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Sneak Preview - SNEAK PREVIEW: RAVENS V. STEELERS

Photos by Sabina Moran
Posted On: 11/22/06
Written By:  
Tony Lombardi
SNEAK PREVIEW: RAVENS V. STEELERS SNEAK PREVIEW: RAVENS V. STEELERS
R-E-S-P-E-C-T: “We have a lot of respect for the Steelers, and we know what this game is about. You always hear about games where you throw out the records, and you know that it’s going to be hard fought and close. But, to say that now disrespects the Steelers. They’re not just another team. They’re the defending champions, fighting to stay in the playoff hunt. And, don’t be mistaken, they are in the hunt. So are we. We’ll get the best of the Steelers, and they’ll get the best of the Ravens. It will be physical, intense - like it always is.”  Brian Billick on the Ravens/Steelers rivalry.
 
NO TIME TO SOOTH THOSE ACHING BONES: The Steelers’ game is the 1st of 2 in a 5-day span for the Ravens, who play at Cincinnati on Thursday, Nov. 30. “We’ll try to find the fine line for making sure the players are completely prepared for both games, both mentally and physically,” Brian Billick said. “The fact that these are division games does help some. We’ve already spent a lot of time studying the Bengals when we played them a few weeks ago. We know the Steelers well, and they know us well, too.”
 
GET THE MUTE BUTTON READY: The overly opinionated Dan Dierdorf gets the microphone on Sunday’s telecast of the Ravens v. Steelers along with play-by-play partner Greg Gumbel.
 
SINCE LAST WE MET: The last encounter between the Ravens and Steelers took place on November 20, 2005 here at The Vault, a game won by the Ravens 16-13. Matt Stover drilled a 44-yarder with 4 minutes, 9 seconds left in OT to lift the Ravens past Pittsburgh, 16-13. Stover’s kick snapped the Steelers’ 11-game road winning streak -- the longest in the league.  Ironically the streak started with the Steelers' first road game following  the Ravens previous defeat of the Steelers at The Vault on September 19, 2004. The Ravens won that day by the score of 30-13.
 
Back to the last meeting between the clubs, a day when the Ravens’ defense harassed Steelers QB Tommy Maddox all afternoon. The Ravens sacked Maddox 6 times and forced 2 turnovers. LB Bart Scott and DE Anthony Weaver both had 2 sacks (Scott also had a FR), while LB Terrell Suggs picked off Maddox late in regulation. The defense was just as stiff in OT, and midway through the extra period, QB Kyle Boller moved the Ravens 30 yards into FG range.  Boller completed 21 of 36 passes for 163 yards, 1 INT and 1 TD in his 3rd start of the season. In the 2nd quarter, the Ravens scored against the stingy Steelers’ defense 3 times. Stover broke a scoreless tie 43 seconds into the 2nd period with a 47-yard FG. Pittsburgh K Jeff Reed responded with a 44-yard FG on the Steelers’ next possession, but Boller and the Ravens answered right back. They put together an 8-play, 47-yard drive capped by a 1-handed TD catch from WR Randy Hymes, good for 3 yards. Reed and Stover again traded FGs to end the half, and the Steelers tied the game when Maddox hit RB Willie Parker for an 11-yard TD pass late in regulation.
 
THAT WAS BOLLER…HOW HAS MCNAIR FAIRED AGAINST THE STEELERS?  Hey glad you asked!  Overall against the Steelers Steve McNair has thrown for 2,453 yards, completing 60.6% of his passes in 13 games against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has also thrown for 17 TDs and 120 1st downs against the Steelers. McNair has rushed for 3 TDs, averaging 4.9 yards per carry (63 rushes for 309 yards) and converted 22 1st downs on the ground against Pittsburgh. Against AFC opponents at home, McNair has completed 60.6% of his passes (963 of 1,590) for 11,269 yards and 65 TDs in 57 games. He has thrown for 561 1st downs and has 74 passes of 25-or-more yards against AFC foes at home.
 
