Hate is a strong word, one I use with much trepidation in any situation. With that preface I say this without any doubt, I hate the Baltimore Ravens.
In other news, the sun came up in this morning.
Which is to say that my hatred for the Ravens ranks fairly high on the obvious meter. It correlates somewhere along the lines of The Tea Party and Barrack Obama’s domestic policies.
And without getting too much in to mathematic proofs here (unless Weet requires it), there is a somewhat geometric concept in play here; i.e. as long as the sun continues to come up, I will continue to hate the Baltimore Ravens. I would wager a fair some of money that most of the Steeler Nation feels pretty much the same way.
My disdain for the Ravens has grown consistently since the Rat Birds somehow won the Super Bowl in 2000 and reached its apex on Sunday September 11, 2011. I thought I hated the Ravens before my wife and I endured three hours of grotesque personal abuse at M&T Bank Stadium. Now I can say (for both of us), I truly despise them.
On the field the Ravens pounded and embarrassed the Steelers that day. It was in every way shape and form one of the ugliest Steeler losses I can remember, the magnitude increased given the opponent.
One could argue we should not care. After all, what is one regular season loss compared to the litany of crucial victories the Steelers have pulled off in this series? What is one regular season loss compared to three times knocking Baltimore from the playoffs; twice on the way to the Super Bowl? What’s one regular season loss compared to watching Ray Lewis go from screaming and strutting in the pregame to slumping off the field in defeat?
Logically, it’s nothing.
Alas recency bias is an exceptionally powerful force in sports, even more so when you endure three hours of emotional debauchery in the stands. For the record, I’ve attended Steeler and Penguin road games in eight different cities; always clad in black and gold, and NEVER, I repeat NEVER, encountered fan behavior half as vile a what Emily and I endured in Baltimore.
Did I expect it to be a tough environment? Of course. Did I expect a purported adult human being to repeatedly scream the f word right in my face because I was wearing black and gold? Honestly no. And that was the high point of the Raven’s crowd.
I’m a bit ashamed to admit that both Emily and I changed out of our Steeler gear before boarding public transportation outside the stadium. Honestly, and I’m not exaggerating this, we did it out of fear for our safety. Some would call this an intelligent decision and no big deal. To me, it’s akin to Charlton Heston’s famous proclamation that “Bill Clinton can have my gun when he rips it from my cold dead hand.”
It was that ugly boys and girls. And yes I’m angry.
It takes zero additional incentive for me to get amped for the Ravens mind you; but I’ll have plenty in reserve. I’ve always felt it enough for the Black and Gold to beat Baltimore. On Sunday I’m hoping for a “scrape Joe Flacco of the turf” style humiliation.
I’m expecting that the Steelers feel the same way.
Under ordinary circumstances I would fear a letdown this weekend. It’s perfectly understandable coming off the Steelers first victory over Tom Brady in seven years. If this week’s opponent were Kansas City, San Francisco or even the surprising Bungles, I would be genuinely concerned.
Given the Steelers rivalry with Baltimore; combined with what happened eight weeks ago, I see little reason to fear. I’m especially comforted when Mike Tomlin starts his press conference with “Its Ravens week.”
It’s a fascinating comparison, the Steelers’ rivalries with Baltimore versus New England. There is a visceral hatred that exists between the Steelers and the Rat Birds. In contrast, with New England it’s more about knocking those arrogant SOBs down a peg or two. The irony is that New England is the only team in the NFL that forces the Steelers to abandon their identity to beat them. In contrast, the Ravens amplify it.
Go figure the Black and Gold seem to own Baltimore while struggling to beat New England. The Ravens, by virtue of their Steeler like approach to football, are the perfect opponent for Pittsburgh. Simply put, you can’t out Steeler the Steelers. The Ravens like it tough and ugly. The Steelers have always been tougher and uglier…in a beautiful way of course.
With the notable exception of eight weeks ago. I’m still perplexed as to what happened that day. To be that flat against their hated rival; in the most hatred fill rivalry in all of professional sports was simply inexcusable.
I’m confident that the players and their coaches are well aware of that; and have not forgotten.
