Game 1 : Steelers vs. Ravens : 09.11.11

[Kipper]

[Palmetto Steel]

[War Machine]

Woooooo! First in the tailgate! *takes of shirt and runs around virtual parking lot*

[buccoray61]

Just grabbed my first beer.

[Palmetto Steel]

[Palmetto Steel]

Woooooo! First in the tailgate! *takes of shirt and runs around virtual parking lot*

LoL!.... I'm ready!....

[Palmetto Steel]

Just grabbed my first beer.

... That makes you 2 behind me......

[buccoray61]

... That makes you 2 behind me......

[Palmetto Steel]

Steelers-Ravens Preview
STATS LLC

There may be no nastier rivalry than the one shared by the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens, two teams whose already physical approaches are only intensified when they face one another.

As long as Ben Roethlisberger's been available, though, it's been rather one-sided.

A wild comeback on their way to Super Bowl XLV was the seventh straight time the Steelers have beaten Baltimore with Roethlisberger under center, a streak certainly on the minds of both teams heading into Sunday afternoon's season opener at M&T Bank Stadium.

Smash-mouth defense and stellar running games have defined Pittsburgh and Baltimore for years, but it's been a quarterback who's made the difference in a rivalry that Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis sums up as "get hit or be hit."

Both finished 12-4 in 2010 after winning on their opponents' home field in the regular season, though Roethlisberger -- serving a league-mandated four-game suspension -- missed a 17-14 loss in Week 4.

He was back to engineer a 13-10 win at Baltimore in Week 13 that propelled the Steelers to the AFC North title, then was at his best in the teams' divisional playoff meeting at Heinz Field. With Pittsburgh down 21-7 at halftime, Roethlisberger threw two second-half touchdown passes, then set up the winning score with a 58-yard strike to Antonio Brown, enabling Rashard Mendenhall to score with 1:33 left to cap a 31-24 victory.

"He may not be (Tom) Brady or all those other guys, but when I see him in the huddle I know we've got a chance to win," said Steelers receiver Hines Ward, who added the Ravens would be "ticked about this (loss) for a long time."

"He's a proven winner. And history shows he's a proven winner against Baltimore."

Roethlisberger has thrown 12 touchdown passes and just three interceptions -- posting a 93.9 passer rating -- during his personal seven-game winning streak against the Ravens, twice helping Pittsburgh knock them out of the playoffs since 2008.

Not that he relishes facing one of the league's most ferocious defenses.

"I hate going to Baltimore, I hate playing there, and I hate playing them in general just because they are good," Roethlisberger told the Steelers' official website. "That's not a knock on them; it's giving them a lot of credit because they are such a good football team. ... This is almost like its own season when we play those guys."

Joe Flacco, who's been under center for six of those losses, has thrown five TDs, seven interceptions and had a 59.2 QB rating.

It's those two in January, though, that have stuck with Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs, one of the more active participants of trash talk in a series full of them.

"They spoiled our Super Bowl dreams for two out of three years," Suggs said. "We have to switch that, you know? ... I'm tired of having a sick feeling in my stomach for a whole year. Game one. Let's go."

Roethlisberger was considerably less impressive in the Steelers' 31-25 loss to the Packers in the Super Bowl, throwing two interceptions -- including one that was returned to put Pittsburgh in a 14-0 hole.

But after making it to the NFL's biggest stage for the third time in six seasons, the Steelers largely sat out the league's frenzied but brief offseason. A flirtation with Plaxico Burress didn't pan out, and Pittsburgh eventually settled for Jerricho Cotchery to be its fifth receiver.

Its biggest move was to re-sign cornerback Ike Taylor, who will play Sunday despite breaking his left thumb in the team's preseason opener.

"Tell me where to go, give me a time, pick a place and I will be there," Taylor said of facing the Ravens.

Taylor, Troy Polamalu and the rest of Pittsburgh's secondary will find another speedy target to cover. Baltimore traded a fourth-round pick to Buffalo for Lee Evans, hoping the veteran can provide a downfield threat to complement Anquan Boldin.

