Steelers Week
This Sunday at 4:15, the Ravens will play the most important regular season game in franchise history. I’ve lived in Baltimore since they got here, and this is the One. No contest.
I’ve heard a lot of dumb things about this game. The kinds of things that — when coupled with some of the behavior I witnessed on Sunday — make me question whether any of this is worth a thing. But, since I can already hear the cries of “it’s just as bad in Pittsburgh and every other NFL city,” let me deflect that and make the point that serves as my basis for bringing it up at all: thank you. Thanks for helping create a place to talk sports where that kind of bullshit doesn’t rule the day.
Which is important, because this sort of game is exactly why we watch football. Two teams that play hard and play right (man am I glad Billick is gone so I can say that and mean it), going at it with playoffs on the line.
You all know I’m a Steelers fan, so feel free to needle me on that level. I think I’ve proven myself capable of objectivity, though, so here are my key points of analysis.
First, neither team will win this game by running the ball. Both defenses are too strong. Which means that both Flacco and Roethlisberger will have to do more than just “manage the game”. That puts both teams in a bind. The Steelers offense has struggled all year and Flacco — good as he’s looked — is still a rookie who hasn’t ever faced a situation anywhere close to this before. The extent to which either of them steps up will play a major role in the outcome.
Beyond that, I think it comes down to to major factors: turnovers and discipline.
Under Billick, I’d have given the Steelers the edge in the latter category by a damn sight. This year, it’s a tough call.
In the former category, there simply is no edge. Both teams are loaded with defensive playmakers.
I hate making predictions but I feel like I owe you one, so here it is:
Steelers 17, Ravens 13
Call it the fan in me if you must, but I think the fact that the Steelers have been here before gives them a slight advantage. Experience matters in big games. That’s the only thing I can identify that separates two very good, very hot teams.
It’s going to be one hell of a match either way. Commence with the breakdown.
(photo borrowed from Flickr user CrossEyedGuy)
34-13 ravens
also i loved the old “make a subtle dig at baltimore fans and diffuse the counterargument in the next sentence” technique!
you ain’t gonna get off that easily my friend.
more tomorrow.
I figured that would be coming. Have your say, but I don’t have anything to add beyond what I said in the post. I honestly only brought it up for the reason I said I brought it up. I’m genuinely thankful for the crew here — both the regular commenters and the readers who don’t speak up. I feel like this space is an antidote to a lot of what I see/hear out there.
But, yeah, have at it. It’s Steelers week after all.
maybe another week we can get into a lengthy discussion about it because it does drive me crazy.
my issue with the comments you’ve made (often subtly on tlc) on this subject has never been about ravens fans but about perspective which is absolutely impossible when you root for their mortal enemy.
i’m no different.
i can always say i respect the steelers as an organization and respect many of their players and mean it.
i can tell you with absolute certainty i HATE steelers fans. HATE them. besides the yankees they’re the worst fans in all of sports (you excluded of course).
that’s an opinion supported by the same kind of circumstantial evidence that informs your opinion of particular fan-bases. i think it’s the air of superiority i detect from you and others (particularly redskins fans) that really get me going.
kind of like yankees fans feel to you.
to be honest, that might be what it is. i have no love for ravens fans as you know.
i guess i just wish you’d bring the obvious opinions you have on the subject onto the forum so it wasn’t always so vague because trust me – i’d love to argue the point.
Steelers haven’t won in Baltimore since 2002.
It took OT for the Steelers to beat the Ravens at Heinz Field. The Steeler’s O-line can’t protect their QB, Willie Parker isn’t fast…or effective anymore. Granted, Big Ben hasn’t thrown that many INTs in the past few games as he had been, but if the Steeler’s running game goes no where like it did last time, I don’t think he can get away with playing anything less than an excellent game.
