The Cleveland Browns suffered another disappointing heartbreak against the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas Eve (12/24/11). The end of the first half certainly has fans scratching their heads. Why the Browns did not attempt a field goal is beyond comprehension. Browns’s coach Pat Shurmur looked like he was going to explode when the team did not go for a field goal.

Shurmur is saying that he is responsible for the communication breakdowns that happened throughout the game. However, speaking of the particular play at the end of the first half, Shurmur said, “I never would have called a run in that situation with that much time.”

Seneca Wallace took the field as quarterback for the game because Colt McCoy is still out with his concussion. Wallace really looked a lot better last week. He had a few good passes in today’s game, like the excellent touchdown pass to Evan Moore, but he seemed far less confident in this game than he did in the Arizona game.

Wallace has been in the NFL for nine seasons, but he really seemed to be carrying a rookie confidence around with him today. This is the thing that the Browns do not need, especially when playing a team with the talent of the Ravens.

Going into the second half with no points on the board looked really terrible. Then, finally Josh Cribbs saved the day by running an 84-yard touchdown off of a punt. It was a truly remarkable play. This play was not a game-saver, but it definitely re-energized the Browns and gave the fans a little hope and confidence.

Should we even discuss the fourth quarter? Specifically that play where Wallace passed to Hillis when they should have just kicked the ball. This was another head-scratching play that is becoming all too characteristic of the Browns.

Then, with two minutes to go in the game, Phil Taylor just had to go offsides. The Browns had one more chance to actually do something, but him going offsides completely eliminated their chances of a last ditch effort. Had he not gone offsides, the Browns would have had two minutes (I know not much, but at least it would have been something) to at least attempt to score a touchdown.

The Browns will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers for their last game. If they expect to add another win to their record, they are going to have to stop with the careless mistakes and put forth more focus.

R. Elizabeth C. Kitchen is a lifelong Browns fan who grew up in a household of Browns’ fans. She was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and still lives there. Regardless of the trials and tribulations the Browns have been through, she remains loyal, albeit honest about her home team. Follow Rose on Twitter @Rose_Kitchen

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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith had a simple view of Saturday’s game.

“Well, this week we won,” he said. “At the end of the day, that’s all that matters. We know there are things that we have to improve upon. We have shown we can do it. It’s just a matter of us being consistent.”

The Ravens escaped Christmas Eve with a 20-14 win over the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. In doing so, Baltimore had its second consecutive lackluster game – the Browns had an opportunity to take a late lead – following last week’s 34-14 loss to the Chargers.

“I don’t know if it is a concern, but obviously you do want to play better,” wide receiver Lee Evans said. “At the end of the day, you do have to find a way to win

Cleveland Browns free safety Mike Adams (20) gets tangled with Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith as Smith goes up for a catch in the first half of Saturday’s game in Baltimore. Cleveland was charged with a pass interference penalty on the play (AP PHOTO – NICK WASS)

games. We were able to do that today, and we can build on that. Next week, our job is just to win one more.”

The Ravens (11-4) head into next week’s road game against the Bengals needing either a win or a Pittsburgh Steelers loss to win the AFC North. Doing so would allow the Ravens to play host to their first home playoff game since 2006 and would give them a first-round bye.

They finish the regular season 8-0 at home, the first time they’ve been perfect at home.

“(Having a home playoff game is) Big, man,” Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “We want a chance at winning, and you’ve got a better chance to do it when you’re at home. And our fans, like I said, I consider myself to be a player of the people, and we are our

best team when we’re in M&T and our fans are rocking. So, we definitely need a home playoff game by any means necessary.”

The Ravens appeared ready for a home playoff game when Lardarius Webb intercepted Browns quarterback Seneca Wallace to give his team the ball at their 36-yard line. The first offensive play resulted in a 60-yard pass interference penalty that put the Ravens at the Browns’ 4-yard line.

Three plays later, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco hit tight end Ed Dickson for a 5-yard touchdown and an eventual 7-0 lead. Just 5 minutes and 48 seconds into the game, the Ravens had a big defensive play and a lead.

Shayne Graham made a 48-yard field goal about nine minutes later to give the Ravens a 10-0 lead. The Ravens signed Graham earlier in the week because Billy Cundiff has an injured calf.

