NFL Playoffs Breakdown: Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Round 3 Preview

The Baltimore Ravens' (13-4) Wild Card win over the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium this weekend sets up the third meeting between two AFC North heavyweights.

The Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) will host the Ravens this coming Saturday afternoon at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh won the division via tiebreaker due to having a better division record.

Both teams split the regular season series, each winning on the other's home field. In Week 4, Baltimore used a late touchdown pass to knock off the Steelers in Pittsburgh 17-14. A Week 13 matchup saw the Steelers defense proving fatal after capitalizing late on a Joe Flacco fumble to pull out a 13-10 win in Baltimore.

Join B/R as we take a look at just how even these teams really are, and the few ways we can separate them in predicting a winner on Saturday.

Total Plays

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BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 05: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers throws a pass against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 5, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images)

Often times, the team that can get off the most snaps wins in this rivalry, for obvious reasons. In the first meeting at Heinz Field, the Ravens concluded the game with 15 more plays than the Steelers (65-50).

In the second meeting at M&T Bank Stadium, it was Pittsburgh out-snapping Baltimore by eight plays (65-57). Though it may not seem like a big difference, remember the Ravens were in control with three minutes remaining in the game before a costly turnover gave the Steelers the ball with excellent field position. Pittsburgh used those remaining plays to score the go ahead game-winning touchdown.

Total Yards

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PITTSBURGH - DECEMBER 27: Ray Rice #27 of the Baltimore Ravens looks for yards during a third quarter run against the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 27, 2009 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh won the game 23-20. (Photo by Gregory S

Similarly to the total plays figure in the previous slide, total yards is a telling factor when the Ravens and Steelers get together.

In the Week 4 matchup, Baltimore out-gained a Roethlisberger-less Pittsburgh team by more than 100 yards (320-210). A majority of the difference came through the air as the Steelers out rushed the Ravens in the loss.

Again though the numbers were reversed in the Week 13 Sunday night showdown. Pittsburgh held the Ravens to just 269 total yards on their home field and racked up 288 of their own.

So far, the team with more plays and more total yards is undefeated.

Turnovers

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PITTSBURGH - OCTOBER 03: Troy Polamalu #43 of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts during the game against the Baltimore Ravens on October 3, 2010 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Neither of these teams turn the ball over often, that's why they are both 12-win teams playing for a shot at the AFC Championship Game.

Baltimore turned the ball over just three times in two meetings with Pittsburgh in 2010. The Steelers on the other hand only mustered up two interceptions in the two game series this season.

Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu and Baltimore's Ed Reed are both gifted ball-hawks that anchor two of history's best defenses.

Time of Possession

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BALTIMORE - NOVEMBER 29: Ben Grubbs #66 of the Baltimore Ravens defends against the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium on November 29, 2009 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens defeated the Steelers 20-17. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

As with any grind-it-out, beat down, drag out football rivalry, no team ever dominates time of possession when the Ravens and Steelers meet.

Though in 2010, the team with more, regardless of how little, won each game. The early-season meeting saw Baltimore out-possessing Pittsburgh by 1:02. It doesn't get more even than that. Perhaps, that's why the game was anyone's to win with seconds remaining.

The Week 13 meeting was much more convincing, however, as the Steelers out-possessed their rivals from the south by 8:16. And they needed every second as their late fourth-quarter drive proved to be the difference.

If you are keeping score at home, that makes the team which wins the total play count, total yards and time of possession undefeated in this season's rivalry.

Penalties

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BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 05: Derrick Mason #85 of the Baltimore Ravens argues a call with a referee during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium on December 5, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. Pittsburgh won 13-10. (Photo by Geoff Bur

Expect plenty of penalties when the Ravens and Steelers meet this weekend. In both meetings this season, the two teams combined for 36 penalty flags (18 in each game).

Whether it's a false start penalty staring into the eyes of Ray Lewis or a personal foul for driving Ben Roethlisberger to the ground (yeah, like that's possible), the laundry often flies in this rivalry.

Pittsburgh has more than Baltimore however (20-16).

First Downs

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BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 05: Wide receiver Hines Ward #86 of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts after dropping the ball while linebacker Ray Lewis #52 of the Baltimore Ravens looks on during the second quarter of the game at M&T Bank Stadium on December 5, 2

In both meetings this season, the team with more first downs won the game. Surprise surprise. The Week 4 matchup saw Baltimore out-gaining Pittsburgh by eight first downs (22-14).

It was the Ravens though being stifled in Week 13 as it was the Steelers holding them to just 14 first downs (17-14).

Quick recap: first downs, time of possession, total yards and total plays are important in this rivalry.

Third Down Conversions

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PITTSBURGH - OCTOBER 03: Anquan Boldin #81 of the Baltimore Ravens makes a catch during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 3, 2010 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Both teams are nearly identical in 2010 on third down conversions against each other. Baltimore and Pittsburgh both went 4-11 on third downs in the Week 4 meeting. In the Week 13 matchup, the Ravens went 4-13 on third downs while Pittsburgh went 4-14, still enough to win.

Both teams have converted on just eight total third downs in two meetings with each other. Is anyone still arguing this isn't the greatest rivalry in football?

Passing vs. Rushing

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PITTSBURGH - OCTOBER 03: Rashard Mendenhall #34 of the Pittsburgh Steelers carries the ball during the game against the Baltimore Ravens on October 3, 2010 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

In both meetings this season, the running game has been virtually abandoned by both teams. Pittsburgh out-rushed Baltimore in both matchups in 2010 but nothing significant (Week 4: 84-70, Week 13: 54-43).

The Ravens dominated through the air in the first matchup, nearly doubling Pittsburgh's passing production (250-126). However, it was the Steelers with the passing edge in Week 13, though it was hardly convincing (234-226).

Both teams have stout run defenses which calls on the two talented quarterbacks to shine often.

Bottom Line

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PITTSBURGH - OCTOBER 03: Ray Lewis #52 of the Baltimore Ravens looks on during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 3, 2010 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Both teams scored a total of 27 points on each other and allowed a total of 27 points by each other in 2010.

Both games came down to a late fourth quarter passing touchdown by the road team to win by three.

If we have learned nothing else after watching these two teams, hopefully we now know that Saturday's game will be decided in the fourth quarter.

Prediction

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BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 05: Quarterback Joe Flacco #5 of the Baltimore Ravens looks to pass against the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium on December 5, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. Pittsburgh won 13-10. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images)

The Ravens have been tormented by Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers in past seasons and in 2008s AFC Championship Game at Pittsburgh.

Joe Flacco and the Raven offense is firing on all cylinders coming into Saturday's divisional playoff game, coming off a 30-7 thrashing of the AFC West champions.

The Steelers are a championship-caliber team playing at home with a two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback leading them.

This one truly could go either way, but I'll take the road team. I like Baltimore to continue the trend and squeak out a three-point victory at Heinz Field Saturday night on their way to advancing to the AFC Championship Game.

Baltimore 20 Pittsburgh 17

Patrick Clarke is a student at Towson University and a writing intern for Bleacher Report.