Read More: James Harrison (LB – PIT), Troy Polamalu (SS – PIT), Ben Roethlisberger (QB – PIT), Vince Young (QB – PHI), Cedric Benson (RB – CIN), LaMarr Woodley (LB – PIT), Andre Caldwell (WR – CIN), Jerome Simpson (WR – CIN), Rashard Mendenhall (RB – PIT), Mike Wallace (WR – PIT), Antonio Brown (WR – PIT), Andy Dalton (QB – CIN), A.J. Green (WR – CIN), Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers

Sunday afternoon couldn’t come sooner for Steeler Nation. After a heartbreaking 23-30 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football in Week 9, fans are hoping the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) can get back in the win column on the road against the surging Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) prior to their bye week.  The winner on Sunday will, at worst, have sole possession of second place in the AFC North. Were Baltimore to lose at Seattle, the winner would vault into first place in the division, and in the case of the Bengals first place in the entire AFC. 

Here’s a few facts, figures and trends for the two teams heading into Week 10:

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

• With win, Mike Tomlin can join HOFer Chuck Noll (193), Bill Cowher (149) & Raymond ‘Buddy’ Parker (51) as 4th head coach in club history to reach 50 regular-season wins.
• Steelers have won 8 of past 9 at Cin.
• QB Ben Roethlisberger is 6-1 at Cin. & has 10 TDs vs. 5 INTs & 98.7 passer rating. Aims for 4th straight game with 300+ passing yards (361, 365, 330).
• RB Rashard Mendenhall had 99 rush yards with 1 TD in last game at Cin. Mendenhall (24) needs 1 rush TD to become 8th player in Steelers history with at least 25 rush TDs.
• WR Mike Wallace aims for 3rd consecutive game with 100+ rec. yards (102, 110) at Cin. 
• WR Antonio Brown had career-best 109 rec. yards last week & has reached 100+ rec. yards in 2 of past 3.
• LB LaMarr Woodley  (48) needs 2 sacks to become 6th player in franchise history with 50 career sacks. Unfortunately, it appears as if Woodley will have to wait until after the bye week to accomplish that feat, as he’s been ruled out for Sunday with a lingering hamstring injury.
• LB James Harrison has 5 sacks in 5 games in ’11. Harrison has 3 sacks in past 4 vs. Bengals.
• S Troy Polamalu tied career-best with 2 INTs in last meeting vs. Cin., incl. 45-yard INT-return TD 

BENGALS:

• With win, Cincinnati can tie for 2nd-longest single-season win streak in franchise history (6 in ’73, ’75, ’88).
• Rookie QB Andy Dalton (2nd round, No. 35) had career-best 3 TD passes last week. Dalton has 12 TD passes, most by rookie in team’s 1st 8 games of season since merger (’70). Dalton aims to become 1st rookie QB w/ 6 straight wins since Vince Young (6) in ’06. Dalton (1,696) needs 159 passing yards to surpass Greg Cook (1,854 in ’69) for most passing yards by rookie in club history.
• RB Cedric Benson is averaging 81 rush yards per game in past 3 in Nov. (243 total).
• Rookie WR A.J. Green (1st round, No. 4) leads NFL rookies in rec. (40), rec. yards (599) & TD catches (5).
• WR Andre Caldwell recorded 2nd TD catch of season last week. 
• WR Jerome Simpson aims for 3rd consecutive game with TD rec…Bengals allow 85.4 rush yards per game in ’11, 2nd-best in NFL (49ers, 70.8)…Defense has recorded 9 FRs this season, 2nd-most in NFL (Bal., 10).

Read More: Troy Polamalu (SS – PIT), Arnaz Battle (WR – PIT), LaMarr Woodley (LB – PIT), Emmanuel Sanders (WR – PIT), Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals

The Pittsburgh Steelers have ruled linebacker LaMarr Woodley out for Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to the team’s injury report. Woodley did not participate in Friday’s practice, nor did wideouts Arnaz Battle and Emmanuel Sanders or safety Troy Polamalu. Woodley, Battle, and Sanders will miss Sunday’s game, but the team lists Polamalu as probable.

Woodley has 36 tackles (24 solo) for the Steelers this season, as well as an AFC-leading nine sacks. His absence means Pittsburgh will have a diminished pass rush to disrupt Bengals rookie quarterback Andy Dalton. As Neal Coolong of Behind the Steel Curtain writes, the return of James Harrison to the lineup against the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday helped mask Woodley’s absence somewhat.

Elsewhere on the injury report, Harrison did not practice in full Friday due to a toe injury, but the team lists him as probable. Wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery, linebacker James Farrior, guard Doug Legursky, linebacker Stevenson Sylvester, and wide receiver Hines Ward all practiced in full and appear listed as probable.

Read More: Troy Polamalu (SS – PIT), Arnaz Battle (WR – PIT), LaMarr Woodley (LB – PIT), Emmanuel Sanders (WR – PIT), Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals

The Pittsburgh Steelers have ruled linebacker LaMarr Woodley out for Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to the team’s injury report. Woodley did not participate in Friday’s practice, nor did wideouts Arnaz Battle and Emmanuel Sanders or safety Troy Polamalu. Woodley, Battle, and Sanders will miss Sunday’s game, but the team lists Polamalu as probable.

Woodley has 36 tackles (24 solo) for the Steelers this season, as well as an AFC-leading nine sacks. His absence means Pittsburgh will have a diminished pass rush to disrupt Bengals rookie quarterback Andy Dalton. As Neal Coolong of Behind the Steel Curtain writes, the return of James Harrison to the lineup against the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday helped mask Woodley’s absence somewhat.

Elsewhere on the injury report, Harrison did not practice in full Friday due to a toe injury, but the team lists him as probable. Wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery, linebacker James Farrior, guard Doug Legursky, linebacker Stevenson Sylvester, and wide receiver Hines Ward all practiced in full and appear listed as probable.

