AFC Title Rematch Pits Pittsburgh Steelers And Baltimore Ravens On SNF

NFL News - November 24th, 2009 - Written by John

Weeks ago, any game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens appeared to simply be a grappling match for position atop the AFC North standings, with a playoff advantage also being a secondary reward. But no one could've imagined their Week 12 game in Baltimore would likely mean one of the team's would be dangerously close to missing the whole thing, while the winner would simply have a leg up on clinching a wild card berth. But after disappointing stretches, and an out-of-left-field improvement by the Cincinnati Bengals, certainly one of the two teams will be on the outside looking in.

All the better for a Sunday Night Football game that will serve as an appetizer to one of the most anticipated Monday Night Football games a day later.

The Baltimore Ravens were a surprise favorite over the Indianapolis Colts last week, and again will be favored by 2 points, as listed at Bodog Sportsbook. The over/under is 42.

Pittsburgh is 4-1 against Baltimore recently, including a 23-14 win in the AFC Championship game last year that covered the six-point spread in the NFL Betting Lines, but hasn't won handily, covering the spread only once in the last nine games.

Meanwhile, the Ravens have gone 10-4 at home in the last 14, covering the spread all four times. They almost upset the Indianapolis Colts last week, but Joe Flacco was picked off late in the game, Ed Reed fumbled a punt return, and they fell 14-12.

On the same day, the Pittsburgh Steelers succumbed to probably the ugliest loss of the day, making the headlines when it's daunting secondary was lit up by the Kansas City Chiefs in an overtime loss, dropping the defending champs to 6-4 on the year with a loss to the Chicago Bears also hovering.

Certainly both teams are on drastically different tracks than last year, and both will be without their defensive cornerstones. For Baltimore, it's Terrell Suggs (although it can certainly be said that Ray Lewis is the cornerstone. We're going with the younger player), who was cut low two weeks ago on an interception return that left him hobbled for at least three weeks. For Pittsburgh, it's Troy Polamalu, who re-injured his vulnerable knee for the second time two weeks ago against Cincinnati.

The Steelers will, though, have Ben Roethlisberger. He suffered a mild concussion against the Chiefs, but has since passed all the required tests to keep him in the lineup. He threw for 398 yards and three touchdowns before leaving the game, and has 2,867 yards for the year.

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