Steeler Dominance Again in 2011?

After a rough start to the season, The Pittsburgh Steelers look poised for another run at the Super Bowl.  By Danielle Berman

(AP Photo/Don Wright, File)

Before the first week of the NFL season, the idea that the Pittsburgh Steelers would lose their first game by a whopping 35-7 to their archrival Baltimore Ravens was insane. Even Ravens fans expected better of the Steelers, reveling in the surprising domination the birds were able to lay on the Steel Curtain.

Almost immediately, commentators and analysts began commenting on the age of the Steelers defense, saying they might not be young enough to compete up to par in the AFC this season. The Steelers crushed the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2, but people saw it as a fluke. The football world deemed Seattle a non-challenging opponent. Questions still lingered when Big Ben and Co. narrowly pulled out a victory against the Manning-less Indianapolis Colts and then lost to the Houston Texans.

But as of Week 8, the Steelers are on a four game win streak and seem to back to their dominating ways. Eagerly anticipating the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football at home, the Steelers seem to be on the up and up. The Ravens, on the other hand, are anxious about their next match up having narrowly defeated the 1-6 Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. The previous week Baltimore shocked the world by losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday Night Football. Baltimore now heads to Heinz Field with a lot of offensive questions, causing worry throughout Charm City.

The Steelers seem to be consistently winning and maintaining control the game. The Steel City is buzzing with excitement. WR Hines Ward should be returning for Sunday night’s game after missing last week’s match up with an ankle injury.

Next week’s match up favors the Steelers. With two almost evenly matched dominant defenses, it will most likely be the offense that will determine the outcome of the game. The Ravens’ past two games should be added confidence to Steelers fans hoping to take revenge on the Black and Purple. Be sure to tune in to NBC’s Sunday Night Football at 8:20pm EST. It will be a game that sets the tone for the AFC North’s second half of the season.