Steelers Vs Ravens Can Shake Up Race to Playoff

When the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers met before for a slot in the Super Bowl was at stake.  Now, the matchup could be a big role in what team will reach the post season.  The North rivals from AFC will meet Sunday in Baltimore with both of them not in first place and searching for answers.  Pittsburgh (6-4) beat Baltimore (5-5) that has been there for three times in 2008 and eyeing for its record sixth title for the Super Bowl and winning the AFC title 23-14 may have been most bruising of the bunch.

The defensive battle had the teams punt seven times and the Steelers putting the game way ahead especially with Polamalu’s 40-yard interception went back for a touchdown with a few minutes left.  Both teams are behind North leader Cincinnati.  These teams will meet twice in the next five weeks and the wagers are different from the last 10 months that they played.

Unbeaten Ravens Demolish Winless Browns

The unbeaten Ravens gained control from the outset Sunday and demolished the Browns en route to a 34-3 victory. Joe Flacco threw a career-high 342 yards to help the Ravens more than validate their role as two touchdown favorites. Flacco was 25 for 35 with 1 touchdown, and Willis McGahee’s two touchdowns gave him six in three games. Baltimore is 3-0 for only the second time in franchise history, thanks a lot to an offense that is averaging 34.3 ppg.

Baltimore set the tone early when Domonique Foxworth intercepted a Quinn pass and McGahee followed with a touchdown run that made it 7-0. The 31-yard drive was also extended when Flacco ran for 2 yards on a fourth-and-1. The Ravens scored two more field goals, and then covered 80 yards in eight plays, seven of them passes by Flacco, before McGahee ran in from the 15 for a 20-0 lead at halftime. Looks like the Ravens are for real, we’ll be seeing more of these headlines the next couple of weeks, and Unbeaten Raves demolish Browns.

A Rising Tide Raises All Ships

The saying “there is no I in TEAM” would fit American Football real easily. While you might have a really great player on your team, if he doesn’t acknowledge his team mates and plays like he’s the only player on the team, then it wouldn’t be worth anything. The whole football team must work in unison in order to win games. What a team always needs is leadership.

Leadership is one quality that Ray Lewis has. He’s won the Defensive Player of the Year award twice, and one of the few linebackers to ever win a Superbowl MVP award. He is just phenomenal on the field and strikes fear in the hearts of the offense. The great thing about him is that he has great leadership qualities, and thus able to bring out the best in his team mates. If the people around him are good football players, he would then turn them into great ones.

The question now is whether he will be staying with the Baltimore Ravens. If ever they want to redeem themselves and possibly want to be a strong contender next season, they would definitely have to keep him. If not, then the Jets and Cowboys have an eye on him.

Ravens-Steelers: A Bitter Rivalry

To anyone that had seen the NFC championships, they all know about how bitter and nasty the rivalry of the Ravens and the Steelers have become. Throughout sports history, there have always been rival teams, some of them were battle with much sportsmanship and pride, others simply just got uglier and uglier (others would call it “interesting”.

It has been a 13 year old rivalry between the two teams, and needless to say, it has become a very bitter battle. During their December 14 game, it was Berger and Walker that would battle it out. Berger thought that Walker was intentionally trying to injure kicker Jeff Reed and this is when the Tension began. Walker had spit into Berger’s mouth although he claims that it was completely unintentional.

Berger said that he was spitting the whole day, and that he kept on brushing the teeth the whole day. It is quite obvious that the league did not move to do any disciplinary actions on Walker.

It seems that every tackle between the two teams are always done with much intensity that it’s hard to believe that they are done casually. You can just imagine how much pain their bodies have to endure after the game. Of course, it is these rivalries that make the game more exciting. As long as they are done within bounds, then all they can really do is generate more interest in the game.

Who Will Own the AFC Divisional Playoffs?

It is a race with no clear winner, each team have what it takes to be crowned the next AFC champs now that the reigning champs of the conference didn’t make it to the playoffs, thanks to then early injury of last year’s MVP Tom Brady, the Patriots didn’t make it. Now, the 4-way battle royale of hungry teams such as Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans, San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers will slug it out to determine who will represent the AFC conference against the NFC. I think that all 4 teams have the chance to make it but the question is who wants it more? So, let us break down the match ups that will be showcasing this weekend for the AFC divisional playoffs.

