws a pass against the Detroit Lions during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday Dec. 13, 2009, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

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Keep it here all day long to post your thoughts and opinions as the Baltimore Ravens plow over the Chicago Bears in a delayed game at snowbound M&T Bank Stadium in downtown Baltimore Sunday afternoon. Use this space as an 'Open Thread' for this afternoon's game as well as  any other games that we should be keeping our collective eyes on.

The Bears flew into Baltimore late Saturday night after getting delayed due to the Baltimore area getting close to two feet of snow during the day in the worst blizzard in December in the city's history Unfortunately for Chicago, their stay will be brief and painful, as the lack of sleep, poor weather and such a disappointing season will continue for at least one more week

The Ravens are fighting for their playoff lives while the Bears are fighting for jobs next season.

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With the Baltimore Ravens playing at 4pm on Sunday afternoon, keep it tuned to Comcast's NFL RedZone all day to see every score of every NFL game live and in HD. Comcast's NFL RedZone shows every scoring drive live, even if it means splitting the screen to show two games at the same time.

No more switching the channel constantly to keep up with what is going on in other games or your fantasy team, as Comcast's NFL RedZone does it all for you so you can just lean back into the pillows on your sofa and stuff your gullet with all the chips and brewskies that you so richly deserve after busting your butt at work all week.

So just set it on Comcast's NFL RedZone and relax!

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More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

The rain pops off of the helmet of Detroit Lions safety Kalvin Pearson helmet as he hits Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice during the second quarter of the NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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Big ups to Baltimore Ravens RB Ray rice, who was chosen through fan voting as the FedEx Ground Award Player of the Week for last week's performance against the Detroit Lions. Rice who gained 166 yards and scored one TD on 13 carries, also totaled over 200 yards of offense, combining his rushing and receiving yards. Currently, Rice sits third in the league in all purpose yards.

Click on the 'Jump' to read the full story.

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While I was pretty happy to see my pick of the Jaguars over the Colts end up being wrong for the Ravens' benefit, I expect to continue my solid pace this season with 20 correct picks the past two weeks. With the playoff race in full swing with so many teams still in the hunt, this weekend's game will sort out the picture a lot better. So let's get right to it with the Saturday night game and the AFC contenders' games, and the rest of the weekend's schedule after the 'Jump,' although I'll pick & pan the Ravens-Bears game on Sunday morning.

Saints over Cowboys: Hasn't Dallas learned that they can't win on Saturday night prime time games after what our Ravens did to them last year around this time? The Saints will not let the Cowboys stop their quest to finish undefeated, which I see them doing.

Titans over Dolphins: A Tennessee win still gives them a chance at the post season, but so slim that we need to root for them to knock Miami out of the hunt.

Jets over Falcons: I thought of making this my "Upset Special" based on the fact that New York should have Mark Sanchez back but their defense has looked solid enough to beat an Atlanta team that has not been good on the road.

Broncos over Raiders: Love to see the upset, but Denver is looking tough and should be a confused Oakland team.

Packers over Steelers: Green Bay's balanced offense should tame the toughness of playing at Heinz Field, as the Steelers will be on their sofas watching the playoffs after winning it all last year.

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