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Sports 1B Thursday November 28, 2013 Steelers, Ravens renew rivalry BALTIMORE (AP) — The last time the Baltimore Ravens played on Thanksgiving, coach John Harbaugh gathered the family together for a game against brother Jim and the San Francisco 49ers. Two years later, Harbaugh and the Ravens will spend the holiday with their most bitter rival. It doesn't matter that Baltimore (5-6) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-6) both have losing records. Both teams have plenty of motivation, because Thursday night's game has playoff ramifications. Plus, these AFC North foes almost always engage in a hard-hitting, trash-talking, closely played affair. "It's always a cool week when you go against these guys," Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco said. "It's been a good game for the last handful of years, and it's always a challenge getting ready on a short week. But they have the same issues. It should be a lot of fun." Since Harbaugh took over the Ravens in 2008, Baltimore has faced Pittsburgh 13 times, including twice in the playoffs. Nine of those games were decided by three points, including the Steelers' 19-16 win last month. "It's just an intense rivalry," Pittsburgh wide receiver Antonio Brown said. "Great defense is played. I think everyone understands the urgency of the game. It's just iron on iron. It's always a tough battle, and it always comes to the fourth quarter and to the end of the game." Few NFL coaches prefer a short week leading up to an important game, but Harbaugh loves the idea of pacing the sideline at a time when most of America is digesting a big holiday meal. "To get a chance to play on Thanksgiving night in front of the whole country in a rivalry such as this in Baltimore is something that you work hard for," Harbaugh said. "We're looking forward to it. We can't wait to play." Two things to know about the Ravens-Steelers matchup: SURGING STEELERS: After opening the season with four straight defeats, the Steelers have bounced back with a 5-2 run that includes three consecutive wins. "I just think we're all continually evolving, and thankfully we're evolving in the right direction," coach Mike Tomlin said. Since that horrid start, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has thrown 14 touchdown passes compared to only five interceptions. Brown has 80 catches for 1,044 yards and six touchdowns. Asked to explain the Steelers' resurgence, Brown said, "The adversity we've been through has made us even tougher as a band of brothers. We appreciate winning." HOME FOR THE HOLIDAY: The Ravens are 41 at home this season compared to 1-5 on the road. It's the continuation of a trend: Baltimore is 37-8 under Harbaugh at home and has won 18 of the last 21 at M&T Bank Stadium. Red Bluff Bulls accepting managers applications The Red Bluff Bulls American Legion baseball program is accepting applications for managers for its 15U and 17U teams for the 2014 season. For more information and an application contact Harold Dodero at 276-5141. Northern Section CIF Football Championships Division I The No. 1 Enterprise Hornets will host the No. 2 Paradise Bobcats at Enterprise Community Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 30. Division II The No. 1 West Valley Eagles will host the Division II football championship game on Saturday Nov. 30. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at the "Pasture." Their opponent will be the No. 3 Central Valley Falcons. The boosters club will have the concessions open with plenty of great food. Please come out and support this great event. Tehama Tracker Sports on TV COLLEGE FOOTBALL 4:30 p.m. ESPN — Mississippi at Mississippi St. FS1 — Texas Tech at Texas MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL 9 a.m. ESPN2 — Old Spice Classic, first round, Purdue vs. Oklahoma St., at Orlando, Fla. 11 a.m. ESPN2 — Old Spice Classic, first round, Butler vs. Washington St., at Orlando, Fla. 1:30 p.m. ESPN2 — Wooden Legacy, first round, Marquette at Cal St.