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 10:

[+] Enlarge

Andy Lyons/Getty ImagesAndy Dalton and the 6-2 Bengals host the 6-3 Steelers on Sunday.

Rough on rookies: The Pittsburgh Steelers look to continue their domination of rookie quarterbacks when they face the Bengals’ Andy Dalton. Since Dick LeBeau returned as defense coordinator in 2004, rookie quarterbacks are 1-11 against the Steelers, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The only rookie who has beaten Pittsburgh was Baltimore’s Troy Smith in the 2007 regular-season finale, when the Steelers rested many of their starters. Pittsburgh has held rookies to a 62.8 passer rating with seven touchdown passes and 12 interceptions. The Ravens’ Joe Flacco has lost three times to the Steelers in his 2008 rookie season, and the Browns’ Colt McCoy lost twice to Pittsburgh last year in his first NFL season.

Looking to avoid another trap: In John Harbaugh’s first three seasons, the Ravens lost only once to a team with a losing record at the time. They’ve done it twice this season. After a season-opening rout of Pittsburgh, the Ravens fell flat in a loss at Tennessee. After a convincing Week 5 win over AFC South-leading Houston, Baltimore didn’t show up in an upset loss at Jacksonville. Now, after another win over Pittsburgh, the Ravens insist they’re not overlooking the 2-6 Seattle Seahawks. Harbaugh has referred to this disturbing trend as the Ravens’ “Achilles’ heel so far this season.”

Getting run down: Over the past two weeks, running backs have gained 421 yards against the Browns, averaging 5.9 yards per carry and scoring three touchdowns. In comparison, Cleveland’s entire offense has produced just 41 more yards during that time. Three running backs have reached 115 yards against the Browns in the past two losses, which is a concern in facing 1-7 St. Louis. Rams running back Steven Jackson is going for his third straight 100-yard game, which would tie the second-longest streak of his career (according to ESPN Stats & Information). Jackson, 6-foot-2 and 236 pounds, is “bigger and stronger” than anyone the Browns have faced this season, Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron said.

Soaring from the start: Baltimore, which ranks second in scoring defense, is the only NFL team that has shut out every opponent this year on the opening drive. Baltimore has allowed only 13 points in the first quarter, which also leads the NFL. It would be a surprise to see the Ravens’ shutout streak end in Seattle. The Seahawks have yet to score in the first quarter against three AFC North teams this season. The division has held Seattle to five points per game (one touchdown, three field goals).

Air attack: Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has thrown for at least 300 yards in a franchise-record three straight games. He has 1,068 passing yards since Week 7, the most in the NFL during that span (according to ESPN Stats & Information). The Bengals’ pass defense has been stingy, giving up eight touchdowns through the air, which is the third-fewest in the league. The Bengals can take pride in the fact that they’ve allowed only one 300-yard passer this season. But that achievement is tarnished a bit when you learn that the quarterback who threw for 323 yards against Cincinnati was Seattle’s Tarvaris Jackson.

The AFC North has been wild this year. The season started with the Baltimore Ravens absolutely drubbing the Pittsburgh Steelers, establishing a possible early dominance in the division. But as the season progressed, the Steelers have bounced back, the Ravens have made a case for why they could be an AFC favorite and the young Cincinnati Bengals have surprised everyone by going 6-2, creating a virtual three-way tie for first place (the Steelers are 6-3, but have not yet had a bye week). This AFC North division race is going to continue to be a tight one, but at the end, look for the Pittsburgh Steelers to emerge on top.

Most recently, the Steelers lost their second game of the season to the Baltimore Ravens in a game that came down to the final minute. Led by quarterback Joe Flacco, the Ravens were able to come back from a 20-16 deficit on a touchdown pass to rookie receiver Torrey Smith. A game in which the Steelers controlled for the most part was out of their hands, and they took the loss. Although Pittsburgh lost to Baltimore both times this season, Pittsburgh has shown something on both sides of the ball that the Ravens have not–consistency. Once the Steelers picked up their play following the season-opening loss to Baltimore, they’ve been dominant as always defensively and executed the offense as expected. The Ravens, on the other hand, have shown their defensive dominance, but have struggled at times offensively. Joe Flacco has played well recently, but going back just three games, he had a less-than-spectacular performance against the mediocre Jacksonville Jaguars. Additionally, a huge part of the Ravens’ offense is their running game, which was non-existent in that game against the Jags. It makes analysts wonder whether the offensive coaching is responsible because running back Ray Rice is a Pro-Bowl-caliber back. With these flaws offensively, the Ravens are a tougher team to pick. In addition, Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been having a good year, and running back Rashard Mendenhall has made big contributions as well to the offense.

Consistency always helps make a safe pick. But there is another reason why the Steelers are a better pick to win the division over both Baltimore and Cincinnati: experience. The players on the Steelers have, for the most part, all been to the playoffs before. Just a season ago, the Steelers were in the Super Bowl. Many of the returning players know exactly what it takes to get back there. Although the Ravens have experienced players in terms of the playoffs, very few, if any ,have made it to the Super Bowl other than Ray Lewis. The defense of the Ravens, like that of the Steelers, is championship quality and could propel them to the Super Bowl, but the Steelers are a much safer choice.

We’re halfway through the season, and the remaining schedules of each team also contribute to this decision. The Steelers have a much lighter schedule than the Ravens for the rest of the season, which is just another reason why the Pittsburgh Steelers will win the AFC North division. 

“To be quite frank with you, it stung as much yesterday as it did on Sunday night, as it should,” Tomlin said. “We lost a very tough, close ballgame, highly contested. … Hopefully we will grow and learn from it. I know those will be our intentions. I truly believe that it will strengthen us moving forward.”

