Suggs, Ravens prepping for Ben
PITTSBURGH 鈥� It was yet another limited practice for Ben Roethlisberger as Landry Jones took the bulk of the first-team reps for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday.
Will Roethlisberger play Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens with limited mobility?
Ask any of the Steelers and they鈥檒l tell you Roethlisberger looks great.
Of course, what else would anyone say of their peerless leader?
Roethlisberger said the decision to play will depend on the ability to 鈥渇eel comfortable out there, protect myself and keep the swelling out of it.鈥�
So, at the moment, things are undecided.
Except in the mind of one man. You may know him as 鈥淭-Sizzle鈥� out of 鈥淏all So Hard University.鈥� And Terrell Suggs of the Ravens gave it to reporters straight.
鈥淲e all know who鈥檚 playing,鈥� said Suggs. 鈥淲e鈥檝e seen this movie before. (Roethlisberger)鈥檚 going to say 鈥業 did individual today. I鈥檓 not sure how I feel. Dah da dah.鈥� But we know 7鈥檚 going to be out there just like we know 55鈥檚 going to be out there on our side. So tell Ben he鈥檚 not fooling anybody. I鈥檝e seen this movie too many times before. We鈥檙e definitely prepared for 7.鈥�
Seven, of course, is Roethlisberger, and 55 is Suggs, the man who鈥檚 sacked Roethlisberger more times (16.5) than anyone else in Roethlisberger鈥檚 storied career.
The two go way back to the very beginning of Roethlisberger鈥檚 career, and Suggs, with one more year in the league, has watched it unfold. He even reacted defensively 鈥� on behalf of Roethlisberger 鈥� when asked if he thought the Steelers quarterback was playing the role of 鈥渄rama queen,鈥� as CBS analyst and former Ravens linebacker Bart Scott put it this past weekend.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 call a man that鈥檚 got two Super Bowl rings and played in three a drama queen,鈥� Suggs said. 鈥淢aybe some other quarterbacks, but I don鈥檛 think so much him.鈥�
Don鈥檛 doubt that they鈥檙e rivals, and don鈥檛 doubt that Suggs hates the Steelers. But also, don鈥檛 doubt that they鈥檝e been through so much together that there鈥檚 mutual respect. So, Suggs was asked about the old days, when a Steelers-Ravens game was not to be missed.
鈥淭he characters in this television show have definitely changed,鈥� Suggs said. 鈥淩emember, this used to be a game where all the 30 other teams tuned in. Even the networks used to put this on prime-time TV. When you lose an Ed Reed, when you lose a 43 and an 86 from y鈥檃ll side, it loses it鈥檚 flavor. But y鈥檃ll still got some guys. We still got some guys. So, we鈥檙e going to make the best of it.鈥�
This year it鈥檚 more about breaking losing streaks. The 3-4 Ravens have lost four in a row and the 4-3 Steelers have lost two in a row. But both teams are getting healthy. The Steelers are set to welcome DL Cam Heyward and RT Marcus Gilbert back to their starting lineup. The Ravens returned ILB C.J. Mosley, LT Ronnie Stanley, CB Lardarius Webb and LG Marshal Yanda to Wednesday鈥檚 practice. Suggs practiced and has played through a torn biceps and still has five sacks, or three fewer than the entire Steelers defense.
What鈥檚 the mood in Baltimore?
鈥淓verything tastes bad when you lose,鈥� Suggs said. 鈥淓verything tastes worse when you lose four in a row.鈥�
The Ravens have had only one winning record since 2012, and last season they were 5-11. Yet, they beat the Steelers twice, both times to end three-game losing streaks. In fact, the Ravens have won five of the last six meetings with the Steelers.
What accounts for this mastery?
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we have mastery,鈥� Suggs said before shouting, 鈥淚 SEE WHAT YOU鈥橰E ALL TRYING TO DO!
鈥淵ou鈥檙e trying to get me to pump some fuel,鈥� he continued calmly. 鈥淲e haven鈥檛 mastered anything. If you look at the two games last year, there were some fortunate things happen for us throughout the course of the game. It had nothing to do with schematics. Maybe a missed field goal here and there. You can鈥檛 say we鈥檝e mastered anything.鈥�
Is there still an edge between the teams? Is there still a nastiness?
鈥淚 still think it鈥檚 there,鈥� Suggs said. 鈥淚 work out with (Ryan) Shazier and (Stephon) Tuitt. I work out with a couple of them and we all talk and it鈥檚 still the same edge. Any other week, we鈥檙e cordial and socialize with each other. This week you don鈥檛 talk much.鈥�
But it can鈥檛 compare with the old days. Suggs was asked if there鈥檚 anyone he sees with the Steelers who might, say, walk onto the Ravens bus looking for a post-game fight as Joey Porter once did.
鈥淵鈥檃ll got 53 now,鈥� Suggs said of Maurkice Pouncey. 鈥淗e鈥檚 part of the old days. He鈥檚 one of 鈥檈m. Ninety-four (Lawrence Timmons) is one of 鈥檈m. I think y鈥檃ll found something in 66 (David DeCastro) and 73 (Ramon Foster). Some guys y鈥檃ll knew what y鈥檃ll was doing when y鈥檃ll went and got 鈥檈m. That鈥檚 just to name a few.鈥�
Suggs even gave an indication that the edge is perhaps inside his own locker room. He was asked if the Ravens have anyone fans might be excited to watch play on Sunday and he said, 鈥淵eah. Justin Forsett.鈥�
Forsett was released last month by the Ravens after rushing for 2,005 yards in 19 games with the team. He was signed by the Detroit Lions while the Ravens have turned to third-year back Terrance West, who鈥檚 gained 424 yards at 4.4 per carry.
Any other new, young players to watch with the Ravens?
鈥淎h, let me think of a young guy that鈥檚 impressing me,鈥� Suggs said with a pause. 鈥淣ah, I can鈥檛 think of no young guys.鈥�
He laughed wickedly and said, 鈥淚鈥檓 not giving y鈥檃ll nothing, man. I can鈥檛 give the enemy too much.鈥�
Some enemies still die hard.