As far as the Ravens go, they have to take advantage of the Steeler’s sub-par line. As good as the Raven’s defense has been, they don’t have as many sacks as the other top defenses in this league. Maybe that stat is misleading as they’ve had plenty of INTs, and hitting a QB as he throws is almost as effective when you have the ballhawks that the Ravens have. That being said, Big Ben is probably the toughest QB to tackle in the NFL, and is still able to complete passes when under extreme duress, and scramble. It’s almost like he’s better when somebody is already wrapped around him, shedding tackles and slinging the ball out there when it looked like there was no daylight in sight. It’s actually incredibly irritating to watch. I remember Bart Scott over-pursuing on blitzes at least a couple times in the earlier match up this season.
If Flacco plays his game I think the Ravens have a good shot.
16-10 Ravens win.
I still think the Steelers will win the division though. I don’t really like the Raven’s chances in what might be the last game at Texas Stadium, against a Cowboys team fighting for their playoff lives. I’d take the Titans against the Steelers. We get Jacksonville at home (and it looks like a Fred Taylor-less Jacksonville mind you), and the Steelers get the Browns at home which probably shouldn’t even be played…just give the W to the Steelers already, lol. So with them both at 11-5, the Steelers own the tiebreaker in pretty much any scenario I believe.
Haven’t checked the odds, but I suspect the Steelers will be slightly favored.
However, the Ravens will prevail, and it will be their relentless running game that will prove to be the deciding element.
Agree that discipline and turnovers will be key. However, the Ravens offensive line – hopefully healthy – will make the difference both in run blocking and pass protection.
Should be one helluva game.
ride on
rick
Last I heard, Ravens were favored by a few points.
31-10 Ravens.
Ravens opened favored by 2. It was bumped to 2.5 last I checked last night (I can’t check at work).
How about Ravens 4-2. Seriously though, I’ll say Ravens 17 – 13.
WE NEED TO WRAP ROETHLESBURGER UP THOUGH! As xi0 said, he seems to be better when somebody is hitting him. He lives off of broken plays where he looks like he’s going to get sacked and he fights it off. We need to wrap him up and our corners and linebackers in coverage need to stay with their men until the play is over. If that happens we will force more turnovers and win. I think whoever wins the turnover battle in this one walks away with the W.
Those of you predicting a Ravens blowout are delusional. The Steelers D is really, really good. I witnessed it firsthand at FedEx when the Skins lost to them. I think the Ravens win the game, but it will be close – 17 – 14.
I’d be shocked if either team scores 30 points. I’d be surprised if either team gets 20, actually.
Damn if this isn’t going to be a great game. I’m imagining “Instant Classic” status.
@BBM: I’m just glad you excluded me from the hate. Really, though, I don’t think I’m being that subtle. I said I’ve heard a lot of dumb shit and said I’m glad the dumb shit doesn’t happen here. Pretty straightforward. I’ve also said many times in the past that while Baltimore has some great fans, it has a bad fan base.
When I left M&T on Sunday and saw the Johnny Unitas statue covered — covered — in trash and empty beer cans, I felt sick. Fucking embarrassing is what it was.
We’ve had this conversation before, and I think we’ve reached the “agree to disagree” point. I honestly don’t see any reason for us to go over it again, particularly not in front of everybody else. I respect your opinion a great deal, as (I hope) you know. We’re just not eye-to-eye on this. No biggie.
Last I checked, the Vegas line was Ravens by 2…I’d take that bet.
I predict a 2-2 tie, or possibly 11-10…no wait, you can’t tie in football and 11-10 NEVER happens.
Strong defenses, weak looking offenses, but still with plenty of potential for big drives…I’m saying 21-18 Ravens. The thing I keep coming back to is the way the blackbirds were crushing – absolutely dominating – the first half of the game in Pittsburgh. Things fell apart quickly in the 3rd quarter, but other than that the Ravens absolutely were totally in charge of that game in Pittsburgh.
Between this and the winter meetings, it’s been an unproductive week for me. I am literally vibrating with enthusiasm for sports.
This stream is probably dead but I just wanted to chime in on some things.
