September 11, 2011 – What a way to kick off the 2011 Season. While I fully expect this game to be down to the wire, much like every time these two teams get together. It’s hard to not imagine the Steelers coming out with a victory. For as well as the Ravens do against the rest of the NFL, how can anyone ignore the fact that Joe Flacco is career 0-6 against Ben Roethlisberger? That is a very telling stat and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Players can talk about how that doesn’t mean much and stats don’t mean nothing, but that one is HUGE! It’s hard to imagine all week when the Ravens know they have to play the Steelers that Flacco and his teammates are always wondering if today is the day he is going to beat Big Ben. When in the other locker room, the Steelers and Big Ben have all the confidence in the world against the Ravens. In a game like this, those little thoughts leading up to the game can ultimately be the difference in 2 teams that play similar football. With little doubt that the Ravens will be fired up heading into Week 1 after the Steelers ended their season in 2010, the Steelers just have a knack for matching Baltimore’s intensity which few teams can do. There has been a lot of trash talking during the lock out. Woodley saying “Flacco will never in a Super Bowl in his lifetime” to Terrell Suggs saying “Woodley like to talk out of the wrong end”, Ed Reed, Flacco, Ryan Clark among others to chime in. This rivalry doesn’t need anymore fuel to the fire, but nobody says the game can’t be turned into an inferno. If you’re a football fan, there are hardly 2 better weeks in the season to watch a game – then when the Ravens and Steelers play. Lately, it’s been a lot better as a Steelers fan.

My Prediction: As I mentioned above, I cannot get over the hurdle that Flacco is 0-6 in his career against Big Ben. It has to play as a confidence factor for both QB’s and players of each team. Although, the due factor has to come at some point. It’s hard to imagine Flacco not beating Ben at some point, I just can’t be the one to say he will. Until Flacco can prove he can beat Ben on a consistent basis, this is a not a hard choice.

Final Score: STEELERS 24 Ravens 17