The Battle of North and South (Part 1)

Baltimore Ravens (11-5) vs. Tennessee Titans (13-3)

Defense: If you look at the standings you will see that the Tennessee Titans have the upper hand but if you look deeper you know that the Ravens can give the Titans a run for their money, although Titans won their game last Oct. 5, 2008. It seems like the Defense of Baltimore Ravens stood out more, led by former Super Bowl MVP Middle Linebacker Ray Lewis and Superhuman Free Safety Ed Reed it is hard to move the ball on the ground with these guys (Last meeting Titans only had 47 Rushing yards 44 of it are from rookie RB Chris Johnson). The Titans defense is not to be taken for granted both as they have weapons such as Defensive Tackle Albert Haynesworth, Linebacker Keith Bulluck and a secondary corps of Corner Back Cortland Finnegan, Safeties Chris Hope and Michael Griffin will keep the Ravens’ offense in check. Edge: Ravens

Offense: Titans have the edge with a Lightning and Thunder combo of Running Backs Chris Johnson and LenDale White they are really hard to stop, but the Ravens did shut them down on their last game. Their passing game is decent but with an aging QB in Kerry Collins that will see a lot of pass rushes you might wonder how are they going to move the ball. You have to wonder, what if QB Vince Young comes to play will there be any difference. For the Ravens they have a pretty much good offense but not enough weapons, led by Rookie QB Joe Flacco to keep the offense moving in the air and ground force of Running Backs Le’Ron McClain and Willis McGahee, you might wonder if their Offensive Line can hold the defense better than the Titans. It will be a good enough to see who get the spot for the NFC conference championship game. Edge: Titans

Prediction: Titans 14; Ravens 17

The Underdog vs. The Big Dog (Part 2)

Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) vs. San Diego Chargers (8-8)

Offense: Obviously, it’s a little hard to call this one, with the Chargers changing their scheme from run-heavy to balance favoring the pass; you might think will they have what it takes? If powerhouse Running Back LaDanian Tomlinson probable for their game because of a groin tear injury the load will be pass on backup spark plug Running Back Darren Sproles who was sensational against Indianapolis Colts rushing for 2 TDs. Their passing game can be an option with QB Phillip Rivers having choices of WR Vincent Jackson and Tight End Antonio Gates. Steelers have some good enough offense too, although the question is if QB Ben Roethlisberger can be healthy enough to lead the Steelers offense into victory, they have a decent running game led by Running Back Willie Parker and a pair of Wide Receivers that can really be lethal in former Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward and the dynamic Santonio Holmes. It will be interesting as both teams have banged up stars come game time. Edge: Chargers

Defense: The Steelers is known to be really be lethal defensively they have proved it from time to time as their run stopping D have given their opponents what they are capable of. RB Darren Sproles if he starts will be shocked for sure on how Linebackers James Harrison, Lamarr Woodley and James Farrior pressure both the pass and the rush, add the hard-hitting-playmaking Safety Troy Polamalu who is blitz happy and can also kill you in zone and man-to-man coverage. The Chargers are underrated in the defensive side of the game although they have key players such as D-Linemen Luis Castillo and Jamal Williams, their Linebackers Shaun Phillips and Jyles Tucker can pressure the QB but one must be thinking what if Shawne Merriman is around. This will be a real interesting match up for sure. Edge: Steelers

Predictions: Steelers 21; Chargers 28

It will be a really interesting series that we will witness this weekend, whatever the outcome of the game will be very much interesting. The Chargers will try to pull a Cinderella-type run, with star player LaDanian Tomlinson hurt and a backup RB in Darren Sproles who proved that he is a little engine that could. The Steelers is trying to raise their status back to being NFL’s finest team and their mission is to make it into Super Bowl, their last was their win against Shaun Alexander and the Seattle Seahawks circa 2005. Baltimore Ravens has a similar hunger with the Steelers but they go deep as their last appearance was a win against New York Giants back in 2001. They want to prove once again that defense wins championships. And of course the Titans is trying to prove anyone that they are a Super Bowl caliber team, they want to prove to everybody that their 13-3 record was not a fluke and even without their star QB Vince Young out of the picture they can still be one of NFL’s elite teams, but are they Super Bowl worthy? You decide.