AFC Championship: Presence of top 2 defenses creates perfect recipe
Saturday, January 17, 2009
By Robert Dvorchak, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
[url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09017/942512-66.stm"]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09017/942512-66.stm[/url]
They're football analysts now, sharing their insights with TV audiences, but they talk like fans when someone asks them about the Baltimore Ravens and Steelers.
"There might not be any touchdowns," said Rod Woodson, the former Steeler who works for the NFL Network and is on the doorstep to the Hall of Fame.
"If you love defense, if you love old-fashioned, smashmouth defensive football, you'll love this game. I think it's going to be an instant classic," he added.
Tony Siragusa, a former defensive lineman at Pitt, will be working the sideline for the Fox broadcast of the Philadelphia Eagles-Arizona Cardinals game in Arizona, but he's looking forward to the AFC title game. And he's glad he won't have to brave frigid temperatures so low that ice formed on the rivers during the week.
"I'm excited," he said by telephone. "Both teams play great defense. Both attack the ball. When you see someone make a tackle, there's a teammate right there trying to rip the ball out."
Woodson and Siragusa, defensive teammates on the Ravens' Super Bowl title team, have an insightful understanding of the importance of this game in the respective cities. Before playing in Baltimore, Woodson played defensive back for the Steelers with such accomplishment that, as an active player, he was named to the NFL's 75th anniversary all-time team. And before he played in Baltimore, Siragusa played for Pitt and learned how much the city appreciated defense.
For them, and for football fans across the country, this is the game they wanted to see.
"I think you'll get what you've seen all year long from these teams. The best two defenses in the NFL, who both play in the AFC North, slugging it out for the AFC championship," Woodson said.
"These two teams are mirror images of each other. Someone on the Ravens can look out on the field as say, 'That's us, but in a different uniform.' The Pittsburgh Steelers can say the same thing," he added. "Baltimore has a rookie quarterback in Joe Flacco, and Ben Roethlisberger has been through this before. But Flacco is in the same situation that Ben was in as a rookie, playing in an AFC championship game in Heinz Field."
But similarities don't stop with the teams. Woodson thinks the fan bases are close in their appreciation of their teams. "If their team is winning 6-3, they're still cheering. In other cities, fans will boo an offense that's not scoring points. Pittsburgh fans have always cheered their defense, and Baltimore fans have appreciated their defense," Woodson said. "I really believe this game will make such an impression on Steeler fans and Ravens fans, they'll be talking it about it for years."
The Steelers' defensive philosophy, as expressed by coach Mike Tomlin, is to defend every blade of grass. Baltimore's attitude on defense is "make sure you make them pay for everything they get," Siragusa said. "It's not a finesse team. Both teams want to punish you on defense and create havoc."
While bad blood exists between the two, as evidenced by some well publicized incidents and statements, Siragusa sees a classic rivalry based on something else.
"I think it's respect," he said.
The Steelers will need to beat the Ravens for the third time to advance to the Super Bowl. And the two wins during the regular season were decided by a total of seven points.
"This one will come down to turnovers and protecting the ball," Siragusa said. "You'll get to experience what playoff football is all about."
Robert Dvorchak can be reached at [email="bdvorchak@post-gazette.com"]bdvorchak@post-gazette.com[/email].
First published on January 17, 2009 at 12:00 am
Saturday, January 17, 2009
By Robert Dvorchak, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
They're football analysts now, sharing their insights with TV audiences, but they talk like fans when someone asks them about the Baltimore Ravens and Steelers.
"There might not be any touchdowns," said Rod Woodson, the former Steeler who works for the NFL Network and is on the doorstep to the Hall of Fame.
"If you love defense, if you love old-fashioned, smashmouth defensive football, you'll love this game. I think it's going to be an instant classic," he added.
Tony Siragusa, a former defensive lineman at Pitt, will be working the sideline for the Fox broadcast of the Philadelphia Eagles-Arizona Cardinals game in Arizona, but he's looking forward to the AFC title game. And he's glad he won't have to brave frigid temperatures so low that ice formed on the rivers during the week.
"I'm excited," he said by telephone. "Both teams play great defense. Both attack the ball. When you see someone make a tackle, there's a teammate right there trying to rip the ball out."
Woodson and Siragusa, defensive teammates on the Ravens' Super Bowl title team, have an insightful understanding of the importance of this game in the respective cities. Before playing in Baltimore, Woodson played defensive back for the Steelers with such accomplishment that, as an active player, he was named to the NFL's 75th anniversary all-time team. And before he played in Baltimore, Siragusa played for Pitt and learned how much the city appreciated defense.
For them, and for football fans across the country, this is the game they wanted to see.
"I think you'll get what you've seen all year long from these teams. The best two defenses in the NFL, who both play in the AFC North, slugging it out for the AFC championship," Woodson said.
"These two teams are mirror images of each other. Someone on the Ravens can look out on the field as say, 'That's us, but in a different uniform.' The Pittsburgh Steelers can say the same thing," he added. "Baltimore has a rookie quarterback in Joe Flacco, and Ben Roethlisberger has been through this before. But Flacco is in the same situation that Ben was in as a rookie, playing in an AFC championship game in Heinz Field."
But similarities don't stop with the teams. Woodson thinks the fan bases are close in their appreciation of their teams. "If their team is winning 6-3, they're still cheering. In other cities, fans will boo an offense that's not scoring points. Pittsburgh fans have always cheered their defense, and Baltimore fans have appreciated their defense," Woodson said. "I really believe this game will make such an impression on Steeler fans and Ravens fans, they'll be talking it about it for years."
The Steelers' defensive philosophy, as expressed by coach Mike Tomlin, is to defend every blade of grass. Baltimore's attitude on defense is "make sure you make them pay for everything they get," Siragusa said. "It's not a finesse team. Both teams want to punish you on defense and create havoc."
While bad blood exists between the two, as evidenced by some well publicized incidents and statements, Siragusa sees a classic rivalry based on something else.
"I think it's respect," he said.
The Steelers will need to beat the Ravens for the third time to advance to the Super Bowl. And the two wins during the regular season were decided by a total of seven points.
"This one will come down to turnovers and protecting the ball," Siragusa said. "You'll get to experience what playoff football is all about."
Robert Dvorchak can be reached at [email="bdvorchak@post-gazette.com"]bdvorchak@post-gazette.com[/email].
First published on January 17, 2009 at 12:00 am
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