How many points to the Steelers need to beat the Ravens Sunday?

**Troyisabeast_43** · 12-08-2008, 03:45 PM

This literally could be an all Field Goal game with as bad as both of these offenses have looked here not only last night but pretty much most of the season as they both have been very very inconsistent. I still think if the Steelers can hang 17 points on the Ravens whether it be from their defense,kicking FGS,or with Ben and the offense somehow finding the end zone a couple times that 17 should be enough to hold down and beat this inept Ravens offense. Joe Flacco I just dont think can score points on his own in this game to beat this Steelers defense I just dont see it happening. He will need a lot of help from his defense either scoring TD's for him, or setting him up with a short field deep in the Steelers end to put the ball in the end zone.

With that being said this Steelers offense with Ben and Bruce Arians doing the play-calling scares me to death in this game. This is one game where the Ravens defense is definitely going to do everything in their power to sack Ben and create fumbles and Interceptions to set up a short field for Flacco on their offense because even the Ravens defense knows that their offense is not going to be able to score points on this Steelers defense. So I will say as long as the Steelers do not beat themselves and the offense doesnt screw it up for the defense like it has done this year in the Giants and Colts games the Steelers should be able to win this game something like 17-10 17-7 Ill say.

I just cannot see the Ravens putting up more then 10-13 points against this Steelers defense with the number of good offenses that are so much better then the Baltimore Ravens offense is that this Steelers defense has shut down so far this season. If the Ravens defense doesnot win this game for them they will not win it's as simple as that. Flacco will need help to win this game from the defense because he is not going to win this game on his own it just is not going to happen. This Steelers defense is too good to let that happen and the Ravens offense is just not good enough to hang points on this Steelers defense.

**Dean Denton** · 12-08-2008, 03:48 PM

17 to 23. thats what I think. If we score 20, we should win. I cant see them putting together more than one TD drive against us. they do not have better Off then dallas or the Pats IMO.....

**LatrobePA** · 12-08-2008, 03:54 PM

Comes down to turnovers. Who makes the most and which team scores from them. Pretty simple, 2 of the BEST D's will force some INT's & fumbles, mark my words.

If Ben can somehow find some time we can get open and move the ball. But their D has something to prove and will go at all cost!

**AZ_Steeler** · 12-08-2008, 03:58 PM

The one thing the Ravens do have going for them is they have a running game and are ranked 4th in the league. If they could find someway to get their running game going against the Steelers it could be a long day. As long as the Steelers can shut down their attack and put the pressure on Flacco to make some plays and win it then the Steelers have a chance. Flacco did throw a TD pass the last game but wasn't really effective.

When it comes to the Steelers offense there isn't really anything good to say about it because there isn't one thing they are good at except allowing sacks. They are ranked in the middle of the pack for both rush and pass. Luckily they have found ways to win even though most of them have not been pretty. It's scary though thinking about the Steelers offense facing a top D as the Ravens just because the offense is so ineffective unless the game is on the line.

Something has to give this game, it's

**Troyisabeast_43** · 12-08-2008, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by Dean Denton

17 to 23. thats what I think. If we score 20, we should win. I cant see them putting together more than one TD drive against us. they do not have better Off then dallas or the Pats IMO.....

I know Flacco was able to put together 2 TD drives against the Steelers D back in September on that Monday night game here but I think this Steelers defense is much better now then it was in September and they somewhat took the Ravens and that offense with Flacco for granted in that game. That wont be happening this time in my opinion. They will not take them or Flacco lightly by any means. I look at it this way the Ravens have had a lot of points hung on them this season by the average to good offenses they have played against. The Colts hung 35 on them I believe,and the Giants hung 30 on them as well I think, and the Steelers scored 23 points against them as well on the Monday night game here. The Browns in Cleveland were ripping the Ravens defense apart as well scoring 31 points against them until Anderson and the Browns imploded in the 2nd half of that game. The point here is the Ravens and this defense while they are pretty good at the same time they can be had I think. The Ravens wins have come over Cincy twice,Cleveland twice,Houston,Oakland,Miami,Philly,and Washington. If you look at their losses they are all against the tops teams in the NFL record rise or at least most of them. The Steelers,Titans,Colts,and Giants. That right there tells me the Ravens can beat the good to average teams but cannot beat the above average playoff caliber teams.

**Dean Denton** · 12-08-2008, 04:11 PM

I know that the Ravens always play us tough, but something about this game is making me feel that we are going to win. I have not had this kind of felling all year. not even when we play the Browns or Bengals. Something is telling me we walk in and walk out winning big, and making a case for the best the AFC has....

**LatrobePA** · 12-08-2008, 04:11 PM

In regards to our O: One would have to think that with all the talent that we have on O that just maybe the ON switch might be flipped any day now. Ben torched these guys last year and with pretty much the same front 7. So lets keep our fingers, feet, arms etc etc. crossed we can turn it on late in the season!

**Troyisabeast_43** · 12-08-2008, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by AZ_Steeler

The one thing the Ravens do have going for them is they have a running game and are ranked 4th in the league. If they could find someway to get their running game going against the Steelers it could be a long day. As long as the Steelers can shut down their attack and put the pressure on Flacco to make some plays and win it then the Steelers have a chance. Flacco did throw a TD pass the last game but wasn't really effective.

