Salty Steelers accuse Ravens of illegal chop blocks

in the playoffs three years ago. Now the Steelers are accusing the Ravens of dirty play in the Ravens' 35-7 win on Sunday.

In a report by

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

, a few Steelers defenders claimed the Ravens

, though no such penalties were called. Pittsburgh's Casey Hampton named Marshal Yanda specifically.

"You can get hurt from an illegal chop block, but I guess it isn't an illegal chop block if they don't call it," the Steelers nose tackle said, adding, “There is really nothing you can do when you are engaged and fighting with a guy and they come chopping at your legs. If it keeps happening, something is going to have to happen."

A chop block is when a blocker hits a defender below the waist while the defender is engaged with another player.

, 21 chop block penalties were called during the 2010 NFL season -- and none were against the Ravens.

“Some of the things they were doing were questionable rules wise and dangerous," nose tackle Chris Hoke said about the Ravens, who rushed for 170 yards against the Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium.

Is there something to Pittsburgh’s claims? Or are they simply more sour grapes from the Steelers?

After all, Hines Ward

. "It leaves a taste in your mouth," he said. "The two-point conversion. The passing at the end. … We'll remember everything."

Chris Johnson still has unpleasant memories of that Divisional Round game. And whether or not the Ravens played dirty Sunday, the Steelers will remember it that way going forward, even if just to self-motivate.

But the bottom line as Ray Lewis likes to say: No yellow flags were tossed Sunday, no Steelers defenders were injured by low blocks and no Ravens have been asked to mail checks to Roger Goodell since the game.