Prime Time Challenge

by lastcallbmore on Nov 3, 2011 8:30 PM EDT

BALTIMORE - OCTOBER 30: Head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens discusses a call with the referee during the game against the Arizona Cardinals at M&T Bank Stadium on October 30. 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens defeated the Cardinals 30-27. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

Over the years the Ravens have struggled in the spotlight. Going back to the days of Brian Billick this team has always struggled in prime time on a national stage. I remember a certain prime time game in which the team exploded and Bart Scott proceeded to throw a referees flag across the field! This year the Ravens have split in their prime time performances. They beat the Jets but the offense did not look good doing it. Then there was the loss in Jacksonville, where the offense may as well have stayed home.

On the other hand you have the Pittsburgh Steelers who always seem to rise to the occasion. A team that seemingly covets the spotlight and knows how to win when all the cards are down. Pittsburgh has shown Baltimore who's boss on the national stage time and time again over the past few years. Baltimore, a team desperate for a statement win verses their bitter rival, handily dismantled the Steelers in week one. Will this be the week that Baltimore overcomes their stage fright and hands Pittsburgh a prime time version of the butt whipping they gave them week one? Or will this be another classic meltdown by the purple and black on the national stage? Either way this game will go a long way in determining who reigns supreme in this years AFC North.

It is often said that a team takes on the personality of it's coach. In that case I would think our struggles on national television would have gone to the announcers booth with Brian Billick. Some things just don't change I guess as this team still puts out some of it's most horrific performances when thrust into the spotlight.

The Ravens will have to find a way to gain some rhythm early this Sunday in Pittsburgh. In their previous road losses Baltimore has looked inept and lost early on offense. If they can keep the crowd subdued early perhaps they can sneak out of Pittsburgh with a win and regain the lead in the division.

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that Baltimore/New England game where Bart Scott threw the flag

was a joke. I don’t blame for chucking the flag into the stands…that game was a ref-assisted win for the Pats in order to preserve their perfect regular season

Defense wins championships

by psu_all_day on Nov 3, 2011 8:41 PM EDT reply actions

Rex Ryan

Certainly didn’t help by calling time out when we had apparently stopped them on fourth down and they went on to score the game winner.

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Nov 3, 2011 11:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Boller's inexplicable pick wasn't very good either.

That game….
At least I can always remember Willis shaking the shit out of Junior Seau. Twice. In 3 seconds. One of the only times (the only time?) I’ve ever seen a LB spin completely around twice to tackle a dude in front of him.

You come at the king, you best not miss.

by organizedchaos52 on Nov 4, 2011 1:05 AM EDT up reply actions

Its BS to say Harbs does bad in the spotlight

In his first year we dismantled the Redskins on Sunday night football, in 09 we beat the Steelers in overtime on SNF, last year to open the season we beat the Jets on MNF as well as beating Houston later in the season on MNF. We have won and lost on national TV, it isn’t an attribute you can definitively attatch to Harbs that he’s good or bad at it.

best tackling team in the NFL, most physical and just dominates people. When we walk out of the tunnel and out of that locker room, we expect to shut people out and play great defense - Ravens DC Chuck Pagano

by BALT21 on Nov 3, 2011 8:46 PM EDT reply actions

I'm definately not saying we never win in prime time...

Moreover, some of our most embarrassing moments seem to come on a national stage. We have done well in the past on MNF ans SNF but even in the Houston game you mentioned we almost blew a huge lead and if not for the Josh Wilson int. we probably would have!

Don't let my defense dictate your offense..

by lastcallbmore on Nov 3, 2011 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions

If this were a Sunday 1PM game

I’d certainly feel a lot better. Yeah, we’ve won prime time games but we’ve also blown up miserably in them too. I would hate to have our Black Birds fall flat especially after our play over the last two weeks. But hey, who knows, maybe we’ve played our last crappy game of the season and we’ve turned the corner to the Superbowl…. Who knows, it could happen!

Go Ravens!

by Smiley4660 on Nov 3, 2011 10:06 PM EDT reply actions

Agreed

For whatever reason we seem to play better at 1 pm than any other time.

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Nov 3, 2011 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Old man Ray has to go to bed.

You come at the king, you best not miss.

by organizedchaos52 on Nov 4, 2011 1:06 AM EDT up reply actions

Growl......

by BALT21 on Nov 4, 2011 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Growl?

You come at the king, you best not miss.

by organizedchaos52 on Nov 4, 2011 1:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Our team has played to its competition's level this year

We’ll match the Steelers, so we won’t get blown out. I think the second half of the Cardinals game was a watershed moment for our team. It introduced a different side of offense our team really hasn’t had before (shotgun + strong armed QB + explosive receivers). We played a great half of offense to ride into this game.

The key is to start hot. If we fall behind, I don’t like our chances. If we can score a TD or get some points early, it allows Chuck to wreak havoc even more so. That’s why when we get out to an early lead, it’s usually a blowout!

by fedfan64 on Nov 3, 2011 10:37 PM EDT reply actions

Very simple

If both teams play their best, we will win as we are the better team. Unfortunately, this is not how things usually play out.

