AFC Championship Preview: Ravens-Steelers, Round III

THE JOURNEY

September 29th, 2008 -- the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers clash at Heinz Field on Monday Night Football, in rookie QB Joe Flacco's first NFL road game and national television debut. Despite an impressive showing, the Ravens would fall to the Steelers in overtime, 23-20.

December 14th, 2008 -- the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers meet in a late-afternoon showdown at M&T Bank Stadium, in a battle for the AFC North divisional crown. A controversial touchdown within the final minute of the game would be the deciding score, as the Ravens would again fall to the Steelers, 13-9.

January 18th, 2009 -- the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers square off one last time at Heinz Field in the AFC Championship game, with a trip to Super Bowl XLIII at stake.

After a 5-11 campaign in 2007 that brought about a coaching change and, in effect, a cultural change, the Ravens were seemingly resigned to a rebuilding year without postseason aspirations. However, the hiring of John Harbaugh as the third head coach in franchise history would prove to be the instant catalyst for a season characterized by growth and filled with pleasant surprises.

With a brand-new team philosophy ("W.I.N. -- What's Important Now") and a unified locker room, the Baltimore Ravens completed the 2008 regular season with a 6-game turnaround, finishing at 11-5 and headed into the postseason as the sixth seed in the AFC.

Two games later, the Ravens advance to the AFC Championship, just one game away from the Super Bowl in Tampa, FL -- the site of the Ravens' first Super Bowl victory, 8 years ago. Appropriately, just as they vanquished two opponents in the playoffs whom they had previously played in the regular season, the Ravens must once again face a familiar foe -- this time, the archrival Pittsburgh Steelers, whom they had failed to defeat twice in 2008 by a mere total of 7 points.

Their two previous meetings were marked by controversial calls that directly impacted the momentum of each game; Jarret Johnson's personal foul penalty extended a Steelers drive that would result in a TD that sparked Pittsburgh's eventual comeback in the first game, while the second game's infamous TD catch by Santonio Holmes speaks volumes in itself.

THE KEY

Just as penalties played a factor in both games, so too did physicality, as both teams flexed their muscles and lived up to their hard-nosed reputations. In both meetings, neither team had a true offensive advantage as old-school defensive football was on display, as with every Ravens-Steelers game.

The Ravens' and Steelers' bread-and-butter on offense has traditionally been the ground attack, and this season is no exception. However, even with a healthier Willie Parker in the Pittsburgh backfield, the stingy Ravens defense has not allowed Parker to have success against them throughout his entire career. On the other side, Baltimore's Le'Ron McClain has found a measure of success against the Steelers' stout defense this season, but will likely struggle due to the wear-and-tear of having played 17 straight weeks without a bye.

Though defense will rule the day, this rematch will be decided by turnovers, with the team committing the fewest mistakes, walking away the victor. Rookie QB Joe Flacco has been mistake-free this postseason, having yet to take a sack nor commit a turnover en route to becoming the first rookie QB to win two road playoff games in NFL history. However, the Steelers have been the bane of Flacco's existence this season, having posted his worst performance of his young career against Pittsburgh in their Week 15 matchup. Flacco will need to stay true to the team's formula for success by taking care of the ball and making smart throws. However, managing the game will not be enough against the Steelers, and Flacco will need to make plays to ultimately put points on the board that will win the game. This meeting will be the biggest test of Flacco's development as a QB, and the biggest priority will be to protect the football to ensure that his team punches their ticket to Tampa in two weeks.

Should Flacco avoid costly mistakes, the onus will be on Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger to deliver in what will likely develop into a high-pressure, clutch situation. Though Roethlisberger is masterful at keeping plays alive and thrives under pressure, he must be conscious at all times of All-Pro FS Ed Reed's location, or risk throwing an interception that will likely lead to the game-winning score.

In the biggest game of the season for both teams thus far, there is no room for error -- especially for the team that wishes to play in the biggest game of their careers in two weeks.

THE GLORY

On Sunday, two identical teams in the same division with the same goal will square off. Both teams will beat their chests and pound their counterparts into submission. With pride, glory, and an opportunity to compete for the sport's richest prize on the line, a mere whistle will not be enough to contain the seismic activity after each snap. The game will be a lesson in physics, brutality, and athleticism, as the nation will learn the limits of the human body when subjected to the human equivalent of a car crash.

Every inch will count. Every second will be one more step towards the sport's biggest stage. Every tackle, every catch, every throw, every run -- every play will make history.

This Sunday's game is the football equivalent of a heavyweight title bout. This is the age-old battle between the Unstoppable Force and the Immovable Object.

For Ravens and Steelers fans, this Sunday is the real Super Bowl.