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Win Over Ravens Would Keep Hope Alive for Steelers

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12/22/2006 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - You thought last year was something, huh?

Well, should the Pittsburgh Steelers climb out of their hanging-on-by-a- thread-of-a-thread-of-a-thread abyss and actually get themselves into the playoffs with even a chance to defend their Super Bowl title from last February, consider it a worthy encore.

Coach Bill Cowher's team needs a litany of positive outcomes - ranging from losses by the Cincinnati Bengals to the capture of Osama Bin Laden - to fully erase the stain left by an inglorious 2-6 start to their post-title, post- Jerome Bettis fairy tale season.

Five wins in six games have followed since the schedule's midway point, however, with the only loss of the last half-dozen coming to this week's opponents - the Baltimore Ravens - in a punishing 27-0 whitewash on Nov. 26 at M&T Bank Stadium.

The Ravens have already guaranteed themselves a spot in the postseason, having clinched the AFC's North Division title in the midst of a successful run that's yielded seven wins in eight games since the toppling of former offensive coordinator Jim Fassel.

Head coach Brian Billick took over the play-calling duties after sacking his former Super Bowl coaching opponent, and the Ravens have responded by scoring at least 20 points in all but one game since the change was made.

Baltimore did suffer something of a scare in its Week 15 toppling of North bottom-feeder Cleveland, losing quarterback Steve McNair for the afternoon when he had a hand stepped on by Browns linebacker Andra Davis in the first quarter.

McNair was replaced by former starter Kyle Boller, who completed 13-of-21 passes for 238 yards, two touchdowns, an interception and a 104.0 QB rating in his first extended on-field action since Week 6 against Carolina.

McNair will return this week, however, and was not listed on Wednesday's injury report.

The Ravens, though third in the chase entering the weekend - trailing San Diego (12-2) and Indianapolis (11-3) - nonetheless maintain a shot at securing home-field advantage throughout their stay in the AFC playoffs.

Baltimore holds a tiebreaker advantage over the Chargers by virtue of their Week 4 victory in early October, though they would need to establish a clear advantage over the Colts, who hold an edge over the Ravens with a superior record against common foes.

"We're still in the battle to get home-field and let the playoffs go through Baltimore," linebacker Bart Scott said. "Hopefully we can keep chugging along because we know it's a huge advantage and something we're fighting for. By no means do we shut it down here."

SERIES HISTORY

The Steelers hold a 13-8 edge in the all-time regular season series with the Ravens, but as mentioned, were routed, 27-0, when the teams met in Baltimore in Week 12. The teams split last year's home-and-home, including a 20-19 Pittsburgh win when the teams met for a Monday Night showdown in the Steel City in Week 8. The home team has won the last eight installments of the series since Pittsburgh prevailed in Baltimore during the 2002 campaign. The Ravens are 0-4 in regular season games played in Pittsburgh since last winning there in 2001.

Pittsburgh won the only postseason meeting between the teams, a 27-10 triumph in a 2001 AFC Divisional Playoff at home.

Pittsburgh head coach Bill Cowher is 14-8 against Baltimore all-time (including postseason), while the Ravens' Brian Billick is 7-9 overall against both Cowher and Pittsburgh.

RAVENS OFFENSE VS. STEELERS DEFENSE

The Ravens are surely a defense-first, offense-second team, but that's not to say there's a dearth of weaponry at Billick's disposal.

McNair has been exactly the leader the team coveted when it snatched him away from Tennessee during the off-season, and the former Alcorn State collegiate wizard has responded with a solid 82.3 QB rating and 62.4 percent completion rate.

He's 9-4 in his career as a starter against the Steelers, and has thrown multiple TD passes in three of his last five meetings with them. The veteran needs 281 pass yards to join Fran Tarkenton and Steve Young as the lone NFLers with 30,000 through the air and 3,500 on the ground.

Running back Jamal Lewis has returned to his workhorse form, grinding out 986 yards in 270 carries and scoring eight touchdowns. Predictably, Baltimore is 18-3 when he runs at least 25 times in a game.

Elsewhere, the tandem of Mark Clayton (805) and Derrick Mason (710) can become the first Ravens pair since 1997 to reach 800 receiving yards apiece in a single season. And tight end Todd Heap (team-high 64 receptions) has three TD catches in four road games against division foes.

Mason and Heap were listed as questionable on Wednesday's injury report, and both were held out of practice.

Overall, the Ravens are 23rd in the NFL with 101.6 rushing yards per game, and 12th with 211.6 yards through the air. The total offense count of 313.3 yards per game is good for 19th in the league.

The Steelers defense has been particularly stingy in the recent recovery toward "on the bubble" status, allowing just 13 points in victories over Tampa Bay, Cleveland and Carolina since the loss to the Ravens. Previously, Pittsburgh had been gashed for at least 20 points in seven of eight games - going 3-5.

Rankings-wise, the Steelers are fifth overall against the run (90.4 yards per game), 15th against the pass (206.1 yards) and ninth overall (296.5 yards).

Outspoken linebacker Joey Porter leads the unit with seven sacks, and elite- level safety Troy Polamalu is first in interceptions with three. Polamalu is listed as questionable due to the lingering impacts of a knee injury, but practiced Wednesday.

Rookie safety Anthony Smith has interceptions in consecutive games.

STEELERS OFFENSE VS. RAVENS DEFENSE

This is where the numbers contrast between the teams is most likely to play out.

Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has thrown for 3,077 yards in injury-abbreviated duty, nonetheless good for third in the AFC. New primary running back Willie Parker is also third in the conference with his 1,331 yards, and is tied for third in the AFC with 11 touchdowns.

And overall, the Steelers' clip of 356.6 yards per game is also, you guessed it, third in the AFC.

But then there's the Ravens' defense.

Baltimore's turnover ratio is a league-best plus-15 overall and its limiting of foes to just 265.8 yards each week is also tops in the NFL.

On the perimeter, big names are plentiful on both sides.

For the Steelers, wide receiver Hines Ward has at least five catches in six of nine games against the Ravens and leads Pittsburgh with 61 receptions for the season.

He needs 125 receiving yards to become the second player in franchise history (John Stallworth) with 8,000 for a career.

On the other side, Trevor Pryce leads the Ravens with 12 sacks, deep man Chris McAlister has a team-best five interceptions, and Pro Bowl linebacker Adalius Thomas has at least one sack in five of his last six road games.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

Admittedly, there's not a lot to separate here.

Both teams have something left to play for - Pittsburgh for its very 2006 football life and a chance to defend its title, Baltimore for the chance at hosting a series of playoff games alongside the chilly Inner Harbor in January.

Both teams are chock full of high-profile players in the midst of successful seasons - Pittsburgh had four players (two offense, two defense) selected to the AFC's Pro Bowl roster, Baltimore had five (one offense, four defense).

Both teams are hot - Pittsburgh has won five of six, Baltimore has taken seven of eight.

And both teams have the requisite division-rival dislike for one another.

So, when all else fails, take the home (and certainly more desperate) team.

Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: Steelers 14, Ravens 13

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