Attention turns to Ravens

[Troyisabeast_43]

Why not go into a hurry up if you are the Steelers? The Bucs went to it too late against Baltimore but were effective when they did. The Ravens have not beat a Ben led Steeler team since 2006, I say put the ball in the hands of the franchise and have at it.

I agree but you know damn well that Tomlin and Arians will not do this for whatever unknown reason. They will still feel the need that you need to be able to run the football with Mendenhall against the Ravens defense to keep them honest. With this patched up offensive line the way it is right now Arians has a lot of work to do to prepare this Steelers offense to win this game in Baltimore. You gotta roll the dice a little bit in this game and go with the no huddle more times then not and spread the Ravens out much like Im sure they will do to the Steelers. The Ravens secondary can be had and can get big plays made on it. I agree put Ben in shotgun and make him go 4-5 wide majority of the time to give him more time to throw the football. The offensive line is really going to have to step up this week as bad as it has been and play their best game of the year. If the Steelers offensive line just plays average and gives up only 2 sacks or so this game then I think they have done a good job and the Steelers chance of winning in Baltimore will increase a great deal...

[SteelDad]

My very early week thoughts on how I would approach this game are these: (I stress that these are MY thoughts and not what I'm expecting the coaches to do.)

1. Come out in the no huddle with 4 wide and look for short routes and crossing routes much in the same way NE does to us. Baltimore's corners will be more aggressive than ours and this could open up the running game. Ray-Ray's tired ass can't keep up if we keep attacking the middle of the field.

2. Do not automatically assume the Ravens will come out throwing. It is one thing to beat your rival and it is another thing to humiliate them by doing exactly what no one else has. Harbaugh will not abandon the running game as long as the game is tight or he has a lead. Flacco cannot pick us apart the way Brady or Brees can either.

Remember folks, all we needed was 1 first down against these guys in September and it was ball game. Give Flacco credit for driving them to the winning score, but I still don't buy him being an elite QB at all.

[Troyisabeast_43]

My very early week thoughts on how I would approach this game are these: (I stress that these are MY thoughts and not what I'm expecting the coaches to do.)

1. Come out in the no huddle with 4 wide and look for short routes and crossing routes much in the same way NE does to us. Baltimore's corners will be more aggressive than ours and this could open up the running game. Ray-Ray's tired ass can't keep up if we keep attacking the middle of the field.

2. Do not automatically assume the Ravens will come out throwing. It is one thing to beat your rival and it is another thing to humiliate them by doing exactly what no one else has. Harbaugh will not abandon the running game as long as the game is tight or he has a lead. Flacco cannot pick us apart the way Brady or Brees can either.

Remember folks, all we needed was 1 first down against these guys in September and it was ball game. Give Flacco credit for driving them to the winning score, but I still don't buy him being an elite QB at all.

I still think that Ben Roethlisberger playing in this game as opposed to the first game will be the ex-factor and the reason the Steelers win this time. Ben knows how to win these kinds of games and he knows how to make plays at key times during these games to win them. Not to use the last game in Pittsburgh as an excuse but had he been in there that game instead of Charlie Batch the Steelers most likely win. But he wasnt and it is what it is but that game on October 3rd that Flacco pulled out doesnt mean anything now. He will have to do it again come Sunday night in Baltimore or nobody will remember what he did here back in Pittsburgh 2 months ago it will all be forgotten...

[Goodfrom55]

Ravens' gameplan will involve many 3 step drops and release to receivers underneath. . .BUT if the Steelers play more aggressive coverage on the corners and Timmons / Troy take away Heap, this will force Flacco to "force" passes into the middle and create turnover opportunities. None of the Ravens receivers are speedsters that warrant a 10 yard cushion, so if they play more press coverage, this should help the Steelers take away the punch and judy passes and also give Harrison / Woody a second or 2 longer to get to Flacco. Plus, Oher is injured and might not be at 100% when going up against #92.

[Bucsfan4ever]

PLEASE PLEASE beat the Ratbirds, run the score up on them and shove it down their throats. The following is a post on one of my Bucs board.....


"Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun is an a--hole...

He writes The BUCS arent serious contenders and the RAVENS controlled the game from start to finish. He stated the RAVENS shoved the ball down the BUCS throat.

THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS BUCS 6--16 RAVENS 3--12
SACS BUCS GOT 4 RAVENS GOT 0
FIRST DOWNS BUCS 14 RAVENS 18
FUMBLES BUCS 0 RAVENS 1

This is not what I call complete control and shoving the ball down the BUCS throat!"


I concede that we're not serious contenders but they got their 17 points in the second quarter and then no more!! My Rant!!!

[Goodfrom55]

Have to be careful with 4-5 wide sets. If you remember last time, when the Steelers did this, the Ravens automatically brought blitzes which the Steelers couldn't handle and the WR's didn't read and change to hot routes. Things might be different with Ben back there, but to beat the Ravens, gotta take care of the football and move the chains. . .oh, and convert makeable FG's. . .

[coldrolled]

As the Ravens enter their week of preparation for the AFC North rival Pittsburgh Steelers, don’t expect a flood of information about the team’s injuries.

In his Monday press conference, Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh remained mum on injured starters Le’Ron McClain (ankle), Michael Oher (knee) and Dawan Landry (concussion).

“We’ll see,” Harbaugh told reporters. “We’ll just take a look at them and see how they respond over the next two days and see where we are.

“That’s all you’re getting.”

[jnes1216]

Ravens' gameplan will involve many 3 step drops and release to receivers underneath. . .BUT if the Steelers play more aggressive coverage on the corners and Timmons / Troy take away Heap, this will force Flacco to "force" passes into the middle and create turnover opportunities. None of the Ravens receivers are speedsters that warrant a 10 yard cushion, so if they play more press coverage, this should help the Steelers take away the punch and judy passes and also give Harrison / Woody a second or 2 longer to get to Flacco. Plus, Oher is injured and might not be at 100% when going up against #92.

The only thing that worries me is if B-Mac is out (or not quite 100%) then LeBeau will not play the corners closer to the line. I know the "standard of play doesn't change with 2nd stringers" stuff, but if he consistently plays B-Mac off then it won't change.

Timmons has to shadow Ray Rice imo

[jpele]

The only thing that worries me about this game are penalties, if we make the same mistakes as the past two weeks the Ravens win easy.

I know most of the calls are BS but we have to be disciplined in the game.

[coldrolled]

mcclain must be out for the game and longer...

Ravens to Sign FB Jason McKie
Free agent fullback Jason McKie has reportedly signed with the Baltimore Ravens.

New Orleans Saints defensive end Alex Brown, McKie's former teammate with the Chicago Bears and Saints, congratulated McKie via Twitter.

The Ravens are scrambling for a fullback after Le'Ron McClain injured his ankle during Sunday's 17-10 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Ravens will need to make a corresponding transaction to officially sign McKie, but no announcement has been made at this time.