Jan 17 2009
Steelers and Ravens Prepare for Round Three, Winner gets Trip to Tampa
It all comes down to this for the Pittsburgh Steelers. A win over the hated Baltimore Ravens would stamp the Steelers a ticket to Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa Bay, Florida, while a loss would end the Steelers’ season in disappointment. These two teams are no strangers and are very much alike in the way they execute on offense and defense. Once again, fans should expect this game to go down to the wire with the winner being decided in the final minutes.
The Steelers are the healthiest they have been all season; the Baltimore Ravens are a different story. The Ravens have not had a bye week since Week 2 of the NFL regular season, and the long stretch of games are wearing on their players. Linebacker Terrell Suggs is expected not to play after sustaining a shoulder injury last week against the Titans. Also, Ravens cornerback, Samari Rolle, will not play due to injury.
The loss of Rolle will leave Baltimore’s secondary weakened and susceptible to the passing game of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Expect Ben Roethlisberger to throw in the direction of Frank Walker, who will be starting in place of the injured Rolle. If Suggs does not play, it could open up the running game of the Steelers, which is again having success with a healthy Willie Parker.
By Michael C. Smith