If the Steelers (6-3) want to stay in the playoff picture in the crowded AFC, they don’t really have a choice. A hangover of any kind could be costly, particularly on Sunday against surprising Cincinnati (6-2).

The Bengals have won five straight and typically play Pittsburgh tough no matter how their season is going.

“Really, when you think about it, the last couple of years, the ball has ended up in their hands inside the 10-yard line or so, to win it at the very end,” Tomlin said. “We were fortunate enough to make a play a year ago. We weren’t the year before that.”

The Steelers have been making very few game-changing plays on defense this year. Their four takeaways are tied with woeful Miami for last in the league.

Tomlin would rather his team play smart than take aggressive risks to get the ball and pointed to a pair of missed opportunities in Baltimore’s last drive as to how thin the difference is between getting a takeaway and getting burned.

“I thought we had them moving very early in the drive, in the pocket,” Tomlin said. “We had a swipe at the ball that we missed. We had a third-and-1. We had our hands on the football. We had a fourth-and-1 that the ball just reached the outstretched fingertips of a defensive lineman in the rush lane, and they completed it to Anquan Boldin. To make a long story short, they made all of the necessary plays and we missed a few of them by a hair.”

The defense played relatively well until the final drive. Linebacker James Harrison showed no ill effects of the fractured right orbital bone that kept him out a month, finishing with three sacks and a forced fumble.

Tomlin is hopeful Harrison can be joined on the field by longtime teammates LaMarr Woodley and James Farrior next week. Woodley missed the Baltimore game with a hamstring injury while Farrior sat for the second straight game with a calf problem.

Both players will be evaluated later in the week, though Tomlin was encouraged by replacement Jason Worilds.

“I liked the tempo in which he played with,” Tomlin said. “I thought he was physical. No question there is room for growth. But if you are just looking at his first substantial action as a defensive player, I thought it was a great place to begin.”

Linebacker isn’t the only position with injury problems. Emmanuel Sanders will be out “a couple weeks” after having his knee scoped while Jerricho Cotchery will be limited early in the week with swelling in his knee. Arnaz Battle is dealing with a strained hamstring.

Tomlin expects to have veteran Hines Ward available. Ward left the Baltimore game in the second quarter with concussion-like symptoms following a head shot from Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis.

“It shouldn’t prohibit him or slow him down in any form or fashion here,” Tomlin said.

If Cotchery, Sanders and Ward can’t go it’s likely the team would activate Tyler Grisham from the practice squad.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

On November 6, 2011, the Baltimore Ravens (6-2) defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) 23-20 with a touchdown strike with just 8 seconds remaining. It was another classic chapter in the NFL’s best rivalry. The Ravens earned my respect. Last night, I couldn’t write that. The loss was too shocking and bitter. But today, after a little reflection, I can write without lashing out, I hope.

No excuses—the Ravens won the game and deserve all the respect and credit. QB Joe Flacco(notes), even after giving up a sack-fumble that could have been the game-changer, calmly moved his team 92 yards for the winning score in the last two minutes. He overcame a fourth down and several drops by his receivers to complete the drive. For the winner, he even went back to rookie WR Torrey Smith(notes), who had missed an earlier touchdown catch on a well-thrown deep ball. For this game, at least, Joe Flacco was the QB the Ravens needed, bailing out a defense that was not dominant.

What it means for the Steelers

The Steelers are now in chase position for the AFC North division crown. They are a half game out of first behind the Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals. However, to pass the Ravens, the Steelers need the Ravens to lose at least two games. And the Steelers have to win. The Steelers are now 1-1 in their three game gauntlet before their off week. They must beat the surprising Bengals next week in Cincinnati or they will really be in a tough position to even make the playoffs. Cincinnati, though, has a chance to stir up the normal two team race in the AFC North with four games against the Steelers and Ravens in the coming weeks.

The silver lining

Ever an optimist, I can’t view the loss as the end of the world. The Steelers had a chance to win because of several positive developments. The offensive line was stellar. Ben Roethlisberger(notes) had time to throw all night. He was only sacked once on a third and goal where he tried to let the play develop. The running game was also effective as Rashard Mendenhall(notes) averaged 4.0 per rush. He also punched in a short touchdown on first down from the half yard line. Recently, the Steelers have been unable to rush in these short scores.

The Steelers also continued to show great depth and flexibility. With linebackers James Farrior(notes) and Lamarr Woodley(notes) out, the Steelers welcomed back James Harrison(notes) and Jason Worilds(notes). Harrison was a man possessed, showing no ill effects from his orbital bone injury. He finished with 3 sacks among his 8 tackles. The Steelers also had to explore their depth at wide receiver as Emmanuel Sanders(notes) was out for a funeral and Hines Ward(notes) was knocked out of the game early. Jerricho Cotchery(notes), a gritty receiver I always respected with the New York Jets, played well. He caught three passes for 44 tough yards. TE Heath Miller(notes) also chipped in to keep the chains moving. The Steelers are flush with offensive weapons.

The Steelers continue to improve their depth and get healthier. In previous seasons, for example, an injury to DE Aaron Smith(notes) devastated the defense. Now, there are plenty of guys (like Ziggy Hood(notes) and Steve McLendon(notes)) stepping up to fill holes. The Steelers have drafted well to improve their depth. I think the Steelers will still compete for a playoff berth and be a dangerous opponent. It would be quite exciting to see a playoff rematch with these Ravens. Respect, yes, but I still hate them. Here we go, Steelers, here we go!

Sean Durity is a Terrible Towel twirling Steelers fan living in Atlanta. He grew up cheering the 1970s dynasty and appreciates the organization’s excellence even more as an adult.

