We will beat the Ravens onSNF

[StainlessStill]

I think their fans are more worried than EVER. Underdogs at home, backup QB who can certainly get it done with a STRONG arm to push downfield AND 2 bruising running backs with an ounce of FLASH with Rainey against a defense giving up enormous chunks of yardage on the ground.

We don't concede a damn thing to ANYBODY in this town and we WON'T start now! Heinz will be EXTRA feisty come Sunday Night. NEXT MAN UP, NO EXCUSES, HERE WE GO!

[SteelersCanada]

I don't know why, or if this makes any sense, but I feel like we're going to see the 2008 defense on Sunday. I think you're going to see guys like Timmons, Woodley and Taylor step up and make plays. I think Harrison is going to play inspired and we'll see - for what could be the last time - him as a dominate OLB.

Maybe it's because I'm an optimist, but I have a good feeling about Sunday. As long as they play inspired and Mendenhall can bring back the same magic he had against the Eagles, I like our chances. Let's face it, I don't think anyone is actually afraid of Flacco. Everyone is saying we don't have a shot and this game is already over, and it's games like that where they go out and play smashmouth and physical 'ball, and ultimately end up playing our best games.

Let's go show why we're still the class of the AFC North.

[Terminator]

I live in Raven country. About 30 minutes outside Baltimore to be exact. Majority of my co-workers and friends are Ratbird fans. I can tell by the way they are talking that they are nervous. My one co-worker admitted to me he can't see the Steelers losing this game at home, because everyone will be so fired up to win this for Ben and prove all the naysayers wrong. I think a lot of Ravens fans are secretly thinking this, based on my experiences.

[steeltheone]

Originally Posted by Kanata-Steeler

well, being that the media is now saying that we only beat the |Giants because they were on their "micro-DOWN" swing at this time of the year, I dunno?
haha.
It's amazing how the media has an explanation for everything - uhhh, except for the "media" ?
... anyway, The Ratbirds still have to taste our medicine too, and it's always a bitter pill to swallow !
:)

You had to expect this, after the Bengals beat the Giants last weekend!

[SoCalFan]

Originally Posted by StainlessStill

I think their fans are more worried than EVER. Underdogs at home, backup QB who can certainly get it done with a STRONG arm to push downfield AND 2 bruising running backs with an ounce of FLASH with Rainey against a defense giving up enormous chunks of yardage on the ground.

We don't concede a damn thing to ANYBODY in this town and we WON'T start now! Heinz will be EXTRA feisty come Sunday Night. NEXT MAN UP, NO EXCUSES, HERE WE GO!

I love this! NO EXCUSES!!! Im feeling good about this one, being its at home! Come on O-line!!!

[ZoneBlitzer]

With the Mean Machine Prison uniforms they have a shot at it. I love the way they buzz to the ball in those unis. I believe they can do it. They'll have to play sound, fundamental football and not blink.

[Steel_Bus_24]

Keep it up media.....as juvenile,unprofessional, and cliche as it is.......this team needs a boogeyman to prove wrong

[Hawaii 5-0]

Ravens-Steelers odds take a big swing after Ben Roethlisberger's injury

By OddsShark on Nov 14



Baltimore has dominated the AFC North lately and they get lucky with Big Ben on the shelf for their Week 11 trip to Pittsburgh. The line was moving down by mid-week and expected to go lower.

The Pittsburgh Steelers will be without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger when they host the Baltimore Ravens Sunday night and the point spread is reacting in predictable fashion.

After the Steelers opened as 4.5-point home favorites, the spread has swung seven points in a few hours Wednesday, with lots of additional downward pressure before gametime.

"It's about the only way you see NFL line moves of that strength - when a starting QB goes down," said Jack Randall of OddsShark.com.

After losing Roethlisberger in Monday night's game, the Pittsburgh Steelers needed overtime to dispatch of the Kansas City Chiefs. The win was Pittsburgh's fourth straight overall (3-1 ATS) and seventh straight at Heinz Field (4-3 ATS) with every single one of those wins going UNDER the total.

Pittsburgh is on a roll right now, but can the Steelers stay on it with backup quarterback Byron Leftwich under center against the dangerous Baltimore Ravens?

