While it might seem too early to be talking about the playoffs, don't be surprised if the Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game on Sunday night is a preview of this season's AFC Championship Game. The AFC North powers have already played once in 2011, with Baltimore coming out on top at home.
Pittsburgh has won four straight games, including an impressive 25-17 win over the New England Patriots last week, and six of its last seven. Ben Roethlisberger is the main reason for the Steelers resurgence. The quarterback has had a QB rating above 95 in all six wins.
Antonio Brown's emergence has flown under the radar nationally, but his rise coincidences with Pittsburgh's improvement. Adding another weapon to their offense might have been exactly what the doctor ordered for the Steelers.
Backing up that improving offense is their usual rock-solid defense. The Steelers rank third in points allowed and second in points allowed per game. They, along with Baltimore and the Houston Texans, are the only teams giving up less than 100 yards rushing and 200 yards passing per game.
Troy Polamalu is seemingly healthy again, and it's only a matter of time before he starts making momentum-shifting plays again. His injury woes were a major reason Pittsburgh didn't live up to expectations last season.
And then there's the 5-2 Ravens.
They've laid a couple of eggs, which shouldn't be completely disregarded, but for the most part, have been dominant. Baltimore has beaten Pittsburgh, Houston and the New York Jets, which are all playoff contenders, by a combined 60 points.
Getting Joe Flacco back on track will be paramount in order to make a playoff run, though. He's struggled in recent weeks, throwing just one touchdown since early October. Even though the Delaware is lacking confidence right now, he's got enough talent to lead a Super Bowl run.
As usual, Ray Rice has been the focal point on offense. The running back is averaging more than 120 all-purpose yards. If Baltimore can get some return on its investment into the injured Lee Evans to go along with Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith, the offense might finally take off.
Like Pittsburgh, the Ravens are built on their defense. Ray Lewis has been a tackling machine like always, while progression from cornerbacks Lardarius Webb and Cary Williams has helped cure last season's woes against the pass.
Perhaps the biggest reason Sunday's game is a playoff preview is a lack of competitors.
The New England Patriots have looked average in recent weeks, while their AFC East counterparts from Buffalo and New York both have numerous question marks.
Speaking of question marks, that's what they should remain the AFC West. The San Diego Chargers have enough talent, but have underperformed once again. Oakland and Kansas City can't be considered legitimate threats at this point.
Right now, the AFC final four would appear to be the Texans, Patriots, Ravens and Steelers. Houston would be making its first trip into such a high-pressure situation, while New England has gaping holes to fill on defense.
For all of those reasons, consider Sunday night's clash your AFC Championship Game primer.
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