I’m speaking a little too soon here. The way the past thirteen weeks have gone, nothing that happens in the next two would surprise me. Still, I can’t be alone in sensing where the prevailing winds are taking us: another late-season Steelers-Ravens tilt with a playoff spot on the line.

It’s hard to say that either team precisely deserves that chance right now, given the Ravens’ sloppy and uninspiring play against Green Bay and the Steelers’ even more sloppy and uninspiring play against sub-par opponents Oakland and Kansas City.

The Ravens are penalized a lot, sure, but for the most part that’s because they acutally commit a lot of penalties. They play undisciplined ball. Pittsburgh has injuries, sure, but they also fail repeatedly to make plays and suffer communications breakdowns on defense. Maybe neither of these teams is a legitimate Super Bowl contender in 2009, but we don’t really know because they’re both playing far below their talent and potential.

Which means both remain capable of winning out and going 10-6. If it’s going to happen, that December 27th match at Heinz Field will be the difference.

The road’s easier for Baltimore than it is for Pittsburgh. The Ravens get Detroit at home this week and Chicago at home following that. The Steelers have a short-week road game against Cleveland followed by Green Bay at home.

I’m pulling for victories all around because having that game in three weeks mean something is what watching football is all about. The only downer is the good chance that a 10-6 team misses out anyway. We’ll worry about that when we get there.

(photo borrowed from here)