During his most recent 3 games against Pittsburgh, McNair’s stats look like this:
 
Date
Location
Score
Att
Comp
%
Yds
TD
INT
QB Rating
9/11/05
Pittsburgh
L 34-7
26
18
69.2
219
1
1
91.7
9/28/03
Pittsburgh
W 30-13
16
15
93.8
161
3
0
148.2
11/17/02
Tennessee
W 31-23
33
18
54.5
257
2
0
100.2
 
ROLLING, ROLLING, ROLLING: During his past four games under the guidance of Brian Billick, McNair has been on a roll.  The Ravens have won all four games during which McNair has completed 91 of 135 passes for 1,013 yards, 5TD’s, 2 INT’s and a QB Rating of 95.7.
 
TRENDY FASHIONS: The trends are in favor of the Ravens when they jump out to a lead.  Consider the following:
 
> When leading at halftime: 50-7
> When leading after 3 quarters: 54-6
> When scoring 1st: 41-18
> With a 100-yard rusher: 32-9
> With a 100-yard receiver: 13-6
> When playing at home: 43-18
> When leading by at least 14 points: 44-1
 
HALFTIME ADJUSTMENTS: Brian Billick’s staff has been criticized in the past for not making the proper adjustments at halftime.  Nothing could be further from the truth in 2006.  The Ravens have blanked an opposing offense in the 2nd half 4 separate times (at Tampa Bay, at Cleveland, vs. San Diego and at Tennessee) and they have permitted an NFL-low  54 points after halftime. The next best defenses in the 2nd half include the Patriots and Bears, who have each given up 61 points.
 
BATMAN & ROBIN? Ravens TE Todd Heap and WR Mark Clayton stand in an elite group through Week 11. The dynamic duo has combined for the 2nd-most receptions (90) between a TE-WR combo (minimum 40 catches for each player). Piling up 1,068 yards, as well, the tandem also has 8 TDs thus far, which is the most of all the duos below. Here are the top 3 pairs in 2006:
 
Duo
Receptions
Yards
TD's
Winslow/Edwards
101
1,209
6
Heap/Clayton
90
1,068
8
McMichael/Welker
89
940
1
 
HITTING PAY DIRT!: Dating back to 12/18/05, no other TEs in the NFL have hauled as many TD receptions as Todd Heap and Chris Cooley’s scores. In his past 13 games, Heap is 2nd among all NFL TEs with 59 catches (Kellen Winslow, 60) for 639 yards (also good 2nd) over that span. He has also piled up 35 1st downs, 2nd only to Tony Gonzalez’s 37.
 
MOVE THOSE CHAINS…WHOOMP: WR Mark Clayton has 20 catches on 3rd down this season, 13 of which have netted 1st downs for the Ravens. Through 11/19/06, the 2nd-year playmaker has the 3rd-most 3rd-down catches in the NFL and owns the most in the AFC.
 
Rank
Player
Rec.
Yds.
Avg.
Long
TD
1.
Bush, NO
23
159
6.9
32
0
2.
Colston, NO
22
353
16.0
53
2
3.
Clayton, Ravens 
20
251
12.6
62
1
 
NOW THAT’S SPECIAL!: This offseason, the Ravens signed Pro Bowl special teamer Gary Stills (Kansas City) to add leadership to the unit. Stills, who earned a trip to Hawaii for his outstanding special teams play in 2003 (29 stops, 2 FFs, 1 FR), has consistently proven that he knows how to make big things happen on special teams coverage.Stills left K.C. as the franchise’s all-time leader in special teams tackles, also tallying 4 FRs and 3 FFs on special teams during his career. From 2002-05, no player in the NFL totaled more special teams tackles than Stills, who boasted 113 stuffs, including 25 last year. This season, he has totaled a Ravens’ team-best 29 special teams stuffs, including an eye-popping 5 tackles in last week’s win over Atlanta.

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Posted On: 11/22/06
Written By:  
Tony Lombardi

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