Ravens At Steelers: 15 Things To Know
If you're not up for a Ravens Steelers playoff game you're not a football fan. Anytime these two teams go at it you're in for some old-school black and blue football. The teams are more alike than they'd like to admit and they're two of the best franchises in the NFL. The Steelers excellence goes back to the Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Steel Cutain days while the Ravens have been a consistent contender and a 2-time Super Bowl champ over the past 14 seasons.
The chin-straps will be snapped tightly at 8:15 Saturday night, this is Big Boy football. The Steelers are the favorites but history tells us it'll be a tight battle. 10 of the last 12 times these two have met in the regular season the game has been decided by 3 points or less.
Ravens notes
* The Ravens are 1 of only 4 teams (GB,Indy, NE) to make the playoffs 6 of the last 7 years.
* Joe Flacco has a 9-4 postseason record and is the first QB to start a playoff game in 6 of his first 7 seasons.
* Justin Forsett lead the NFL in rushing average at 5.4 yards a carry.
* Torrey Smith averages 21.6 yards a catch in the postseason (15-324,3TD's)
* Terrell Suggs has 12 career playoff sacks tied with Reggie White for 3rd all-time.
*The Ravens scored a franchise record 409 points (25.6 avg.) in the regular season.
* Playoff game experience; Suggs 15, Koch 14, Ngata 14, Flacco 13,Yanda 10.
* Justin Tuckers 89.8 FG pct. best in NFL history (min. 100 att.).
Steelers Stuff
* Mike Tomlin (87-49) has lead the Steelers to the playoffs 5 times in his 8 years as head coach.
* Ben Roethlisberger who tied for the NFL lead in passing yards (Brees) threw 6 touchdown passes in the Steelers 43-23 win over the Ravens(November 2 in Pittsburgh).
* Steelers are 3-0 against the Ravens postseason, all 3 games in Pittsburgh ('01,'09, '11).
* Steelers 33 postseason wins (33-21) tie Dallas for most in NFL history.
* Antonio Brown's 129 catches second most in NFL history (Marvin Harrison 143).
* Martavis Bryant lead AFC rookies with 8 TD catches. He had 7 in first 7 games.
* Steelers WR Darrius Heyward-Bey was a local prep star at McDonogh (Owings Mills) and linebacker Terence Garvin was leader at Loyola Blakefield.