By Odeisel

There was a time in sports, before free agency and the fluid movement of players when there was genuine hatred between teams and rivalries flourished. That kind of nastiness is hard to come by these days where players that used to beef end up teammates and the business of the game overshadows those rivalries. That ain’t the case between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the two most physical teams in the league.

Their matchups read as the irresistible force against the immovable object, with their games usually coming down to the final possession. In the last 17 games between the two teams, Pittsburgh has a 9-8 edge. Both teams have scored exactly 302 points. The difference in yards per game is a paltry 4 yards. Oh, and they finished with identical records of (12-4), with both teams having won in the other team’s arena.

(12-4, 5-3 away) VS. (12-4, 5-3 away)

Key Matchups:

Quarterback: If there is one area where the Steelers have a decided advantage, it’s at the QB position. While you may not want to be a co-ed in a bathroom with him, you want Big Ben on your side in the clutch. He’s as hard to take down (ask the prosecution) as any quarterback, he has a big arm and escapability that gives him an edge when the pocket collapses. You can’t discount two Super Bowl rings.

Joe Flacco is a solid game manager with proven post season success. He shows just enough guts and smarts to allow for the defense to make games winnable. He has a big arm and his height (6’6”) allows him passing routes that are not available to normal QB’s. While he has evolved to the point that you can win or lose with him, he’s not Roethlisberger.

Advantage: Steelers

Defense: Ray Lewis had 100 tackles this year, something he hasn’t done since 2004. It’s hard to believe he’s a decade from that title team with 15 years on the odometer. Like he says in the commercial, he plays real football, and doles out crushing hits that cause havoc and turnovers. Ed Reed led the league in interceptions with eight, despite missing games with an injury. He has a nose for the ball and always manages to end up in the right place at the right time.

When it comes to intimidation in the secondary no player is more intimidating than Troy Polamalu. His bone-jarring hits and spectacular plays give him MVP caliber impact on his side of the ball, noted by the 10 point increase in points allowed when he doesn’t play. The Steelers front line gives up almost a full yard less per carry than the Ravens.

Advantage: Push

X-Factor: Ray Rice

Ravens running back Ray Rice has emerged as their best offensive player. The Ravens won’t try and run him as much up the middle but they will get him the ball in open space and match him up against the secondary. He’s hard to tackle and built for a playoff run. If he can be successful in moving the chains and keeping Big Ben off the field, the Ravens have a great chance to reach the AFC Championship game.

X-Factor: Troy Polamalu’s Achilles Tendon

The Steelers D just isn’t the same if Troy isn’t. An Achilles injury is not something that heals right away, regardless of what the reports say about Polamalu’s progress. If he’s close to 100 percent, you can look forward to at least one of those amazing plays that only he can make whether it’s a well-timed blitz or a timely interception.

Advantage: Ravens

Look for the Ravens to keep the ball out of the air except when Bolden has a favorable one on one matchup as the result of a blitz. Look for screens for Rice out of the backfield and a disjointed Steelers offense that puts up its points via big plays or conversions produced by Big Ben’s ingenuity off broken plays out of the pocket. Overall, look for one of the most violent games you have ever seen; a hard-hitting war of attrition fought by warriors with genuine hatred for the other team’s colors. An emotional Ed Reed may make the difference.

17-14 Ravens

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