More from this contributor:

Steelers Face Three Game Gauntlet Before Bye: A Steelers Fan’s View

Surging Steelers Will Stuff the Sagging Ravens: A Steelers Fan’s Preview

Why I Hate the Ravens

SOURCES

NBC’s game broadcast, November 6, 2011

Game Recap, espn.com

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

CBSSports.com wire reports
Nov. 7, 2011

PITTSBURGH — Torrey Smith’s night began with a penalty that wiped out a long Baltimore touchdown.

It ended with a catch that gave the Ravens a season sweep of Pittsburgh.

Five plays after a sure scoring strike tipped off his fingers, the Baltimore rookie receiver held onto a 26-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco with eight seconds remaining to lift the Ravens past the Steelers 23-20 on Sunday.

“For him to keep coming back to me, that meant a lot,” Smith said.

Smith was flagged for holding on the game’s first play, negating Ray Rice’s 76-yard touchdown run. But he capped Baltimore’s game-winning 92-yard drive by beating William Gay down the right sideline as the Ravens (6-2) snapped Pittsburgh’s four-game winning streak.

Flacco finished with 300 yards passing and Baltimore swept the season series from the rival Steelers (6-3) for the first time since 2006.

“This Steelers-Ravens game is a game for men,” Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said. “This is a game for big men. You’ve got to shine bright in this game if you want to win this game. And nobody shined brighter than Joe Flacco in this game.”

The Steelers appeared to be in control after rallying from a 10-point deficit to take a 20-16 lead with less than 5 minutes to go when Ben Roethlisberger hit Mike Wallace for a 25-yard score.

Pittsburgh’s defense held once and the Steelers moved in range for Shaun Suisham to attempt a 47-yard field goal that could have bumped their lead to seven.

A delay of game penalty, however, pushed Pittsburgh back five yards and the Steelers opted to punt.

“I accept responsibility for that,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “There was some hesitation on my part.”

Flacco, who fumbled midway through the fourth quarter to set up Roethlisberger’s strike to Wallace, atoned during a brilliant 13-play drive.

He converted a fourth-and-1 at the Pittsburgh 49 with less than a minute to go to keep Baltimore’s hopes alive, and Smith made up for a drop with the biggest play of his young career.

The Steelers got the ball back with 8 seconds left but Antonio Brown fumbled a lateral from Wallace and the Ravens poured onto the Heinz Field turf in celebration.

How excited were the Ravens? Harbaugh received a cut on his chin after being dropped by Baltimore general manager Ozzie Newsome.

It’s hard to blame the Ravens for their giddiness, particularly after two of their last three seasons ended on the same field.

“We swept them, but don’t be fooled — we’ll see them again in January,” Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “This is the only team in the world that can play like we play and match us blow for blow.”

With one dramatic drive, Baltimore ended Pittsburgh’s surge and moved into a tie with Cincinnati atop the AFC North.

Flacco, who had come under fire from his teammates for inconsistent play, completed 28 of 47 passes and kept his head late after spending much of the second half trying to avoid Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison.

The All-Pro sacked Flacco three times in his first game back after missing a month with a fractured orbital bone around his right eye, but Pittsburgh’s pass rush disappeared on Baltimore’s final drive. Given time to work, Flacco picked apart the NFL’s top-ranked pass defense.

Gay couldn’t stop Flacco from hitting Anquan Boldin on the crucial fourth down and then couldn’t stay in front of Smith on the game-winning play.

“That was, on my part, the worst drive ever,” Gay said.

And perhaps the finest moment of Flacco’s career.

“You don’t really have anything to lose,” Flacco said. “You either score or you don’t score. … You take a couple of shots at the end zone and see what comes of it.”

The Steelers trailed by 10 going into the fourth quarter but roared back behind Roethlisberger. Rashard Mendenhall scored from 1 yard out to pull Pittsburgh within 16-13 and Harrison swatted the ball out of Flacco’s hand on Baltimore’s next possession.

Gay recovered and Roethlisberger put the Steelers in front when he rolled right to avoid pressure and threw in the direction of Brown. Wallace streaked in front of his teammate for the score and Pittsburgh appeared to be on its way to avenging a 28-point loss to the Ravens in the season opener.

Roethlisberger finished with 330 yards passing to become the first Pittsburgh quarterback to top 300 in three consecutive games, but the Steelers’ defense couldn’t contain Flacco at the end.

Suggs picked off Roethlisberger’s pass in the third quarter to preserve a 9-6 Baltimore lead. A dozen plays later, Rice darted in from 4 yards out to put the Ravens up 16-6.

The NFL’s top-ranked defense couldn’t make it hold up, though for once Flacco bailed the defense out in a relationship that’s often been vice versa.

“In my eyes, to be totally honest with you, they’re the defending AFC champs, so they’re still the team to beat,” Suggs said of the Steelers. “But if we’re playing football throughout, we’ll see them again in January. But they’ve got to come to our house.”

Notes

• Steelers WR Hines Ward left in the second quarter with concussion-like symptoms after a helmet-to-helmet hit by Baltimore LB Ray Lewis. Tomlin called the injury “minor.”
• Pittsburgh punter Jeremy Kapinos averaged 33.3 yards on three kicks a day after being signed to replace injured Dan Sepulveda, who is out for the season with a knee injury.
• Rice, who ran for more than 100 yards against the Steelers in the opener, was held to 43 yards on 18 carries.
• Smith finished with five receptions for 71 yards.

Pondering a chance to put the Baltimore Ravens on the ropes,
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin lost track of time.

His hesitation cost the Steelers the inside track to the AFC
North title.

A late delay of game penalty pushed the Steelers out of field
goal position, and when Pittsburgh punted instead the Ravens took
advantage by driving 92 yards for the game-winning touchdown in a
23-20 victory on Sunday night.

Torrey Smith hauled in a 26-yard pass from Joe Flacco with 8
seconds remaining to snap Pittsburgh’s four-game winning streak and
allowed the Ravens to sweep their rivals for the first time in five
years.

