1/18/09 - Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers

[Coachnorm]

The Matchup for all the AFC Marbles and a trip to the SuperBowl. This one is between two Diisional rivals and as such it doesn't get any better than this. Two smashmouth Ds meet for a third time and the physical nature of this matchup will become very evident quickly in this game. They are natural rivals during the season and this will make for a great playoff game.

The Steelers stepped up and put a Number one seed foot down on the San Diego Chargers on a weekend that no other top seeded team showed up. The Ravens continued clawing their way up fron the Wild Card ranks putting the hurt on not one but two teams that won their respective divisions on the way. Rookie QB sensation Joe Flacco continues to amaze the NFL at large meeting every challange during the regular season and now in the Playoffs. I knew the Ravens would make so Playoff noise and this weekends matchup will be the Loudest yet. The Steelers were the only seeded team that benifitted from the rest during the bye week. Big Ben came out sharp and Fast Willie Parker has shown that his knee and shoulder problems are now behind him. While Ben looked great San Diego also made his O Line look good and the pocket may not be as comfortable ths week.

Frankly, Playoff football doesn't get much better than this. Are the Ravens a team of deja'vu destiny fated to repeat the Super Bowl Magic of the past? Can the Steelers beat a team this talented and driven 3 times in one season? The answers will unfold this weekend in one BarnBurner of a football game. You have to see this game just for the historic impact alone. Settle in with your favorite comfort food and plenty of spirits as this game will literaly rock!!!

 

[Runnik's Hambones]

I'm not exactly sure how to reply to that, Coach. You're right on the money, "Frankly, Playoff football doesn't get much better than this." Well put.

 

[Beermutts]

Ravens SS Jim Leonhard described the concussion he suffered in the Divisional Round as "mild" and says he feels fine.
An unsung hero of Baltimore's playoff run, Leonhard is likely to start against Pittsburgh in the AFC title game. He has 12 tackles in the postseason.
Source: Baltimore Sun

 

[Beermutts]

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Monday that Terrell Suggs (shoulder) is no sure thing to play in the AFC Championship.
It would be shocking if he sat out, however, and Suggs has guaranteed he'll play. Suggs hasn't missed a game in his six-year career. Expect him to start.
Source: Baltimore Sun

 

[Beermutts]

This is a video of the airport in Baltimore upon the arrival of the Ravens....

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxdfS1JK0Vg]YouTube - Baltimore Ravens Fans Go Crazy at the Airport[/ame]

 

[The Ram]

There will be blood. Ow, yes. There will be blood.

 

[catman]

I would not want to be on the training staff of either team after that game. It will be a bruiser.

 

[Phicinfan]

I think this will be an incredible game. Two top bruising defenses, beating the hell out of each other. However, I hope they don't beat each other to the point of losing key people for the superbowl. Lets not make the Eagles title too easy

 

[The Ram]

I wonder if that POS Suggs ups the bounty on #86's head?

 

[Da Bomb]

AFC Championship time!!!

 

[Orgazmo]

This one is tough. On the one hand San Diego made Pitt look better than they really are. 6 points seems kind of high. On the other hand you can't tell where bruises end and the purple jerseys begin on Baltimore. No break since week 2? brutal.

 

[Da Bomb]

6 points is awfully high of a line on a game like this. it makes me nervous though. feels like vegas is just begging you to take the dog.

 

[Phicinfan]

I am gonna put my money on Balt. They are the hot team, and Pittsburgh has swept them...and chances of them winning three in one year are very, very low.

 

[Runnik's Hambones]

I'm putting my money on Baltimore because it's going to be hard to beat a team 3 times. Not only that, if Pitt does win, I don't think they'll cover that spread at all.

 

[Da Bomb]

I am gonna put my money on Balt. They are the hot team, and Pittsburgh has swept them...and chances of them winning three in one year are very, very low.

this is a myth that is perpetuated year after year. im not positive of the exact stat, but its something like this:

the scenario has happened 18 times where team A swept team B during the season and then met for a third time. and in those 18 matchups, team A won yet again 11 of the 18 times (almost 2/3 of the time).

67% huh? sounds like about the percentage of time a team should win if they are at home and just plain better than the other squad.

its just not much of a trend in either direction.

 

[Da Bomb]

Pittsburgh mayor removes 'raven' from name - ESPN

What's in a name?

If you're the mayor of Pittsburgh and your beloved Pittsburgh Steelers are playing one of their archrivals for the right to go to the Super Bowl, certainly not "Raven."

So goodbye, Luke Ravenstahl; hello, Luke Steelerstahl.

Ravenstahl -- er, Steelerstahl -- says he decided to remove "Raven" from his name just as he predicts the Steelers will remove the hated Baltimore Ravens from contention in Sunday's AFC Championship Game.

 

[Runnik's Hambones]

That is a great story, DB. I'm really impressed. That is fun sports town stuff. The best.

 

[Beermutts]

Pittsburgh mayor removes 'raven' from name - ESPN

On Wednesday morning, the mayor began, but did not complete, an official name change petition, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. Civil court staff gave the petition a docket number but said they did not expect to file it, in part because they did not receive the required check for $108 to process the change, the newspaper reported.


LOL, they can't do anything right

 

[Mustang Jones]

Death makes angels of us all and gives us wings where we had shoulders smooth as Raven's Claws - jdm

 

[Hollywoodnash]

This game is a testament to what football is all about. Hard nosed, in your face defense. Odds are, when the casual fan looks back on this game, they will be disappointed because to them, it will have been a low scoring snooze fest. But to the real fans, this game should stand for what makes the NFL great.

This will be an exciting game for those who know about defense. No, there won't be 50 points scored by the NFL's high fliers. Neither QB in this game will probably exceed the 25 pass attempt mark in regulation. It's going to be a hard nosed, in the trenches kind of game that will take many back to the glory days of the 70's and early 80's.