... And now we're down to four. If the NFL isn't a true example of the survival of the fittest, I don't know what is. Sixteen regular-season video games, plus at the very least a single much more of clawing and hitting and punching and yelling, and we're up to the championship video games on Sunday. It's even a bruising experience for the fans.

Saturday's game was a clash of titans. There is no other strategy to put it. My hat is off to the Ravens. They're one tough bunch of hombres. Coming in to the hostile surroundings of Heinz Area with 64,000 leather lungs waving Terrible Towels, it has to be daunting. Right after taking the initial kickoff and staying stifled, they saw the Steelers march to a touchdown on their very first possession. But then the Ravens scored 21 unanswered points and went to the locker space with a 21-7 lead at halftime.

It looked bleak for the Steelers. In seeking back, however, the 21 factors have been scored mostly from the Steelers shooting themselves in the foot via turnovers. Apparently, the Steelers quietly vowed to straighten out that predicament inside the second half. The third quarter told the tale. The Steelers held the Ravens to a net yards gained in that quarter to -4. Yes, minus-4 yards. That allowed the Steelers to claw their way back and make way for Ben's unbelievable connection with rookie Antonio Brown, which led to the winning touchdown. Houshmandzadeh and Boldin dropped some important passes, as well. Those items occur ... and always in the wrong time.

I know there are a few bitter emotions around the portion of some Ravens fans regarding the officiating. But I can assure you it cut both ways. Harrison was held continuously but it was never ever known as. Ben was roughed up on that abortive fumble that turned into an easy TD for the Ravens. But this was never known as either. In reality, nobody is ever charged with roughing up Ben. Even, as I've stated prior to,Tim Tebow Jersey, when

Suggs broke Ben's nose and received a $35,000 fine from the league,Air Conner Shoes, no penalty was called. And to put the officiating point to rest, let us appear at some stats:

Net Rushing Yards: Steelers 71, Ravens 35
Net Passing Yards: Steelers 192,Haloti Ngata Jersey, Ravens 91
Total Net Yards: Steelers 263, Ravens 126
Time of Possession: Steelers 34:28, Ravens 25:32

I've to say 1 word about Suggs. His chest thumping and celebration soon after each play gets old (I think he's auditioning for Ray Lewis' rantings before video games when Lewis eventually hangs them up.). But he lived within the Steeler backfield all game. The guy is actually a force. He'll be back following year with a vengeance, as will the many Ravens,Le'Ron McClain Jersey, and also the rivalry, which is virtually a Backyard Brawl, will continue.

There wasn't any person in Pittsburgh not rooting for the Jets on Sunday in Foxborough. Every single Steeler fan understands that Belichick/Brady has the Steelers' quantity. Time following time, Belichick has drawn up game plans to exploit Steeler weaknesses. Brady and firm have executed them well. Invariably, these have led to Patriot wins, such as a 39-26 thumping in mid-November. The thought of having to head to Foxborough next Sunday to face B/B nevertheless yet again was difficult to contemplate. Together with the Jets' win, the Steelers' fans fondest wish was fulfilled. Not merely don't they've to play the Patriots in Foxborough, but they play the Jets in Pittsburgh. But a single is cautioned to be wary of what a single wishes for. The Jets undressed the Patriots following suffering an ignominious defeat earlier in the season by a 45-3 score. My hat is off to Ryan who definitely drew up a game program that B/B could not answer. So, the question is: If Ryan could devise a game program to roundly defeat the Patriots, may be also be capable of performing the identical towards the Steelers?

In seeking forward to Sunday's game, the Steelers' clear weakness may be the offensive line. A makeshift unit all season, because of season-ending injuries to Willie Colon and Max Starks, it was actually devastated on Saturday evening when Flozell Adams, he of the dimension 22 shoe, was so sick in the course of halftime that he could not return. So, they moved guys about to fill the slot and made do. But Ryan will definitely expose this on Sunday. It would seem to me that the Steelers' defense may have to acquire soon after Sanchez early and late and not let him breathe. The Patriots didn't get to him once Sunday. The Steelers will have to find a way. These two teams played not too long ago as well as the Jets won by 5 factors. But with Heath Miller out, Ben had two shots from the 1-yard line to win the game. Each instances the receivers dropped the ball. So, it was awfully close in December and we'll see what happens on Sunday.

By the way, I thought the Packers would defeat the Falcons. The Packers are hard, developed inside the mold with the Steelers and Ravens. The Pittsburgh kid, Mike McCarthy,Broncos Jersey, has them purring. It wouldn't surprise me if they beat the Bears on Sunday. Appropos of practically nothing, McCarthy is from Greenfield (appropriate down the road from exactly where I'm sitting) as was Greenfield Jimmy Smith. Smith was Billy Conn's father-in-law, and even though Conn was lightweight champion from the planet and almost beat Joe Louis in 1941, Greenfield Jimmy was acknowledged to possess decked Conn. Hard dudes, these guys from Greenfield.
A single last word: There had been three hugely sought right after quarterbacks inside the 2003 NFL draft, Eli Manning, Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger. Manning was drafted very first from the Chargers and the Giants took Rivers proper soon after that. But Eli wished to play in New York. So, the Giants and Chargers traded their draft picks. Ben was taken from the Steelers who have been picking within the 11th slot. Win or drop subsequent week, even with his off-season exploits (he appears to possess straightened himself out considering that then), and his playing both using a broken nose and broken foot an excellent deal of the season, is there any doubt in anyone's mind as to which in the 3 will be the genuine prize of the 2003 draft?

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