AFC Championship Game: Ravens @ Steelers

[JayBee74]

Quote: Originally Posted by arseniotall

Can't put into words how amped i am for this one. Rookie qb, rookie coach, AND NO BYE WEEK ALL YEAR. We are playing with house money right now. Everything, I mean everything will be left on the field Sunday. Rented a van to drive to the game and I got the whole city of baltimore in the back of it. SEE YALL SUNDAY. And I love when everyone picks against us. It smells like 2000 out here. HOLLA.

Yeah, congrats on seeing it at Pitt. We are playing with house money, so just sit back and enjoy!!!

[The Overachiever]

Quote: Originally Posted by wwharton

Flacco is going to need to win this game for us. I mean it in the sense that he won the last game with the TD pass to Mason and controversial play but great 3rd down pass to Heap... and the zero turnovers. He's going to have to keep the turnovers down and make, I'd say, at least 2 big plays. The running game is going to be tough sledding and the defense is going to be weakened by Suggs and Rolle's injuries. I think the Ravens will be able to get some pressure on Ben, but without Suggs at 100% I see him making some great escapes which usually end up in crushing gains (especially if Rolle can't go). I can see Parker doing some damage if he can get outside too but not as worried about that as Ben to Ward.

I typed a huge post overiding yours but I stupid comp messed up so I'll shorten it up and say what I was gonna say in little bits, We need to plaster the WRs and Not get failed blitzes, I mean earlier this year I did analyze this Steelers team and there line was mediocre. 3rd down Conversion will be the X factor. By the way you should have watched the Titans game. Suspic

[wwharton]

I should've watched the Titans game? OF COURSE I WATCHED THE TITANS GAME, LOL!

The Steelers line has been improving all year. Their center got hurt on Sunday but he came back and finished pretty well. I'd love to see the line play like they did the first two games, but I've got a feeling that, just like the Ravens line, they'll be a bit better. Without Suggs (or with a less than 100% Suggs), that'll make the Steelers line that much better.

Plastering Ward is much, much easier said than done. And Ben's hard to bring down... and he tends to make plays if he can break out of tight situations. I just have a feeling the Steelers O is going to make at least a little noise this time. I think the Ravens O CAN make a little noise too, but it's asking a lot of Flacco... but it's going to be needed.

That wasn't much for "little bits". I'm curious to hear what other thoughts you had (about my post and just in general about the game).

[The Overachiever]

Quote: Originally Posted by wwharton

I should've watched the Titans game? OF COURSE I WATCHED THE TITANS GAME, LOL! The Steelers line has been improving all year. Their center got hurt on Sunday but he came back and finished pretty well. I'd love to see the line play like they did the first two games, but I've got a feeling that, just like the Ravens line, they'll be a bit better. Without Suggs (or with a less than 100% Suggs), that'll make the Steelers line that much better. Plastering Ward is much, much easier said than done. And Ben's hard to bring down... and he tends to make plays if he can break out of tight situations. I just have a feeling the Steelers O is going to make at least a little noise this time. I think the Ravens O CAN make a little noise too, but it's asking a lot of Flacco... but it's going to be needed. That wasn't much for "little bits". I'm curious to hear what other thoughts you had (about my post and just in general about the game).

Ok, I'm gonna show you my review on the Steelers I had earlier this season started, I'm very pleased to be conversing with another knowledgeable Ravens fan. And I meant Titans vs Steelers hah.
Steelers:O-Line had a very poor shameful performance last sunday giving up 8 sacks also, losing Alan Faneca to FA was a huge loss he was the heart and soul of there O-Line, only excuse they can legitimately use is that the Eagles has a solid defense, which is true. But, Ben Rothelisberger has his flaws which are "Durability and Releasing the ball before defenders gets to him", either he's not reading the field fast enough or he's receivers(Hines Ward, Heath Miller and Santonio Holmes) aren't getting open quick enough. Either way still a problem, defense is ferocious though.

But Ya, I think plastering isn't easy, But it's a job and Fabian Washington knows they can do it.

