Ravens vs Steelers - Will It Be Different?

[flippy]

For years, I've looked forward to the Ravens vs Steelers matchup. Despite how much I loathe the Ravens, I respect that they bring it against us every time we play.

They want to kill us. And we want to kill them.

This is true old school football - the way it was meant to be played.

But does the NFL want this kind of rivalry? Are they trying to outlaw this rivalry instead preferring to see Indy vs Saints? Or Atlanta vs Houston?

Could you imagine if James Harrison has the career game he had against the Ravens a few years back?

He'll get fined his entire contract and suspended from the league for life.

I have to admit that Sunday may be the last real football game we ever see. Unless the Goodell virus has already infected these teams.

[Crash]

Re: Ravens vs Steelers - Will It Be Different?

This game? No. I expect BOTH TEAMS to hit even harder and more brutal. Give Goodell a nice sh*t sandwich on TV.

[ramblinjim]

Re: Ravens vs Steelers - Will It Be Different?

Every player on both teams should play their games. Everyone on both teams will be ejected from the game by the beginning of the fourth quarter and be suspended for the rest of the season.

That's my prediction.

[flippy]

Re: Ravens vs Steelers - Will It Be Different?

I have a feeling this will be a bone crushing game after seeing some of the comments from the Ravens this week.

But it may be the last real football game we see in our lifetimes.

Unless these 2 teams meet in the playoffs this year.

[Northern_Blitz]

Re: Ravens vs Steelers - Will It Be Different?

I actually think that the game will go back to normal after the CBA. The league doesn't care about saftey and once the 18 game season is secure, I think they'll stop the BS calls (because by then the players and the fans will be fed up with them).

[Shawn]

Re: Ravens vs Steelers - Will It Be Different?

I actually think that the game will go back to normal after the CBA. The league doesn't care about saftey and once the 18 game season is secure, I think they'll stop the BS calls (because by then the players and the fans will be fed up with them).

I agree with you. Another member wrote about negotiation tactics and it makes sense. Come down unfair and hard on the physical part of the game...so you have something to back off of during negotiations. Makes sense.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Ravens vs Steelers - Will It Be Different?

Steelers, Ravens clash in first-place showdown


BALTIMORE (AP) -Hateful. Violent. Contentious.

Those words are often used to describe the intense rivalry between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers, two AFC North teams from blue-collar towns that play a similar brand of smashmouth football.

The buildup is often as entertaining as the game itself. In the past, Shannon Sharpe, Hines Ward, Tony Siragusa and Joey Porter fired insults at opposing players and fans, showing absolutely no regard for what juicy quotes might end up on the opposing team's locker room bulletin board.
As usual, there will be plenty at stake when the Steelers (8-3) and Ravens (8-3) clash Sunday night. The winner takes over first place in the division and will take an important step toward securing a first-round bye.

But the hype has been surprisingly, and to some unfortunately, tame.

Asked if he hated the Ravens, Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger replied, "I don't hate anybody. That's a very harsh word.''

Pressed to explain the reason behind his 7-2 record as a starter against Baltimore, Roethlisberger offered: "I have no idea. Luck?''

Baltimore running back Ray Rice was asked whether the rivalry was based more on hate or respect. He began talking before the question was completed.

"I didn't mean to cut you off, but I learned from my own leader on this team - and that's Ray Lewis - the power of respect is to never disrespect,'' Rice said. "That's first and foremost about playing the Pittsburgh Steelers. We respect them. That's what the rivalry has all been about.''
Respect? Really?

"Both sides know each other very well, and I think if you do get into all of that (talking) it's because there's a common respect from both sides,'' Lewis said. "We respect them because we know what type of game they're going to bring, and they respect us because they know what type of game we're going to bring. So here we go again, one of those classic battles where everything is on the line.''

Even Ward didn't have much to say, except to complain that Ravens coach John Harbaugh gave him a tepid handshake and wouldn't look him in the eye when they crossed paths before the teams met in October.

Harbaugh laughed it off, saying, "I didn't know there was a barometer for the pre-game handshake. That's good to know. There's a meter, a scale. ... I'll just take it as constructive criticism. It's an opportunity to improve my pregame decorum and courteousness with players.''

That doesn't mean that the insults, and perhaps helmets, won't start flying once the teams hit the field. The physical nature of both teams is one reason why this rivalry is so intriguing - it isn't so much about long passes and big plays as it is about moving up the field one tough yard at a time.

"I've been a part of jawing and talking. I've never been a part of any illegal hits,'' Rice said. "I talk with my pads. A little words back and forth is not going to hurt nobody. But I have not been a part of somebody trying to go low on the knee or bend me up at the end of a pile. No, I haven't been a part of that, and I don't really want to be a part of it.''

With the exception of the 2008 AFC title game, a 23-14 Pittsburgh victory, the last four games have been decided by four points or fewer - including Baltimore's 17-14 comeback win at Heinz Field two months ago.

There's no reason to believe this one will be any different.

"Just based on previous matchups, one could assume that there's a chance that this is going to be a close football game,'' Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said.

In that 17-14 game, Joe Flacco hit T.J. Houshmandzadeh with an 18-yard touchdown pass in the final minute to lift the Ravens to victory. But the Steelers didn't have Roethlisberger, who was serving a suspension and watched the game in his living room.

Baltimore hasn't beaten Pittsburgh with Roethlisberger starting at quarterback since 2006.
"Well, there's no game better than this one to break that streak,'' said Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs, who has 11 career sacks against the Steelers.

In that first game, Baltimore was forced to play without safety Ed Reed, who was on the physically unable to perform list while recovering from offseason hip surgery. Reed made his season debut on Oct. 24 and has four interceptions in five games.

"Now that everybody has everybody,'' Lewis said, "let's see how it goes down.''

The Ravens are vying for their franchise-record ninth straight home win. Pittsburgh has won in Baltimore only once since 2002.

"Our fans are going to be crazy,'' Lewis said. "It's one of those games that you have to be a part of, that you want to be a part of. When your legacy is done, you look back at these games right here.''

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