Hoping for another win.

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Nov 3, 2011 11:14 PM EDT up reply actions

lol. how are you the better team?

steelers qb>>>>>> ravens qb
ravens rb>> Steelers rb
Steelers wr>>>>> ravens wr
Steelers te> ravens te
ravens ol> Steelers ol
Steelers dl> ravens dl
steelers lb>> ravens lb
steelers db> ravens db
steelers kr> ravens kr
ravens k/p> Steelers k/p

any unbiased man knows the steelers are better

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Follow @steelersrule124

My coach walks in on Monday of Bergen week (Bergen Catholic is our biggest rival) and tells us that a media member told him that the Bergen players were talking shi*t about how they are going to kick our a*s. He then says, "you know what I told the media member to tell the Bergen Players? To suck my di*k and eat it. They have no fuc*ing chance of beating us because we are tougher than them"

by seton hall and steelers on Nov 4, 2011 7:34 AM EDT up reply actions

any unbiased man knows the steelers are better

That’s what you are…. right.

The writer formerly known as This White Man Can Jump; Powah Stached; Bear Killer; Da Dude; The Other Bambino; TJ Dropped The Season; Harbaugh Is My Co-Pilot; Billick's Alter Ego; Mr. Poopy Pants.

by El.Dude on Nov 4, 2011 8:11 AM EDT up reply actions

I believe you went through all of that week 1 and the results for that game ended up being that we beat you in literally every position. and Steelers DL better than Ravens? All I can say is HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

On Ed Reed:
"I’ve told him to his face many times, ‘You’re the greatest safety ever to play the game,’"
"We all learn from each other, but we all learn most from him."
- Troy Polamalu

by AV23 on Nov 4, 2011 8:33 AM EDT up reply actions

And this is why I give 0 respect to our local pitt trolls. Bandwagon knuckleheads who believe everything they think….

And worst of all they have no respect for the Ravens.

by Evan Skev on Nov 4, 2011 11:41 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Really?

Ok Ngata is on a level of his own but. Personally I think Hampton is better than Cody but its very close. And Keisel/Hood >>> Redding

"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play." ~Jack Lambert.

"Superman ain't got nothing on me, ... Kryptonite? C'mon now. It's just that you're never going to hear me say that somebody is tougher than me, ... Because I don't believe somebody else could be tougher than me." ~James Harrison

by H-burgSTEELfanatic on Nov 4, 2011 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Cody and Hampton is definitely close and without specifically watching Hampton this year I can’t say decisively who’s better, but I do know Cody is have an awesome year and is doing exactly what we need him to do.We also have Brandon Mckinnie, Pernell Mcphee, Arthur Jones and Paul Kruger plays some on the line as a pass rusher. All of our backups get snaps in the game and our defense doesn’t miss a beat with them in there. You’ll be troubled to find a D line with more talented back ups then ours. Also Redding is having a great year. It’s only his second year in the 3-4 defense and he’s done a great job.

On Ed Reed:
"I’ve told him to his face many times, ‘You’re the greatest safety ever to play the game,’"
"We all learn from each other, but we all learn most from him."
- Troy Polamalu

by AV23 on Nov 4, 2011 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Cody is younger and playing well. Hampton has experience and played NT for some damn good defenses. That’s why I called it a wash. Our depth on DL has got a lot of work in with injuries (Hood, Hoke, McLendon, and Heyward). Aaron Smith might have hurt our numbers early on, When he was in Woodley was a no show but when Hood went in Woodley started taking QB behind the wood shed. Everyone has been playing multiple positions along the DL, Hood, Keisel, Hoke, and McLendon has played both DE and NT, and even standing up playing like a LB. With how much our LBs have gotten injured our DL had to take up a pass rushing role.

Our DL has a very promising future.

"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play." ~Jack Lambert.

by H-burgSTEELfanatic on Nov 5, 2011 9:49 AM EDT up reply actions

well hes wrong on quite a few.. lol

DL, LB maybe even TE. But I wouldn’t expect much less!

Don't let my defense dictate your offense..

by lastcallbmore on Nov 4, 2011 9:18 AM EDT up reply actions

Also Ben may have had more success overall, but look at the numbers from this year and last year when both played
Flacco- 615 yards 4 Td’s 2 Int’s 2 fum
Ben- 759 yards 4 td’s 4 Int’s 3 fum.

On Ed Reed:
"I’ve told him to his face many times, ‘You’re the greatest safety ever to play the game,’"
"We all learn from each other, but we all learn most from him."
- Troy Polamalu

by AV23 on Nov 4, 2011 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions

It’s incredibly biased to say that the Steelers DL is better at this point. I think that discredits you right there. I would also argue that the linebackers are equal when Harrison and Woodley are healthy, and the secondaries are very close. Taylor is better than any of the Ravens corners, but the Ravens have much better depth.

I find it laughable that you say “any unbiased man knows” the Steelers are better especially after they were beaten so badly in the last game and had very close wins in the two games before that. I can see making an argument that the Steelers are better, but don’t act like it’s an undeniable truth.

