The Ravens will be looking to run their record to 3-0 on the season on Monday night when they go to Pittsburgh to play the rival Steelers. Here’s your Daily Sports Roundup.
The Gridiron Spotlight
Baltimore is 2-0 on the year, thanks to games against struggling division rivals Cincinnati and Cleveland and an unexpected, hurricane-imposed bye in Week 2. The Ravens began the year by beating the Bengals 17-10 at home, and followed up that result by topping the Browns 28-10 at home last week. Baltimore managed to pick up an ATS win in both of those contests, while the OVER/UNDER is at 1-1 for them this year.
Pittsburgh was tagged with their first loss of the year last weekend, falling 15-6 in Philadelphia as 3.5-point underdogs. The Steelers began the campaign by thumping the Texans 38-17, and they then squeaked past the Browns 10-6 in Week 2. That puts Pittsburgh at 2-1 straight-up and 1-2 against-the-spread on the season, and only their easy victory over Houston in Week 1 has provided an OVER result for their supporters.
The Ravens and Steelers split their season series 1-1 last year, with each team winning and covering at home (in a pair of OVER results). For Monday night the oddsmakers have Pittsburgh listed as a 5-point home favorite, with the total pegged at just 34 points. Steelers RB Willie Parker will miss Monday’s game with a knee injury, leaving Rashard Mendenhall as their starter. Ravens DB Samari Rolle (shoulder/neck) is OUT as well.
Other Notable Events
There’s a single baseball game on the schedule for Monday, with Gavin Floyd (16-8, 3.91 ERA) and the White Sox hosting Freddy Garcia (1-1, 4.50 ERA) and the Tigers in a makeup contest. If Chicago manages to beat Detroit in the Monday matinee they’ll then play a one-game playoff against the Twins on Tuesday to decide the AL Central title.
As well, the New York Liberty and the Detroit Shock will play the third and deciding game of the WNBA’s Eastern Conference Finals on Monday night (at Eastern Michigan University). The Shock rallied to avoid elimination on Sunday afternoon, with Deanna Nolan pouring in a team-high 22 points in their 64-55 win over the Liberty in Game 2.
The Rest of the Schedule
There’s nothing else on the schedule on a light Monday around the world of sports, unless you’re into preseason hockey (the NHL regular season gets started Saturday).
News from the Wire
Each of Rolle, DT Kelly Gregg (knee), S Dawan Landry (neck), and QB Troy Smith (illness) are OUT for Baltimore. WR Yamon Figurs (hamstring), LB Nick Greisen (thigh), and T Adam Terry (ankle) are QUESTIONABLE, while LB Tavares Gooden (hip), LB Ray Lewis (foot), RB Le’Ron McClain (migraine/ankle), RB Willis McGahee (eye), CB Fabian Washington (neck), and TE Daniel Wilcox (shoulder/ankle) are PROBABLE . . . Parker, DT Casey Hampton (groin), and DE Brett Keisel (calf) are OUT for Pittsburgh, while LB Donovan Woods (hamstring) is DOUBTFUL, and CB William Gay (ankle), S Troy Polamalu (quadricep), and CB Deshea Townsend (heel) are all PROBABLE.
A Peek at the Future
The MLB playoffs and the WNBA Finals both get rolling this week, while the drivers of the Sprint Cup Series will head to Talladega for Sunday’s Amp Energy 500 . . . those first NHL regular season games will take place in Europe over the weekend, with the Rangers and Lightning in Prague, and the Penguins and Senators in Stockholm . . . college football gets started again Tuesday, with Florida Atlantic at Middle Tennessee.
