On the Steelers: Jumping right into the fire

Tuesday, September 06, 2011
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The two bullies on the AFC North block will open the season Sunday in Baltimore, where footballs, insults and maybe even fists will fly. There will be no easing into the 2011 season for the Steelers and Ravens.

"I think the league scheduled this game for a reason. It's going to be good to be a part of it," said Hines Ward, who has played in 28 of the 33 games between the two franchises. "We're going into the lion's den. It's going to be a tough one. Last year we won down there; I know those guys are thinking about that."

When it comes to the Steelers, the Ravens may be thinking too much, at least that's how nose tackle Casey Hampton sees it.

"They talk a whole lot," Hampton said. "They don't like us. I think they don't like us a lot more than we don't like them. I think they have to talk themselves into it, kind of, know what I mean? Since I've been here, we've beat them a lot more than they beat us. They have to talk about it a whole lot."

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11249/1172424-66-0.stm?cmpid=steelers.xml#ixzz1X9ByQwJM