Which is to say that the Steelers; a team that rarely lacks in motivation, heart, or determination, should have a surplus of all on Sunday night. This is not just about one critical win in the standings, it’s about organization pride. This is about saying that nobody slaps around the Pittsburgh Steelers and gets away with it. NOBODY! Least of all the Baltimore Ravens.
The Steelers were as focused and motivated as I’ve ever seen them against the Brady bunch last Sunday. They should be even more so this week.
Notwithstanding the emotional element (which I ‘m clearly struggling to avoid) this is bar none biggest game of the season. As much as I hate the Ravens, they have to be considered a dangerous opponent. It’s hard to conceive of them losing more than two games other than the Steeler game. A Steeler win opens up a legitimate path to another division title. A Ravens all but assures the arduous wild card route for the Black and Gold.
That’s not an impossible mission mind you. We’ve seen both for better and for worse since 2005 that a wild card team can win the Super Bowl. All things being equal however, I’ll take my chances with home field advantage and a first round bye. There is an excellent chance of a Steelers/Ravens playoff battle in January and we’ve seen home field advantage be a crucial factor in both match-ups.
To that end, the circumstances are frighteningly similar to last year. The Steelers put themselves in a must win position by losing to Baltimore at home in week 4. That set-up a must win rematch; one the Steelers ultimately pulled out in brilliantly ugly fashion. The Ravens controlled most of the game only to follow the age old script of a critical Flacco turnover, converted to a score by Raven killer Troy Polamalu.
It was classic Steelers/Ravens in every detail, right down to the final result.
One could argue that Baltimore is the perfect rival for the Steelers; a team that brings out the best in the Black and Gold yet always falls short when it matters most. And on some level, buried deep within my subconscious, I have a begrudging respect for the Rat Birds on field success. Such thoughts however are blinded by the raw emotion inspired by this rivalry; especially given what transpired eight weeks ago. In short, my brain may respect the Ravens success; my heart hates them too much to listen or care.
Logically I know that victory, by any means and any score is what matters here. Emotionally I want more, something along the lines of ground Raven paste. When the Ravens confront you they are the enemy…and the enemy deserves no mercy. Or something like that from what I recall.
Victory is all that matters, but for once victory alone is not enough.
HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO !!!
Showing posts with label baltimore ravens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baltimore ravens. Show all posts
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
Bring on the Ravens…Again
I think it’s fair and pretty obvious to state that the Baltimore Ravens have become far and away the Steelers biggest rival. Which means that Saturday’s match-up is more than just your typical divisional playoff game.
The Steelers and Ravens have a one of a kind rivalry in today’s NFL; a brutally physical match-up where the teams beat each other up as much as beat each other. Truth be told, it’s the only current rivalry that would make the Steelers and Raiders of the 70s proud. The games are ultimately about survival as much as victory.
Both teams are built on the same philosophy; brutally physical and dominant defense. They play at least twice each year; each game a classic battle of attrition decided on or near the last possession. It’s the perfect storm for a rivalry as good as any in sports; and that’s before you consider that the Steelers swept Baltimore on the way to their 2008 Super Bowl championship. As if there was not enough fuel in the fire already.
The masochist in me wants to see the Steelers slug it out in another of those epic, bruising, physical games that they always play against Baltimore. Even in today’s kindler, gentler NFL, these teams still bring out that primordial brutality that we love in football. We may hate Haloti Ngata punching Ben in the face, and yet there is something about Ben playing…and WINNING…with his nose in three pieces that screams Steeler football.
Every playoff win is a huge deal. That said, there is something even more satisfying when it comes at the expense of a hated rival. I lived it twice during the Penguins remarkable Stanley Cup run two years ago. I can only imagine that’s how Steelers fans felt in the 70s when they would knock off Oakland and Dallas. Watching the Raven’s once again stagger off the field in bitter defeat would be nearly as enjoyable as watching the Steelers celebrate victory.
And that’s before we consider what is likely to be yet another 200 minute CBS love fest for Joe Flacco; the man who I’m told has reinvented the QB position in three short years.
Allow me a minute to bask in the glow of hope.