“That’s a tough defeat for us,” Tomlin said. “We didn’t make
enough plays to win the game.”

Just one during Baltimore’s 13-play drive would have done the
trick.

Instead the Steelers (6-3) head into a showdown with surprising
Cincinnati next week wondering how the NFL’s top pass defense let
Flacco lead the Ravens the length of the field in the final
2:24.

“We had a four-point lead and our defense was on the field,”
Tomlin said. “As you can see, Joe Flacco and company did a nice
job.”

Flacco finished with 300 yards passing as the Ravens exorcised
some demons the same field where two of their last three seasons
have ended with playoff losses to their rivals.

“This Steelers-Ravens game is a game for men,” Baltimore coach
John Harbaugh said. “This is a game for big men. You’ve got to
shine bright in this game if you want to win this game. And nobody
shined brighter than Joe Flacco in this game.”

The Steelers appeared to be in control after rallying from a
10-point deficit to take a 20-16 lead with less than 5 minutes to
go when Ben Roethlisberger hit Mike Wallace for a 25-yard
score.

Pittsburgh’s defense held once and the Steelers moved in range
for Shaun Suisham to attempt a 47-yard field goal that could have
bumped its lead to seven.

Instead the Steelers wasted precious seconds deciding whether to
kick or go for it, and when the flag was throw for delay of game
the penalty moved Pittsburgh out of field goal range.

“I accept responsibility for that,” Tomlin said. “There was some
hesitation on my part.”

Flacco, who fumbled midway through the fourth quarter to set up
Roethlisberger’s strike to Wallace, atoned with 2:16 of
brilliance.

He converted a fourth-and-1 at the Pittsburgh 49 with less than
a minute to go to keep Baltimore’s hopes alive, and Smith made up
for a drop with the biggest play of his young career.

The Steelers got the ball back with 8 seconds left but Antonio
Brown fumbled a lateral from Wallace and the Ravens poured onto the
Heinz Field turf in celebration.

How excited were the Ravens? Harbaugh received a cut on his chin
after being dropped by Baltimore general manager Ozzie Newsome.

“We swept them, but don’t be fooled _ we’ll see them again in
January,” Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “This is the
only team in the world that can play like we play and match us blow
for blow.”

With one dramatic drive, Baltimore ended Pittsburgh’s surge and
moved into a tie with the Bengals atop the AFC North at 6-2.

Flacco, who had come under fire from his teammates for
inconsistent play, completed 28 of 47 passes and kept his head late
after spending much of the second half trying to avoid Pittsburgh
linebacker James Harrison.

The All-Pro sacked Flacco three times in his first game back
after missing a month with a fractured orbital bone around his
right eye, but Pittsburgh’s pass rush disappeared on Baltimore’s
final drive. Given time to work, Flacco picked apart the NFL’s
top-ranked pass defense.

Gay couldn’t stop Flacco from hitting Anquan Boldin on the
crucial fourth down and then couldn’t stay in front of Smith on the
game-winning play.

“That was, on my part, the worst drive ever,” Gay said.

And perhaps the finest moment of Flacco’s career.

“You don’t really have anything to lose,” Flacco said. “You
either score or you don’t score. … You take a couple of shots at
the end zone and see what comes of it.”

The Steelers trailed by 10 going into the fourth quarter but
roared back behind Roethlisberger. Rashard Mendenhall scored from 1
yard out to pull Pittsburgh within 16-13 and Harrison swatted the
ball out of Flacco’s hand on Baltimore’s next possession.

Gay recovered and Roethlisberger put the Steelers in front when
he rolled right to avoid pressure and threw in the direction of
Brown. Wallace streaked in front of his teammate for the score and
Pittsburgh appeared to be on its way to avenging a 28-point loss to
the Ravens in the season opener.

Roethlisberger finished with 330 yards passing to become the
first Pittsburgh quarterback to top 300 in three consecutive games,
but the Steelers’ defense couldn’t contain Flacco at the end.

Suggs picked off Roethlisberger’s pass in the third quarter to
preserve a 9-6 Baltimore lead. A dozen plays later, Rice darted in
from 4 yards out to put the Ravens up 16-6.

The NFL’s top-ranked defense couldn’t make it hold up, though
for once Flacco bailed the defense out in a relationship that’s
often been vice versa.

Now it’s the Ravens, not the Steelers, who head into the second
half of the season with the upper hand.

“We can only focus on the things that we can control and that’s
the next game,” Pittsburgh linebacker Lawrence Timmons said.
“That’s what’s most important right now.”

NOTES: Steelers WR Hines Ward left in the second quarter with
concussion-like symptoms after a helmet-to-helmet hit by Baltimore
LB Ray Lewis. Tomlin called the injury “minor.” … Pittsburgh
punter Jeremy Kapinos averaged 33.3 yards on three kicks a day
after being signed to replace injured Dan Sepulveda, who is out for
the season with a knee injury. … Rice, who ran for more than 100
yards against the Steelers in the opener, was held to 43 yards on
18 carries. … Smith finished with five receptions for 71
yards.

Welcome to the black and blue edition of the AFC North sits and starts. With the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers getting ready to meet on Sunday night, expect to make some lineup changes in preparations for the defensive war between the two teams.

Here is a look at week nine’s AFC North games:

Baltimore Ravens

Start – The Ravens defense

This pick should go without saying. Who could forget what the Ravens’ defense did to the Steelers in the first game of the season? I’m not expecting Baltimore to force seven turnovers again, but the Ravens will cause the Steelers’ offense to make some mistakes on Sunday night. This is going to be a low-scoring game with its fair share of turnovers. That’s great news if you have the Ravens as your fantasy defense.

