vmax

OK...I concede!

Preacher...you've shown that you're a class guy and took our ribbing pretty well. Then again...you're not like the majority of Steeler fans... Oh well...maybe one day I'll have class...

There was a lot of good in the teams performance but I'll start with some concerns: Kruger...worried about this guy. Redding better get back soon. The offense is still a work in progress. They have yet to get the running game going 4 weeks into the season. Joe is progressing with his rapport with his receivers. The good news is that they could be one nasty O when they get the whole thing running. Zibby looks bad as a returner. At least he catches the ball but the Ravens need a threat there and he's not it. The Ravens are getting banged up at RB. We'll see how bad in a day or two. Ngata and Suggs brought then heat and intensity. Cody finally made it on the field. Webb played well and will only be better week after week. He's still shaking the rust off and looking good while doing it. Sweet block of the game: If you see the replay of the Flacco to Haush game winning TD then look at the blocking. Heap was protecting on the right side...saw Palamalu running free on a blind side blitz toward Joe...so Heap sprinted accross the line and nailed Palamalu to give Joe the time to toss the TD (where Palamalu should have been covering).

"We can too!"

The Bengals (2-2) have lost seven of their last eight when Palmer has thrown for 300 or more.

"Can we give one to Ozzie for getting Boldin and Haush? I'm sure he got them for one reason...to get this Ravens team over the hump of losing to the Steelers. Those two made the difference today....not to leave out Mason who was finally free to make some key plays because they couldn't blanket cover him."

Thanks OTR. Huge swing today between being 2-2 with 2 'in division' losses and the Stealers being 4-0. The Ravens would be playing catch up all season long...and the Stealers have a weak schedule as usual. Even though it's weeek 4 this was a must win game for the Ravens....on a few levels. A loss in September/October hurts just as much as a loss in December if it keeps you out of the playoffs. The Ravens need to win the division and get a week 1 bye to get to the Super Bowl IMO. So this game was a must for that senario to have a chance of playing out.

Nice win over the Bengals. The fans can put off holding their usual Mock Drafts in October.

Perhaps we should give one to crav...he didn't post *** I'm stupid for thinking this game is easy ***. Also he'll be working hard pounding the Stealers and Bengals boards this week.

Oh it's hard to single anybody out when the whole team played their ass off for 60 minutes. Ngata was outstanding today. 2 big plays by Housh...he made that final drive work. Joe Flacco gets one from me. He took a big step today. Crunch time it was on him.

"...and they were sent out into the weeping and knashing of teeth..."

Dee...no team looks good in a Ravens/Stealers game. It's always a smashmouth train wreck. What's important is today the Ravens didn't self destruct in the final minutes. They found a way to win rather than lose. Tomlin was all snug thinking he had the win. Wrong!

The defense was good. They gave up one long drive. They stood tall with the offense turning the ball over and putting them up against the wall. Joe was on today. Hats off to the O line...great job. The Pittsburgh D is for real and they got wooped at the end in their own house in front of their fans.

Bengals Lose!

Joe Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens took that step today! 1 minute left...dowqn by 4....and it's a textbook, comeback game winning drive.

Here We Go!!! I've been cooking all morning. The family will eat good but I'm too nervous to eat.

It's like this... Yea...the Ravens under Harbaugh have won 3 playoff games and that really is great. I don't want to downplay or overlook that. The problem is they have not been able to win the very important games against some major teams who have blocked their road to success. The Steelers, Bengals, Colts and Patriots (until last years playoff game) to be exact. They find ways to lose and self destruct against those teams. Until they can win some big games like today, where a lot is at stake, they will never take that next step to being an Elite Team. They keep comming to this fork in the road and fail. Today is a great opportunity to get that monkey off their backs.

Batch doesn't scare me either. The Ravens D will hold the Steeler O to less points than the Steeler D holds the Ravens O too. Got that?

The Ravens are last. The offense has given the ball up 7 times and the defense has one paltry fumble recovery. That's terrible for the offense, but maybe not so bad for the D. I'll tell you why. The Ravens have the #1 Defense. Granted it's only 3 weeks into the season and one bad performance can send you reeling in the rankings. But for now, they are the #1 D. #1 against the pass. Now...the secondary is supposed to be this D's weakness but maybe...just maybe, by playing smart disciplined football and technique,...by not taking risks to make a big play, this group is quietly getting the job done. Which is all you want. It's just like 'Sacks' are a gaudy over-blown stat. QB pressure is more important. Getting the QB rattled...forcing quick throws, quick reads...this leads to mistakes. Don't get me wrong...INT's are great game changing plays. Momentum turners. Field position turners. The more the better. You definately want them. But, at this point in time, with this group of CB's and safeties, it is better that they stay home and get their initial job done. Later, when they are doing this consistently and continue to get the job done...then they can try to take that next steps and go for the INT. It will happen.

Pryce has 1 tackle in 3 games this year. Rex can keep sniffing the Ravens trash can all he wants. I'll go one further...don't think for a minute that Ozzie didn't know that Rex would scoop Pryce up right away. The Jets are hurting for a pass rush from their 27th ranked pass defense as badly as the Ravens (who are #1 BTW). They just took one of the Ravens players who hamstrung their pass rushing efforts. The Ravens hoped to get another year out of him by using him sparingly and it was a bad move. He couldn't even make an impact that way.

Nobody's picking the Ravens.

I hate it.

Cam Cameron vs Dick LeBeau.

Totally agree OTR...good call. I think Rice sits this week too. Go 2 TE's and force the Steeler D to limit what they can do schematicly.