Last year, before the Monday night game following the week the Redskins lost their best player and would be hall of fame safety Sean Taylor to an unspeakable tragedy, some of the Ravens dedicated their effort against the Patriots to his memory.
Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Willis McGahee gathered and prayed and said the game meant more to them than football and that it was about brotherhood. I’ve always admired the way Reed and Lewis play the game but on that night they forever endeared themselves to me with their display of compassion. In almost beating the undefeated Patriots they played their most inspired game of the year that night. Taylor was and still is my favorite player. Much like Reed and Lewis he played with unbelievable heart and passion and I’ve actually not been able to enjoy the game as much now that he’s gone.
I went to the Ravens Redskins game Sunday night and as I walked to my seat someone passing me maliciously said, “Sean Taylor is dead.”
A hot rush of anger flooded my body as I wondered if this piece of trash was either too stupid to realize he was disrespecting the brother of two of the greatest players the Ravens will ever see or if he simply didn’t care.
This was a sign of things to come.
My friends and I got settled into our seats and after a time we were pleasantly surprised by the arrival of two young, attractive female Redskins fans wearing their colors. I thought the heavens were smiling on us, but quickly became nauseated as the obnoxious fans behind us began making sexually inappropriate remarks to these women. I glanced back with an evil eye and the comments momentarily ceased but I realized that, even though some close friends in a luxury suite were anticipating a visit from us, it was time to leave. I knew the skins would eventually make a run and have a chance to win the game but in light of what I’d seen and heard I was just thoroughly disgusted and disappointed in my fellow Baltimoreans.
I later realized though that the “people” that comprised the overwhelming majority of the crowd were not Baltimoreans but most likely hicks from Harford county or some such nether region.
As we exited the stadium, the vision of mustard running down the side of a beer bottle and trash riddled Unitas statue seemed fitting.
As far as the Redskins fans “air of superiority” goes, I don’t feel there is much truth in that, but I must say, I do feel above what I witnessed that night. I look forward to spending time with my friends every NFL Sunday but my excitement about an impending classic like this weeks Ravens Steelers match up isn’t what it once would have been.
lol
i don’t meant disrespect “JZ”.
i think you know what i mean.
I don’t know how you get an “lol” out of that, but OK.
While we’re on the subject, Kevin Van Valkenburg at the sun has a pretty awesome blog post up about Steelers fans: click here.
i wasn’t lol’ing at the story i was lol’ing at who i thought might have posted here under the handle “jz”. then i realized it sounded wrong so i said i meant no disrespect.
plus i thought of another person it could be.
also @ jz: the air of superiority is a benchmark of steelers and redskins fans. are you kidding?
teams with storied histories often hold that history above everyone else – i don’t think that’s an unfair assertion. again. it’s why tlc hates yankee fans – they raid your stadiums and are abnormally vocal about their prominence.
that is a steeler fan.
really i was just noting that it was that air of superiority that i often detect when having discussions about the ravens fanbase with neal and others.
there’s a snobbery to it that i’m sure isn’t even intended. that is the ONLY reason i defend baltimore in this argument.
also neal you know i like you so i hope you don’t get too offended.
i’ll admit it would be nice to get back to the game.
by my estimation the four best defensive players in football this year will be on the field on sunday – harrison, polamalu, reed, and lewis.
obviously my prediction above was a joke.
my heart says the ravens win by a field goal – my head says the steelers win by a field goal. i hate that shit.
i feel if the ravens win they could go all the way.
if the steelers win they WILL GO ALL THE WAY.
i honestly believe that.
The Steelers fucking suck.
The Ravens fucking suck.
The Redskins fucking suck.
All their fans are stupid assholes with significant self-care deficits.
The New York Jets are the reason the NFL exists today.
Bow fucking down, you trogloditic rabble, and worship the paragon of professional sports excellence…YOUR NEW YORK JETS.
kisses,
Chris
P.S. quick week 15 guaren-fucking-tee:
Jets- 56
Bills -2
see chris knows what’s up
@ JZ – I respect what you say about Sean Taylor and I also heard some inappropriate comments at the game. Inexcusable.