Sit – Joe Flacco(notes), QB

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has done a great job beating up weak teams this year, but against higher-level opponents, he’s been awful. I don’t expect much out of Flacco this Sunday, and neither should you. I wouldn’t start him unless you have no one else.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Start – Larry Foote(notes), LB

With James Harrison(notes), James Farrior(notes), and Lamar Woodley struggling with injuries, Larry Foote will start at linebacker in the remixed Steelers’ defense. Foote is a good enough player to start on most teams in the NFL, and when given the opportunity to play this year, he’s been outstanding. Look for him to pick up close to 10 tackles on Sunday against the Ravens.

Sit – Ben Roethlisberger(notes), QB

I don’t think there’s any way Ben Roethlisberger has another horrible game like he did in week one, but it’s better to bench him if your backup quarterback has a better matchup. Better safe than sorry.

Cleveland Browns

Start – D’Qwell Jackson(notes), LB

While I can’t find an offensive matchup on the Browns’ offense, I’m expecting D’Qwell Jackson to have a field day against the Houston Texans. With Andre Johnson(notes) out, the Texans haven’t been throwing down field as much. Instead, they have been relying on short-to-intermediate passing routes and the running game. This means we’re going to see Jackson making a lot of plays this Sunday. Start him if you have him.

Sit – Colt McCoy(notes), QB

The Browns don’t have a running game, and they lack big play receivers to help stretch the field. That spells trouble for Colt McCoy. I don’t see him doing much damage against the Texans’ fifth-ranked pass defense. The Browns need to get McCoy help…now.

Cincinnati Bengals

Start – Cedric Benson(notes), RB

The Bengals get Cedric Benson back after his one game suspension. With the Titans reeling and Benson fresh after his week off, I’m expecting him to have a great day in Tennessee. The Titans have the NFL’s 27th-ranked rush defense, and with their own running game struggling, the Bengals are going to be able to wear down the Titans. Benson is a great start if he’s on your roster.

Sit – None

I don’t have any sits for the Bengals this week. When the season started, I never thought I’d write that about Cincinnati, but the team matches up well with Tennessee.

Derek Ciapala has been playing fantasy football for over 10 years and has hosted an IDP league every year since 2001. He’s hoping to win another trophy in this year’s league. You can follow him on Twitter @dciapala.

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PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley will not play Sunday night in the AFC North showdown against the Baltimore Ravens due to a hamstring injury sustained in last week’s win over New England.

Pittsburgh’s other former Pro Bowl outside linebacker, though, is expected to play for the first time in a month. James Harrison has missed the past four games with a broken orbital bone, but is probable and will play barring a setback in a doctor’s examination Saturday.

Also ruled out for Pittsburgh was wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who had a knee injury and has not been with the team since learning of the death of his mother on Tuesday. Guard Doug Legursky will miss his third game in a row due to a foot injury.

Linebacker James Farrior (calf) and wide receiver Hines Ward (ankle) are both questionable after sitting out Sunday’s game. Punter Daniel Sepulveda (knee) was a Friday addition to the injury report and is questionable.

Named the AFC Defensive player of the Month for October on Thursday, Woodley did not practice on Friday after being limited in participation earlier in the week.

Jason Worilds is expected to start for Woodley, with Lawrence Timmons moving back to inside linebacker due to Harrison’s return. Larry Foote would start in place of Farrior.

The winner between Pittsburgh (6-2) and Baltimore (5-2) will have a leg up in the AFC North race, although both still have two games remaining against Cincinnati (5-2).

(Sports Network) – A blowout victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers back in Week
1 helped to propel the Baltimore Ravens to the top of the list of contenders in
the AFC.

Pittsburgh has slowly been making its climb back into the conference mix and
has hit its stride just in time for Sunday’s rematch with Baltimore, this time
on the home turf of Heinz Field.

The Steelers aim for a fifth straight victory on the season and seventh in a
row at home, including the playoffs. To do that, they’ll have to shake off the
memories of a turnover-filled 35-7 defeat in Baltimore back on Sept. 11.

The Ravens’ defense was in top form in that game. Baltimore forced a
franchise-record seven turnovers, intercepting Pittsburgh quarterback Ben
Roethlisberger three times and forcing a total of four fumbles. Roethlisberger
was also sacked four times, and the Steelers’ seven giveaways were their most
in a game since also turning the ball over seven times versus Minnesota on
Sept. 24, 1995.

With the Ravens having set a club record for their largest margin of victory in
games against the Steelers, many expect Pittsburgh to be better prepared for
Baltimore’s swarming defense in this rematch.

And despite the Steelers having the second-ranked defense in the league behind
only the Ravens, Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin was quick to praise the
opposition on Tuesday.

“It’s probably a coincidence at this juncture. I am not ready to at least put
us in the conversation with the Ravens’ defense,” Tomlin said. “We are not even
close to doing what they are doing right now. Maybe statistically, but the way
they are generating splash plays sets them apart.”

Pittsburgh does have a huge win to build off of, as it defeated Tom Brady and
the New England Patriots at home for the first time since Oct. 31, 2004 with a
25-17 victory last Sunday.

The Steelers held the ball for almost twice as long as the Patriots, taking
some pressure off of their injury-plagued defense. Linebackers James Harrison
and James Farrior were out, as was defensive end Aaron Smith. Linebacker
LaMarr Woodley also suffered a hamstring issue towards the end of the game,
putting his status for this contest in doubt.

Harrison (eye) has been cleared for practice but is unlikely to play until
after the team’s Nov. 20 bye, while Farrior is battling a calf issue and is
questionable. Woodley’s hamstring was reported to be a serious injury that
could sideline him until the bye, but the linebacker said not to rule him out
for this game. Tomlin added that Woodley’s ability to practice will decide if
he plays.