Now back to reality.
I would like to believe that the Steelers are better than the Ravens but let’s be honest, these teams are about as evenly matched as they get. It is merely by a fluke of the tiebreaker world that the Steelers have home field advantage and an extra week to rest. Crush the Ravens if you want for their early season loss to Cincy but remember that it apparently required divine intervention for the Steelers to beat Buffalo in November (for the record, this blog is not necessarily in agreement with Stevie Johnson’s interpretation of why he dropped that ball).
The two teams played twice this season and the games were classic Steelers/Ravens. Both came down to the final possession, both could easily have gone either way. In all honesty, I thought the Charlie Batch version of the Steelers played a better game in week 4, than Ben and the boys played in early December, but in the end, both games were decided by the narrowest of margins.
And let’s be honest, were it not for the incomparable Troy Polamalu, the Steelers would have been the team tearing the guts out of Indianapolis last weekend rather than getting a critically needed week to rest and heal.
Regardless that’s all irrelevant now. The situation is what it is. I’ve spent the week trying to convince myself that home field advantage and the first round bye is a huge advantage for the Steelers but deep down I don’t really believe it. Not after watching Baltimore brutalize an overmatched Kansas City team in Sunday’s glorified scrimmage. Not after seeing the Steelers lose countless home playoff games before finally winning the Super Bowl the year they had to play three straight road games.
No, I’m pretty set on the reality that this will be another classic Steelers/Raven’s slugfest.
There is not much point in analyzing this game from a strategic standpoint. These two teams have met 15 times in the Roethlisberger era and the blue prints are pretty well drawn. They will play a low scoring game where rushing yards come at a serious premium. Field position will be critical which will put the emphasis on special teams and of course not turning the ball over. Little mistakes that are often overlooked in other match-ups will be game changers here (see Sweed, Limas).
The Raven’s actually play the field position game better. They have a better kicker and punter and better coverage teams. That means that all things being equal, the Steelers will be fighting uphill on the field position battle all day. Historically the Steeler defense has overcome this with 60 minutes of brilliant play and one spectacular game changing moment. In short, if the Steelers win, I fully expect we will be recounting another moment where Polamalu wrecks Flacco. Dare to dream.
And there is also the Roethlisberger factor.
Personally, I’ve had enough stories of Ben’s personal redemption (though I doubt the networks have). This is now about high pressure, playoff football which is where he excels. I continue to say that Ben is one of the truly elite players in sports in regards to his ability to raise his game when it matters. Well this is yet another chance for him to prove it.
Steeler fans understandably gripe about Ben not getting enough respect from the fickle national media. Rest assured, that will change if he wins a 3rd Super Bowl, especially considering the brutal path the Steelers will likely have to travel. This is absolutely his opportunity to stuff it to the myopic football think tank that somehow pushes Phillip Rivers, Aaron Rodgers and for the love off all that’s good and holy, Flacco above him.
Ben’s history suggests he can and will step up in this moment; especially now that his offense line finally seems committed to prolonging his football life. Flacco’s history suggests he might just drop an extra possession or two in our laps. Keep in mind that while Phil Simms was basking in Flacco’s radiant glow last Sunday, the man who could not start for Dave Wannstedt at Pitt did manage to fumble twice. I’m not sure the Steelers will be as forgiving of such transgressions as Kansas City was.
All that said, the reality remains that these are two very evenly matched teams. There is little doubt in my mind that the 2008 Steelers were at least a half step better than Baltimore. We can not say that this time. If the Steelers bring anything less than their ‘A’ game on Saturday, my next Steeler blog will be a post mortem and a look ahead to next year’s draft.
It is pointless and in fact inappropriate to look beyond Baltimore but hard not to given the prospect of the next opponent. Giselle’s husband and the NFL’s most arrogant head coach will likely be waiting for whoever survives Sunday’s match-up. It will take a nearly perfect performance to knock of Belicheat’s boys and I don’t see that coming from the big talk, little action New York, Jets.
