Gameday

So, it’s Friday.  Two days before the big game.  And less than three weeks before the Super Bowl.  I don’t know about you, but I am already starting to feel my post-football season depression coming on.  From February through August, I think about how I can’t wait til football season starts.  Then it gets here and every Sunday is filled – starting with pre-game commentary on ESPN. 

As excited as I am that the Steelers might get the chance to win another ring and take home another trophy, I wonder what I am going to do the next 6 months.  At least last year I had politics to sustain me.  I switched from ESPN to MSNBC and even that is nonexistent anymore. 

All this to say, Steelergurl’s gotta get a life!

Now, on to the serious stuff.  Steelers vs. Ravens.

No matter what the records, this is the matchup that no matter what, always puts a knot in my stomach.  It really could go either way.  The teams defenses are #1 and #2 in the NFL, practically mirror images of each other.  Then you have Flacco, who everyone compares to a rookie Big Ben.  How much more similar could two teams be?

Even the cities of Pittsburgh and Baltimore are similar.  As Bill Toland said in today’s Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

“It’s like we’re brothers, separated at birth, possessing many of the same personality traits, only one of us had the good fortune to be raised by intelligent and caring parents, and the other tragically grew up to be a Ravens fan.”

OK, take it easy Ravens fans, I am sure he was kidding!  No need to put a “bounty” on Toland!

At the end of the day, this game will come down to two things – as most NFL games do – turnovers and penalties.  Will the Ravens defense draw the offensive line to jump?  Will they force Ben to drop the ball?  Will Ed Reed or Troy Polamalu be able to pick off our QB’s?  That’s going to determine who will win this crazy game on Sunday.

I hate to even pick, it’s so much a toss up – but I can’t go against my team. In many ways, I didn’t expect them to get this far.  But now that we’re here, I don’t see why they shouldn’t get that ring for the other hand.  I think that the Steelers defense will get to Flacco more than the Ravens will get to Ben.  Without Samari Rolle and possibly without Terrel Suggs, the Ravens are banged up and bruised.  The Steelers are at their most healthy, I think, through the whole season. 

My prediction:  Steelers 17 – Ravens 10.

Go ahead, let the comments begin!