Wide receiver Hines Ward also missed the New England win with an ankle issue,
but is expected to be available for this rematch.

The Steelers are trying to open a season 5-0 at home for the first time since
2007 and have won six of seven since their loss to the Ravens to take a half-
game lead over Baltimore and Cincinnati for first place in the division.

The Ravens won four of five to open the season before suffering an ugly 12-7
loss in Jacksonville on Oct. 24. They were then in danger of losing a second
straight time last Sunday to an Arizona team that came into the game with only
one win, but rallied from 21 points down to beat the Cardinals, 30-27.

Baltimore trailed 24-6 at the break, but outgained Arizona by a 249-56 margin
in the second half and scored 24 unanswered points. The Ravens then won it on
Billy Cundiff’s 25-yard field goal as time expired.

“We woke up, plain and simple,” said wide receiver Anquan Boldin. “Our offense
came out flat. We turned the ball over a couple times. We felt like we gave
them 14 points. We just woke up in the second half. We knew that we couldn’t
keep putting our defense in that situation. Still had a bitter taste in our
mouth from last week, so we wanted to come out and rectify that.”

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco said earlier this week that the come-from-behind
victory may have given the club more confidence for this game than its Week 1
rout of Pittsburgh.

“We have to look back at it and see what we did well, and see what
we can carry over to this game plan,” Flacco said of the first win over the
Steelers. “I think last week, really, was more important for our confidence
heading into this week than that week was. We always feel like we can play
with these guys and go give them a good matchup and go beat them.”

Baltimore is trying to start a season 6-2 for a second straight season and the
third time in club history.

SERIES HISTORY

Baltimore’s win at M&T Bank Stadium in the 2011 opener cut Pittsburgh’s
overall lead in this regular-season series to 18-13, and the Ravens also
handed the Steelers a 17-14 defeat at Heinz Field during Week 4 of last year,
though Roethlisberger did not play in that contest while serving a suspension.
Pittsburgh has bested Baltimore in the Steel City in seven of the past nine
seasons, however, and the Ravens have not swept the home-and-home set between
the teams since 2006.

Pittsburgh moved to 3-0 against Baltimore in postseason play with last
season’s win in the Divisional Round. In addition to a 23-14 home verdict for
the Steelers in the 2008 AFC Championship, the Black and Gold also earned a
27-10 triumph in a 2001 AFC Divisional Playoff at Heinz Field.

Including the playoffs, Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh is 3-6 all-time
against the Steelers, while Tomlin owns a 7-4 record versus the Ravens and is
6-3 in head-to-head encounters with Harbaugh.

WHEN THE RAVENS HAVE THE BALL

Flacco and the offense shook off some early turnovers that gave the Cardinals
some easy points. Baltimore managed just a pair of Cundiff field goals in the
first half, but running back Ray Rice (489 rushing yards, 33 receptions, 7
total TD) went off for a career-high three touchdowns in the second half, all
from three yards or closer. Rice ended with 63 yards on 18 carries and also
caught seven balls for 36 yards. Boldin (34 receptions, 2 TD) also had a big
day against his former team, hauling in seven passes for a game-high 145 yards.
Tight ends Ed Dickson (28 receptions, 1 TD) and Dennis Pitta (16 receptions)
made six catches each, but wide receiver Torrey Smith (15 receptions, 3 TD)
caught only three of his nine targets for 57 yards. Though he did not throw a
touchdown pass and was intercepted once, Flacco (1751 passing yards, 8 TD, 6
INT) still posted 336 yards passing, completing 31 of the career-high 51 throws
he attempted. Flacco was also sacked three times, but could have left guard Ben
Grubbs back in the lineup for the first time since Week 1 as he recovers from a
toe injury. Wide receiver Lee Evans remains doubtful with an ankle problem,
however, while both center Matt Birk and receiver David Reed are questionable
because of injuries.

Pittsburgh hasn’t allowed more than 20 points in a game since its loss to
Baltimore, a matchup in which the Ravens racked up 385 yards of offense. The
Steelers, though, now rank second overall in total defense (270.8 ypg) and
stand first versus the pass (171.6 ypg). Unlike the Ravens, the Steelers
struggle in forcing turnovers, however, as they have just two interceptions and
four fumble recoveries on the season. Overall, Pittsburgh has a turnover ratio
of minus-10 and did not force one versus the Patriots. Still, the fact that the
Steelers limited New England to just 213 yards of offense without Harrison (23
tackles, 2 sacks) and Farrior (45 tackles, 2 sacks) is impressive. Woodley (36
tackles, 9 sacks, 1 INT) managed two sacks before suffering his injury, while
Harrison replacement Larry Foote (30 tackles, 1 sack) and safety Ryan Clark (50
tackles, 1 INT) led the team with eight tackles each. Defensive end Brett
Keisel (19 tackles, 3 sacks) added a sack, while cornerback Ike Taylor (20
tackles) ended with six stops. If Woodley and Farrior can’t play this weekend,
Lawrence Timmons (37 tackles) would be the lone regular starting linebacker in
the lineup.

WHEN THE STEELERS HAVE THE BALL

Roethlisberger (2302 passing yards, 14 TD, 7 INT) has done his best in putting
the season-opening game behind him. He has just four interceptions in seven
games since getting picked off three times by Baltimore and has thrown 11
touchdown passes over the Steelers’ four-game win streak, including two versus
the Patriots. Roethlisberger finished that contest with 365 yards on 36-of-50
passing and was also picked off once. Mike Wallace (43 receptions, 5 TD) ended
with seven catches for 70 yards, but the wideout’s long was only 16 yards as
the Patriots looked to take away his deep-play ability. That left plenty of
balls for wide receiver Antonio Brown (34 receptions, 1 TD) and tight end Heath
Miller (30 receptions, 2 TD), with Brown pulling in nine passes that included
his first career touchdown. Miller had seven receptions for a team-high 85
yards. With Ward (26 receptions, 2 TD) out, Emmanuel Sanders (18 receptions, 2
TD) added five catches for 70 yards against New England. Seeing as the passing
offense was clicking and ranks eighth overall in the NFL, starting running back
Rashad Mendenhall (421 rushing yards, 3 TD) got just 13 carries last week, but
did turn those opportunities into 70 yards for a 5.4 average per carry.