Baltimore entered its bye off of an ugly 43-13 road loss to Houston and 0-5 ATS over its last five games despite a 4-1 SU record. But since the bye, Baltimore has looked sharp on both sides of the ball in a 25-15 win on the road against Cleveland and a blowout 55-20 win last week against Oakland.

The Ravens swept the season series against Pittsburgh 2-0 SU and ATS en route to an AFC North title last year and will try to keep its success against the Steelers going this week. Baltimore has won 10 straight within the division, going 7-2-1 ATS in that span.

Despite the defensive nature of these two teams, the OVER is 5-2-1 over their last eight meetings and 3-0 over their last three. Baltimore has scored at least 23 points in each of its last three games against Pittsburgh. When the games are in Pittsburgh, its even more lopsided (OVER is 10-2-1 past 13 meetings at Pittsburgh).

And therein lies the problem for the Steelers this week. With Joe Flacco giving the Ravens a legitimate vertical game and Ray Rice's big play potential, the Ravens aren't the type of team that can be shut down defensively very often.

Pittsburgh will need to manufacture offense to beat the Ravens, and will have trouble doing so without Ben Roethlisberger. Byron Leftwich's long delivery is also a disaster waiting to happen against this Baltimore defense.

Pittsburgh isn't going to get blown out at home, but can the Ravens win this one by more than a field goal?

Don't think so.

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2012/11/...sberger-injury

[Hawaii 5-0]

Three Reasons Why The Steelers Can Beat Baltimore Without Big Ben

Nov 15th, 2012 by Andrew Pregle



When my dad and I bought tickets for this weekend’s Steelers-Ravens contest, we knew it wasn’t guaranteed that we would be going home happy. With recent news of Big Ben’s injury, it sure seems as if I’m marching towards a massacre. However, there is absolutely no guarantee the Ravens can pull this one out even against a backup quarterback. Here are the three biggest reasons why.

1) Their Own Injuries

As any Ravens fan will remind you, a Ravens win won’t come with an asterix because of the numerous and important injuries Baltimore has had to deal with. In fact, some would argue that the Ravens are in a worse position than the Steelers. Haloti Ngata and Torrey Smith are still questionable and even though they will more than likely suit up, there is no way they will be 100%. Jimmy Smith hasn’t participated in practice yet this week and is legitimately questionable. Suggs hasn’t impressed me yet as he still recovers from his achilles injury that is hampering his best assest: explosiveness off the snap. Oh, and that guy Ray Lewis is done for the year too. So while the Steelers are coming in battered, Baltimore has some serious holes on their defensive unit.

2) Steelers Can Still Run The Ball

One of the trademarked features of a Steelers Ravens game is the inability for both sides to run the ball effectively. After reading the above, you see that for the Steelers that task just got monumentally easier. What’s worse for Baltimore is that their run defense was still average at best when the team was healthy. The interior of Pouncey, Colon and Foster may still have to deal with Ngata but there won’t be Lewis to account for in the box. That is a huge relief and expect the Steelers to challenge that interior early before even attempting to bounce the ball outside. If the Steelers running game performs like it did before the Kansas City game, they will be able to successfully grind out clock and yards against the less than stellar Ravens defense.

3) Ravens Offensive Strategy Is Bizzare

You would think that with Ray Rice being as successful as he is even when he is touching the ball 65%-70% of the time you’d still do it, right? Well Baltimore has had moments this season where they don’t give the ball to Rice, even if he’s successful. Consider: in their loss against Philly, Rice was averaging over 5 yards a carry…and Flacco threw the ball 43 times. Against Houston, Rice average 4.6 yards a carry…and got 12 carries.

Flacco threw 43 times again. I understand the want for a balanced offense, but when Ray Rice is winning you games and Joe Flacco is losing them, you give the ball to Rice. In their last two games against pretty mediocre teams, the Ravens have stalled in their rushing game. If the Steelers defense can hold off Rice early Harbaugh will more than likely trust Flacco to win the game for the Ravens. That’s the best recipe for a Steelers win.

http://nicepickcowher.com/2012/11/15...thout-big-ben/

[Bayz101]

Nice read. Thanks Ric!