Graham added a 43-yard field goal with 5:54 remaining in the third quarter.

“I thought (his performance) was good, especially on the field goals and the extra points,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “He did a nice job of knocking it between the poles. It’s not easy to do that, coming into a new operation.”

The Ravens scored again slightly more than six minutes into the second quarter on a 42-yard touchdown reception by Ray Rice that gave them a 17-0 lead.

“I saw man coverage from the get go,” he said. “I said, ‘If I get a step on him, I got him.’ There is only one negative in that play, and that is if the safety plays it. So, it’s either the ball is on you fast or it’s a home run.”

After Graham’s field goal made the score 20-0, the Browns began their comeback. Their first points came on an 84-yard return punt for a touchdown by Josh Cribbs with 3:07 remaining in the third quarter.The punt return for a touchdown was the second allowed by the Ravens this season, tying a franchise record. The other came Oct. 30 by the Cardinals’ Patrick Peterson.

“We wanted to pin the ball over on the left sideline and we didn’t,” Harbaugh said. “We kicked (Cribbs) a ball that we don’t kick very often, and I think when you give a returner like that an opportunity like that in space, in those kinds of conditions, he made us pay for it.

“It was not good coverage, it was not a good punt, and we have to do better than that. That’s really what got them back in the game.”

Wallace hit tight end Evan Moore for a 6-yard touchdown with 8:30 left in the fourth quarter, bringing the score to 20-14. Needing a touchdown to take the lead, the Browns received the ball at their 27-yard line less than two minutes later.

The Browns drove to their 45-yard line, but couldn’t convert a fourth-and-5 pass by Wallace.

Baltimore needed one “Oh my gosh” play to ice the game. Facing fourth-and-2 with 1:57 left, the Ravens were able to draw an encroachment penalty against Browns defensive lineman Phil Taylor as the play clock ticked toward zero.

So, was there a play called?

“Come on, you guys can figure it out,” Flacco said. “The play clock was at two seconds, and we hadn’t snapped the ball yet. It works sometimes, I guess. We got them. John (Harbaugh) was like, ‘There’s no way they jump.’”

Flacco kneeled on the next three plays to end the game and lead the Ravens into their regular-season finale against the Bengals. All four of their losses have come on the road.

“Big game next week,” Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis said. “It’s no secret. It’s up to us to go out and finish what we’re trying to finish.”

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When the Cleveland Browns take on the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, December 24, 2011, they will be doing it with Seneca Wallace at quarterback. There is a good chance he will play the role of QB in the final game against the Pittsburgh Steelers the following week as well.

Colt McCoy is still out because of the concussion he sustained due to the head on collision courtesy of James Harrison. He is still having recurring symptoms from this injury and until he is fully recovered from this injury, it is simply not safe for him – or the other players – for him to be out on the field. McCoy will not travel with the Browns either. He will stay home and rest and focus on recovering.

Since Wallace is going to be taking over the role of quarterback for the remainder of the season, he has to start acting like a starting quarterback. According to his teammates. He is falling into the role well.

“I think he’s more vocal in the locker room and on the field,” said Joe Thomas, a left tackle for the Browns. “When you’re the starter, you’re the coach on the field, not only calling plays but getting everybody lined up correctly, making sure the formation’s are correct, the personnel is right. You’re kind of the designated rah-rah guy. When things are going south, you’re the guy that needs to stand up and get everybody in a positive direction.”

Wallace has acknowledged that he is just the backup quarterback and that he is afraid to overstep his boundaries. However, he needs to lose this mentality as it could hold him back. He is not the backup at this moment. He is the starter for the remainder of the season and he needs to think like a starter. He has played in nine NFL seasons and has earned his time on the field.

In the Arizona game, Wallace showed that he has what it takes to make plays. He definitely gave the Browns some new energy. The only thing the Browns need to work on right now is keeping that energy throughout the entire game because that energy definitely faded by the end of the third quarter. If Wallace can keep throwing good passes and keep his men energized, the Browns just might have a chance to defeat the Ravens.

R. Elizabeth C. Kitchen is a lifelong Browns fan who grew up in a household of Browns’ fans. She was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and still lives there. Regardless of the trials and tribulations the Browns have been through, she remains loyal, albeit honest about her home team. Follow Rose on Twitter @Rose_Kitchen

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That’s all the news for today.

Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.

Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh arrived for work in a good mood Tuesday morning following the San Francisco 49ers’ pivotal victory Monday night over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

And with good reason: The Ravens moved back into first place with the Steelers’ loss.

“He was coming in: ‘Did you see that game? Who won?’” quarterback Joe Flacco said of Harbaugh. “OK, we all know who won the game. We know you’re way more excited now than you were two days ago. You could definitely tell he was excited, and we should be. We’re obviously in a better position because of what happened.”

The 49ers’ win over the Ravens’ AFC North rival puts the Ravens (10-4) back in first place in the AFC North and seeded second in the playoff standings.

The Ravens’ embarrassing 34-14 loss to the San Diego Chargers on Sunday night knocked them out of first place in the division for a day, and they fell from the top-seeded team in the AFC to fifth. Now, they’re ranked second in the playoff seeding behind the New England Patriots.

The Ravens own the tiebreaker edge over the Steelers (10-4) after sweeping their annual series earlier this season. They are now in position to earn a first-round bye and a home playoff game provided they win their final two regular-season games against the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals.

“Man, it was a fun to watch,” Harbaugh said. “It was pretty cool. The fact that if we win both games now, we will win the division, that means a lot. That’s really meaningful. It’s a tough league, and we have to win every week.”

However, the Ravens would have preferred to not require assistance.

“It’s a gift, but we wish we didn’t have to get it that way,” outside linebacker Terrell Suggs said.

The Ravens are 7-0 at home heading into Saturday’s game at M&T Bank Stadium against the Browns.

And they’re undefeated in their previous games against Cleveland and Cincinnati this season.

“We’ve just got to take care of business,” Suggs said. “We’re playing two teams that know us very well, two division foes, so it’s going to be interesting. We’ve got to get back to doing what we do best, and that’s playing Ravens football.”

What are your opinions.

All season long the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens have been battling back and forth for the lead in the AFC North. On Sunday night the Steelers retook the lead in the division-for now-when the Ravens lost to the San Diego Chargers by a score of 34-14. The loss drops the Ravens to 10-4 while the Steelers have a record of 10-3.

The best part about the Ravens usual choke job is that earlier this week I wrote my thoughts on Flacco whining about his team being disrespected by the media. It seems that Flacco believes that he and the Ravens deserve more attention than the Steelers, the New England Patriots and especially Tim Tebow. Then in typical Flacco and Ravens fashion they went out and proved exactly why they don’t get the respect the other teams do.

Nobody is perfect. The Green Bay Packers lost for the first time today and even the mighty Tebow couldn’t overcome the Patriots today. Championship caliber teams only allow this to happen once or twice though. The Ravens have now lost four times to teams they should have beaten. The first loss was against a Titans team that just lost to the previously 0-14 Titans. Loss two was to a 4-10 team and all the Ravens managed was a measly, meaningless touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Next the Ravens lost to a Seattle Seahawks team that is currently 7-7 but most agree it would be a joke if Seattle were a playoff team. Then finally the Ravens lost yesterday to a Chargers team that has some talented players that are finally playing well but a Ravens team aiming for the number one seed should not be beat by 20 points by anybody.

The Steelers have a half game lead over the Ravens in the AFC North but they have yet to play this week. Pittsburgh will play the Monday night game against the San Francisco 49ers. If the Steelers beat the 49ers they will move a full game ahead of the Ravens. If the Steelers lose in San Francisco then the Steelers will move back into a tie atop the AFC North but the Ravens hold the tiebreaker.

The big question for the Monday night game is Big Ben. The Steelers quarterback has been suffering from an ankle injury and is questionable for the game. Roethlisberger did manage to practice the last two days and some theorize now that the Ravens have lost and the Steelers can get the division lead that Roethlisberger will try to play.

On the opposite side of the ball James Harrison will be out for the Steelers after being suspended one game for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy two Thursdays ago. Playing in Harrison’s place will be Jason Worilds. Worilds is just a second-year player but has started the last four games in LaMarr’s Woodley’s place. Woodley will be back in the lineup on Monday so that allows Worilds to move to Harrison’s spot.

