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The Divisional playoffs, AKA the best weekend in pro football, has come and gone. Saturday brought yet another set of blowouts to the table in the same fashion of the Wild Card Weekend. The Houston Texans put in a great effort on defense and made a nice tease, but the bottom-line, they were never leaving Foxborough with a win. Sunday brought in a different outcome, two exciting down-to-the-wire games. After the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys put on the game of the year, the Pittsburgh Steelers gutted out a tough win over the Kansas City Chiefs. For many Ravens fans, you know what that Steeler win meant. Lets call it the worst possible AFC Championship game outcome for many fans of the black and purple.
The wins by the Steelers and New England Patriots now means for the third time in the last sixteen years, these two teams will meet in the AFC Championship game. The Baltimore Ravens top two bitter rivals will play for the right to play in Houston as the Ravens watch, without even a shot in the postseason. The Patriots won the previous two meetings in 2001 and 2004, both at Heinz Field. This time the game will be held at Gillette Stadium.
So come Sunday evening, Ravens fans now must watch as their two most despised teams face off against each other with the Super Bowl at stake. So, the question is, who are you pulling for? Or better yet, who do you want to see get knocked out the most?
It's not all bad though, Steelers fans had to watch the Ravens and Patriots meet in back-to-back AFC Championship games not so long ago. They've been through what you’re about to go through just recently.
For this upcoming AFC Championship, my suggestion to Ravens fans who will tune in to watch, or simply sleep through it or do other things like hang out with friends and family before finding out who won, is to enjoy it as a football fan. This game is interesting,certain factors will arise. How will Bill Belichick stop Le'Veon Bell? Bell is the engine of Pittsburgh’s offense and you know Belichick is going to game plan big time for the Steelers vaunted running back. Can the Steelers defense continue their attack on Tom Brady and the Patriot offense?
If you do have a rooting interest in this game, which team will it be? Is it the division rival Steelers so they can beat the much hated Patriots, yet get a shot at their seventh Super Bowl win? When it comes to the Ravens and Steelers rivalry, there is that element of respect. Is it the Patriots with Belichick and Brady in the hopes of knocking out the division rivals, but get yet another shot at a Super Bowl and continuing their dynasty?
This game will hurt for the people of Baltimore, but you'll pull through Ravens fans. After all, one of these teams is losing on Sunday, right? It isn't all bad.