Week 15 Battle for Division, when Steelers travel to Baltimore to play the Ravens

As predicted per last weeks post, the Steelers would beat the Dallas Cowboys & go into week 15 with a 10-3 record. It took an awesome miraculous finish to beat the Cowboys but it was done. Steeler offense was in hibernation for 3 quarters & then boom – it came to life in the 4^th Quarter to tie it at 13-13. Then comes the Steeler Defense to save the day, as Deshea Thompson intercepts Tony Romo with less than 2 minutes to go & returns it for a game-winning 25 yard touchdown in the Steelers 20-13 victory.

This week, another tough foe for the Steelers – a game at the Baltimore Ravens (next week a game vs 1 loss Tennessee Titans). I don’t think anyone (me included) thought that this game would be for the Division lead. Ravens 9-4 are 1 game behind the Steelers in the AFC North.

Baltimore still has their Tough stingy Defense that always keeps them in games. Defense includes stars Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, Bart Scott and Terrell Suggs. The surprise is Rookie QB Joe Flacco, who wasn’t supposed to start this year – but due to injuries to projected starter & ineffective play by the other QBs – he was vaulted in the starter role. In actuality he’s got better QB Rating than Big Ben (81.3 to Bens’ 81) & touchdowns thrown are similar also (13 to Bens’ 14). Stats are actually very similar for both teams in terms of passing & rushing & both have great Defenses.

This will be a smash’em type of game, low scoring & a lot of big bruising hits. With many things being equal, you’d think home field would be the advantage – I thing in this case the QB experience will be it - & that belongs to Big Ben. Steelers win a tough fought battle to go to 11-3 & take a stranglehold on the Division.

Baltimore Ravens star Ed Reed when not intercepting passes for Touchdown scores, dishing out hard hard hits to opponents (as shown below)