The day that every Baltimore fan has been waiting for since January's loss in the post season is here at last, the chance to redeem ourselves against our most heated rivals on OUR own turf. This game is more than a home opener for the Ravens, it is an opportunity to take back everything that the Steelers have taken from us and prove that the 2011-12 season will not end the way that it did last year.
I hate to revisit the memory of our last meeting with the Steelers during which they rallied from a 21-7 deficit to advance to the AFC Championships with a 31-24 win over our beloved Ravens. It was a heartbreaking loss to say the least.
Today, we start with a clean slate. While pre-season had its fair share of frustrating moments, fans know that it is a time for the team to learn and grow. I found it difficult to blog about these games because it seemed like there was more to criticize that to celebrate. Would we be plagued again by sloppy play on the offensive line? Should we worry about not having a veteran back up quarterback? Even though the Ravens enter today's game leaving some of these pre-season questions unanswered, I believe from the bottom of my heart that we have what it takes to beat the Steelers.
One thing that I'm excited about is the new arsenal of weapons that the Ravens have built up for Flacco. One of the biggest criticisms I had for Flacco in 2010 was that he repeatedly waited for his receivers to uncover before he would let the ball go. Today, if Flacco wants to win this game for us, he is going to have to trust his new weapon, Lee Evans, a vertical threat on the outside. He knows he can rely on second-year TE Ed Dickson and the small and mighty Ray Rice who has proven his dangerousness in the open field.
Flacco will really have to watch his back and be wary of where Polamalu is at all times. The Steelers sacked Flacco four times in the December meet-up that resulted in a 13-10 win over the Ravens, and five more times in the postseason loss. Flacco will have to trust in Ravens newcomer Bryant McKinnie to protect his blind side at left tackle. It will also be crucial for FB Vonta Leach and the tight ends to offer added protection in helping with blitz pickup.
The Ravens defense has looked strong against the Steelers in the past managing to sack QB Ben Roethlisberger six times and force a fumble in their January playoff meet-up. Rookie LCB Jimmy Smith will have to bring his best game today if he hopes to stop Steelers hotshots Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders and Jerricho Cotchery.
One thing we know for sure is that this game is sure to keep us on the edge of our seats. There is nothing that compares to the rivalry between these two AFC North teams, the last seven regular-season meetings between the two have been decided by only 6 POINTS!
I have my black and purple ready to go for this afternoon and I hope that this evening, we will all be celebrating a big win from the Ravens on their home turf!
WHAT TIME IS IT?!
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