Steve Bisciotti Knows: The Baltimore Ravens Fear the Pittsburgh Steelers

I have been mulling this article in my head for almost two weeks now. I've been trying to figure out a way to say this, without incurring the wrath of the Baltimore Ravens faithful.

But that is apparently not going to be possible because the truth must be told.

I want to start off by saying that I have a lot of respect for the Baltimore Ravens. If they were in any other division, with the exception of the AFC South, or NFC East, they would have won their division last year.

They are built very similar to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Great defense, above average running game, they drafted a Big Ben look a like. Two teams with very much in common.

Here is where the problem lies.

Last season, the Baltimore Ravens started the season with a 17-10 win at home over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Having to switch their schedule around due to a hurricane hitting Houston, Baltimore entered their Week Three game against the Cleveland Browns coming off a bye week, and handed them a 28-10 beat down.

Pittsburgh started the season 2-0, falling in Week Three to the Philadelphia Eagles, showing that their O-line was not that spectacular.

What happened leading up to the Week Four Monday night showdown, in Pittsburgh, some strange things started coming out of Baltimore.

In a press conference a few days before the game, rookie Head Coach John Harbaugh declared that this Ravens team was a dynasty in the making.

In addition to that, Ray Lewis said the same thing prior to the game. Saying that this was the beginning of the dynasty.  3-0 baby!

The Monday night matchup lived up to its hype.

The Steelers and Ravens battled it out in a defensive slug fest. Baltimore held the lead at half time, making the Steelers offense look confused in the first half.

At the beginning of the second half, the Steeler crowd was quiet. Until a James Harrison sack/fumble that LaMarr Woodley picked up and returned for a touchdown.

This seemed to ignite the fire in the Steelers, when two drives later, Ben Roethlisberger hit Santonio Holmes for a touchdown and the lead.

Baltimore fought back and took the game into overtime, only to see Jeff Reed kick a 46-yard field goal, and give the Steelers the win.

In Week 15, the Steelers traveled to Baltimore to play a game that would end up being for the AFC North crown.

Again, another defensive battle. This one ended on a controversial, last minute touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger again to Santonio Holmes.

There was a review on the play, where the referees initially called no score, but after review reversed their decision.

The next week, CBS used a state of the art computer program to prove that the ball did touch the goal line after Holmes had possession. However, it was still controversial due to the fact that the refs may not have had indisputable evidence of that fact.

Pittsburgh won the division.

After stomping Miami in the wild card round, the Ravens traveled to Tennessee, the top seed in the AFC, and upset them in Ravens fashion.

Pittsburgh handled San Diego at home, to set up the third meeting of the year. This one for a trip to the Super Bowl.

In my opinion, this was the greatest game of the year. Better than the first two meetings, by far.

It was punch for punch. Ben Roethlisberger hurt his ribs, Willis McGahee got taken off the field on a stretcher.

It was a tight game until Troy Polamalu returned a Joe Flacco interception, in Ed Reed style, for a touchdown that sealed the game, and a trip to the Super Bowl, for Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh and Baltimore is a rivalry for the ages. When these two teams play, it is gloves off, knock down, drag out, kick in your teeth excitement.

I do not think you will find a Steeler or Raven fan that does not agree with that statement.

These teams should play every game in prime time. One on Monday night, and the other on Thanksgiving. EVERY YEAR.

That, unfortunately, will not happen this year.  Which leads me to the point of the article.

Because the Steelers won the Super Bowl, they will host the first game of the 2009 NFL season.

A team can request to play a specific team for certain games, as the Dallas Cowboys did last year, requesting to play their home final against the Ravens. They can also request not to be in certain games against teams.

That is exactly what the Baltimore Ravens have done.

They did not only request not to open the season in Pittsburgh, they requested to not have to play the Steelers, in Pittsburgh, at night.

No opening game. No Sunday night football. No Monday Night Football.

In an article dated Mar. 20, in the Baltimore Sun (through profootballtalk.com), by Jamison Hensley, it is stated by a Ravens source that they had no interest in playing the Steelers in Pittsburgh during prime time.  A link to the article is at the bottom of the page.

Why would the Ravens want to deny their team, their "Dynasty in the making", a chance to beat the defending Super Bowl champions, on their field, in prime time?

The only excuse I can gather is they know they cant win there. And if they are afraid to play there, then there can only be one reason.

They are scared!

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