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Elliot Kalb breakdowns Ravens at Steelers

Nov 18, 2012, 3:11 PM EDT

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RAVENS (6-3) AT STEELERS (7-2)

By Football Night in America’s Elliot Kalb

  • Pittsburgh has won its first four home games this season. The Steelers are one of four NFL teams still undefeated at home this season (Baltimore: 5-0, Seattle: 5-0 and Atlanta: 4-0).
  • Baltimore, which has won 11-consecutive AFC North games, leads the division. The Ravens last divisional loss was against the Steelers on Dec. 5, 2010, when Pittsburgh won at M&T Bank Stadium, 13-10.
  • Pittsburgh has 11 wins in its last 12 home games.
  • Ravens won the last two regular season games at Heinz Field, with QB Joe Flacco throwing game-winning TDs in the final minute of play: 26 yards to WR Torrey Smith on 11/6/11 with 18 seconds left (23-20) and 18 yards to WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh on 10/3/10 with 32 seconds remaining (17-14).
  • The rivalry has lost a little juice without Hines Ward and Ray Lewis on the field at the same time.  And on the other side of the ball, James Harrison, once one of the most feared pass rushers in the league, has only one sack and is still slowed by a knee injury.
  • As part of the 80th season celebration the Pittsburgh Steelers will wear their new throwback uniforms for the second time this season when they play the Baltimore Ravens
  • this Sunday. The Steelers debuted the 1934 throwbacks in a 27-12 victory over the Washington Redskins in Week 8.
  • Byron Leftwich will get the first-team snaps in Roethlisberger’s absence. In relief of Roethlisberger Monday, Leftwich completed 7-of-14 passes for 73 yards and admitted after the game that he was rusty. Another veteran, Charlie Batch, would back up Leftwich.
  • Pittsburgh is 0-4 against the Ravens in games that Roethlisberger has been unable to play because of either injury or suspension.
  • Joe Flacco has had big games in Pittsburgh including last November when he completed 28 of 47 passes for 300 yards, no interceptions.
  • But so far this season, the Ravens have been dismal on the road, scoring 70 points and rolling up only 1,081 yards compared to 184 points and 2,106 in five home games.
  • Flacco has a quarterback rating of 108 at home this season compared to 62.7 on the road
  • Safety Troy Polamalu, who has been out with a calf injury, is doubtful to play Sunday. Running back Rashard Mendenhall (Achilles), wide receiver Antonio Brown (ankle), offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert (ankle) and safety Ryan Clark (head) are also questionable for the game.
  • Five of the last six games between these two teams have been decided by three points.
  • 8 Passing TDs the Ravens’ defense has allowed this season, tying (Chi. & SF) for the NFL’s fewest.
  • This week the Ravens could not only see the return of the old Pernell McPhee but also the return of defensive tackle Haloti Ngata who sat out last week against Oakland although he was dressed and ready to play if the team needed him. The return of Ngata and McPhee could serve as a huge boost to the Ravens pass rush.
  • In their Monday night win, the Steelers had more passing yards than their opponent for the 16th consecutive home game, tied for the longest streak in NF history(2000-01 Rams, the greatest show on Turf).
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