Evans is hardly the only new face, however. The Ravens brought in 20 new players, with fullback Vonta Leach and veteran offensive linemen Bryant McKinnie and Andre Gurode among those expected to give Flacco and running back Ray Rice some help.

Gone are Willis McGehee, Todd Heap, Derrick Mason and nose tackle Kelly Gregg.

Lewis isn't sure which team's approach -- the Steelers' stay-put mentality or the Ravens' flurry of changes -- will pay off Sunday.

"You can look at it for them and say, 'keeping their core together is an advantage for them,'" Lewis told the Ravens' official website. "And then you can come on the flip side for us and say, 'the different changes we did make, we didn't make changes to get worse, we made changes to get better.'"

Eight of the last nine meetings have been within a touchdown, with five of those being decided by a field goal.

The Steelers haven't lost on opening week since 2002, the league's longest active streak. Baltimore has won its past three openers.

[War Machine]

Something I did notice in Pundit's Corner this week is that a lot of the talking heads have mentioned concern over the status of the Rats' O-line. Has anyone got any info on this?

Personally, I'm rather glad Todd Heap is outta there - that TE was a royal pain.

[Palmetto Steel]

Forecasted Weather

M&T Bank Stadium Baltimore, MD Updated: 9/10/11 11:45 AM ET	Lo: 69°F Hi: 81°F Precip: 30%

This Week's Line

Baltimore	1	Pittsburgh	36.5

2010 Trends (Regular Season)

The Steelers are 10-6 ATS.

The Steelers are 5-3 ATS away.

The Steelers are 3-1 ATS as the underdog.

The Steelers are 2-1 ATS as an away underdog.

The Ravens are 8-8 ATS.

The Ravens are 3-5 ATS at home.

The Ravens are 6-6 ATS as the favorite.

The Ravens are 3-5 ATS as a home favorite.

[buccoray61]

Something I did notice in Pundit's Corner this week is that a lot of the talking heads have mentioned concern over the status of the Rats' O-line. Has anyone got any info on this?

Personally, I'm rather glad Todd Heap is outta there - that TE was a royal pain.

Ravens concerned about their offensive line
By Mark Kaboly, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, September 10, 2011
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If it's true that familiarity breeds contempt, the Steelers have nothing to worry about when it comes to Baltimore's offensive line.

The Ravens aren't even familiar with their own offensive line, which has become an ever-growing concern heading into Sunday's season opener against the Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium.

"It's not an ideal situation for us, that's for sure," Ravens veteran center Matt Birk said. "It is what it is. That's the world we're living in right now."

The offensive line of left tackle Bryant McKinnie, left guard Ben Grubbs, Birk, right guard Marshal Yanda and right tackle Michael Oher has a combined 32 years of NFL experience but hasn't lined up together once this preseason.

Birk missed the entire preseason after having knee surgery and isn't sure if he will be ready for Sunday. Yanda was out for the last three preseason games because of back pain. And McKinnie was signed by the Ravens two weeks ago, causing Oher to switch from left to right tackle.

Grubbs was the only lineman who played at his starting spot for more than one preseason game. Birk and McKinnie didn't play a single snap; nor did recently acquired veteran center Andre Gurode.

"We're going to make sure it's not a problem," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "That's our jobs, all of us together, to make sure it's not a problem."

The Steelers don't believe it will be a problem for the Ravens and refuse to get caught up in the news coming out of Baltimore concerning its line.

"It is not like they are younger guys," Steelers defensive end Aaron Smith said. "They all have experience. When you have been in the league a long time, you can pick up things faster than a young guy can."

For a veteran like Smith, who will be lined up over McKinnie, he went back a few years to pull some old tape on McKinnie.

"No matter who you go against, you have to play your technique and trust your responsibilities," Smith said. "We think we have an advantage no matter who we play. We have been together a long time and been in the same defense for a long time. It is always an advantage as far as we are concerned."

