Steelers, Ravens ready for another rumble
Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is pressured by Steelers defensive tackle Stephon Tuitt as linebacker James Harrison closes in during the first quarter of a Nov. 2 game at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh won that game, 43-23.
If Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell does not play because of a knee injury, the Ravens defense will be focused on stopping receiver Antonio Brown.
PITTSBURGH – The names on the backs of many of the uniforms changed, but there’s one thing that hasn’t when it comes to games between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens – a general dislike the two teams have for each other.
It’s born out of success. Since the start of the millennium, both won a pair of Super Bowls and theyt happen to play in the same division.
The regular season games typically hold great importance, as well, and set the stage on three previous occasions for memorable postseason matchups.
Tonight, the Steelers and Ravens will add a fourth chapter to that growing book when Pittsburgh (11-5) hosts Baltimore (10-6) at Heinz Field in an AFC Wildcard playoff game.
It’s been four years since the two met in the 2010 playoffs, but even the Steelers’ younger players, those not around for that game or the ones that preceded it in 2008 and 2001, know what to expect.
“I remember watching these games,” said Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward, who joined the team in 2011. “A lot of (NFL) rules got put in place because of these games, whether it was the crackback (blocks), the attention to not hitting in the head or lowering the head, defenseless receivers. A lot of those were put in place because of these games. Obviously, those are ruled out now, but it’s still a hard-hitting game.”
The NFL legislated many of the big hits out of its game in an effort to improve player safety, but the Steelers and Ravens still seem to dish out their share of punishment when they play.
“Having Baltimore come into Pittsburgh, we know it’s going to be a slugfest,” said Steelers left tackle Kelvin Beachum. “We know they hate us, and we hate them. That’s the nature of the rivalry.”
The Steelers won all three previous playoff meetings with the Ravens, all of which were played at Heinz Field.
The two teams split their regular season matchups, with the Ravens winning, 26-6, in Baltimore in Week 2 and the Steelers returning the favor, 43-23, in Pittsburgh in Week 9.
That continued a trend between the Steelers and Ravens in recent years where neither team can claim superiority over the other. They are 7-7 against each other since 2008 in the regular season.
“We love this rivalry. We love being a part of it,” said Ravens head coach John Harbaugh. “It is just going to be another one of those great moments in the Ravens-Steelers rivalry that we are looking forward to. It’s another playoff game there. We’d like to win one of those one of these days in their place, and we’re going to do our darnedest to try to pull that off.”
The Steelers will be without Pro Bowl running back Le’Veon Bell, who was declared out on Friday. The Steelers’ MVP, as voted upon by his teammates, suffered a hyperextended right knee in last weekend’s 27-17 win over Cincinnati that clinched the AFC North championship and secured Pittsburgh’s first home playoff game since 2010.
Bell, who struggled to walk Monday, was feeling better by the end of the week, but head coach Mike Tomlin will hold him out of the game.
“We won’t be swayed by circumstance one way or the other, or the magnitude of the game and so forth,” said Tomlin. “If he is healthy, able to protect himself and can be a positive contributor to our efforts, we will play him. If we can’t answer yes to all of those questions and then some, we won’t. It’s just that simple.”
This isn’t the first time he’s chosen not to put a player on the field at less than 100 percent in a big game. In 2010, he held then-rookie Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey out of the Super Bowl because of a sprained ankle.
But not having Bell available will be a blow to the Steelers. The AFC rushing leader with 1,361 yards, Bell also set Steelers’ records for a running back with 83 receptions for 854 yards. His 2,215 total yards from scrimmage also are a team record and accounted for nearly 34 percent of Pittsburgh’s yards this season.
The Steelers will rely on rookies Josh Harris and Dri Archer and veteran Ben Tate, who was signed Tuesday, to generate a ground game.
That also will put more on the shoulders of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who threw for 340 yards and six touchdown passes – his NFL-record second consecutive game with that many TD passes – in the Steelers’ win over the Ravens in Pittsburgh.
“It’s the playoffs,” said Roethlisberger. “You always have to take more. There’s a sense of urgency for all of us.”
The Steelers are expected to get strong safety Troy Polamalu back in the lineup. Polamalu missed the past two games with a knee injury. … Despite winning the Super Bowl two years ago, the Ravens have just 26 players who enter this game with playoff experience. The Steelers, who are in the postseason for the first time since 2011, have 27. … The Steelers haven’t won a wild-card game since defeating Cincinnati in 2005, dropping games to Jacksonville in 2007 and Denver in 2011. … Pittsburgh is 14-3 all-time at home in its opening game of the playoffs, including 2-1 under Tomlin, and is 9-0 in games against a team for the third time in the same season.