AFC Championship Game Preview

What: A re-match of Walt Coleman's latest gaffe
Who: The Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers
Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
When: 6:30 EST
What Channel: CBS
Announcers: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
Announcers' Talking Point of the Game: After losing two heart breakers to the Steelers, can the Ravens finally beat the Steelers?
Weather Forecast: 60% chance of snow showers, 25 degrees
Regular Season Meetings: Week 4: Steelers 23, Ravens 20; Week 15: Steelers 13, Ravens 9

Analysis: I don't know much about Ed Reed's religion, but one thing is for sure. God worships Ed Reed. Reed is a complete beast and he is everywhere and anywhere on the football field every and any play. There's a reason the Raven defense is once again one of the best in the league and a whle heck of a lot of it has to do with the play of Reed and Ray Lewis.

Wait a minute, great defense? Well how about the Steelers? They're the #1 defense in the NFL! This game is a battle of the top 2 defenses in the NFL (the Eagles are #3) and it should be one heck of a dandy, especially if the regular season games are signs of things to come.

Well, we know that both defense are going to do their thing, so let's look at the offensive side of the ball. The Steelers are led by veteran quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, who while not having the best year of his career, has come through in the most clutch moments for the Steelers this season, with one of the most notable being Week 15 at Baltimore. The Steelers running back, Willie Parker, is the engine that makes this offense go. If the Steelers can't establish the running game, they can find themselves in trouble. However, if they can, they will definitley be in the game and most likely leading.

Meanwhile, the Baltimore Raven offense is led by rookie quarterback Joe Flacco. Although nowhere near dazzling, Flacco has in no way hurt his team, something which the Ravens struggled with under Kyle Boller and Steve McNair. The rookie has done a real solid job and while his short and intermediate passes may need some work, the man knows how to throw a beautiful deep ball. The Ravens also have a running game that is the key to the offense, led by Le'Ron McClain and Willis McGahee. And much like the Steelers, this Ravens offense will go as the running game goes.

With two evenly matched teams, I see 2 x-factors in this game. The weather (remember, there is a chance of snow) and special teams. The team that makes the most big plays on special teams likely will come away victorious in this one.

Prediction: I subscribe to a theory that it is very difficult for a team in the NFL to go up to a team that it is evenly matched up with and beat them 3-times in a season. And that is exactly what the Steelers are up against, having beat the Ravens twice in the regular season in the final minute. However, Heinz Field in the snow is a tough place for any road team to win, regardless of time of year and stakes of the game. You know the Pittsburgh faithful are going to show up in full force and they will be determined to force Flacco and co. into false starts and making mistakes (as if the Pittsburgh defense is not enough). But in the end, I see the Ravens finally getting the win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the game that means the most. Ravens 13, Steelers 10.