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November 3, 2011, 10:46 am
By John Eisenberg
Ravens Insider
CSNbaltimore.com
When: Sunday, Nov. 6, 8:30 p.m., NBC
Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh
Betting line: Pittsburgh favored by 3
Records: Baltimore is 5-2 and tied with Cincinnati for second place in the AFC North, a half-game behind Pittsburgh, which is 6-2.
Last meeting: The Ravens surprisingly hammered the Steelers, 35-7, in Baltimore on the opening Sunday of the 2011 season.
Series: This will be the 10th game between the teams in the 38 months since John Harbaugh took over as the Ravens? coach. The Steelers have dominated for the most part, winning six of the previous nine, including a pair of playoff games. But the teams have split the past four games.
Injuries: For the Ravens, DT Haloti Ngata hasn?t practiced this week (hamstring). WR Lee Evans (ankle) is out. G Ben Grubbs (toe) practiced this week and could play for the first time since Week 1. Pittsburgh linebackers James Harrison (orbital), LaMarr Woodley (hamstring) and James Farrior (calf) and WR Hines Ward (foot) are all questionable after being limited in practice all week.
Five things to watch:
+ How much do the Steelers remember? The Ravens humiliated them, 35-7, in the season opener in Baltimore seven weeks ago. Pittsburgh?s players and coaches insist they aren?t motivated by revenge, but it?s hard to believe they don?t remember the Ravens using a trick play on an extra point in the second half and passing for the end zone in the final minutes of a game long decided.
+ Can the Ravens harass Roethlisberger? They?re already about to surpass their 2010 total for sacks in a season with an amped-up pass rush that forced the Steelers? quarterback into five turnovers (two fumbles, three picks) in the opener. The Ravens can?t expect that many gifts again, but if they consistently hit Ben and/or put him on the ground, the game is on. Otherwise, his long history of frustrating them in the end will continue.
+ How do the Ravens approach things offensively? They snapped out of their slumber when they went to the spread offense with quarterback Joe Flacco in the shotgun last Sunday against Arizona. But the Steelers? defense is much tougher, especially against the pass this season (ranked first in the league). Fans want to see the spread, but the Ravens have to be able to move it on the ground with Ray Rice, too.
+ Can the Ravens climb a tall mountain? They?ve played an annual home-and-home series with the Steelers since 1996 and have swept their rivals just once, in 2006. Meanwhile, the Steelers have swept the Ravens four times. In other words, the teams split this series more often than not -- 10 years out of 15 so far ? illustrating the toughness of the task the Ravens are facing Sunday night. Completing a sweep, with the second win in Pittsburgh, would represent a major milestone for them.
+ Which defense rules? This shapes up as an epic smash-mouth encounter on paper. After a slight dip in performance over the past few seasons, the Ravens? defense is ranked first in the NFL. The Steelers are right behind them, ranked No. 2. But with cornerstone players such as Ngata, Harrison and Woodley questionable, it remains to be seen whether both units play up to their statistical standing. Ray Lewis admitted earlier this week that each defense wants to outdo the other when they meet. Look no further for the reason why this game is on national television.
Prediction: Steelers 21, Ravens 17
Follow John Eisenberg on Twitter at @CSNEisenberg
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