-Fullerton 3:30 p.m. ESPN2 — Old Spice Classic, first round, Memphis vs. Siena, at Orlando, Fla. 4 p.m. NBCSN — Battle 4 Atlantis, first round, Xavier vs. Iowa, at Paradise Island, Bahamas 5:30 p.m. ESPN2 — Old Spice Classic, first round, LSU vs. Saint Joseph's, at Orlando, Fla. 6:30 p.m. NBCSN — Battle 4 Atlantis, first round, Tennessee vs. UTEP, at Paradise Island, Bahamas 8 p.m. ESPN2 — Wooden Legacy, first round, Creighton vs. Arizona St., at Fullerton, Calif. NFL FOOTBALL 9:30 a.m. FOX — Green Bay at Detroit 1:30 p.m. CBS — Oakland at Dallas 5:30 p.m. NBC — Pittsburgh at Baltimore PREP FOOTBALL 7 a.m. FS1 — Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) at St. Joseph Regional (N.J.) SOCCER 10 a.m. FS1 — UEFA Europa League, Tottenham at Tromso Noon FS1 — UEFA Europa League, Zulte Waregem at Wigan AP photo Oakland Raiders quarterback Matt McGloin (14) passes as Tennessee Titans outside linebacker Zach Brown (55) applies pressure during the fourth quarter in Oakland, Sunday, Nov. 24. Raiders, Cowboys need short memories in short week ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys and Oakland Raiders need the same short memory during a short week, for different reasons. The Cowboys have to move on from a last-play win over the New York Giants to stay in position to end a three-year playoff drought. The Raiders must forget a last-minute loss to Tennessee that damaged hopes for their first postseason trip since 2002. "Maybe being a short week you just know you can't think about it," said quarterback Tony Romo, who has directed winning fourth-quarter drives in the past two Dallas victories. "I mean really, this game comes so fast you're immersed in the study and just looking at the opponent and really wearing yourself out to get all of the looks to find out what you think is the best way to attack them. And by the end of the week you feel comfortable." Romo won't be the only undrafted starting quarterback Thursday. Oakland's Matt McGloin makes his third career start on a big Thanksgiving stage two weeks after his debut in Texas with a victory over Houston. McGloin became the fourth quarterback since the NFL merger in 1970 to throw three touchdown passes without an interception in his first start against the Texans. He then put the Raiders in position to beat the Titans with a fourth-quarter drive that Tennessee answered on a TD with 10 seconds remaining for a 23-19 win. The rookie from Penn State got his chance after Terrelle Pryor injured a knee, and now coach Dennis Allen isn't hesitating to call him the starter. "It's never been too big for Matt," Allen said. "Last week it wasn't always pretty early in the game, but in the second half he really got going in the passing game. Everybody's told him he can't do it, but he's continued to prove people wrong and so far he's been able to do that in the two starts he's had." Five things to consider as the Cowboys meet the Raiders for a second straight time on Thanksgiving. Dallas won the last meeting 24-7 in 2009. DUAL HOMECOMING: Allen, the youngest head coach in the league, is coming home, and so are the Cowboys. For Allen, that means coaching in front of family and friends just a few miles from where he grew up (suburb of Hurst) and played high school football (L.D. Bell). Allen also was a graduate assistant at Texas A&M, where he played safety. "It'll be fun," he said. "Unfortunately, we don't get a lot of time to hang out and visit. I won't be having Thanksgiving dinner with the family. I'll be in, get the job done and then get back out." For the Cowboys, it means playing at their $1.2 billion stadium for just the second time in seven weeks. They had four road games and a bye in that span. POSTSEASON PICTURE: The Cowboys (6-5) are tied with Philadelphia atop the NFC East lead and created some separation for the division leaders with last week's 2421 win over the Giants. Dallas has played winner-take-all finales against division rivals the past two seasons, and the possibility looms again with the Eagles visiting to wrap up the regular season. The Raiders (4-7) are last in the AFC West and have virtually no chance to win the division, but a wild-card berth isn't unrealistic if they get on a roll. WHO'S IN, WHO'S OUT: Raiders running back Darren McFadden returned to practice for the first time since injuring his hamstring Nov. 3 against Philadelphia and is expected to play. Backup Rashad Jennings leads the league with 553 yards from scrimmage the past four weeks and will also get time. "I think he's earned the right and deserves the right to continue to get his carries," Allen said of Jennings. Oakland tackle Jared Veldheer is on target to play for the first time since tearing his left triceps in the preseason. For the Cowboys, linebackers Sean Lee and Justin Durant, cornerback Morris Claiborne and receiver/kick returner Dwayne Harris are out with hamstring injuries. KICKING TRENDS: The arrow points up for Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey, who set a franchise record with his eighth winning field goal — a 35-yarder that beat the Giants on the final play. Rafael