The Ravens got the start they wanted in Sunday’s Conference Championship. They did not get the finish they needed. New England’s defense kept Richard Dunn and Baltimore’s offense under pressure, and the Patriots pulled away late for a 20-10 victory that ended the Ravens’ championship run.

Baltimore jumped ahead 7-0 in the first quarter after a pass-interference penalty erased an interception by Anthony Payne. On the next play, Dunn found William Yon for a 46-yard touchdown. It was an emphatic opening, but the lead did not last. With four seconds remaining in the quarter, Steven Swanson connected with Andrew Ramsey for a 40-yard Patriots touchdown, tying the game at 7.

The Ravens’ opportunities began to slip amid turnovers and pressure. Johnathan Yang fumbled in the first quarter, and a second-quarter sack of Dunn by Michael Newman ended with the Patriots recovering the ball. New England turned that possession into a 48-yard John Reynolds field goal, then added another from 52 yards with five seconds left in the half to take a 13-7 lead.

Baltimore’s defense gave the offense a chance to answer. Brian Marin forced two fumbles, and Craig Braswell recovered one in Patriots territory in the third quarter. The Ravens got a field goal from William Silver to make it 13-10, but could not turn the turnover into a touchdown. New England missed a 49-yard field goal earlier in the quarter, and another Shaun Kilpatrick fumble was recovered by the Patriots, leaving the Ravens’ opening to narrow.

The score stayed within three until the fourth quarter, when Swanson found James Valenzuela for a one-yard touchdown with 1:54 remaining. Reynolds’ extra point made it 20-10. Swanson finished with 217 passing yards and two touchdowns; Ramsey and Valenzuela each caught a scoring pass. Yon led Baltimore with 54 receiving yards and a touchdown, while David Merritt had a team-high 74 yards.

The final gap was not just the late touchdown. Baltimore managed 187 passing yards, 102 rushing yards and only one conversion on 15 third downs. New England recorded seven sacks and recovered two Ravens fumbles. The Ravens’ defense forced two fumbles and collected one recovery, but the offense could not sustain enough drives to make that work count. For Johnny Conaway’s team, an early lead and a third-quarter chance were not enough to carry the season’s biggest game.