But I couldn’t resist pulling this from your post:
“I later realized though that the “people” that comprised the overwhelming majority of the crowd were not Baltimoreans but most likely hicks from Harford county or some such nether region.”
“As far as the Redskins fans “air of superiority” goes, I don’t feel there is much truth in that…”
I think Chris is in for a rude awakening when the Jets play a divisional rival next week after losing to the NINERS.
super bummed that it looks like ray rice won’t play.
he’s one of the few offensive players that i felt cameron could draw up some interesting plays for to throw pittsburgh’s defense off a bit.
mcclain’s a beast but i just don’t see the ravens running right up the gut tomorrow obviously.
i read a cool article on cnn/si today that i couldn’t agree with more:
“They may be the two best safeties in the history of the game.”
That is the assessment of former NFL cornerback and current Baltimore secondary coach Dennis Thurman about safeties Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu, who will be on the field for Sunday’s pivotal battle between the Ravens and Steelers.
Reed, a four-time Pro Bowler, ranks second in the league with five interceptions and is the top playmaker on a Ravens’ defense that ranks second in the league in total defense. The seventh-year pro’s two-interception performance against the Redskins last Sunday pushed the Ravens’ league-best interception total to 22 on the season. Reed also added a 22-yard fumble return touchdown, his third defensive score of the season and his 11th career touchdown (five interception returns, two fumble recoveries, three blocked punts and one punt return).
Polamalu, also a four-time Pro Bowler, has intercepted passes in four consecutive games and leads the league with seven on the season. In addition, Polamalu has racked up 63 tackles and registered nine pass break-ups. Though those numbers aren’t eye-popping on first glance, Polamalu’s presence has keyed a Steelers’ defense that ranks first in nearly all of the league’s major defensive categories. As the designated rover in Dick LeBeau’s defense, Polamalu fills multiple roles, from blitzing to dropping in the deep middle in the Steelers’ zone blitz. The six-year pro has excelled in the role, and earned the reputation as one of the league’s most dynamic defenders.
With the two elite players at their position playing within the same division, it is natural to make the comparison. Who better to ask than Thurman, since he has experience coaching both players — Polamalu in college at USC and Reed for six years with the Ravens:
“You can’t really compare the two because they play different positions: Troy is a true strong safety and Ed is a true free safety,” Thurman said. “Both could play the other position, but it would alter their effectiveness. Troy is at his best when he is near the line of scrimmage in a position to make plays as a blitzer or run defender. Ed is a ball hawk who is at his best when allowed to roam in the middle of the field. He is an effective blitzer, but he is the kind of player that you want to free up to make plays on the ball.
“I can’t say that one is better than the other, but both are impact players who are capable of taking over the game in their own way.”
also there’s no doubt in my mind that sean taylor would have joined this elite duo. sad thing is he almost seemed like a combination of the two.
I think Rice is the best back on the roster for the long-term. For this week, though, I’m not sure they lose much. Unless McGahee gets like thirty carries — that’d be insane.
Nice find with that article, too. No doubt those two are the best, so much so that nobody except Taylor has even been close for some time.
Taylor might have ended up being the first among equals. Such a damn shame.
I like Ray Rice an awful lot…for a couple different reasons, but I’ve been by far more impressed with McClain. McGahee…not so much.
Also, every time I look at this article all I can think is “more like ‘Steelers weak’!”…ahem.
well yeah mcclain is the more typical workhorse afc north power back but i don’t think that will work against pittsburgh – they’re too fast and strong and they tackle well.
what i like about rice is he’s more like brian westbrook – he’s got that elusive quality and works so well in space – something that the ravens will need to counteract those pittsburgh linebackers.
BUT i get the sense that ball control is all that will matter tomorrow. whoever gets the turnovers wins the game. in that sense, i’m comfortable with mcclain – much more than willis mcfumbleypants.
also i think the ravens o-line is in much better shape right now which could be absolutely crucial.