The concern of course is the physical toll a playoff win against Baltimore might take on the Steelers. Remember how beat up they were for the Bungles following the Sunday night blood bath in December? It’s hard to play a “perfect game” if half your players are hobbling in and out of the huddle. That issue is compounded by the reality that even at their best, the Steelers do not match-up well with New England.
So be it. True champions find a way to win, regardless of the path. They are undaunted; not by the schedule, by the officials, or by seemingly insurmountable obstacles. They do not rely on fortuitous match-ups; they beat the best to be the best. Just the same, teams that lack championship metal tend to come up short regardless of circumstances.
How could the same Penguin team that won 7th games in Washington and Detroit lose one at home to 8th seeded Montreal the next season? How could the Steelers’ team that pulled off that epic drive against Arizona lose a critical Thursday night game in Cleveland the same calendar year? How can New Orleans win the Super Bowl and mail in a loss to 7 and 9 Seattle inside of 12 months? It’s the difference between being championship caliber…and everything else.
The Steelers have played like Champions all year. They have maintained “the standard is the standard” and no excuses. They did not back down from the loss of their franchise quarterback, injuries or questionable officiating.
The Steelers will not win a championship because they beat Baltimore and New England. They will beat Baltimore and New England because they are a championship team. That’s what champions do. Champions also take it one game at a time; which means right now its all about the Ravens.
Steelers 16 – Ravens 13
The Steelers and Ravens have a one of a kind rivalry in today’s NFL; a brutally physical match-up where the teams beat each other up as much as beat each other. Truth be told, it’s the only current rivalry that would make the Steelers and Raiders of the 70s proud. The games are ultimately about survival as much as victory.
Both teams are built on the same philosophy; brutally physical and dominant defense. They play at least twice each year; each game a classic battle of attrition decided on or near the last possession. It’s the perfect storm for a rivalry as good as any in sports; and that’s before you consider that the Steelers swept Baltimore on the way to their 2008 Super Bowl championship. As if there was not enough fuel in the fire already.
The masochist in me wants to see the Steelers slug it out in another of those epic, bruising, physical games that they always play against Baltimore. Even in today’s kindler, gentler NFL, these teams still bring out that primordial brutality that we love in football. We may hate Haloti Ngata punching Ben in the face, and yet there is something about Ben playing…and WINNING…with his nose in three pieces that screams Steeler football.
Every playoff win is a huge deal. That said, there is something even more satisfying when it comes at the expense of a hated rival. I lived it twice during the Penguins remarkable Stanley Cup run two years ago. I can only imagine that’s how Steelers fans felt in the 70s when they would knock off Oakland and Dallas. Watching the Raven’s once again stagger off the field in bitter defeat would be nearly as enjoyable as watching the Steelers celebrate victory.
And that’s before we consider what is likely to be yet another 200 minute CBS love fest for Joe Flacco; the man who I’m told has reinvented the QB position in three short years.
Allow me a minute to bask in the glow of hope.
Now back to reality.
I would like to believe that the Steelers are better than the Ravens but let’s be honest, these teams are about as evenly matched as they get. It is merely by a fluke of the tiebreaker world that the Steelers have home field advantage and an extra week to rest. Crush the Ravens if you want for their early season loss to Cincy but remember that it apparently required divine intervention for the Steelers to beat Buffalo in November (for the record, this blog is not necessarily in agreement with Stevie Johnson’s interpretation of why he dropped that ball).
The two teams played twice this season and the games were classic Steelers/Ravens. Both came down to the final possession, both could easily have gone either way. In all honesty, I thought the Charlie Batch version of the Steelers played a better game in week 4, than Ben and the boys played in early December, but in the end, both games were decided by the narrowest of margins.
And let’s be honest, were it not for the incomparable Troy Polamalu, the Steelers would have been the team tearing the guts out of Indianapolis last weekend rather than getting a critically needed week to rest and heal.
Regardless that’s all irrelevant now. The situation is what it is. I’ve spent the week trying to convince myself that home field advantage and the first round bye is a huge advantage for the Steelers but deep down I don’t really believe it. Not after watching Baltimore brutalize an overmatched Kansas City team in Sunday’s glorified scrimmage. Not after seeing the Steelers lose countless home playoff games before finally winning the Super Bowl the year they had to play three straight road games.
