Why I'm rooting for the Steelers

**Maverick Hiker** · 01-06-2012, 09:13 PM

If the games tomorrow result in a New England Pittsburgh matchup the following week, then I think the Ravens road to Indianapolis would go through Foxborough. Because the Pats would beat the Steelers.

The Steelers Pats game earlier this year was an aberration. Steelers won't have the home field advantage this time. Brady has a 6-3 career record against the Steelers. It's a bad matchup for the Steelers. Pittsburgh has a hard time with New England's multiple formations. LeBeau is too old of a dog to learn new tricks. The Patriots use the spread offense to pick apart the Steelers' 3-4 defense.

**TimTheEnchanter** · 01-06-2012, 09:47 PM

Originally Posted by Maverick Hiker

If the games tomorrow result in a New England Pittsburgh matchup the following week, then I think the Ravens road to Indianapolis would go through Foxborough. Because the Pats would beat the Steelers.

The Steelers Pats game earlier this year was an aberration. Steelers won't have the home field advantage this time. Brady has a 6-3 career record against the Steelers. It's a bad matchup for the Steelers. Pittsburgh has a hard time with New England's multiple formations. LeBeau is too old of a dog to learn new tricks. The Patriots use the spread offense to pick apart the Steelers' 3-4 defense.

Rooting for the Yinzers to stay alive is like the bad guy in a movie who stops to make the witty comment before killing the hero. He always ends up getting killed before he can finish it off. I just see us sitting here with a home game against pittsburgh saying "we're undefeated at home, we beat you twice, prepare to die" thinking we've got it all wrapped up and then crapping the bed. Shoot first, make the jokes after they're dead.

Even if Houston wins, if Denver can put the Yinzers down this week, I say do it. Then we can come here and make all the witty comments about them losing to the Donkeys.

I don't think they have a great chance to beat the Pats anyway, but I'd be just as happy not to see them again. So I think we should just be happy to say good bye to them and we'll deal with the Texans and the Pats if it comes to that.

**Dirt1** · 01-06-2012, 10:38 PM

How bad is Von Miller hurt? It's a thumb injury, right? I can understand that getting in the way of shedding blockers to some extent, but I have seen a number of defensive players in the past playing with casts on their hand/wrist, and still being very effective.

**Teavo** · 01-07-2012, 01:10 AM

I get the concern about facing the Steelers again, but it could well be a choice between facing the Steelers at home versus facing the Patriots on the road. Well, it would be a choice if my wishful thinking could actually influence the outcome of NFL playoff games, but you know what I mean. Anyway, I'll take the home game, thanks.

**raveneast** · 01-07-2012, 01:19 AM

I've seen enough of the Steelers. So no, I am not routing for them.

**alien bird** · 01-07-2012, 08:25 AM

Originally Posted by TimTheEnchanter

Rooting for the Yinzers to stay alive is like the bad guy in a movie who stops to make the witty comment before killing the hero. He always ends up getting killed before he can finish it off. I just see us sitting here with a home game against pittsburgh saying "we're undefeated at home, we beat you twice, prepare to die" thinking we've got it all wrapped up and then crapping the bed. Shoot first, make the jokes after they're dead.

Even if Houston wins, if Denver can put the Yinzers down this week, I say do it. Then we can come here and make all the witty comments about them losing to the Donkeys.

I don't think they have a great chance to beat the Pats anyway, but I'd be just as happy not to see them again. So I think we should just be happy to say good bye to them and we'll deal with the Texans and the Pats if it comes to that.

Well stated. For everyone rooting for the Steelers, just think of the beating you'll take if the Steelers defeat the Ravens in the playoffs this year. You will never hear the end of it. Beating them twice and getting to the Super Bowl is enough for me. Why give them any more life?

**Maverick Hiker** · 01-07-2012, 09:28 AM

Originally Posted by Teavo

I get the concern about facing the Steelers again, but it could well be a choice between facing the Steelers at home versus facing the Patriots on the road. Well, it would be a choice if my wishful thinking could actually influence the outcome of NFL playoff games, but you know what I mean. Anyway, I'll take the home game, thanks.

I'd rather face the Patriots on the road. We handled them in the playoffs up there a couple of years ago, it wasn't even close.

As for Pittsburgh, although we would probably beat them for a third time, I don't even want to take any chance that the Ravens have an off game and lose to them. That would mean another year of gloating by Steelers fans and I don't want the Steelers anywhere near Indianapolis in February.

As has been said, we have beaten the Steelers twice and have seriously damaged their chances of making it to the Super Bowl. By making them go on the road as a wild card team.
No need to go for the hat trick by facing them third time.

The Steelers have had more than their share of Super Bowl appearances and I'd like to see them miss the Super Bowl for the next 40 years. Like the Jets who haven't been there since 1969.