Septien had seven from 1978-86. Bailey is 18 of 20 for the year and has nine misses in three seasons for an accuracy rate just shy of 90 percent. Oakland's Sebastian Janikowski missed twice against Tennessee, giving him multiple misses in a game for the first time since 2010. He's 15 of 22 for the season. RARE ROAD BLUE: The Cowboys will wear their blue road jerseys at home in a rarity that will stress out their fans. It's happening because Dallas was again planning a throwback ensemble of white helmets with a blue star and an old-style blue jersey. After the league banned throwback helmets in September over safety concerns because the players hadn't broken them in, Dallas decided on the same road blue uniforms they wore in San Diego. Yes, the Cowboys lost to the Chargers, something loyal followers surely will remember because they've always considered the road blues to be cursed. The team doesn't track the win-loss record in blue. Lions hope to end skids against Packers DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Lions desperately want to end some skids. Detroit (6-5) has lost two straight games, blowing chances to take command of the NFC North. The Lions have dropped five in a row against the Green Bay Packers (55-1) and a franchise-record nine straight on Thanksgiving. When they limp into their annual showcase on the holiday, a quarterback who cashed in by carving them up is playing in place of Aaron Rodgers. Matt Flynn will start his first game for Green Bay since Jan. 1, 2012, when he threw for 480 yards and six touchdowns in a 45-41 win over Detroit. A couple months later, he signed a $26 million, three-year deal with Seattle. The Seahawks traded him in March to Oakland after he barely played last year. Then, the Raiders and Buffalo Bills both cut him in a one-month span earlier this season. The Packers were happy to welcome him back two weeks ago because none of their backups took full advantage of a chance to play after Rodgers fractured his left collarbone Nov. 4 against Chicago. Rodgers was ruled out Wednesday and Flynn was made the starter. "He's obviously comfortable with their offense," Detroit coach Jim Schwartz said. "He stepped right in. Last week, they were down 16 points (to Minnesota), he led them back and they got a tie." Four things to know about the 21st Packers-Lions game on Thanksgiving. LOSING LATELY: Detroit has failed to make the most out of opportunities to put itself in a great position to earn a division title for the first time since 1993. It blew chances to beat Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh, teams with losing records, leaving the franchise relegated to a first-place tie with Chicago and a half-game lead over the Packers. Green Bay is 0-3-1 in its last four games, a span linked directly to Rodgers' injury, in the franchise's worst stretch since losing five straight toward the end of the 2008 season. "This whole team is overdue to get a win in general," linebacker Clay Matthews said. "But obviously with the injuries on this team and where we're at, it's time for the defense to step up." MOTOR CITY'S MEGATRON: The only thing that has stopped Calvin Johnson lately is himself. He coughed up a catch in the final minute of last week's loss to the Buccaneers inside their 5, and that led to Matthew Stafford's fourth interception. Johnson has the most yards receiving (861) over five games in NFL history and has 1,198 yards receiving and 11 TDs in 10 games. He missed one game this year, sitting out at Green Bay with an injured right knee. The Packers hope the return of cornerback Sam Shields, who missed the previous two games with a hamstring injury, will help their chances of slowing down Johnson. HARSH WORDS: The Lions have developed a bad reputation on defense, led by tackle Ndamukong Suh. He infamously stomped on the right arm of Green Bay guard Evan Dietrich-Smith two years ago on Thanksgiving. Green Bay offensive guard Josh Sitton said if Rodgers was playing, the Lions would take a penalty and fine to put a hard hit on him. "Their entire defense takes cheap shots all the time," Sitton said Tuesday in an interview with Milwaukee radio station WSSP 1250. "That's what they do. That's who they are. ... They're a bunch of dirtbags ... that's how they play, and that's how they're coached." LEANING ON LACY: Green Bay has leaned on rookie Eddie Lacy, handing off the ball to him an average of 23 times over the last eight games and getting 755 yards rushing and five TDs from the second-round pick. "He's done a remarkable job of carrying that load," Schwartz said.