The Steelers need to win the game not only to hold the lead in the division but also to try and grab the number one overall seed in the AFC. Currently the Patriots are the number one seed because today’s win over the Denver Broncos gives them a half-game lead over the Steelers until the Monday Night game. If the Steelers are victorious over the 49ers then the Steelers will pull even with the Patriots and the tiebreaker would give the Steelers the number one seed.

Sources:

Denis Poroy, Philip Rivers leads San Diego Chargers to 34-14 rout of the Baltimore Ravens, The Washington Post

The last several generations of Lee Andrew Henderson’s family were Pittsburgh born and even though he was born in Alabama he has been a long time fan of the Pirates, Steelers and Panthers. Lee Andrew Henderson can be found on Twitter @LeeAHenderson

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The Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers are tied for first place in the AFC North. The teams split the two-game series.

With five games left, the Steelers host the Bengals, Browns, Rams and visit the 49ers and the Browns.

The Ravens visit the Browns, Chargers, Bengals and host the Browns and the Colts.

Which team will win the division?

Which team will win the AFC North?

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BALTIMORE — John Harbaugh aggressively pumped his fist when Joe Flacco converted a big third-down throw. He jumped on the back of linebacker Jameel McClain as he ran off the field after a key sack in the fourth quarter, and he gave several of his players hugs after receiving the first of two celebratory Gatorade baths.

And when it was all over, when his Baltimore Ravens had turned a superb all-around effort into a 16-6 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in front of an announced Thanksgiving night crowd of 71,435 at M&T Bank Stadium, Harbaugh jogged across the field and pulled his younger brother by 15 months in for an embrace, and some kind words.

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Terrell Suggs is at it again with the trash talk. Not that he ever quit, really.

It’s just that his words pack a little bit more venom when it comes time to chat with the media during Pittsburgh Steelers week.

Terrell Suggs, one of the better linebackers in the game, didn’t hold back when talking with reporters yesterday.

“We have been declared war upon. We are the enemy of the state,” he said, according to NFL.com. “I’m guaranteeing the NFL, the world will stop for this game, and everybody wants to see it. We will be ready.”

Gee, Terrell, how’s about a side of football with the professional wrestling antics?

In all seriousness, the fact of the matter is that that type of talk is exactly what makes this rivalry great. In fact, it is arguably the greatest in the NFL. Maybe not as storied as, say, the Packers versus the Bears, but in terms of intensity you’d be hard pressed to find a harder hitting matchup, rife with hatred.

Yes, hatred. It’s a phrase often overused in sports parlance, but “these teams do not like each other.” Look no further than Terrell Suggs’ mocking of Steelers stalwart Hines Ward.

“I’m looking right at you 86. I need you to play,” Suggs said. “Please put on…that smile and all the things you do.”

You have to wonder what the Steelers are thinking about all of this. Remember, it’s not like they need any extra motivation, thanks to the season opening beatdown they suffered at the hands of the Ravens. Then again, trash talk is nothing new between these two AFC North foes. In fact, there have been rumors of actual bounties placed on players in this bitter rivalry, most recently Hines Ward.

That said, Terrell Suggs’ most recent comments probably come off as light-hearted…relatively speaking of course. Will the Steelers respond and let their play do the talking? Or will Suggs and company back up the brash talk?

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The AFC North has been wild this year. The season started with the Baltimore Ravens absolutely drubbing the Pittsburgh Steelers, establishing a possible early dominance in the division. But as the season progressed, the Steelers have bounced back, the Ravens have made a case for why they could be an AFC favorite and the young Cincinnati Bengals have surprised everyone by going 6-2, creating a virtual three-way tie for first place (the Steelers are 6-3, but have not yet had a bye week). This AFC North division race is going to continue to be a tight one, but at the end, look for the Pittsburgh Steelers to emerge on top.

Most recently, the Steelers lost their second game of the season to the Baltimore Ravens in a game that came down to the final minute. Led by quarterback Joe Flacco, the Ravens were able to come back from a 20-16 deficit on a touchdown pass to rookie receiver Torrey Smith. A game in which the Steelers controlled for the most part was out of their hands, and they took the loss. Although Pittsburgh lost to Baltimore both times this season, Pittsburgh has shown something on both sides of the ball that the Ravens have not–consistency. Once the Steelers picked up their play following the season-opening loss to Baltimore, they’ve been dominant as always defensively and executed the offense as expected. The Ravens, on the other hand, have shown their defensive dominance, but have struggled at times offensively. Joe Flacco has played well recently, but going back just three games, he had a less-than-spectacular performance against the mediocre Jacksonville Jaguars. Additionally, a huge part of the Ravens’ offense is their running game, which was non-existent in that game against the Jags. It makes analysts wonder whether the offensive coaching is responsible because running back Ray Rice is a Pro-Bowl-caliber back. With these flaws offensively, the Ravens are a tougher team to pick. In addition, Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been having a good year, and running back Rashard Mendenhall has made big contributions as well to the offense.

