NFL Week 9 Prediction: Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers

The AFC North's premier rivalry is one of the most intense and entertaining in the NFL. The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens, who are spitting images of each other, almost always combine for two of the most brutal, vicious matchups of the season.

This year the Ravens deviated from the norm in their total and outright demolition of the Steelers in Week 1, a game that included a staggering seven turnovers for Pittsburgh. Regardless of how this game breaks, it's pretty safe to assume that we will not witness another 28-point blowout either way.

Pittsburgh has risen from the ashes since that game after everyone in the national media would have had you believe that their defense was full of too old has-beens and that the Steelers offensive line struggles were finally too much for Ben Roethlisberger to overcome.

Pittsburgh has logged a 6-1 record since and are coming off their best win of the season against New England last week. 

Baltimore, on the other hand, has looked far less impressive. In the last two weeks, they have been beaten by a bad Jacksonville team and required a huge comeback to narrowly avoid another embarrassing loss to Arizona. 

The book on the 2011 Ravens has been written: Harass Joe Flacco enough (or even just catch him on an off day) and nearly any team in the NFL can give them a run for their money.

Flacco has had several stretches of very poor play this year, including the entire Tennessee and Jacksonville games and the first half against the Cardinals last week. Facing a team that just humbled one of the elite QBs in the league last week in Tom Brady, Flacco is going to have to bring his best if the Ravens are to have any chance tonight.

It is that matchup of the Pittsburgh defense against Flacco that I think will determine the outcome of this game. Unfortunately for Baltimore fans, Flacco has simply not looked good enough, consistently enough, for me to pick the Ravens. I think the Steelers will continue on their hot streak and win this one without too much muss or fuss.  

Steelers 27, Ravens 17.