Baltimore @ Pittsburgh

Baltimore @ Pittsburgh

This has become one of the best rivalries in the league. These teams have so much in common that they are almost carbon copies of each other. They are led stingy, hard hitting defenses with great safeties. They have 2 of the best young coaches in the league in Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh. Both teams have good quarterbacks, Roethlisberger is marching towards a 3rd Super Bowl ring and maybe putting him in the discussion with the elite qbs in the league (I do not know how he gets left out, but he is not in many peoples top 5 list despite his 2 rings), and Joe Flacco is looking to become the winningest quarterback in playoff road wins (that’s in the entire history of the NFL). The key to this game is going to be which team can control the game on the ground and which defense is going to get the key turnover. I know that Flacco is tied for the most road playoff wins, but he is not playing an overmatched Chiefs team this week, he gets the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Fact of the matter is, despite his record Joe Flacco has not played well in the playoffs. Prior to last week (when he was very impressive going 25 – 34 with 265 yards and 2 touchdowns), he was completing 47% of his passes for 132 yards per game and a 6 – 1 interception to touchdown ratio. There is no way that the Ravens can win if he plays like that. In big games, I always like a team with a better quarterback and in this game the Steelers have him. Roethlisberger is 8 – 2 in the playoffs and plays just well enough for his team to win. Look for Ben and company to do just enough at home to advance to the AFC Championship game. Steelers 16 – 13.