Thoughts heading into AFC Championship Weekend.....

by myronsavran on Jan 12, 2009 11:31 PM EST Comment 22 comments

First of all, doesn't that sound sweet to say!!?!!

Thought One: If we don't beat Baltimore by at least 10 points, I'll be shocked. Here's why:

1. Blitzburgh already did an awesome job explaining how 'anemic,' in his words, the Baltimore O was against the Titans. If they play that game 10 times, Baltimore wins once. Nice job by two Tennesee defenders falling down and allowing a long bomb reception inside the five.

2. I'd like to see Flacco throw into double coverage when clark or polamalu is back there.

3. The Steelers O-Line has had two straight solid games in a row. I know I know, it was against the Browns and the Chargers---but I don't care. Confidence is half the battle. They have to be more confident now than they've been all year.

4. The lopsided Time of Possession the Steelers held over the Chargers cannot be overstated. We dominated even worse than the final numbers suggest when you figure in Santonio's punt return....that robbed our O of another 4-5 minutes of possession time. If my memory serves me, the Chargers actually had a decent TOP advantage heading into the half.

5. Baltimore has had a great run, but the injuries have to catch up to them and the adrenaline has to run out at some point. We get a few score early, start the par-tay, it is OVER.

6. The whole 'it's hard to beat a team three times' argument is complete garbage. Kind of like trying to play 'the law of averages' at the slot machines. You have no more chance of hitting the jackpot on a machine that hasn't paid out in a while vs. one that just paid out 5 minutes ago.

Thought Two: Myron is smiling somewhere. The Titans doubly cursed themselves...first stomping on the Towel, then rolling out those cheap, logo covered, powder blue imitations??????? (just kidding Titans fans...I actually have a great deal of respect for Coach Fisher. He's a class act. And Kerry Collins is my beloved Nittany Lions' last NFL QB hope. )

Thought Three: Can we start referring to Tampa Bay as Heinz Field South? No matter who advances from the NFC, they won't travel as well as the Steelers. There may not be quite as many Terrible Towels as there was in Detroit, but I bet it will be close!

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Good Post!!!

Yeah, the curse of the “Terrible Towel” is no joke, karma came back to Lendale “butterfingers” White. I can’t believe I actually roted for the Ravens in that game, but I wanted home field advantage more than anything and did not want the AFC Championship to be in Tennessee.

As I predicted in my blogs, the playoffs worked out just the way I planned (I should’ve bet money on it). Baltimore and Tennessee kicked the crap out of each other. At one point every play finished and their was somebody hobbling off the field with an injury. Baltimore is a scary team but they look drained physically and mentally, and they are beat up bad.

If we have a game like we did with the Chargers and we control the clock, we win, simple as that!!

by SteelChad88 on Jan 13, 2009 1:56 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Gee, I think I remember

a Steeler limping off the field after every play when we played you each time!

Rexx

by Rexx on Jan 13, 2009 9:14 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

True, but actually.

the Philly game was the biggest blood bath for us this season, Both starting QBs and RBs went down to injury.

by Jonny B. on Jan 13, 2009 10:40 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

#6 = Genius! Perfect way of putting it

by Blitzburgh on Jan 13, 2009 2:45 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I am feeling a proper 10 - 20 point beat down coming the Ravens way ...

I seriously think we’re gonna pound them ! Just get a lead and then once we’re ahead Flacco will have to do something and thats where our D will show the rookie up ..

I can’t wait !!!

by Rash92 on Jan 13, 2009 5:30 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Same old same old

Every team we play lately says the same exact thing, but what keeps on happening?

Rexx

by Rexx on Jan 13, 2009 9:15 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh?

And how many times have you beaten the #1 defense this year?

Guns don't kill people. Lamar Woodley kills people.

by BostonWahoo on Jan 13, 2009 10:52 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It was funny when the giants and colts said it.

by steelguy99 on Jan 13, 2009 11:09 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The Steelers ...

could beat Baltimore by 10 or more, but if they don’t I won’t be surprised. Referees properly call the most blatant delay of game in recent history and the Titans win. How many did we score against the Titans? How badly have we beaten the Ravens previously? I don’t think the outcomes of those games tell us anything.

O-line is playing better; I would have thought WC would have learned where the line of scrimmage is by now.

The Third Period will be remembered in Steelers lore for a long time, but two plays, one a great one by BK and LF and the other a fluke of time and space, made the whole thing happen. Offense showed they can move the ball on third down which is what they need to do Sunday.

Baltimore is banged up, but those are tough guys banged up and they will come to play. Hopefully, our healthy tough guys will be able to run them down.

Steelers are 7-0 in third time opportunities which doesn’t mean it’s a lock, but certainly supports that it can be done. Score early and control the clock, then it’s a lock.

