It's Steelers Week!

So I had been planning a followup post to my very first Ravens game and professional football game in general, but after suffering through that dismal performance in Jacksonville, I didn't feel up to it.

After yesterday's comeback win against the Arizona Cardinals, while still disappointed with our inconsistent play, at least I feel a little more confident going into the Steelers game Sunday night.

Given that nanowrimo starts tonight at midnight, and I want to get a good jump on it this first week, I thought I'd make an early post about the game.

So I am by no means an expert in football, but I have a few of the ever-popular "keys" to the game. We know that the Ravens defense is amazing and the offense has a lot of potential, but the Steelers offense right now is playing at a more consistently high level, so most of these deal with the offense.

1. Run the ball successfully. A lot. The Steelers have a great defense, but right now their pass defense is strangely enough a better this season. And we have Ray Rice, who can make something out of what looks like nothing. Running the ball lessens the chance for turnover and has the potential of running a lot of time off the clock while the Steelers offense is off the field.

2. Get Joe Flacco into a good rhythm early. Yesterday we saw Joe play very well out of the shotgun (don't ask me what that actually means…seriously) and with a "sugar huddle." I don't know if we need to do either of those things right off the bat, or just get a few short completions in whatever formation to start, but getting his confidence and rhythm going early should help with possible longer passes later.

The run and the pass can feed off each other. If that can happen, I think we can be dangerous.

3. Rack up the sacks. And hits. And hurries. We are great against the run and Big Ben and the Steelers are becoming more and more pass focused. If we can get to him and disrupt his rhythm, we can neutralize some of their effectiveness as an offense. But as always we need to beware of his ability to extend and make a big play.

4. CUT DOWN ON MISTAKES AND PENALTIES!!!!!! The offense especially (but all phases have been guilty) of making stupid mistakes, not focusing and committing penalties. How many false starts did we have Sunday at home? Penalties will kill a drive. They will make the opposing offense's job that much easier and have huge impact on field position. This is something that really needs cleaned up. I don't expect the Ravens to play perfectly, but they need to be focused and smart.

4b. Protect the ball. It's possible that the team with the fewest turnovers will win the game. No fumbles. No interceptions. 

Honorable mention: Protect Joe Flacco. The reason this is not one of my keys is that I'm not sure our O-line is capable of protecting Joe for sustained, long periods of time. That's why running the ball and getting the ball out quick is so important, it lessens the pressure on the line, who will be facing the crazy blitzes and the serious pass rushers of the very solid Steelers D.

Pounding the ball, getting Joe in rhythm so shots down field will have a better chance of being successful, and keeping the Big Ben in check so the game remains close is what i think we need to do. This might be obvious to some, but keys to the game usually are.

Whatever the game plan turns out to be, hopefully it turns out to be an epic, hard-fought game. GO RAVENS!!!!!!