I'd be very disappointed if the Ravens lost to the Patriots this year,but I could accept that and move on. It would be very difficult for me to accept losing to the Steelers.
Don't even want to take that chance.
I hope the Steelers lose to Denver tomorrow.
But just in case they don't I will be rooting for the Texans today so that Pittsburgh and New England will play next week. The Pats can handle the Steelers up there.

**Mr OC** · 01-07-2012, 09:42 AM

It won't hurt my feelings to see the Steelers one and done; however, if having the Steelers come to Baltimore is the only way to have a home AFC Championship Game, then bring it on!

**Everything_Ravens** · 01-07-2012, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by psuasskicker

Okay, so the thread title was a bit of hyperbole, but how many people would have been nearly as interested if I titled it "Why I wouldn't be too upset if the Steelers win this weekend."

I'll start out by noting that if the Steelers lose to the Broncos, I am personally going to make the lives of every Steeler fan I know a living nightmare. All week I've been touting how pathetic the Broncos are to all my Steeler fan friends, and a big part of that is because it's going to make the knife twist extra sweet if they lose.

However, I'd objectively actually like to see the Steelers come out on top in this game. I'm of course rooting for the Texans this weekend. And so why root for the Steelers? Because I think they give the Ravens the best chance to host the AFC Conference Championship game. The Steelers are simply the best team in the AFC this first round, and - coupled with the fact that they've already smashed the Patriots - have the best chance to topple New England in New England.

As such, I'm rooting for the playoff teams we face to be the Texans and Steelers.

Now, would it be nice if it's the Texans and the Broncos or the Broncos and the Bengals? Yeah, of course it would. I'd much rather have either of those. But the highest probability of our hosting two playoff games this year rests with a set of Texans/Steelers. So that's which way I'm leaning this weekend.

- C -

I agree BUT..... If this happens and you do watch the steelers trot up there and beat them for a second time WE are simultaneously going to realize that the ravens could have done the same thing! And your going to wish that we weren't playing a team that the difference between winning and losing to them is usually decided by 3 points !

Not to mention they will be highly empowered by the fact that they lost to us twice and are still standing and in a position to make both of those Ls mean nothing and go to the superbowl for the second straight year! I don't see them making it that far but if they do it will not be a steelers team you want to play! ..... That said I guess I don't agree

**ed from Bel Air** · 01-07-2012, 10:47 AM

I have been debating with myself who to root for this weekend all week. As a general rule, if the stealers were playing the Russians, I'd root for the Russians. I want to

1) Beat the crap out of the stealers here, but hate the idea of possibility of losing to these bozos (however remote).

2) have a home AFC championship game. I was fortunate enough to be at the last one in town when the Colts played the Raiders. I even threw a snowball at George Blanda in that game, before throwing snowballs at football games was judged to be politically incorrect.

The stealers winning this weekend give us the best chance to have two home playoff games (hell, we already paid for them).

After getting a headache trying to sort this all out, I have decided not to invest any emotional capital on this. I am just going to watch the games and see what happens. I am pretty sure my rooting interests will not have much of an outcome on the games.

**vinny600** · 01-07-2012, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by lobachevsky

And you think that'll stop them from whining? I can just hear them running down all their injuries (real, imaginary, & played for the press) with a mouth full of Primanti fries & Linda Ronstadt singing "Poor, Poor, Pitiful Me" in the background...

You are confusing Steelers fans with your own:

Originally Posted by bacchys

Like the Ravens in the 08-09 AFCC. A rookie QB, Mason with one arm, Gaither with one arm, Suggs with one arm. McGahee and Rice coming off injury and still dinged up. Reed playing with his neck injury. I think Heap was nicked up, too.

I don't know if baccys had Ronstadt playing or a mouthful of fries but it seems others "run down all their injuries" as well when they lose. Injuries can make or break a team this time of year.

**bacchys** · 01-07-2012, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by vinny600

I don't know if baccys had Ronstadt playing or a mouthful of fries but it seems others "run down all their injuries" as well when they lose. Injuries can make or break a team this time of year.

I think you're reading into that more than was said.

Every team has to deal with injuries this time of year, and it is true that oftentimes the team with the fewest key injuries ends up winning in the playoffs. That's not an excuse. It's not whining to recognize it. Steelers' fans were smugly willing to dismiss the impact of injury in '08, but many are already warming up the ol' injury complaint in preparation for a stalled playoff run this year.

The injury situation is what it is. The Ravens had to survive a bruising battle with a tough Titans team in the divisional round to get to Pittsburgh, while the Steelers enjoyed a relatively relaxed romp over the soft Chargers. If the Ravens earned that tough road by getting swept by the Steelers that year in the regular season. They've earned the right to host the banged-up Steelers whether in the Divisional or Championship round this year.