Rookies to play key roles in Ravens-Steelers game

Nothing in their college careers prepared Joe Flacco and Rashard Mendenhall for this.

[Dumb Idea Detector]

I am so looking forward to this game.

[Art Donovan]

Not me. Ravens on MNF always make me nervous. Remember that debacle in Denver a few years back?

Dumb Idea Detector wrote:

I am so looking forward to this game.

[Big Ben the dirty hen]

Willie Parker's not being active will tell us one thing. No running game for pitt. Even if he was in he'd be held to 40 yards and under. So let's just worry about pressuring ben. he's taken a lot of hits and he's going to need time for his receivers to get open because our coverage is so good. blitz all day and i bet we get around 5 or 6 sacks easily. hopefully fabian can cover santonio at least decently well, not letting up the deep ball. if ben even has the time to throw it. hahahahahahaha!!!!! BEWARE BEN!!! RAVENS win 16-7 in old school physical game!!!

[Palace Football Hon]

I also remember that MNF game in 2002 vs. Broncos where we put something around 31 points on the board in the first half.

[Josh]

Big Ben the dirty hen wrote:

Willie Parker's not being active will tell us one thing. No running game for pitt. Even if he was in he'd be held to 40 yards and under. So let's just worry about pressuring ben. he's taken a lot of hits and he's going to need time for his receivers to get open because our coverage is so good. blitz all day and i bet we get around 5 or 6 sacks easily. hopefully fabian can cover santonio at least decently well, not letting up the deep ball. if ben even has the time to throw it. hahahahahahaha!!!!! BEWARE BEN!!! RAVENS win 16-7 in old school physical game!!!

Is Washington good to go for tomorrow night? He's been nagging a neck injury for the past week. Anyway what I want to see from Flacco is try to get one touchdown pass if he can. I know he's a rookie, but tomorrow night is a good time for him to prove to everyone that he can play well against any D in the NFL. Let's just hope it doesn't rain tomorrow since they still have a grass field which could determine the outcome of this game.

[Joshua Radice]

On the bright side, this will have to be a total team effort on the part of the Ravens. No tricks. No West Coast dink-and-dunk. It's going to be 1970's we're-going-to-run-it-every-fr eaking-down-even-though-you-kn ow-it's-coming football.

If the O-line can make headway on the Steelers D-line, Flacco's play action passing could be devastating. If the line can't open holes, and we're stuck in third and a bus ride, then it's going to be "clean up on aisle 5".

[Mike Brown]

I agree that the Ravens O-line will be the key to this game. If they can run traps, add in a few power sweeps, and keep the Steelers defense guessing with an unbalanced line then I think they can wear them down.

If they are successful then I see the Ravens owning them come the 4th quarter.

[Flacco Aiken]

That is until I choke.