Suggs Sounds Off On Steelers
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The FAN) — Baltimore Ravens defensive end Terrelle Suggs was in rare form Wednesday in a teleconference with the press.
In anticipation of the second game of the year between the Steelers and Ravens — a game that could potentially decide the AFC North come season's end — Suggs spoke his mind. He explained that he's the master of sacking Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, he called out Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward and demanded he play, and Suggs said that this rivalry is just one notch down from the Super Bowl.
"We have been declared war upon. We are the enemy of the state," Suggs said. "(Heinz Field) is my Madison Square Garden. I love playing in this stadium, I love the way the people treat me, the welcoming they give me with the No. 1's. I love it. We're going on the road in probably the toughest stadium to play in the NFL. We're expecting a physical football game. This is football. I'm guaranteeing the NFL, the world will stop for this game, and everybody wants to see it. We will be ready.
"Like I said, there is the Super Bowl and then there is Ravens-Steelers. Everybody will be watching this game."
Suggs has sacked Roethlisberger an NFL-best 15.5 times in his career and has done so in some pretty high-profile games. He sacked Roethlisberger three times in Week 1 as the Ravens forced Pittsburgh into seven turnovers in a 35-7 blowout.
Suggs was asked Wednesday if he owns Roethlisberger and refused to deny his success against the Steelers quarterback.
"You all know the numbers. There is nobody who can do it better than me," Suggs said. "It's going to be fun. I'm pretty sure they have something in store to make sure I don't have a day, but like I said, I love being the bad guy.
"We think their piss is going to be a little hot. They are definitely going to have some 'Let's get after them' to their game. But, in hindsight, who knocked us out of the playoffs last year? In 2008, a certain team beat us to go to the Super Bowl and danced all over the field, held up the AFC Championship trophy. We had to sit by and watch that. It's a little salt in the wound on both sides."
And finally, Suggs directly addressed Ward by number and pleaded that he play Sunday. Ward sat out Pittsburgh's game against New England with an ankle injury.
"I'm looking right at you 86. I need you to play," Suggs said. "Please put on that 86, that smile and all the things you do. We need all that for this this game."
