The Steelers Snuff the Ravens' Super Bowl Hopes, 23-14

Pittsburgh will beat Baltimore tonight and meet the Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl.

If I seem confident in this pick, it's because I am.

Pittsburgh has already beaten this team twice this season, and now they are playing their best football with a healthy Willie Parker.

Baltimore managed to escape defeat after being outplayed last week against the Titans, but their luck is about to run out.

The Arizona Cardinals, whom I picked earlier today, will play the winner of this game in the Super Bowl.

Whichever defense plays better will win this game. Flacco can ill afford any mistakes in the biggest game of his young career.

I expect Pittsburgh will just have more offense than Baltimore in this one. Let's see if I am right.

6:45 kickoff,  Pittsburgh will receive the ball first. The crowd is in a frenzy and the terrible towels are waving.

Pittsburgh starts on their own 34 yard line on a short kickoff.

Parker starts with three yards on the ground.  Movement by the Steelers. Second and 12. Washington goes up high, get slammed by Ed Reed, and drops it. Third and 12.

Hines Ward gets 45 yards and a first down, on a big pass by Big Ben. Santonio Holmes catches one and it's second and five. Parker is stopped for no gain. Third and five to go for Pittsburgh.

Pass is too high for Miller and Jeff Reed trots out for a field goal attempt from 34 yards. It's good! Steelers lead 3-0 on their first drive.

Baltimore takes over on their own 27 yard line. Flacco throws to McGahee for two yards. Mason drops one , and it's third and eight. Flacco goes long and it's incomplete.

Three and out for the Ravens. The Steelers take over.

Parker picks up a yard. Parker picks up another yard.  Third and eight.  Ben is sacked and  the Steelers punt back to the Ravens.

The Ravens fumble the return but fall on it. First down, Baltimore on their own 29 yard line.

McGahee gets three yards. Flacco has a ton of time but can't find a receiver. Flacco is intercepted on the next pass, for mistake number one in these playoffs.

Pittsburgh takes over with good field position. Pittsburgh gets a first down, after two missed passes. First and 10 at the 25 of Baltimore.

I think we need someone other than Peyton Manning on a Master Card commercial.

Santonio Homes catches a 24 yard pass and he's down on the one. It looks like a touchdown. It's ruled incomplete. third and 10 on another in completion.

A field goal attempt by Reed is good, and it's 6-0 , Pittsburgh over Baltimore.

At this rate, Reed will hit six field goals and the Steelers win win 18-0.

Baltimore takes over for their third possession on their own 25 yard line.

Hines Ward is questionable with a bad knee. Baltimore runs for four yards. Flacco keeps it on play action , then throws it away. Third down and six. Flacco throws long again, and it's incomplete once more.

No first downs for Baltimore so far. Pittsburgh takes over at their nine yard line. Parker gets four yards. Parker again for about a yard. Ward is back on the field. Miller makes a catch for the first down.

Washington gets eight on another running pass from Big Ben. Parker gets stripped by Ray Lewis and Baltimore recovers the fumble.

McGahee runs for seven yards and Baltimore is threatening to score. It's third and one  and the Ravens are in field goal range. Rothlisberger is hurt and Leftwich is warming up.

The Ravens are stopped and it's fourth and one. They go for it and they come up short. Still no first downs for the Ravens.

Big Ben is still in. Parker get two yards. The first quarter ends. 6-0 Pittsburgh over Baltimore.

Ward catches a pass, but loses a yard. Santonio Holmes catches a pass after a magic escape act by Big Ben, and sprints in for a touchdown. 13-0 Pittsburgh over Baltimore on a 65 yard pass play.

The Ravens take the kickoff and go nowhere. They are backed up to their 12 yard line.

McGahee finally gets the Ravens a first down with a 10 yard run. No, it comes back on a penalty. Now it's third and two. Still no first downs. Now he finally gets a first down.

Flacco is one for eight for two yards so far in this game. That's not good.

Baltimore is driving however , and is down to the Pittsburgh 40. Baltimore is using a lot of clock in this drive, perhaps trying to keep the ball out of the hands of the Pittsburgh offense.

Flacco is sacked , however, and the Ravens are out of field goal range. The Steelers take over on their 10 yard line.

 Seven minutes left in the first half. Pittsburgh gets another first down on a pass to Washington. The catch is challenged.  The catch is upheld. Parker runs for five yards.

Baltimore will get this ball back with  3:50 left in the half as the Steelers punt.

The Ravens take over on the Pittsburgh 17 yard line on a big run back of the punt!

Flacco throws incomplete out of the end zone. A running play gets nothing. Third and 10. Flacco throws incomplete again. Pass interference gets it down to the three yard line.