Titans found out that it is more than a towel.

by tenthmtnman on Jan 13, 2009 9:04 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yup, you beat us twice in the regular season

Old news in Baltimore. At the same time, we beat the two teams you couldn’t, Philly and Tennessee. This will not be a blowout by either team. It will be a war for 60 minutes and while I think whomever wins this game wins SB43, we will both need the two week break to recover from this to get ready for what could be a very anti-climatic Super Bowl.

Rexx

by Rexx on Jan 13, 2009 9:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You always bring up who beat who – playing the comparison game means nothing because it completely discounts how teams play against each other. And that’s all that matters.

by steelguy99 on Jan 13, 2009 9:50 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think we’re getting way ahead of ourselves based upon dominating a team that we should have dominated and an actual showing by our OC/OL.

by steelguy99 on Jan 13, 2009 9:44 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I agree with Rexx

Chances are this will be a close game. Two of the top defenses in the NFL are likely to keep the scoring low, which means close. The Ravens are beat up but will play valiantly. Flacco will not “fold” under pressure, but he will not excel against the #1 passing defense. The game will probably come down to a fourth-quarter game-winning drive. Personally, I’ll put my money on Big Ben, who has done it so many times before (against the Ravens, even) and a healthy Willie Parker instead of a rookie QB and beat-up RB.

I can envision a Steelers blowout, but only if we somehow manage to score a couple of quick TDs (maybe Berger banks one off the return team again) and put Flacco into a passing mode, he tosses a pick six, and the rout is on. But I wouldn’t bet on it.

I think we can all agree that the winner of this game should, without a doubt, win the Super Bowl.

by Steelin on Jan 13, 2009 12:29 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I don't know about winning the SB.

The Ravens actually match up better against either opponent. First against the Eagles. Look at their game against the Eagles versus our game against them. They squashed them. If anything, we got squashed when we played the Eagles. FWP injured his knee. BB got sacked 8 times and didn’t finish the game or practice the whole next week.

Against the Cardinals we are at a disadvantage, too. Remember the SB between Tampay Bay and Oakland? Grudin had just left Oakland and went to Tampay Bay that season. There was nothing Oakland could throw at them that Tampa Bay didn’t see coming. It may be the same with The Whis.

by Jonny B. on Jan 13, 2009 12:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn't count on the Ravens' injury situation being too much of a factor.

Not for this game…not against the Steelers, especially for the AFC title. As Tomlin said, “This would be a big game if it were a scrimmage.” Lewis and Reed will have their boys ready to play.

And also, I don’t think we should count on rattling Flacco. We need to focus on our basic philosophy: run the football, stop the run, hit the qb. If we do this, we can beat any team, any time.

Instead of trying to expose Baltimore’s perseved weaknesses, we need to enforce our team’s strengths…impose our will and make this our game.

We do that, and not only will we demoralize the Rats, but we’ll be booking a trip to Tampa.

by NoCal-SteelCity on Jan 13, 2009 1:11 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Injuries matter if there are indeed injuries. There’s only so much you can do mentally – there are physical limitations to human beings.

by steelguy99 on Jan 13, 2009 1:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

agreed

And I thought Ed Reed was looking a touch slow and hesitant to make contact against the Titans. I watched the pre-game where it said that this year Reed’s been dealing with shoulder problems and has been hitting differently to favor his shoulder.

Reed’s awesome and I mean no disrespect, but compare this to Ryan Clarke. That man gets his shoulder blown up every game and comes back hitting as hard as he possibly can on every play. Great pick up when we lost Hope.

by Chicago Steeler on Jan 13, 2009 1:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Ed Reed is better than Ryan Clark.

I'll drink your Milkshake, I'll drink it up!

by drinkyourmilkshake on Jan 13, 2009 1:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You're right.

Your best safety is better than our second best safety. In fact, Ed Reed is better than just about every safety in the league, except for the best safety on the team you’ll be playing Sunday.

by Fahey on Jan 13, 2009 2:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

FYI – drinkyourmilkshake is a steeler fan.

by steelguy99 on Jan 13, 2009 2:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh my mistake

I usually try to avoid the 1st & 2nd person point of view in these posts (I like to say “Steelers” instead of “us” and “Ravens” instead of "you"), and one of the few times I don’t my pronouns come out aggresively … a conference championship game against the Ravens brings out the attack in me

Everyone agrees that Reed’s a good one … to the point where in last week’s game against SD, I counted 2 or 3 passes from Ben that Reed would’ve made a play on. I don’t know if he would’ve picked them all, but I bet at least one … probably the whiffed int attempt from SD in the 3rd.

by Fahey on Jan 13, 2009 2:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs