Like a heads-up game of poker, Ryan Clark not only saw Terrell Suggs' opening bet, but the Pittsburgh Steelers free safety raised the stakes on Friday.
On Wednesday, Suggs, the Ravens' colorful outside linebacker, conceded that Sunday's showdown with the Steelers is more significant than other AFC North division contests. "Maybe because we don't like these guys," he said. "We respect them, but we don't like them."
Clark fired back on Friday, telling the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the Ravens are not an intimidating group.
"To me, the Ravens are just another football team," Clark said. "They don't come in here wearing a cape. I am not scared they are going to take my lunch money."
Clark – who is described by the newspaper as a player who doesn't like the Ravens and isn't afraid to say so – also criticized what he viewed as contradictory treatment when it came to hard hits.
Clark was lambasted in some circles for his blow to Ravens running back Willis McGahee that knocked him out of the AFC championship game in the 2008 season. Meanwhile, Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis was praised for his hit on New York Jets tight end Dustin Keller in the season opener on Sept. 13.
"It's funny, you hear a lot of things coming out of there that certain people take cheap shots and this and that, but when Ray does it or when Ray hits a guy coming across the middle, it's cool," Clark said. "But when one of their guys gets hit, it's not cool."
