Ravens Report-Week 17

Ravens Report

The Ravens lost in Seattle to the Seahawks, 27-6. The Ravens are now 4-11, losing the past nine games in a row. After a scoreless first quarter, the Seahawks got on the board first with a 21-yard pass from QB Matt Hasselback to WR Nate Burleson. To make the score 14-0, Seahawks LB Leroy Hill returned a Mike Anderson fumble 20 yards for a touchdown. Then Hasselbeck found RB Shaun Alexander for a 14-yard touchdown. Seahawks K Josh Brown hit two field goals in the third quarter to make the score 27-0. For the Ravens only points of the night, QB Troy Smith found WR Derrick Mason for a 79-yard touchdown.

Player of the Game: Seahawks QB Matt Hasselback, 18-27 for 199 yards and two touchdowns.

Next Sunday the Ravens close out the season at home against arch rival Pittsburgh Steelers. In the first meeting between these two teams, the Steelers won 38-7. The Steelers lost star RB Willie Parker last week, which means the Steelers are forced to start Najeh Davenport. The Ravens 22^nd ranked pass defense should have lots of trouble against the Steelers, who are third in scoring through the air. The Steelers will be sitting starting QB Ben Roethlisberger (I don’t care if I spelled it wrong). In a total blowout, I have the Steelers winning 45-7.

Suggestion: The Ravens need to establish a running game with Mike Anderson and Musa Smith after the loss of Willis McGahee last week. If they can’t get the running game going against the Steelers, the Ravens will have absolutely no chance of winning.

Key Matchups for Steelers vs. Ravens

Ravens LB Bart Scott vs. RB Najeh Davenport Edge: Scott

Ravens CB Corey Ivey vs. WR Heinz Ward Edge: Ward

Ravens S Ed Reed vs. QB Charlie Batch Edge: Reed

Ravens C Mike Flynn vs. Steelers NT Casey Hampton Edge: Hampton

Ravens WR Derrick Mason vs. Steelers CB Deshea Townsend Edge: Mason

Ravens WR Mark Clayton vs. Steelers CB Ike Taylor Edge: Clayton

Injury Report

Ravens

Player Injury Status

QB Kyle Boller- Head- OUT

TE Todd Heap- Thigh- OUT

RB Willis McGahee- Chest- OUT

S Gerome Sapp- Thigh- OUT

TE Quinn Sypniewski- Head- OUT

WR Demetrius Williams- Ankle- OUT

TE Daniel Wilcox- Thigh- OUT

RB Mike Anderson- Thigh- QST

WR Mark Clayton- Back- QST

LB Ray Lewis- Back- QST

LB Edgar Jones- Foot- PRB

T Jonathan Ogden- Thigh- PRB

Steelers

Player Injury Status

LB Clint Kriewaldt- Neck- OUT

T Marvel Smith- Back- OUT

S Troy Polamalu- Knee- DBT

QB Ben Roethlisberger- Ankle- QST

CB Allen Rossum- Hamstring- QST

LB Andre Frazier- Groin- PRB

WR Willie Reid- Shoulder- PRB

Team- W L GB

Steelers- 11- 5- Clinched Division

Browns- 9- 6- 1.0

Bengals- 6- 9- 4.5

Ravens- 4- 11- 6.5

AFC North Outlook: The Steelers have clinched the division title. The Bengals play the Dolphins in Miami and the Browns play the 49ers in Cleveland.

That’s week version of my Raven’s report. Let’s go kick the Steelers’ butts!