… that introducing a post-game analysis with quotes and comments about how past games don’t matter might be construed as evidence you’ve been partying too hard.

Just sayin’… ;-)

I disagree a little about the defense’s play right now. Up against one of the league’s best QBs, they gave up little outside of that impressive first drive (a perfect throw and an even better catch with tight coverage) and garbage time. Given how SD had been playing up until then, I think the boys shut them down pretty well.

But I agree with your overall point: Baltimore is not likely to score many points if the Steelers take care of the ball.

I LOVE MIKE TOMLIN!

i intend to call the the ravens anything except “the ravens” over the next few days. i’m leaning towards relying heavily on mechem’s “purple browns.” as in:

the steelers are going to beat the purple browns. again. for the third time.

Today is, “Steelers can’t beat them three times”, “those Ravens are going to be out for revenge”, “this is the one team you didn’t want isn’t it”, “Refs gave the Steelers the last game”, Ratbirds, ratbirds, ratbirds.
No one wants to talk about the drive the Steelers put on them at the end of the last game, or how the Titans ran ALL over them on Sat just to cough it up in the red zone.

I’d be shocked if the Ravens don’t decide to come out throwing the ball and do a complete opposite Offensive plan of the last game. Personally, I hope they do. I love it, I’m glad we are playing these guys. I just wish the game could get here quicker, waiting till 6:30 on Sunday is going to be like a week long visit to the Dentist.

Let’s take a look at the comparison of the “anemic” offense of the Ravens versus the “prolific” high powered Steelers offense.
Overall Ranking: Ravens-18th Steelers-22nd
Rushing: Ravens- 5th Steelers-23rd
Passing: Ravens-28th Steelers-17th
Scoring: Ravens-11th Steelers-20th

Speaking of “anemic” welcome to the pack, which doesn’t scare us one bit. We don’t have to be good, just good enough.

Slightly off-topic, but after a quick glance through some other SB Nation sites, it’s really unbelievable what a great job you do here. I mean, as an example, the Baltimore Beatdown has two (count it, two) new posts since winning their game. You personally have put up 9 in half the time! Awesome job, man, seriously. Maybe after the season’s over, you can take a few weeks to rest up and deal with said crap-tastic employee.

you don’t measure how both teams did in the regular season or the playoffs, you measure how they did against eachother! And in both instances the Steelers outplayed the Ravens. To quote Raven fan Rexx, “We don’t have to be good, just good enough.” I couldn’t agree more.

Now let’s look at the health of both teams. The Ravens are beat up and a little tired. I’ve heard all the talk about how that doesn’t matter in the playoffs and that you play through the injuries, but I also watched the Ravens defense and it sputtered as it wore down.

The Steelers are rested and relatively healthy in comparrison. Their defense spent the whole 3rd quarter on the bench and we all know the defense is 75 percent of the battle in this chess match.

I think it will be low scoring early, but as the Ravens wear down the Steelers will impose their will…much like the Charger game.

No doubt their defense is more worn down, it is easily noticeable by watching their last two games. As has been mentioned on here numerous times, the Titans ran the ball effectively all day, just to fumble at the absolute wrong times. The first two times we have played Baltimore, our run game just wasn’t there, this time it will be. Parker looked good on Sunday. Our defense, in contrast, is looking fresh. They didn’t do anything in the 3rd, except cause the turnover, and in the 4th it didn’t appear that they were trying overly hard. As an example, look at that final 62 yard TD catch. Where were the defenders? They were playing passive and soft. My point is, we’re rested and healthy on offense and defense. They are tired on defense and their offense isn’t very good. I’m hoping for a number of Harrison sacks with forced fumbles and for Ben to not turn the ball over. Actually, as long as Ben doesn’t turn the ball over, we’ll win fairly handily.

we survived on 6 days rest…8 days is more than enough to rejuvinate. totally different D sunday. fast and furious.

what a good 6th sense of me to post this. bring them crows out of the trees looking for a free hand out. Luv y’all’s spirit. If not your team. Can’t wait! Damn, only Tuesday. Pfft. BOOO!

Take a closer look at the ravens. Their defense is showing the effects that age can have on a late season run. We have already seen that The Crows defense wears down and is totally beatable late in the game (Both times The Steelers played them). Now take a look at The Titans game: The Crows looked tired from the get-go. They were letting The Titans move the ball pretty well. The Titans killed themselves. They got into the red zone two times, put a gun in their mouth, and pulled the trigger.

Oh, can someone tell me what it means when the play clock reads zero-zero and the ball hasn’t been snapped? Anyone? The Crows cried all year about the bad call they got in the first meeting with The Titans, but are pretty silent about the non delay-of -game call they were gifted.

Which leads me to another point: Even with the suicides in the red-zone by The Titans, The Crows needed help from the Zebras to win their game.

Now The Steelers on the other hand, played a much more dangerous quarterback than Joey Flaco and, until the garbage-time fourth quarter, held him in check (Except that beautiful and perfect, and I mean P-E-R-F-E-C-T, first drive strike). Does anyone think that Flaco is in Rivers’ class? Before Drinking the Coolaid? You want to see some anemic numbers? The Steelers D against Joey Flaco, at home, for the AFC championship.

Terrell Thugs is injured. One sports writer called it significant. A lot of The Crows are missing significant feathers. The Steelers are healthy. The offense is confident and clicking. The more I think about this game, the more cinfident I get about The Steelers. I just don’t think The Crows have what is takes, beyond a few wisened veterans, to beat a surging Steelers team.

Go Steelers!