Ravens-Steelers Week…Feeling Like ’08

Well we have quite a matchup to look forward to this Sunday night. And it only seems appropriate that the Steelers come into town with the same record as the Ravens: 8-3.

High Stakes? You bet. But really, would you want it any other way?

The lead-up to this game feels an awful lot like the lead-up to the one 2 years ago on Dec. 14, 2008, when 10-3 Pittsburgh arrived to face 9-4 Baltimore.

That game more than lived up to the hype. It was a defensive slugfest and the Steelers came away with a memorable victory that clinched the division crown. Ben Roethlisberger drove his team 91 yards down the field and capped off the drive with this unforgettable play (which I recorded btw, sorry it is so blurry!!):

You’re going to hear many quotes from players of both teams this week that sound a lot like what Terrell Suggs said in his post-game interview last Sunday in regards to the the opposition this week:

“Our teams are similar, and we just don’t like them, but we respect them. It’s going to be championship football.”

The words are a little stronger on the internet between the fan bases. Venture over to the Scout.com Ravens page or read the comments to The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens Insider posts. The fans of these  teams can really fire up a war of words. Its quite entertaining and it proves  just how much this game means to the two cities involved.

The last two ravens victories over Pittsburgh have been great. An overtime win last year at home and a come from behind win this year at Heinz Field. However the guys under center for those two games? Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch respectively. Not to knock either of those two…but as a Ravens fan, I want to play Roethlisberger, and I want to beat him. Overcoming Pittsburgh just isn’t as satisfying or fulfilling when he isn’t playing.

Because like it or not, the man is an incredible quarterback. He is hard to bring down and he can improvise like no other when he gets flushed from the pocket.

Want to know what else is a hard pill to swallow for Ravens fans? The boys in purple haven’t defeated Big Ben at M&T Bank Stadium since November 2006, when he took that infamous hit from Bart Scott. Hard to believe its been that long, huh?? Granted, he didn’t play in ’07 or ’09…but still, its been 4 years!! And they last time they beat him period was just a month later when they took down Pittsburgh on the road to complete their first and only season sweep of the Steelers to date.

The big story this week will be the status of left tackle Michael Oher’s knee sprain. If he cannot go on Sunday, Oniel Cousins will get the start and faces the daunting task of protecting Joe Flacco from James Harrison for four quarters. More on that as the week progresses.

Peace.

Ravens 2010 Schedule Officially Released

The 2010 schedule is finally here! The Ravens’ opponents have been known for quite some time now but now we know when the games will be played and which ones will be in prime time.

Here are a few of the highlights:

-Week 1: The Ravens will open their season on the road against Rex Ryan and the NY Jets on Monday Night Football (9/13).

-Week 4 will be played at Pittsburgh, and assuming Ben Roethlisberger is dealt a four game suspension, Baltimore will not have to face him in that match-up (10/3).

-Looking ahead to Week 13: The second Pittsburgh game…this one at home, will be a nationally televised Sunday night game (12/5) for the second year in a row.

-A week later, another prime time game. This time on Monday Night at Houston (12/13).

-And on six days rest, Baltimore welcomes in the defending champion Saints to M&T Bank Stadium on Dec. 19.

Click here or above on the header titled “Ravens 2010 Schedule” to view the entire slate of games. Grab your calendar and mark down the games! This fall should be fun!

Every Dog Has His Day

Ben Roethlisberger is sacked for a loss by Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Corey Williams. The Browns sacked Big Ben eight times in the contest.

Associated Press — There’s nothing Super about the Pittsburgh Steelers anymore. The defending NFL champions lost their fifth straight and had their playoff hopes sacked by the lowly Cleveland Browns, who ended a 12-game losing streak against their bitter rival by beating the Steelers 13-6 on Thursday night in subzero wind chills.

Ben Roethlisberger was sacked eight times and lost for the first time in 11 career games against the Browns (2-11), who extended Pittsburgh’s longest losing streak in six years and defeated the Steelers (6-7) at home for the first time since 2000.