Consistency always helps make a safe pick. But there is another reason why the Steelers are a better pick to win the division over both Baltimore and Cincinnati: experience. The players on the Steelers have, for the most part, all been to the playoffs before. Just a season ago, the Steelers were in the Super Bowl. Many of the returning players know exactly what it takes to get back there. Although the Ravens have experienced players in terms of the playoffs, very few, if any ,have made it to the Super Bowl other than Ray Lewis. The defense of the Ravens, like that of the Steelers, is championship quality and could propel them to the Super Bowl, but the Steelers are a much safer choice.

We’re halfway through the season, and the remaining schedules of each team also contribute to this decision. The Steelers have a much lighter schedule than the Ravens for the rest of the season, which is just another reason why the Pittsburgh Steelers will win the AFC North division. 

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(Reuters) – The Pittsburgh Steelers are out for revenge against the Baltimore Ravens in their AFC North divisional clash on a Sunday packed with fascinating match-ups in the National Football League.

The regular season is at the half-way stage and as well as the pounding defenses in Pittsburgh, the week nine highlights include the AFC East clash between the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets and the league’s only unbeaten team, the Green Bay Packers, at the San Diego Chargers.

But it is the always-fierce rivalry between the Steelers (6-2) and the Ravens (5-2) that will provide compulsive viewing, with Pittsburgh looking to avenge their week one 35-7 loss in Baltimore.

“This is one of those games as players that you really want to be part of,” said Steelers receiver Hines Ward.

“It seems like it always ends up being on prime time and for us, they whipped our tails the first time so we now have a chance to get some get-back and hopefully take control of the AFC North,” added Ward.

Both teams come into the game on the back of morale boosting victories, the Ravens overcame a 21-point deficit to defeat the Arizona Cardinals 30-27 in the biggest comeback in franchise history.

Pittsburgh boosted their credentials for the playoffs by defeating New England 25-17 with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger throwing for 365 yards and two touchdowns.

The Steelers lead the series by 18 wins to 13 and will hope that Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is as shaky as he was before the comeback against Arizona.

Defending Super Bowl champions Green Bay return from their bye-week looking to extend their franchise-record 16 straight wins.

CALIFORNIA RETURN

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has guided the Packers to their best start since 1962 and he stands atop the NFL’s quarterback rankings with 20 touchdowns and unmatched completion percentage of 71.5 percent.

The game in San Diego, against a Chargers team who are returning from three games on the road, marks a first NFL start in California for Rodgers who and was born in Chico, Northern California, played his college football for the University of California and now has his off-season residence in the south of the state.

“It’s always nice to come back to California. It will be nice to play in San Diego, you have got a great field, a nice fast track and it’ll be fun to see some friends and family,” he said.

The Jets (4-3) can make some headway in the AFC East if they can deal with the Bills (5-2) who are tied at the top of the division with the New England Patriots.

New York is also coming back fresh from a bye but has won their last two outings while the Bills defeated Washington 23-0 in Buffalo’s annual game in Toronto.

“We know we have the opportunity right in front of us, trying to win our division and we’re running into it. We understand that and we will be ready,” said Jets head coach Rex Ryan.

“Our guys are fresh but mentally we have to be focused and sharp and understand that it will be a physical game,” he said.

The New Orleans Saints, who suffered shock defeat to the St Louis Rams last week, have a tough test against divisional rivals Tampa.

Tampa beat the Saints 26-20 in Florida last month and New Orleans are desperate to improve on their 5-3 start to the season.

“It’s been a little bit of back and forth. But we know the standard, we know how good we can be and now it is a matter of no excuses,” said quarterback Drew Brees.

(Editing by Julian Linden)

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(Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

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(Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

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