Week 1 - Baltimore Ravens Vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

[UMDan]

I've got mixed feelings about this game... clearly Pitt has the edge: they are mostly returning players who have an established rhythm and know how to win games. The Ravens are preparing for the future, we're building a younger, stronger, more capable and well-rounded team to become a contender for years to come. Can we start off as strongly as we hope to become? Absolutely, but a lot of things have to go right. We have a tremendous amount of talent, I'd say more than Pittsburgh, but it may take us some time to gel. I think we're absolutely capable of winning, especially at home with a new team hoping to make their mark. As much as Pittsburgh probably does have the edge, I think we could be in for a pleasant surprise.

[IMissMattStover]

Unless we pick up a huge and early lead, this is going to be a stressful game to watch....

[1/28/01]

[quote name='IMissMattStover' timestamp='1315688940' post='782965']
Unless we pick up a huge and early lead, this is going to be a stressful game to watch....
[/quote]
Even if we pick up a huge (relative to a typical Balt/Pitt game) and early lead, this is going to be a stressful game. We've seen it disappear once before, ugh!

[IMissMattStover]

Thats true. Last years playoff for example. So maybe a 100-0 lead at the half will be calming...

[Purple Nurple]

[quote name='1/28/01' timestamp='1315689496' post='782991']
Even if we pick up a huge (relative to a typical Balt/Pitt game) and early lead, this is going to be a stressful game. We've seen it disappear once before, ugh!
[/quote]

I know, I wont feel truly at ease until we are taking knees.

[IMissMattStover]

Well, well we will see. I love and hate these games because I love the rivalrry, but they are always so close its tough. I hate close games in the last few minutes with all the time outing and spiking and all that drags them out soooooo much...

[BohBalmerOsbohs]

not gonna sleep tonight, nope

[IMissMattStover]

[quote name='BohBalmerOsbohs' timestamp='1315697349' post='783221']
not gonna sleep tonight, nope
[/quote]

Umm.are you ravens fan or steelers fan.

[BohBalmerOsbohs]

[quote name='IMissMattStover' timestamp='1315697431' post='783225']

Umm.are you ravens fan or steelers fan.
[/quote]

gasp, mike tomlin is my avatar!

dude his eyes look ridiculous i had to use it

[IMissMattStover]

Okay thats what I thought. He does look rediculous, and since your signature is ravens, I guessed the Tomlin picture must be a joke.

[Ravens Beast]

[quote name='BohBalmerOsbohs' timestamp='1315697535' post='783231']

gasp, mike tomlin is my avatar!

dude his eyes look ridiculous i had to use it
[/quote]
They are just about to pop out of the sockets.


On a side note: sleep will not come for me either. Santonio Holmes' TD catch keeps reoccurring in my head...must...beat...them...in ...madden...until...the...game...starts... Go Ravens!

[FerrariFan87]

Can't stand when we play the Steelers... if we get a lead, we can't take our foot off the pedal like we did last year. Hopefully Cam and company have learned their lesson.

[Ravensfan23]

[quote name='PWNEDbyDEANO' timestamp='1315681329' post='782827']


Man you don't understand how much I'd love for this to be right...

With regards to your later post about our CBs vs their WRs I'm a little more concerned mainly because of the inexperience of the guy's we'll likely be starting but other than that I don't see us being torched by any of them.
[/quote]

Yea inexperience will be a factor. But that Steelers offense isn't really complex or anything. I think the biggest thing will be making sure tackles and not allow those little guys to get any YAC.

I am concerned about our aggressive nature on the back end and the fact that this will be Jimmy, Cary and Pollard's first time playing with Ed. Communication will be key, because Ben will definitely try to use that pump fake he loves.

I think the Ravens will have to win this game in the first quarter. The reason I say that is because the Steelers won't know how to attack us or how we'll try to attack them. Will we look to spread them out with Evans, Smith, Doss, Dickson and company? or will we look to showcase our big oline and new physical weapons in Leach and Ricky?

On defense I don't think anyone truly knows what Chuck has in store. Was the preseason a preview of what to expect or was that just the basic stuff and we'll be a lot more exotic?

[Ravenglenn]

Is the referee crew flying in from Pittsburgh?

[Purple Nurple]

Someone please remind me what Steeler player made some controversial comments about 9/11 and give me the gist of what he said, please? Ty

NOT trying to start a debate, just talking to my wife about it here.

