Baltimore versus Pittsburgh, Philadelphia versus Arizona, who would have seen this scenario in September? Surely, the Ravens and Steelers have one of the hottest rivalries in the NFL that could evolve into the kind of relationship fans think of when the Yankees play the Red Sox, Michigan plays Ohio State in college football, or North Carolina plays Duke in men's basketball. The NFC contest is more the odd-couple. Arizona has had chances to build a competitive team for years and rise above the status of the Detroit Lions. This year, they did it. Philadelphia has been an extremely strong team in the McNabb/Reid era though seldom are recognized as such as untimely injuries and other setbacks have kept a strong team from the promised land for many season.
The Steelers are between a six and seven point favorite to beat the Ravens. They've been one step better and perhaps a little luckier than the Ravens this year. That they finished a game ahead in the AFC North Standings shows that as do their two games that went down to the bitter end where Pittsburgh had just enough to win. The experts are correct to dubb the Steelers as the favorite, but one step forward by the Ravens, the Ravens win. One step back by the Steelers, the Ravens win. Winning three straight against a team like the Ravens even at home is a tough challenge. This game could well be determined by a field goal and the team that has the wind at its back and doesn't have to kick into the open end of Heinz Field in the fourth quarter could win. Go RAVENS!!!! We want the Vince Lombardi Trophy to reside just south of the Mason-Dixon line.
The Eagles are a field goal favorite in Arizona. The home team gets a three point bounce, so this game is seen as a draw to the Vegas crooks. We like the Eagles. They have more weapons and they've shown to have a much tougher defense than expected that should be able to rattle Kurt Warner and his attack on offense. Give Arizona credit. Maybe Atlanta was a pretty equal foe, but Carolina should have clobbered them. How much of it was Arizona's strengh and not a Carolina choke is up for debate. So many of the Panthers problems appeared to hinge on poor decision making and horrible execution rather than being overpowered by a greater team.
We love the notion of a Baltimore-Philadelphia Super Bowl. If we weren't Ravens fans, an all-Pennsylvania Super Bowl would be fun to consider too. The "exo-burbs" of Baltimore and Philadelphia overlap on the Eastern Shore of the Susquehanna River. Each team's home field is just another exit off of Interstate 95, about 100 miles apart. Both Balimore and Philadelphia have teams with quite an attitude. What a joy it is to remember the once great Baltimore Orioles beat the Philadelphia Phillies in five games in the 1983 World Series. Only the prospects of facing the Redskins could create more energy in Baltimore. Likewise, having to conquer Pittsburgh to get there is perhaps the most exciting rival Baltimore could face to earn the right to fight for the championship. Baltimore and Pittsburgh have so much in common, former industrial cities, baseball teams with a great history that have been nowhere to be found in the last decade plus, and a certain "blue collar" attitude toward their football teams. A Ravens win will elevate the Baltimore/Pittsburgh rivalry into being legitimized as one of the great rivalries in all of sports.
The Ravens can do it, but they will need to play their best game with some key players hurting. It will be a game determined by will and wind quite possibly needing a Matt Stover field goal to win the game. A low socring game decided by a field goal could be the outcome.
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