Ravens 31, Steelers 7

PITTSBURGH (AP) Beating the Pittsburgh Steelers decisively once in a season wasn't good enough for the Baltimore Ravens. They did it again and effectively ended the Steelers' reign as Super Bowl

Sunday, December 24th 2006, 3:22 pm

By: News On 6

PITTSBURGH (AP) Beating the Pittsburgh Steelers decisively once in a season wasn't good enough for the Baltimore Ravens. They did it again and effectively ended the Steelers' reign as Super Bowl champions.

Steve McNair, masterfully running an offense that was productive and efficient, threw 3 touchdown passes and Baltimore moved ahead in the race for a 1st-round AFC playoffs bye by shutting down the Steelers for the second time in a month during a commanding 31-7 victory Sunday.

The Ravens (12-3) matched a franchise record for victories in a
season set by their Super Bowl championship team in 2000 and swept the season series from the despised Steelers (7-8) for the first time since the former Cleveland Browns moved to Baltimore in 1996. They also won in Heinz Field for the first time since their initial
game there in 2001.

Baltimore also got some unexpected help from the Houston Texans, who upset the Indianapolis Colts (11-4) 24-21 to move the Ravens ahead of the Colts for the No. 2 seeding in the AFC playoffs. Previously, the Colts held the tiebreaker over Baltimore, which still has a chance to surpass San Diego and be seeded No. 1.

If this was Bill Cowher's last home game as Steelers coach, and there is a possibility it was with his plans for next season undecided, his players didn't throw much of a going-away party.