Ravens Vs. Steelers: 2011 AFC Divisional Playoffs TV Time & Predictions

The 2011 AFC Divisional Playoffs game between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers (host) is set for Saturday January 15 (4:30 PM EST) at Heinz Field. CBS Sports will broadcast this highly anticipated NFL game. Baltimore earned a playoff spot with a second-place finish in the AFC North; Pittsburgh finished first in the same division, with a 12-4 record. This article offers predictions and TV time for the 2011 Ravens-Steelers game.

1) Ravens-Steelers Head to Head

Saturday's AFC Divisional Playoffs contest features two long-time division rivals in the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers. The winner of this game will earn a spot in the AFC championship game. Since 2000, the two teams have played 24 times with the Steelers enjoying a 14-10 advantage. Pittsburgh dominated the first half of this decade, winning 5 straight games at one point. The last time the two teams meet was in December of last year, with the Steelers winning a nail-biter on the road.

2) Joe Flacco vs. Ben Roethlisberger

Saturday's match-up pits Super Bowl winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger against Baltimore's Joe Flacco. Both QBs have enjoyed a strong (but not spectacular) season. Through 12 games, Roethlisberger has thrown for 3200 yards with 17 touchdowns and a QB rating of 97. Flacco, who has not yet missed a start this season, has amassed to date 3622 passing yards and 25 TDs. The two quarterbacks have met head to head 6 times, with Big Ben emerging victorious 83% of the time. Statistically speaking, Roethlisberger has a clear advantage over Flacco.

3) John Harbaugh vs. Mike Tomlin

Much like its rival Pittsburgh, the Baltimore Ravens is among the NFL's best defensive teams. John Harbaugh's team ranks 5th in the NFL in rushing defense, limiting its opponents to only 94 rushing yards a game. More impressively, the Ravens have held their rivals to under 20 points on 9 different occasions this season. Offensively, John Harbaugh's crew can be characterized as adequately productive ranking 20th in passing and 14th in rushing.

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Mike Tomlin's Steelers is having another fantastic year defensively. The team ranks first in the NFL in rushing defense and 12th in opponent passing yards. More impressively, Pittsburgh was able to limit their opponent to less than 20 points in 11 of the 16 contested games. In addition, the Steelers have been surprisingly effective on the offensive front, ranking 11th in rushing yards and 14th in passing. As both teams are extremely strong defensively, this contest is destined to be another low-scoring game that will be won by the team with the least number of mistakes. The fact that one of these two teams could be two games away from a trip to the Super Bowl adds more intrigue to an already intense rivalry.

My prediction for the 2011 AFC Divisional Playoffs game between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers: the Steelers win by the score of 20-17. Kickoff time for the game is 4:30 PM EST. The game is played at Heinz Field, and will be broadcast by CBS Sports.

Reference:
ESPN.COM