No, I’m pretty set on the reality that this will be another classic Steelers/Raven’s slugfest.
There is not much point in analyzing this game from a strategic standpoint. These two teams have met 15 times in the Roethlisberger era and the blue prints are pretty well drawn. They will play a low scoring game where rushing yards come at a serious premium. Field position will be critical which will put the emphasis on special teams and of course not turning the ball over. Little mistakes that are often overlooked in other match-ups will be game changers here (see Sweed, Limas).
The Raven’s actually play the field position game better. They have a better kicker and punter and better coverage teams. That means that all things being equal, the Steelers will be fighting uphill on the field position battle all day. Historically the Steeler defense has overcome this with 60 minutes of brilliant play and one spectacular game changing moment. In short, if the Steelers win, I fully expect we will be recounting another moment where Polamalu wrecks Flacco. Dare to dream.
And there is also the Roethlisberger factor.
Personally, I’ve had enough stories of Ben’s personal redemption (though I doubt the networks have). This is now about high pressure, playoff football which is where he excels. I continue to say that Ben is one of the truly elite players in sports in regards to his ability to raise his game when it matters. Well this is yet another chance for him to prove it.
Steeler fans understandably gripe about Ben not getting enough respect from the fickle national media. Rest assured, that will change if he wins a 3rd Super Bowl, especially considering the brutal path the Steelers will likely have to travel. This is absolutely his opportunity to stuff it to the myopic football think tank that somehow pushes Phillip Rivers, Aaron Rodgers and for the love off all that’s good and holy, Flacco above him.
Ben’s history suggests he can and will step up in this moment; especially now that his offense line finally seems committed to prolonging his football life. Flacco’s history suggests he might just drop an extra possession or two in our laps. Keep in mind that while Phil Simms was basking in Flacco’s radiant glow last Sunday, the man who could not start for Dave Wannstedt at Pitt did manage to fumble twice. I’m not sure the Steelers will be as forgiving of such transgressions as Kansas City was.
All that said, the reality remains that these are two very evenly matched teams. There is little doubt in my mind that the 2008 Steelers were at least a half step better than Baltimore. We can not say that this time. If the Steelers bring anything less than their ‘A’ game on Saturday, my next Steeler blog will be a post mortem and a look ahead to next year’s draft.
It is pointless and in fact inappropriate to look beyond Baltimore but hard not to given the prospect of the next opponent. Giselle’s husband and the NFL’s most arrogant head coach will likely be waiting for whoever survives Sunday’s match-up. It will take a nearly perfect performance to knock of Belicheat’s boys and I don’t see that coming from the big talk, little action New York, Jets.
The concern of course is the physical toll a playoff win against Baltimore might take on the Steelers. Remember how beat up they were for the Bungles following the Sunday night blood bath in December? It’s hard to play a “perfect game” if half your players are hobbling in and out of the huddle. That issue is compounded by the reality that even at their best, the Steelers do not match-up well with New England.
So be it. True champions find a way to win, regardless of the path. They are undaunted; not by the schedule, by the officials, or by seemingly insurmountable obstacles. They do not rely on fortuitous match-ups; they beat the best to be the best. Just the same, teams that lack championship metal tend to come up short regardless of circumstances.
How could the same Penguin team that won 7th games in Washington and Detroit lose one at home to 8th seeded Montreal the next season? How could the Steelers’ team that pulled off that epic drive against Arizona lose a critical Thursday night game in Cleveland the same calendar year? How can New Orleans win the Super Bowl and mail in a loss to 7 and 9 Seattle inside of 12 months? It’s the difference between being championship caliber…and everything else.
The Steelers have played like Champions all year. They have maintained “the standard is the standard” and no excuses. They did not back down from the loss of their franchise quarterback, injuries or questionable officiating.
The Steelers will not win a championship because they beat Baltimore and New England. They will beat Baltimore and New England because they are a championship team. That’s what champions do. Champions also take it one game at a time; which means right now its all about the Ravens.
Steelers 16 – Ravens 13
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