Man, I thought the Steelers boards were bad! You ladies bicker like a bunch of pre-pubescent school girls! ;-) Listen, you all need to relax a little. First of all, these Ravens are NOT the same scary monster they were a few years back. When things are really clicking on Defense for them, their pass rush CAN be ferocious, but we've only seen that sleeping dragon awaken a few times this year. Their secondary is one of the worst in the NFL. I mean REALLY bad. The front 7 are still tough to run against, but beyond that there's really not a whole lot to fear. The offense is very average and extremely hot/cold. Forsett has been decent, but the reality is that he wasn't "special" anywhere he was before, and he's still not "special" wearing purple. The WR tandem is old (Steve) and a one-trick-pony (Torrey). They've barely even thrown to their TE since old man Owen took over. From where I'm sitting at least, I think the Ravens should be the team you're LEAST afraid of. Their secondary isn't good enough to keep Brady from piling on points, and their offense simply isn't suited for a shoot-out. They can't keep pace with the high-octane offenses in the league. They might be able to get to Brady early, but there are few other QBs in the game that are better at adjusting and getting the ball out faster when needed than your beloved Tommy Terrific.
HOPEFULLY, my Steelers will erase all of your concerns by whipping that ass Saturday night. The likelihood of Bell sitting out worries me a bit, but honestly, if we play well in all other facets of the game, I think we're good enough to beat them without him. The only caveat is that it's a Divisional game, and you know how those can be, especially between two teams with a heated rivalry like Baltimore and Pittsburgh. (Jets anyone?) So who knows? Anything can happen. I expect a very blitz-heavy defensive game plan from the Ravens if Bell can't go. They won't be afraid of our backup options, they know they can't cover our WRs, so they'll try to disrupt the pocket and force Ben to make mistakes.
That being said, if I were a Pats fan, I'd be more concerned with the possibility of meeting the Steelers in the a Championship game. I would have never even imagined a scenario that had the Steelers advancing to the AFC Championship Game a few weeks ago, but it sure seems as if this team has turned a corner down the home stretch. Our Secondary has actuually looked improved with Ike and Troy on the sideline, the pass rush has been getting there more consistently, they're creating some turnovers, and the O-line has really come into their own, becoming one of the better units in the league. Combine that with the offensive weaponry we have in Ben, Bell, Brown, Bryant, and Heath Miller, and this is a team that is capable of making some noise in the postseason if they can stay hot.
If I had to bet my life on a game between our teams, I'm sure I'd still take the Pats to win at home. But, outside of Denver, who hasn't looked like juggernauts on offense lately, I think the Steelers are probably the only AFC team that could potentially match the Pats point for point in a shootout. I hope we get to find out. But one game at a time. Enjoy your BYE week fellas. And good luck! Cheers!
