The fierce NFL rivalry between the Steelers and Ravens lost some of its luster last year when Pittsburgh stumbled to the finish without injured quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Baltimore swept the Steelers, capping a 14-2 regular season by playing its backups in a 28-10 rout. The Ravens had already clinched the top seed in the AFC, and Pittsburgh had only a faint hope of reaching the postseason with a victory.
Flash forward to Sunday, when Roethlisberger and the Steelers (6-0) face the surging Ravens (5-1) in a showdown for first place in the AFC North.
Now that’s more like it.