That, my friend, is the height of bias.

Follow @mfrazie

by BAL_Hawk on Nov 4, 2011 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Lets just call the DL a wash. They had a bad start on the season and are closing ground, but so far they have been doing a great job giving the circumstances. Plus our DL depth has had a great workout this season with Hood, Hoke, McLendon, and Heyward. Promising future there.

The LBs are not equal when everyone is healthy on both sides. Lets just get that out of the way.

Do you really have better depth in the secondary? Taylor and Lewis have been playing nearly flawless, Gay is much improved and I can’t remember the last time he made a mistake. Plus we got young talented rookies, Cortez Allen one on one covered that monster TE Gronkowski for most of the game and wrangled him down a couple of times and didn’t allow him to hurt us (no easy task). Curtis Brown is playing like a special teams captain (haven’t had the opportunity to play on D with how well everyone is playing). And there is still Bryant McFadden.

Its comes down to the Ravens secondary is still their weakness while our secondary is now our strength.

"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play." ~Jack Lambert.

by H-burgSTEELfanatic on Nov 4, 2011 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions

We’re # 3 in pass defense (you #1)

We’re # 1 in overall D, you # 3.

Basically our Defenses are a wash right now

The writer formerly known as This White Man Can Jump; Powah Stached; Bear Killer; Da Dude; The Other Bambino; TJ Dropped The Season; Harbaugh Is My Co-Pilot; Billick's Alter Ego; Mr. Poopy Pants.

by El.Dude on Nov 4, 2011 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Where were all these champs in Week 1? Pro Bowl secondary… Pro Bowl everything

Let’s see how they match up on Sunday night… i bet they get smacked and you come around with lots of excuses if you come around at all!

by Evan Skev on Nov 4, 2011 2:58 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Who gives a shit about the pro bowl? Didn't even mention it.

For the secondary, There is a reason McFadden is last on the depth chart. and Keenan Lewis is playing like our 2nd best CB (will be on Boldin or Smith) but he didn’t play week 1.

Win or lose no excuses, I don’t wear purple.

But we will see tomorrow, The Steelers will be more than ready.

"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play." ~Jack Lambert.

by H-burgSTEELfanatic on Nov 5, 2011 9:43 AM EDT up reply actions

WOW

Haven’t seen a whopper this good in a long time…

While you have a better blocking TE, ours are more productive. So, AT BEST, TE’s are a push, and I might even give an ever so slight edge to the Ravens since ours do block when asked on occasion.

DL? Not even close. Surprised even you tried to slip that one by.

LB? As banged up as y’all are?? Even if all your guys play, they are not going to be 100%; not even close. This is homerism at its finest.

I think secondary is a push; I do not believe one can state that one is definitively better than the other.

So what does that leave for P-burgh? QB- okay. WR- okay.

The one thing I will give you, which you didn’t include, is special teams coverage -we are poo-doo right now…

"A little learning is a dangerous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring."
"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug."
"God's whiskers! Your face is as hideous as the demon's in my storybook!"
"I never expected to see the day when girls would get sunburned in the places they do today."
"It's big for a reason."

For Pittsburgh fans, that's Pope, Twain, Rostand, Rogers and Megamind

by vlad755 on Nov 4, 2011 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Troll doesn’t deserve a response… Their qb isn’t better and neither is their wr corps

by Evan Skev on Nov 4, 2011 12:19 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

lol come on now, our LBs won’t be better if we don’t have Harrison or Woodley. If we had atlest 1 healthy then I’d call it close.

"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play." ~Jack Lambert.

by H-burgSTEELfanatic on Nov 4, 2011 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Harrison probable, Woodley out.

You come at the king, you best not miss.

by organizedchaos52 on Nov 4, 2011 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Harrison in? Woodley out?

What’s the deal, anyone know anything beyond the term “limited”? (bs football lingo). Are they running plays, taking full practice with 1st team? What about Grubbs?

Is it Sunday yet?

by blizz909 on Nov 3, 2011 10:58 PM EDT reply actions

Game status is determined on Friday but

My guess is that Harrison, Woodley, Farrior and Grubbs will all be Gameday decisions.

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Nov 3, 2011 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions

What was all this 1 / 100 talk? So you're saying there's a chance!

Who plays / sits? I trust you Bruce.

by blizz909 on Nov 4, 2011 7:51 AM EDT up reply actions

If we keep thowiing to our TE’s and Ray keeps Miller in his sights we’ll win. Flacco needs to keep the ball up high in both hands until he’s ready to fire. He can’t keep holding the ball around his hip as he manuevers. He’s going to get hit a lot from his blind side Sunday. Jimmy Smith is back so Im not too worried about ANY Pitt WR. More worried about our LB’s in pass coverage. There’s going to be a bunch of underneath crap. I’m hoping Pitt just doesn’t match up well against us this year. I don’t think Cam learns anything from game to game so Im not confident he’ll do anything from 2nd half last week with regularity. Hot and VERY COLD.

by raven on Nov 3, 2011 11:49 PM EDT reply actions