The respected Ravens defense may have yielded 27 points last week, but short
fields and a special-teams score inflated that total. The NFL’s top-ranked unit
(263.3 ypg) actually gave up a mere 207 yards of net offense, including just
98 through the air. On the season, Baltimore ranks third against both the run
and the pass. Linebacker Terrell Suggs (33 tackles, 6 sacks, 1 INT) was all
over the field against Arizona, recording a game-high 13 tackles and a sack. He
has 13 1/2 career sacks versus the Steelers in the regular season, the most any
active player has compiled against the franchise. Safety Ed Reed (27 tackles, 1
sack, 2 INT) had a pair of interceptions in the Week 1 meeting with Pittsburgh
and Suggs had three sacks in that game. Linebacker Ray Lewis (55 tackles, 2
sacks, 1 INT) also had a pick and seven tackles in the Week 1 rout, and added
five more stops versus the Cardinals. In all, the Ravens logged six sacks
against Arizona, getting a pair from pass-rush specialist Paul Kruger (6
tackles, 3 sacks) and one each from cornerback Chris Carr (7 tackles, 1 sack),
linebacker Jarret Johnson (26 tackles, 2.5 sacks) and safety Bernard Pollard
(21 tackles, 1 sack). Rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith, who suffered an injury at
the season’s onset and has been working his way back since, is expected to see
an expanded role in this game. Though he did not log a tackle versus the
Cardinals, he did have one pass defensed.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Keep an eye on Rice. The Steelers’ defense has allowed just three 100-yard
rushers in its last 58 games dating back to 2007, but Rice has two of them.
That includes 107 yards in the Week 1 victory and a 141-yard effort in
Pittsburgh on Dec. 27, 2009.

Flacco and Roethlisberger both have their work cut out for them this week, and
whichever quarterback finds a way to make plays will likely come out on the
winning side. The edge could go to Flacco given the Steelers’ issues at
linebacker.

Keep Heinz Field involved. The Steelers are always tough to play at home and
bring an impressive run into this meeting. The Ravens are just 5-10 all-time at
Pittsburgh during the regular season and 0-3 there during the playoffs.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

While a Week 9 matchup certainly won’t decide the AFC North, especially with
Cincinnati lurking in the shadows, the victor of this key clash will certainly
have an edge should the Steelers and Ravens meet for a third time this season
in the playoffs. That being said, Baltimore’s Week 1 victory likely won’t
factor into how this game will shake down. Enough time and games have passed to
make that meeting irrelevant at this point, and the change in venue certainly
seems to favor the Steelers. Pittsburgh’s injuries on defense could be the x-
factor, but the Ravens have been just too inconsistent this year to leave Heinz
Field with a win.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Steelers 21, Ravens 17

The Sports Network

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley will not play Sunday night in the AFC North showdown against the Baltimore Ravens due to a hamstring injury sustained in last week’s win over New England.

Pittsburgh’s other former Pro Bowl outside linebacker, though, is expected to play for the first time in a month. James Harrison has missed the past four games with a broken orbital bone, but is probable and will play barring a setback in a doctor’s examination Saturday.

Also ruled out for Pittsburgh was wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who had a knee injury and has not been with the team since learning of the death of his mother on Tuesday. Guard Doug Legursky will miss his third game in a row due to a foot injury.

Linebacker James Farrior (calf) and wide receiver Hines Ward (ankle) are both questionable after sitting out Sunday’s game. Punter Daniel Sepulveda (knee) was a Friday addition to the injury report and is questionable.

Named the AFC defensive player of the month for October on Thursday, Woodley did not practice on Friday after being limited in participation earlier in the week.

Jason Worilds is expected to start for Woodley, with Lawrence Timmons moving back to inside linebacker due to Harrison’s return. Larry Foote would start in place of Farrior.

The winner between Pittsburgh (6-2) and Baltimore (5-2) will have a leg up in the AFC North race, although both still have two games remaining against Cincinnati (5-2).

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

PITTSBURGH (AP)—Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley(notes) will not
play Sunday night in the AFC North showdown against the Baltimore Ravens due to
a hamstring injury sustained in last week’s win over New England.

Pittsburgh’s other former Pro Bowl outside linebacker, though, is expected
to play for the first time in a month. James Harrison(notes) has missed the past four
games with a broken orbital bone, but is probable and will play barring a
setback in a doctor’s examination Saturday.

Also ruled out for Pittsburgh was wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders(notes), who had a
knee injury and has not been with the team since learning of the death of his
mother on Tuesday. Guard Doug Legursky(notes) will miss his third game in a row due to
a foot injury.

Linebacker James Farrior(notes) (calf) and wide receiver Hines Ward(notes) (ankle) are
both questionable after sitting out Sunday’s game. Punter Daniel Sepulveda(notes)
(knee) was a Friday addition to the injury report and is questionable.

Named the AFC defensive player of the month for October on Thursday, Woodley
did not practice on Friday after being limited in participation earlier in the
week.

Jason Worilds(notes) is expected to start for Woodley, with Lawrence Timmons(notes) moving
back to inside linebacker due to Harrison’s return. Larry Foote(notes) would start in
place of Farrior.

The winner between Pittsburgh (6-2) and Baltimore (5-2) will have a leg up
in the AFC North race, although both still have two games remaining against
Cincinnati (5-2).