Ravens Revved Up After Beating Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Wilie Parker, top, fumbles the ball as Baltimore Ravens Dawan Landry, bottom and Evan Oglesby, top, tackle him in the fourth quarter of Steelers in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2006. The Ravens won 31-7.(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) (Keith Srakocic - AP)

PITTSBURGH -- The Baltimore Ravens are everything the Pittsburgh Steelers expected to be this season. Their quarterback doesn't get rattled by big-game pressure or hostile surroundings. Their running game is productive, consistent and frequently extends drives. Their defense, if not the best in the league, might be close to it.

So perhaps it was only fitting the Ravens not only won the AFC North _ a few months after Steelers linebacker Joey Porter all but predicted Pittsburgh would win it _ but ended any opportunity the Super Bowl champions had of repeating.

This time it was Ravens 31, Steelers 7, Pittsburgh's worst loss at home since Heinz Field opened in 2001.

A month ago, it was Ravens 27, Steelers 0 in Baltimore, in what Hines Ward called the worst Steelers loss he could remember.

So the now-eliminated Steelers (7-8) won't be surprised if the Ravens (12-3) do what the Steelers themselves did last season by rolling through the playoffs and winning the Super Bowl, right? After all, Baltimore has a chance to be top-seeded and secure home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.

Uh, not so fast.

"I don't know if they're Super Bowl caliber," Steelers linebacker James Farrior said Sunday. "That's to be seen. But they played us well. They beat us both times, so you have to give it up for them. Give them a lot of credit. They came into a hostile environment and took it to us today."

Make that twice in a season, something the Ravens had never done since the former Cleveland Browns relocated to Baltimore in 1996. The Steelers had not been swept in a season series by a division opponent since moving into Heinz Field.

But if the Steelers aren't ready to proclaim Baltimore as a Super Bowl favorite, the Ravens are.

"We're in a prime position to get home-field advantage," linebacker Ray Lewis said. "With the way we're playing defense and the way our offense is clicking, we're going to be a hard team to beat in the playoffs."

The Ravens got some unanticipated help from the Houston Texans, who upset the Indianapolis Colts 27-24 to move Baltimore ahead of the Colts (11-4) for the No. 2 seeding in the AFC playoffs. Baltimore finishes at home next Sunday against Buffalo (8-7), and can be top-seeded if the San Diego Chargers (13-2) lose to Arizona (5-10) and the Ravens win. Baltimore beat San Diego 16-13 on Oct. 1.

The Ravens anticipated playing defense this well; the Steelers managed only a turnover-generated touchdown against them in two games. But it is their improved offense that has convinced the Ravens they can make their best playoff run since winning the Super Bowl in 2000.