[LBzrule]

Quote: Originally Posted by wwharton

Flacco is going to need to win this game for us. I mean it in the sense that he won the last game with the TD pass to Mason and controversial play but great 3rd down pass to Heap... and the zero turnovers. He's going to have to keep the turnovers down and make, I'd say, at least 2 big plays. The running game is going to be tough sledding and the defense is going to be weakened by Suggs and Rolle's injuries. I think the Ravens will be able to get some pressure on Ben, but without Suggs at 100% I see him making some great escapes which usually end up in crushing gains (especially if Rolle can't go). I can see Parker doing some damage if he can get outside too but not as worried about that as Ben to Ward.

I don't think Joe will need to do anything out of the ordinary. I think execution will just need to be better against the Steelers than previously. As you watch the last game against the Steelers, notice we had two deep plays against them. Mason just didn't time the one play right and Joe slightly overthrew him on the other one. We got what we wanted, we just didn't complete it. After watching both games again and watching some other Steelers games this year, I think the Ravens need to use the backs out of the backfield a bit more against Pittsburgh. We had a big play from McClain out of the backfield in our first meeting with them. The Eagles had a big play with Buckhalter, that won them that game, the Colts beat them in the final mins with the back out of the backfield, Sproles had a big play against them this past week out of the backfield. Not saying this should be a staple of the offense, but if they keep giving it then we should take it every damn time. It's going to be hard moving the ball but gotta find the holes where ya can and from every game I've seen of Pitt this year, you can get the backs out and move the ball.

[mjb2124]

Quote: Originally Posted by The Overachiever

Ok, I'm gonna show you my review on the Steelers I had earlier this season started, I'm very pleased to be conversing with another knowledgeable Ravens fan. And I meant Titans vs Steelers hah. Steelers:O-Line had a very poor shameful performance last sunday giving up 8 sacks also, losing Alan Faneca to FA was a huge loss he was the heart and soul of there O-Line, only excuse they can legitimately use is that the Eagles has a solid defense, which is true. But, Ben Rothelisberger has his flaws which are "Durability and Releasing the ball before defenders gets to him", either he's not reading the field fast enough or he's receivers(Hines Ward, Heath Miller and Santonio Holmes) aren't getting open quick enough. Either way still a problem, defense is ferocious though. But Ya, I think plastering isn't easy, But it's a job and Fabian Washington knows they can do it.

That's from much earlier in the season though. The OLINE has played better in recent weeks - much better compared to the Eagles game. In fact, the OLINE was pushing the SD DLINE all over the field last week and that's not a weak DLINE in SD.

While I agree that the loss of Faneca hurt the OLINE earlier in the year, I think that's less of an issue now. Center Hartwig has become has become a much needed leader on the OLINE. I think it was tough for him to do earlier in the season as he was signed as a FA and didn't know the guys on the line.

As one of the members of the OLINE said last week "We're starting to gel now. We didn't have a good feel for where the other guys would be earlier in the season, but now we know". He pointed out the Eagles game as an example. He said they were getting confused because they didn't know each other well and how another member of the OLINE would react in the face of a blitz. That cause not only one guy to come free, but often two to three guys on the D. That hasn't been the case in recent weeks. Sure there have been mistakes here and there, but not near the frequency that happened earlier in the season.

[The Overachiever]

Troy Polumalu hurt. But still will play with injured calf.

[Kramer5150]

Quote: Originally Posted by The Overachiever

But, Ben Rothelisberger has his flaws which are "Durability and Releasing the ball before defenders gets to him",

,are you serious??? Ben's durability is NOT one of his flaws,he's had issues with his shoulder this year,but how many games did he miss?
Also,I find it funny that your saying that something thats part of Bens game is a flaw..lol

Ben "buying time" in the pocket is not a "releasing the ball" issue...that's part of his game. When Ben scrambles he creates more opportunities not only for himself,but for the receivers.

Oh yea..Pittsburgh wins this one 24-10.