Anyone hoping to hear some serious smack talk this week before the all important AFC North struggle between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers will be sorely disappointed. It’s been all quiet on the Western Front so far, and I wouldn’t expect that to change. Both sides are going to need their strength.

The best quote I could find was from Terrell Suggs.

“I can’t say anything about (Ward) this week because of the stuff that happened and because we’re playing them,” he said. “I’m being totally honest, I can’t give you what you deserve (to hear).”

Now if you can’t decipher any of that then you haven’t been following the season and you probably wouldn’t be reading this blog anyway. But basically Sizzle is saying that he’d love to give the media a sound byte or two but he doesn’t want to get fined by the league or add any further fuel to the talk of bounties.

Bounties were something that I could only think took place in the Old West or professional wrestling.

But, in this violent game of professional football there are some athletes apparently that use the extra incentive to get a leg up on their competitors.

This may only be the tip of the iceberg between these two teams. They just don’t like each other. And since both teams have had their turns winning the division over the years, it’s no surprise that this one has the extra pressure of the playoffs and another division title on the line.

So it may seem quiet at the moment but the pressure is building and even though some players are choosing their words carefully. I expect an explosion this Sunday.

“They’re all hated,” Hines Ward said. “Everybody in purple is hated. There’s a respect level. We respect them as football players, they have a great team, they have a great defense but there’s no love for them.”

“We know our opponent this week; we know what’s at stake,” wide receiver Derrick Mason said. “Every time we encounter them, something is at stake. That’s why it’s so heated because you have two teams that pride themselves on playing hard, fast, physical football. When you have them come together, it’s going to make for a very good game.”

Steelers lineman Willie Colon predicts a bloodbath. Ben Roethlisberger anticipates both teams limping out of the stadium. Any player not covered in bruises on Sunday evening.

I let the players speak for themselves. This game isn’t going to be about geographical proximity or things that happened years ago. It’s about competition, pride, and hatred. I think both sides are preparing for battle and the teams will be ready to let their actions do the talking in a few days.