First and goal on the three. Touchdown, McGahee. Pittsburgh 13,Baltimore 7.

Pittsburgh takes over with 2:30 left in the half at the 20. Third and four now as Big Ben throws one in complete, then hits a six yard pass. One more incompletion and the Steelers punt again.

1:51 left for the Ravens in the half.   The Ravens go three and out and Pittsburgh gets it back with 1:04 left. Holmes takes the punt to midfield.

Wide open and the receiver drops one for a sure touchdown. Pittsburgh goes three and out and punts it back to Baltimore again. They rough the punter, and its a first down for the Steelers.

First down for Pittsburgh on the 25 of Baltimore on a pass to Miller. 23  seconds left.

Second and 10 on an incompletion. 16 seconds left.  The first half ends with Pittsburgh not having enough time left to line up the field goal as time runs out. That was a big mistake.

That was a dumb pass up the middle of the field with no time outs left.

Halftime> Pittsburgh 13 Baltimore 7.

Hines Ward is out for the Steelers, while Baltimore has had three defensive payers go down with injuries also.

Santonio Holmes and Heath Miller will be looking to get open in the second half. Flacco must pass better, if Baltimore wants any chance to win this game.

The Ravens start on their own 18yrd line to start the second half. Two yards running and it's second down. Flacco hits Mason for 16 yards and a first down.

Flacco gets sacked on the next play.  Second and 18. A pass gets it to third and 11.

A tipped pass and it's fourth down. Baltimore must punt and Pittsburgh  takes over on their  own 20 yard line. Parker gets two yards.  There's a catch for Washington. Third and three.

Ben is sacked for a two yard loss and Pittsburgh punts again. The defenses have taken over the game. Baltimore takes over on their 40 with good field position.

Flacco starts with a bomb that falls incomplete. Three yards on the ground and it's third and seven. Almost intercepted and Baltimore goes three and out again.

Pittsburgh gets it back on their 18 yard line. A one yard gain and it's second down. Parker get nothing. Third and 11 to go. Offsides defense, and it's third and six.

Davis picks up a big first down on a pass from Rothlisberger. Then Big Ben gets sacked by Suggs on first down.  Rothlisberger hits Moore for a nice gain of 40 yards.

Parker gets five yards down to the 35 of Baltimore. Parker gets the first down. Now Pittsburgh is moving the ball. Parker for one more yard.

Rothlisberger throws one away and it's third and nine. The pass is incomplete and it's a 46 yard attempt by Reed that's good. 16-7 Pittsburgh over Baltimore.

Baltimore goes three and out  and Pittsburgh takes over as the third quarter ends with Pittsburgh leading 16-7 over Baltimore.

15 minutes left for the Ravens to pull their season out, or the Steelers go to the Super Bowl.

Pittsburgh gets a first down to start the fourth quarter. Parker gets another short one yard gain. Parker gets eight more yards and it's third and one. Pittsburgh punts it back to Baltimore.

Baltimore starts from their own 40 on a shanked punt by Berger. A double reverse gets 10 yards. First down. Then a holding call, makes it first and twenty. Second and 18 after a short pass.

A nice pass and it's third and three to go at the 35 of the Steelers. First down at the 24 of Pittsburgh. McGahee gains two and it's second and eight.

Pass interference at the goal line and it's first and goal at the one. Touchdown by McGahee and it's 16-14 now, Pittsburgh over Baltimore by only two.

The momentum has shifted now and Pittsburgh needs a drive. They start at the 41 yard line. Parker gets nothing on the first carry. Parker carrys again for only one more yard. False start knocks them back five more yards.

It's third and 13 now. Rothlisberger is sacked and Pittsburgh must punt again. It[s nervous time in Steeler land.

Baltimore takes over on the 15 yard line. McGahee loses two yards. Second and 12. A Big play down the field to Todd Heap for a first down at the 32 yard line.

A short run, and it's second and nine. Baltimore uses their second time out, and they only have one left. Flacco goes down on a big pass rush. Third and 12 to go for Baltimore.

Pittsburgh intercepts the ball and Polamalu takes it in for a touchdown.  Pittsburgh 23 Baltimore 14.

4:21 left now and the Steelers are going to the Super Bowl to play the Arizona Cardinals. McGahee takes a horrible hit and goes out on a stretcher. Our good wishes and prayers are with him.

McGahee is speaking and has considerable movement in his limbs. That is great to hear.

I , in my infiniite wisdom will pick the Steelers to win their sixth Super Bowl.

Thanks for all the reads and I will do one more of these this season for Super Bowl Sunday.

Thomas[NFL Mikee] Moreland