The Steelers have had their way with the Ravens' offensive line in recent meetings, and Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco has suffered the consequences. The Steelers have sacked Flacco 28 times over the past three seasons, with most of the pressure coming from the outside where McKinnie and Oher will be lined up.

James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley have combined for 12 sacks of Flacco over the past eight meetings — the most of any other quarterback the Steelers have played in that span.

Missed line assignments cost the Ravens a victory over the Steelers in December. Troy Polamalu went untouched by Oher on a busted assignment and forced a Flacco fumble that set up the Steelers' game-winning touchdown in the waning moments.

The Ravens' line allowed 40 sacks last year despite playing all but three games with the same five linemen. It's possible Sunday that they will have only one player at the same position across the line as they did last year, and that's Grubbs at left guard.

"I am pretty sure they are going to make it simple for those guys and easy for them to make calls and things like that," Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton said. "I am pretty sure they will be OK."

Changing lines

The Ravens had a revolving door at offensive line during the preseason. Here are their starting lines during the preseason (left to right):

First game: Michael Oher, Ben Grubbs, Bryan Mattison, Marshal Yanda, Oneil Cousins

Second game: Oher, Grubbs, Mattison, Mark LeVoir, Jah Reid

Third game: Oher, Grubbs, Mattison, LeVoir, Reid

Fourth game: Ramon Harewood, Justin Boren, Tim Barnes, Mattison, Reid

Week 1 (projected): Bryant McKinnie, Grubbs, Matt Birk, Yanda, Oher



Read more: Ravens concerned about their offensive line - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt...#ixzz1XegpCMZS

[Palmetto Steel]

Key matchups

LT JONATHAN SCOTT vs. LB TERRELL SUGGS

Ben Roethlisberger uses the words "animal" and "ferocious" to describe Terrell Suggs. After all, the Steelers' quarterback knows what it's like to be hit by the Ravens' outside linebacker. No other defender in the league has sacked Roethlisberger as often as Suggs - 7.5 times in regular-season play and five more times in the playoffs.

"He's such a ferocious player," Roethlisberger said. "He's got really long arms and legs and he uses his arms real well. Super athletic. Fast. Strong. Ferocious. (His) intimidation factor alone. A lot of linemen and running backs and tight ends -- before the play even starts -- are a little intimidated because of his reputation of being a such a good, ferocious player."

"I have to be better than their two outside linebackers," said Suggs, a former Arizona State star who was the 10th overall pick of the 2003 NFL Draft. "That's my motivation. Don't let their two outside linebackers out-play me."

The Steelers have two outstanding outside linebackers in James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley. For Suggs to out-play them today, he'll have to out-play Jonathan Scott, the Steelers' left tackle. Last year, Scott became a starter in Week 9 after a neck injury to Max Starks.

Last year when the Steelers beat the Ravens in the playoffs, Roethlisberger was sacked six times. Suggs had three of the sacks.

STEELERS CORNERBACKS vs. RAVENS RECEIVERS

The last time Ike Taylor and Bryant McFadden started at cornerback for the Steelers in any kind of game, they were part of a secondary that got chewed by Green Bay'sAaron Rodgers in Super Bowl XLV. Not once in four preseason games did Taylor and McFadden play together. In fact, McFadden didn't play in any of the four exhibitions due to a hamstring pull. Taylor only played a few snaps in the first preseason game before breaking his left thumb.

Today, though, they're starting and how they hold up against Ravens wide receivers Anquan Boldin and Lee Evans will go a long way in determining who wins this AFC North showdown.

Boldin, a ninth-year pro, didn't put up big numbers last year in his first season in Baltimore. His 64 catches represent his lowest output since he caught 56 passes in 2004 with Arizona. But he's now in his second season in the Ravens' offense and he's hoping to develop a better chemistry with Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco this year. And remember, no receiver in NFL history reached 400, 500 and 600 catches as fast as Boldin.

Meanwhile, Evans also is trying to develop a rapport with Flacco after spending the past seven seasons as a deep-ball threat with Buffalo.

