Ben Roethlisberger

Like a ghostly apparition from their past, Ben Roethlisberger will materialize in front of the Ravens on Saturday in Heinz Field and try to vanquish their Super Bowl aspirations for the second time in three seasons. The Pittsburgh Steelers' seven-year veteran has been equal parts quarterback, magician and tormentor to the Ravens while winning his last six starts against them, often in extraordinary fashion. There was the phantom touchdown throw to Santonio Holmes — who did not appear to break the plane of the goal line — that beat the Ravens, 13-9, at M&T Bank Stadium in December 2008 and won the AFC North title.

No room for sentimentality Dan Pompei Chicago Tribune There is only one way the Steelers should bring back Hines Ward next season — if they believe he can make them a better team. There is no room for sentimentality or loyalty in the NFL. There is only room for progress. And judging by how the 2011 season went, my guess is the Steelers believe they will be better served using Ward's roster spot on a younger player. If Ward is going to be a bit player on offense, as he was last season, he would need to be a key contributor on special teams.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger could be cocky. He has been named NFL Rookie of the Week eight times. He has the rookie record for completion percentage in a game, and is on pace to break the team mark of 62.1 percent for a full season. He is undefeated in 12 starts, and has the Steelers a game away from securing home-field advantage in the playoffs. But success hasn't changed the youngster from Findlay, in central Ohio. On the field, he has been the model player. Off the field, he's a pretty good citizen, too. "Life has changed a little bit," Roethlisberger said.

Hines Ward may be gone, but he won't soon be forgotten by Ravens fans. Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers have parted ways with the wide receiver and his maddening, ever-present smile, here's a look at some other famous Baltimore sports villains.  Robert Irsay -- Erratic owner who moved the beloved Baltimore Colts to Indianapolis under cover of darkness in March, 1984, breaking a city's heart. Paul Tagliabue -- Cold-hearted NFL commissioner who bluntly suggested, in the wake of the Colts leaving town, that Baltimore should have built a museum rather than pine for a new pro football team.

Assuming the winning Super Bowl team's starting quarterback is the one who guides it to victory Sunday night, either the Arizona Cardinals' Kurt Warner or the Pittsburgh Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger becomes a slam-dunk for eventual coronation as a Hall of Famer. Hall of Fame voting has always smiled on Super Bowl victory. While individual accomplishments are obviously considered, winning the big game is crucial. Consider how many 1970s-era Steelers are there (10, including coach Chuck Noll)

Come Monday - as Jimmy Buffett once sang - either Kurt Warner or Ben Roethlisberger will be the proud owner of two Super Bowl rings. And because we live in a media culture that demands everything must be instantly analyzed as if the future of civilization depends on it, you're going to hear a lot of talk about how the winner has likely earned himself a bust in the Hall of Fame. Don't believe the hype. In Roethlisberger's case, it's simply too early to make any kind of judgment about his career.

Ben Roethlisberger has been lauded by Parcells and Belichick, linked to Culpepper and McNabb, lionized with Bradshaw and Marino. Heady stuff for a 22-year-old quarterback who is one month into his on-job-training with the Pittsburgh Steelers. But as the saying goes, it's not hyperbole when you have the NFL on a string at the end of an arm that has brought the defending Super Bowl champions to their knees and the city of Pittsburgh to a frenzy. A decent success story picked up momentum when Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells, before their Week 6 meeting, called Roethlisberger the best quarterback to come into the league since Hall of Famer Dan Marino 21 years ago. Roethlisberger delivered a Hall of Fame rendition.

Good morning --Ben Roethlisberger -- Win the Super Bowl and your name will be in lights - a lot of lights.

Good morning --Ben Roethlisberger -- Did seeing Mark Cuban wear your jersey on Letterman ease your pain?

Good morning --Ben Roethlisberger --When you take the field today at M&T Bank Stadium, don't forget to wear your helmet.

Former Ravens quarterback Troy Smith has signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Smith, a former Heisman Trophy winner and a fifth-round pick by the Ravens in 2007, spent three seasons with the team before losing the primary backup job to Marc Bulger during the 2010 training camp. Smith bounced around with the San Francisco 49ers and the UFL's Omaha Nighthawks before agreeing to a deal with the Ravens' nemesis. Smith could be competing with Byron Leftwich, Charlie Batch and Dennis Dixon for the right to back up starter Ben Roethlisberger.

News item: Ravens running back Ray Rice, whose four-year rookie contract is about to expire, said this week that he can't imagine he'll be anywhere but Baltimore next season and beyond. My take: Neither can I, and I was just saying the same thing about Albert Pujols and St. Louis a couple of weeks ago. Bonus take: Of course, with the franchise tag available, the possibility of losing Rice to another team is barely worth mentioning. Related news item: Rice said Wednesday that the team's emphasis on the passing game earlier this season was a blessing in disguise and claims that it has made him fresher for the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs.

I've seen it all as a Cleveland Browns fan -- The Drive, The Fumble, leaving for Baltimore, etc. I've never seen a Super Bowl, playoff success, great draft picks who turn into franchise saviors. The latest entry in "It sucks to be a Browns fan" is Ben Roethlisberger's return to last night's game and the Steelers' subsequent victory. Let's face it,  Browns fans have had very little to cheer about. But when Scott Paxson hit Roethlisberger and the QB's ankle rolled under the Browns' defensive tackle, I thought for sure he was done for the season, not just the game.

The Ravens' 23-20 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday night has earned the team a new member with a familiar name on the bandwagon: Michael Irvin. The former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver and Hall of Famer was complimentary of the Ravens during Sunday night's NFL GameDay Final on the NFL Network. Irvin was especially impressed with quarterback Joe Flacco's decision-making and throws in capping a 92-yard game-winning drive with a 26-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Torrey Smith.

With the Ravens leading just 9-6 after halftime, the Pittsburgh Steelers appeared poised to either tie the score or take their first lead Sunday night as the offense marched 66 yards on eight plays to open the third quarter. But on first-and-10 from the Ravens' 14-yard line, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger tried to connect with wide receiver Mike Wallace on a quick screen in the right flat. Instead, outside linebacker Terrell Suggs jumped and snatched the ball of out the air, returning it 9 yards to the 29. After the Ravens' 23-20 victory, Suggs said he read Roethlisberger's body language before making the interception.

Joe Flacco beat Ben Roethlisberger at his own game and in his own building. Down four points with 2:24 to play and needing to go 92 yards, the Ravens' much-maligned quarterback led the defining drive of his young career. It ended with Flacco's hitting rookie wide receiver Torrey Smith in the corner of the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown with just eight seconds to go to lift the Ravens to a pulsating 23-20 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in front of an announced 64,851 at Heinz Field.

In order to beat the New England Patriots, Ben Roethlisberger threw the ball 50 times. Everyone knows that formula must be reversed against Baltimore. In order to beat the Ravens, the Steelers need to run more often and do so more successfully. Right? "Ultimately, it comes down to whoever rushes better against each other is usually the winner in this series," said Steelers offensive tackle Max Starks, a veteran of the Steelers-Ravens wars but not that opening-day bloodletting this season.