The Steelers’ James Harrison was once a Raven – for 8 days, but eventually he was a McDaniel College training camp casualty.

Clearly things have worked out for him in Pittsburgh and that has proven to be a double edged sword for the Ravens. Not only do they not have the benefit of Harrison’s services, the Ravens also must deal with him providing Pro Bowl caliber play for their arch rival.

The last time the two teams met, Harrison was involved in a very curious PAT attempt. Chris Chester fired out on the play towards Harrison’s legs and was flagged for a 5 yard penalty. Offensive linemen typically don’t fire out on PAT’s leading some Steelers to believe that Chester’s effort had dirty intent. It will be interesting to see if the Steelers try to retaliate.

Hines Ward doesn’t care all that much for the Ravens, particularly Terrell Suggs.

"I can't stand seeing Suggs celebrate. At the end of the day, you respect them, but every time I see a [Ravens] game plan, I get a big smile on my face because I can't wait to get on the field and compete."

Trust me Hines, that big smile after another of your dirty plays is far more infuriating to the Ravens.

Many team observers have questioned the Ravens perceived unwillingness to throw between the numbers. Maybe the team’s success rate in the middle of the field simply has said observers chomping at the bit for more because statistics suggest that Joe Flacco does attack there. Only Peyton Manning has thrown for more TD passes inside the numbers than Flacco (19 v. 18).

The Ravens intercepted three Matt Cassel passes on Sunday and all three came on snaps in which Baltimore had five or more defensive backs on the field. During the regular season, the Ravens were tied for first in the AFC with 17 interceptions using a nickel defense.

Some here in Baltimore have questioned the Ravens’ passing on Rex Ryan as their choice for head coach. One of the reasons they said no to Ryan was their concern about his maturity. The Ravens’ brass concluded that he did not bring the kind of leadership to the sideline that they envisioned for the team. It’s safe to say, Steve Bisciotti and his search team were right.

Ryan is not a stable head coach and while the Jets won’t admit it yet, he’s an embarrassment to their organization. The moment his team begins losing, is the moment that the Jets front office will begin plotting their Rex Ryan exit strategy.

Oh and for those who would welcome him back to Charm City as the defensive coordinator, that won’t happen either. He’s done in B’more.

Team spirit is peaking throughout the Land of Pleasant Living and Purple Passion is running rampant. Bring the spirit of Ravenstown to your home or party this Saturday and support a great cause at the same time.