AFC CHAMPIONSHIP-- January 18th-- Ravoons at Steelers

[pensodyssey]

Eff L. Ron McLain and Joey Flaccoseagulls.

[jonzr]

Eff L. Ron McLain and Joey Flaccoseagulls.

It'll take more than imaginary aliens and seagull droppings to beat the Steelers in Heinz Field next week.  Sorry, Ratbirds.

[dare2beme]

I always thought Flacco looked like a Cretin.

What's a Cretin look like?  Well, it has a unibrow...

[JackSplat]

It'll take more than imaginary aliens and seagull droppings to beat the Steelers in Heinz Field next week.  Sorry, Ratbirds.

the ratties will need a higher power to intervene on their behalf.

[vinman3]

It'll take more than imaginary aliens and seagull droppings to beat the Steelers in Heinz Field next week.  Sorry, Ratbirds.

the ratties will need a higher power to intervene on their behalf.

Fuck Ray Ray! Fuck the Ratbirds (Sorry Spen)! There is not a team I would rather beat to get to the Super Bowl than Baltimore...And a team I would hate to lose to more to miss the Super Bowl. GO STEELERS!!!!!

[Preacherman0]

Okay, let's talk a little about Flacco.  To this point, he has looked "better" as a playoff rookie than Ben did in his rookie playoffs, simply because he's won two games.  But they've won only partially because of him.  They are clearly protecting him (as they should). 

My thing with Flacco is that he pulled off two great plays Sat., where he basically just chucked it downfield.  I especially didn't think the second one was a great throw, and receiver made a great play while the DB's made poor plays on the ball.

I heard another "analyst" say that "Joe Flacco is quickly becoming the best deep-ball thrower in the NFL."  Again, puh-leeeeeeze.  Let's not overstate things, shall we?  If we can keep him from getting those deep passes, I think we can pretty much neutralize him.

And let's PLEASE be prepared for the Lee-ron Macalain cutback, as that's about the only time he got big yardage.

[Steelerdipwad]

I work in Baltimore, so I hear the Wacko for Flacco commercials every day. (or Wackoff for Flaccoff, as I like to say) I expcet the same kind of game out of him as we've seen in the first two games. The game will either be won or lost by our o-line IMO. Protect Ben somewhat, and open a couple holes for FWP, and we win. Crumble like they did in the last two Raven games, and it's a nail biter that they may pull off.

Early injury report has Samari Rolle has a bad groin pull, probably out for the game. Leonard has a concussion, may or may not be ready for the game. And Suggs shoulder isn't supposed to be an issue.

[msdmnr2002]

We can discuss all the angles to this game, and it's fun to do, but this game comes down to one thing.  Take care of the ball. Our D matches theirs, if not better.  Our O, when on, is better than theirs.  If we don't turn the ball over, we'll win. If Miami had taken care of the ball, they'd have won.  If Tennessee doesn't turn it over, they win.  Most of the turnovers were really unforced.  Bad throws, fumbles when taking on a single tackler, etc. 

Don't panic, because Baltimore simply does not have the offensive firepower to run away and hide.  Make the playcalls creative, but safe on offense.  Throws downfield are fine and needed, but don't just put it up for grabs - Ed Reed will get it if you do.  Stay with the running game, and protect the ball.  If we can put Flacco in a position where he has to make somehting happen, odds are the won't get it done.

[Finnegans Wake]

To be honest, I was worried that Ben's melon was going to be mushy after the concussion, and he'd have a couple of prototypical dumbass picks that we'd somehow heroically overcome with our magnifcent D and some late-game magic from 7 hisself.

The fact that Ben had ZERO picks, ZERO fumbles, and had his line play perhaps better than they did all year (stupid penalties aside) gives me great hope.  Ben was off on his throws a few times -- sailing them a bit high on the longer throws, missing an easy throw to Heat by leading him too much -- but again, he was putting the ball where our guys at least had a chance at making a play on them, and the defenders didn't.  He moved around well, and threw the ball away when needed.  That effin laser in the 4Q when they showed Livers reacting like he'd just seen Elway on the field, that shit was money.

All Ben has to do is play like that.

Two.

More.

Games.

[msdmnr2002]

Funny how a week changes things.  Before this weekend, the Ravens were the team to beat, incredible D, Flacco is a god, yada yada, while the Steelers are in danger of being the upset victim.  Today, all you hear from Ravens-Titans is that the Titans got screwed on the non-delay of game call while the Steelers are completely dominant.

I think by midweek it will still be billed as a tough battle.  It has to be.  But Pittsburgh's a 5 point favorite right now thanks to the weekend.  Sorry, but that's too high.  Likely a FG game.