PITTSBURGH — The word choice from Sean Spence was not by accident.
Spending three seasons in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ locker room has taught the linebacker that certain opponents evoke certain feelings. There’s only really one that pops up when the Baltimore Ravens come to mind.
“Just a rich tradition of hatred we have for one another,” Spence said.
Even if Spence’s participation in that tradition is limited, he’s hardly alone. The vast majority of players on both sides of the field will be getting their first taste of what one of the NFL’s true blood feuds looks like in the playoffs when the Steelers (11-5) host the Ravens (10-6) in a wild-card game Saturday.
That list, however, will not include Le’Veon Bell. Pittsburgh’s all-pro running back and team MVP is out with a hyperextended right knee, an injury that leaves rookies Josh Harris and Dri Archer and newly acquired Ben Tate in his place.
Tate, on his fourth team in 12 months, was looking for a job a week ago. Now he finds himself thrust into one of the league’s longest-running dramas.
“Everyone knows about it,” Tate said. “So it’s nothing new that I’ve never heard about before.”
And, really, that’s kind of the point. Signing with Pittsburgh or Baltimore comes with the expectation that for any season to be successful, you’re going to have to find a way to deal with your team’s archrival.
