Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens: The Grudge Match
For all the marbles? Probably not. Fact is we lost our marbles a few weeks ago. When you lose to the 3 worst teams in the league all in the same year ........ well what is there really to get excited about?
Oddly enough the AFC North is still attainable. The Bengals at 9 and 5 are on shaky ground. The ice is cracking underneath their cleats. And Baltimore at 8 and 6 wants to take a crack at them. The Steelers could pull closer from 7 and 7 and make both them and the Ravens 8 and 7. Which would be good on a couple levels.
1- You could salvage a playoff birth and hope that a healthier Polamalu makes a difference and/or 2 - you could ruin the Ravens season once again! And the latter never gets old.
How to beat the Ravens?
You're #8 offense must score on their #4 defense. You can't just rack up yardage, you need to score. Steelers average 22 points per game and the Ravens allow 16! Do the math.
You will need to match the physical play of Baltimore. Say what you want but they have not gotten soft. The Steelers have somewhat. A Baltimore brawl could change that.
They know you as well as you know them. How about mixing it up a bit. Maybe running from the shotgun and no huddle?
Stop the Ravens on 3rd down! This has killed the Steelers all year!
Get to Flacco!
Avoid turnovers
Control clock
Avoid 4th quarter collapse
The Ravens still can smash-mouth the ball so beware of Rice, McClain, and McGahee
Stopping Ray Rice seems to be the biggest priority with the Ravens at this point
Intensity for 60 minutes!
Talk is over it's time to display an attitude. Whether you win or lose teams should regret playing you. That is the way it was.
Overall there are matters to address beyond the game. When you are flirting with .500 you need to be realistic. Where did you go wrong, what did you over rate? This is the time you need to study individual play. Maybe create a couple of ways to get some young blood in there. Especially on the O - Line. Maybe get Kraig Urbik in there? They have Urbik as starter on ESPN for Kemoeatu at left guard. On Steelers.com they have him as #2 at right guard behind Essex. Reg
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some rotation from the depth chart.
ESPN Depth Chart:
LT Max Starks Tony Hills Jason Capizzi
LG Kraig Urbik Chris Kemoeatu
C Justin Hartwig Doug Legursky A Q Shipley
RG Trai Essex Kraig Urbik
RT Willie Colon Ramon Foster
Steelers.com Depth chart (listed as unofficial)
LT Max Starks Tony Hills
LG Chris Kemoeatu Ramon Foster
C Justin Hartwig Doug Legursky
RG Trai Essex Kraig Urbik
RT Willie Colon Ramon Foster
The same goes for the Defense: ESPN DEPTH CHART
LDE |
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NT |
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RDE |
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LOLB |
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LILB |
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RILB |
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ROLB |
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CB |
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SS |
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FS |
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CB |
The secondary is really in a quandary. I mean even a guy like Ryan Clark, who I like is not the same without Polamalu. And to some extent they have already given some of the back up players a shot. But it's time to show your value now!
Pittsburgh 24 Baltimore 23 - I don't like the feeling I got about this!
By: Andy Natalie
ProFootball-fans.com Pittsburgh Steelers Correspondent