I really despise two teams in the NFL: New England and Baltimore.
I don't like the Patriots for obvious reasons. I think Tom Brady is on the juice, the whole team plays dirty and Coach Bill Belichick is a first-class cheater and arrogant SOB.
I don't like the Ravens because they are the Steelers' true archrivals in the NFL. It's not the new Browns. It's not the Bengals. It's the Ravens because they are the old Cleveland Browns. Ever since the Ravens allegedly pissed on Three Rivers Stadium in 2000, I have despised the Ravens. I hated them even more when they won the Super Bowl.
I don't like Ray Lewis, but I respect him. I don't like Ed Reed, but I would love to have him. I never liked Brian Billick, but I miss him because he would add fuel to an already burning rivalry.
Very few teams can stand toe-to-toe with the Steelers in the trenches, and the Ravens are on top of that list. They play fast, they play physical and their swagger never wavers. It starts with Ray-Ray. He's the heart and soul of the Ravens defense. It's too bad he plays for the bad guys because I consider Sugar Ray the best middle linebacker in NFL history. I've never seen one player lift an entire unit with his voice. He is the true definition of a leader.
Reed is the best free safety in the game. Bill Cowher wanted to draft him but the Ravens took him with the 24th pick and the Steelers, picking No. 30, settled for offensive guard Kendall Simmons. If Lewis is the Ravens' vocal leader, Reed is their silent assassin. He's the ultimate ballhawk. He's their playmaker. He's one of three safeties in the NFL who can change a game (Indy's Bob Sanders and Troy Polamalu of the Steelers are the others).
Today, the Steelers pay the Ravens a visit on their turf in a game that will decide the AFC North winner and, most likely, the No. 2 seed in the AFC. The Steelers haven't won in B-More in five straight trips. In 2006, Ben Roethlisberger was sacked a record nine times and almost lost a lung when Ravens linebacker Bart Scott leveled him on a blitz. There is a misconception around the league that the Ravens are a physical team. The Ravens intimidate not with brute force but with their speed on defense. They blitz like a Bear and run you down like a school bully.
If the Steelers are going to win today, they have to limit their turnovers and must find a way to score points early. The way to take out a bully is to punch him in the mouth before he can get to you. If the Ravens are allowed to bully their way through and around the Steelers offense, they will dominate. The Steelers need to score first and put pressure on rookie QB Joe Flacco to make plays. If the Ravens have a lead, Flacco can relax and he can just let big back Leron McClain eat some clock. The Ravens offense is vastly underrated. The Ravens can pound the rock and Flacco makes enough plays in the passing game to score points. Overall, they're better than the predictable Steelers offense, which is ranked 26th in the league. It's amazing how the Steelers are 10-3 considering their offense has done very little this year. Just shows how good Pittsburgh's defense has been all season.
Forget running the ball against the Ravens. The best plays to run on them are draws and delayed hand-offs. You cannot line up in the strong formation and expect to gain yards on the Ravens. Lewis, Scott, Suggs and Jaret Johnson are too athletic and too fast. If the Steelers play their usual predictable offense, they will lose. In order to beat Baltimore, you have to throw on first down and keep them guessing on second down. If the Steelers are stuck on 3rd-and-long too many times, it's going to be a long day. The Ravens are a great frontrunning team. When you give them any reason to celebrate, they will crush you.