The Steelers are going to need help to make the postseason, a stunning freefall for a team that hit the season’s halfway point at 6-2.

Oh I love it. This was a fun game to watch. The Browns’ season has just been miserable in 2009. But they went out their and played their asses off in 12 degree temperatures and 20 mile per hour wind gusts.

It’s been said before and it will be said again because it is so true. “Any team can beat any other team on any given Sunday” (Or in this case, Thursday haha). After what transpired tonight and last week when the Steelers fell to Oakland, the Ravens cannot overlook the Lions.

Things are boding well for Baltimore, if they can win out. According to the website PlayoffStatus.com, if the Ravens win their remaining four games, they have an 87% chance of making the playoffs. And that number is not taking into account the Steelers latest loss.

Titans – Steelers Preview

The NFL season kicks off tonight from Heinz Field as the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers host the Titans. The previous meeting between these teams was in Nashville last December with the number one seed throughout the playoffs at stake. The Steelers held a 14-10 advantage early in the third quarter. But Tennessee scored 21 unanswered points, capped by a Michael Griffin 83 yard interception return for a touchdown. What ensued has started a massive controversy. A Terrible Towel was thrown from the stands towards the Titans sideline. A few Titans, most notably LenDale White, started stomping on the towel. This pretty much declared war between these two franchises, which were destined to meet in the AFC Championship as the respective 1 and 2 seeds. But the Ravens knocked off the Titans in the divisional round and Steelers never needed redemption, they got something better instead, a Super Bowl victory. As you can imagine, the Titans feel as though they beat the best, so they should be the best. “If we would’ve had a chance to play them again in the AFC championship and those guys would’ve beat us, it would’ve been a little easier to swallow,” Pro Bowl safety Chris Hope said. “Being we beat the Super Bowl champions and never had a chance to compete and go play for the Super Bowl, that left a bad taste in our mouth.” So fast forward almost nine months, it’s time for the rematch.

Tennessee is a different defense without Albert Haynesworth, who signed with the Redskins this offseason. It will be a little tougher stopping the run without his presence. But they still have the majority of their defense intact from last season, a defense that trailed only the Steelers in points allowed with 14.6 PPG. Keith Bulluck, Javon Kearse, and Kyle Vanden Bosch are the leaders of unit. On offense the M.O. for Tennessee is simple: Heavy doses of Chris Johnson and LenDale White. White lost 30 pounds this offseason and is the slimmest he’s been since high school. This has got to be one of, if not the best two back tandem in the league. Alge Crumpler is a reliable tight end who is always a threat to score inside the redzone. Former Steeler Nate Washington is solid vertical threat and a nice addition to Tennessee’s less than stellar receiving corps, but he is questionable for tonight’s game with a hamstring injury.

They go up against a tremendous Steelers defense, which gave up the fewest yards and points per game last season. It is such a tough task  for the offense to account for so many good players on one side of the ball. Players such as Troy Polamalu, Casey Hampton, James Farrior, Lamar Woodley, Ryan Clark, and reigning defensive player of the year James Harrison. This defense against the Titans running game will definitely be something to keep your eye on. On the offensive side of the ball the Steelers are just as dangerous. Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes, Health Miller, Hines Ward, Willie Parker, Rashard Mendenhall, and Ben Roethlisberger can all make plays. Roethlisberger’s instincts are amazing. His ability to make plays on the move and always get the ball out just before the pressure gets to him makes him a pain for any defense.

Both of these teams are built on physical defenses that force uncomfortable 3^rd and long situations. This could be a low scoring affair with average field position being the most important stat of the night. I am picking the Steelers to win this one. You have heard it before and your will hear it again a million times this season. It is hard to win on the road in the NFL. The Steelers have won 6 straight season openers dating back to ’03, which is the longest active streak in NFL. I’m not going against that trend. STEELERS 27 – TITANS 13.