[1/28/01]

[quote name='Purple Nurple' timestamp='1315712932' post='783483']
Someone please remind me what Steeler player made some controversial comments about 9/11 and give me the gist of what he said, please? Ty
NOT trying to start a debate, just talking to my wife about it here.
[/quote]
Mendenhall

[url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11124/1143870-66.stm"]http://www.post-gaze.../1143870-66.stm[/url]
[url="http://www.boston.com/sports/blogs/thebuzz/2011/05/steelers_runnin.html"]http://www.boston.co...ers_runnin.html[/url]
[quote]"We'll never know what really happened. I just have a hard time believing a plane could take a skyscraper down demolition style."[/quote]
[quote]"I'm not convinced he was even behind the attacks we have really seen no evidence to prove it other than the gov telling us."[/quote]

[Purple Nurple]

Thanks. That should lead to a warm reception at M&T tomorrow, lol. If people even remember he said it.

[codizzle]

Gameday boys n girls

[JO_75]

Who is refereeing the game tomorrow?

I am going into the game expecting a game that will go down to the wire so that I won't be too stressed by the end of the game, like I was most of the last season.

[Ravensfan23]

The more and more I see so called experts break this matchup down, the more confident I become in my beliefs if this game.

I just saw Waddle talk about how the Ravens are no longer a big play defense because we only had 27 sacks last year. I guess no one informed him that we have gone back to a more aggressive attacking style of defense. He gushed over what the Loins did in the preseason, but failed to mention how the Ravens had close to 15 sacks and plenty of QB hits in the preseason, which is more then half of our totals from the regular season last year.

I heard Darren Woodson say that the Ravens are at a disadvantage because we no longer have Todd Heap to command the middle of the field. Well there is 2 things about that, It's been a long time since Heap has been able to consistently dominate the middle of the field and the other thing is that Dickson, while unproven, he's much more of a deep threat at this point then Heap.

The Steelers struggle with play making TEs and the Ravens now have 2 of them.

Then I hear how the Ravens don't have enough talent in the secondary. Well correct me if I'm wrong but Webb pretty much held Wallace in check all 3 games last year and other then the blown coverage, Brown didn't really destroy us either.

Now you add Cary and Jimmy, 2 guys that will force those smallish WRs to get physical before they can use their speed. Not to mention the pass rush shouldn't allow Ben to hold the ball.


Its like no one knows about our team because we have a lot of new pieces and the National media rarely digs deep enough to see what's truly going on.

I think the fact that we have some new guys in key peieces is a great thing. Especially since we are playing a team that knows us so well.

I can't wait to see who'll be the next guy to introduce themselves to this great rivalry.

[mark0408]

I think Torrey Smith will have a way better career than Darius Heyward-bey even though Darius is faster he cant catch as well as Torrey if you look at his college stats Darius only had at his best 600 yards a season the only reason why he got taken so high was his speed Torrey has speed and has had a 1000 yard season so all Torrey has to do is build more confidence and become that future long term deep threat that we have been waiting for!

[mark0408]

I think the ravens will use 4 or 5 wideout sets tomorrow

[codizzle]

[quote name='mark0408' timestamp='1315716613' post='783528']
I think the ravens will use 4 or 5 wideout sets tomorrow
[/quote]
i highly doubt that...
Its possible dont get me wrong but i highly doubt it

[mark0408]

You never know

[mark0408]

Looked at how the Packers and Patriots beat them they used 4 and 5 wideout sets

[mark0408]

because if they blitz Harrison or Woodley it will leave 1 or 2 wideouts open

[mark0408]

and if you dont have Harrison or Woodley blitzing it will take pressure off of Flacco

[ROH522155]

[quote name='mark0408' timestamp='1315717954' post='783546']
and if you dont have Harrison or Woodley blitzing it will take pressure off of Flacco
[/quote]

Dude, please learn to to try to form your ideas into one post. Otherwise you are left open to people acusing you of padding your posts. After all, it's not all about how many posts you can rack up it's about the quality of those posts. That's what earns you the respect of your fellow posters. Learn and understand forum conduct.

[Purple Nurple]

Lol. Seems ravens fans are WOUND UP tonight!

[ratedr]

I like our chances in week 9 better than in week 1. I honestly don't see us winning tomorrow.

But I really hope they do. I won't be able to watch NFLN for a while if they don't.