"He's the guy that pretty much takes the top off of defenses," Boldin said of Evans. "Opens up everything underneath for guys like myself, (running back) Ray Rice and other guys."

[Palmetto Steel]

When the Ravens have the ball: The offense still revolves around QB Joe Flacco and RB Ray Rice. Flacco had 3,622 yards and 25 TDs in 2010, both career highs, and over the final 14 games had the league's second-best passer rating (103.4). But, in eight career games vs. the Steelers, he is 2-6 with a passer rating of 69.19. Rice had the third most yards from scrimmage in the NFL in 2010 (1,776). But in seven games against the Steelers, he averages 71.1. The Ravens have a new look on offense. Gone are TE Todd Heap, WR Derrick Mason and RB Willis McGahee. They traded for WR Lee Evans (Bills) and signed FB Vonta Leach (Texans), RB Ricky Williams (Dolphins), LT Bryant McKinnie (Vikings) and C Andre Gurode (Cowboys). The latter two bolster an offensive line that was juggled during the preseason because of injuries to C Matt Birk and G Marshal Yanda.

When the Steelers have the ball: Despite leaning on the run more in 2010, the Steelers are poised to return to a pass-oriented team with a talented trio of young receivers to complement Ben Roethlisberger, who is 9-2 lifetime against the Ravens (6-0 in games against Flacco). He has not thrown an INT in his past 158 attempts during the regular season. The Ravens released NT Kelly Gregg to make room for Terrance Cody (6-4, 350), their No. 2 pick in 2010. They pair him with two-time Pro Bowl DT Haloti Ngata to form a rush defense that ranked fifth in the NFL in 2010 (93.9 ypg). In three games against them last season, RB Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 170 yards on 64 carries with four TDs. But the disruptive player on the line is DE/LB Terrell Suggs, a four-time Pro Bowler. He had 71/2 sacks in the final nine games last season. MLB Ray Lewis, who enters his 16th season, is the longest tenured defensive player with the same team in the NFL.

KEEP AN EYE ON ...

Ravens S Ed Reed ... The seven-time Pro Bowl pick led the league with eight interceptions and 183 return yards despite playing in only 10 games in 2010. Reed has an NFL-best 54 INTs and 13 touchdowns in his career since joining the league in 2002. His interception return average of 26.6 yards ranks first in NFL history. But, for all his heroics, Reed has never been much of a factor against the Steelers, especially Ben Roethlisberger. In nine career games against Roethlisberger, Reed has just one interception, and that was in 2006.

INTANGIBLES

The Ravens are 2-6 in their past eight games against the Steelers, with two of the losses coming in postseason games at Heinz Field after the 2008 and 2010 seasons. ... What's more, they have lost two of their past three games at home against the Steelers. ... The past eight games have been decided by a total of 35 points, with five of those games decided by three points. .... Both Ravens coach John Harbaugh (3-0) and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin (4-0) have not lost a season opener.

KEYS TO VICTORY

To win, the Ravens must ...

1 Have Flacco on the attack-o. Maybe by now the Ravens have figured out they can't beat the Steelers by using the run to set up the pass.

2 Chop Wood-ley. He has 8 1/2 sacks vs. the Ravens, the most by an opposing player, and had a pair of big fumble recoveries in each of the past two victories.

3 Watch Ben's men. If the Ravens try to take away Mike Wallace, they have to be able to defend Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown.

To win, the Steelers must...

1 Mug Suggs. LT Jonathan Scott will be responsible for containing the hybrid defensive end, who had 21/2 sacks against the Steelers last season.

2 Fry Rice. He is one of the best multi-dimensional backs in the NFL, but the Steelers held him to an average of 47.6 scrimmage yards in three games in 2010.

3 Heed Reed. Roethlisberger has always done a good job of locating the Ravens safety and not throwing deep in the middle of the field.

[War Machine]

I could live with the idea of the Rats' O-Line being a bit of a mess.