When it comes to the Steelers offense there isn't really anything good to say about it because there isn't one thing they are good at except allowing sacks. They are ranked in the middle of the pack for both rush and pass. Luckily they have found ways to win even though most of them have not been pretty. It's scary though thinking about the Steelers offense facing a top D as the Ravens just because the offense is so ineffective unless the game is on the line.

Something has to give this game, it's

I agree AZ and nothing that Bruce Arians does or tries to do is going to change. He is one track and you just are going to continue to see the same kind of dumb play calls that we have seen all season long especially in the red zone. The Steelers in this game have got to get radical a lot and just come out and spread the field and go no huddle and try to throw this Ravens defense off their game. They are just not going to be able to run the ball in this game with Parker,Moore,or Russell and play smash mouth football with this Ravens defense. If Tomlin and Arians think that they are going to be effective sticking with that and trying to do it for a good portion of this game then they both are complete idiots. You need to try and exploit teams weaknesses. What the Ravens and their defense are weak against is the pass. They have given up a lot of big plays this year in the passing game and can be had with the big play if things are working from an offensive standpoint.

I look at it this way. The Steelers wanted to change their philosophy from going away from being a smash mouth team and runing the football to be a passing team here will this is the week to start doing it and doing it often. Put Ben in the shotgun and work the 5-6 yard routes to Ward and Miller on first down and keep this Ravens offense off balance. That is the best way and the Steelers best chance that this inept inconsistent Steelers offense has of scoring points this week and putting the ball in the end zone against this Ravens defense.

--- Added 12/8/2008 at 03:36 PM ---

Originally Posted by Dean Denton

I know that the Ravens always play us tough, but something about this game is making me feel that we are going to win. I have not had this kind of felling all year. not even when we play the Browns or Bengals. Something is telling me we walk in and walk out winning big, and making a case for the best the AFC has....

I agree with you Dean I have a very good feeling about this game as well. The Steelers have so much more on the line in this game then the Ravens do with the division title and the bye week on the line should they win, that I dont see them going up to Baltimore and throwing that all away and losing this game. Plus, this Steelers defense so far on the road this year through 6 games has just played absolutely lights out. They have given up 68 points on the road in 6 games so far which means they are averaging giving up 11.3 points on the road so far this season which is pretty damn good. The Steelers defense has only given up 5 TD's so far on the road this season. They didnt allow any in the Browns or Redskins games, and only allowed one each in Philly and Cincy. They only allowed one in New England which was really only a result of an interception thrown by Ben deep in his own end to Mike Vrabel, and the Jags were able to get 2 TDs on the Steelers D with one of them being a result of a horrible pass interference call in the end zone which put the ball on the one yard line, and the other one on a late hit call by Ryan Clark on 3rd down toward the end of that game which gave the Jags 15 extra yards and allowed them to score. I believe that this is finally the year for the Steelers where you see these losing streaks in these places such as New England and I believe this weekend in Baltimore finally come to an end.

**Dean Denton** · 12-08-2008, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by Troyisabeast_43

I agree AZ and nothing that Bruce Arians does or tries to do is going to change. He is one track and you just are going to continue to see the same kind of dumb play calls that we have seen all season long especially in the red zone. The Steelers in this game have got to get radical a lot and just come out and spread the field and go no huddle and try to throw this Ravens defense off their game. They are just not going to be able to run the ball in this game with Parker,Moore,or Russell and play smash mouth football with this Ravens defense. If Tomlin and Arians think that they are going to be effective sticking with that and trying to do it for a good portion of this game then they both are complete idiots. You need to try and exploit teams weaknesses. What the Ravens and their defense are weak against is the pass. They have given up a lot of big plays this year in the passing game and can be had with the big play if things are working from an offensive standpoint.

I look at it this way. The Steelers wanted to change their philosophy from going away from being a smash mouth team and runing the football to be a passing team here will this is the week to start doing it and doing it often. Put Ben in the shotgun and work the 5-6 yard routes to Ward and Miller on first down and keep this Ravens offense off balance. That is the best way and the Steelers best chance that this inept inconsistent Steelers offense has of scoring points this week and putting the ball in the end zone against this Ravens defense.

So how many points will it take to win?

**Troyisabeast_43** · 12-08-2008, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by Dean Denton

So how many points will it take to win?

I said 17 and I am sticking with it. As I just pointed out in my other posts above the Steelers have only given up a total of 68 points this season through 6 games on the road and the opposition is averaging just barely over 11 points a game so far this season. And a lot of those games were against a lot better offense I believe then this Baltimore Ravens offense has to offer. Flacco will not be able to put points on the board in this game without help it's as simple as that. Either the Ravens defense gets a lot of turnovers deep in the Steelers own end and helps set up a short field for Flacco, or they just score themselves on interceptions or fumbles. If that doesnot happen the Ravens have no chance to win this game period. The Ravens offense only got 17 points last night in Baltimore against a decent Redskins defense. The other TD they got was off an Ed Reed fumble recovery for a TD. If they were only able to get 17 points on the Redskins defense which is definitely not as good as the Steelers defense how are they going to be able to score points on the Steelers defense??