This is a virtual “playoff” game, even though we are barely into the month of November… The Ravens know it, the Steelers know it… the destiny of the AFC North crown is at stake for 2011…
Okay, even if the Ravens (5-2) lose to the Steelers in the Iron City, it won’t necessarily mean they can’t go on a run and best the Steelers in overall season record by January… but a double-win in the Division is at stake…Beating Pittsburgh would mean a tremendous foe vs. foe advantage in the ultimate playoff qualification contest for the Ravens. This in so many ways is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the Ravens.
Yeah, the Ravens ate up the Steelers, 35-7, in Baltimore way back in September at M&T Bank Stadium…
But as Ryan Mink points out at Ravens.com official website, the Steelers have changed a lot since then. And Pittsburgh has been on a 6-1 tear ever since…
Here’s five ways Pittsburgh has changed:
Defense led by its secondary
Joe Flacco threw for 224 yards and three touchdowns against the Steelers’ secondary in Week 1. It wasn’t a huge surprise considering the Steelers defense’s vulnerability last year was in pass coverage (ranked No. 12 by season’s end). Since then, the unit has rounded into the top-ranked unit in the NFL and is holding up better than the Steelers’ traditionally vaunted run defense. Ike Taylor has become one of the league’s elite cornerbacks.
New No. 2 wide receiver
Antonio Brown is a player Ravens fans regrettably remember even if they don’t know his name. He’s the one who caught the 58-yard, fourth-quarter pass to set up Pittsburgh’s game-winning touchdown in last year’s playoff game. Brown was the Steelers’ No. 4 receiver then, and entered the season that way too. Since then, he’s had the most targets (63) among all Pittsburgh wide receivers – more than Mike Wallace – and is second in receptions. With usual No. 2 wideout Hines Ward sidelined by injury Sunday night, Brown caught a season-high nine passes for 67 yards and a touchdown versus New England.
More banged up
Every team in the NFL is dealing with injuries by Week 9. The Steelers have been hit hard. Once again, it’s come on the offensive line, as tackle Willie Colon (triceps) is done for the year. That forced Pittsburgh to re-sign Max Starks. Pittsburgh then lost blue-collar defensive end Aaron Smith (neck) for the year and inside linebacker James Farrior (calf) for a month. They’ve been without outside linebacker James Harrison (eye) for four games, and now could be facing life without leading sacker LaMarr Woodley (hamstring).
Roethlisberger’s one of the league’s hottest QBs
Ben Roethlisberger couldn’t have been much worse on Sept. 11. He took four sacks, threw three interceptions and posted a 52.9 quarterback rating. But after a slow start, Roethlisberger has been one of the league’s top signal callers. He’s thrown 11 touchdowns to two interceptions during Pittsburgh’s four-game winning streak and is coming off 361 and 365-yard performances. He out-dueled New England’s Tom Brady in the most recent meeting.
Stopped turning the ball over
Pittsburgh committed seven turnovers in their first meeting with the Ravens’ defense. During the Steelers’ recent four-game win streak, they’ve turned the ball over just twice. One thing that hasn’t changed from Week 1, but is a major shift from last season, is that Pittsburgh’s defense isn’t causing turnovers. The Steelers have just two interceptions and one fumble recovery and rank dead last in the league in turnover ratio (-10). They were second-best in the NFL last year at +17.
So there’s the good with bad and the ugly… I expect Harrison and Woodley to be out for the big battle in Pittsburgh, but I suspect we’ll see Hines Ward back and maybe even James Farrior. That’s a wash. Don’t count on Steeler injuries to have an impact on this game beyond that.
This will be a battle of the ages… and must-see TV… a game that should have national appeal beyond the regional interests of two cities in the same Division.
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