Wound is still fresh’

Steelers receiver Antonio Brown stretches the ball across the goal line for the game-winning touchdown despite the efforts of Eric Weddle, Jerraud Powers and C.J. Mosley in this past December’s game. Whatever Ravens do before game, they need to get on wit

he NFL has spent the first three weeks of the 2017 season embroiled in a controversy from which it cannot seem to escape. Whether the stated issue is social justice, appreciation of our military, first amendment freedom, respect for the flag and the national anthem, or simply respect for each other, the sport appears to have alienated a significant segment of a national fan base that has grown tired of all the kneeling, arm-locking and posturing.

That’s certainly true in Baltimore, where the Ravens put themselves in the middle of the Colin Kaepernick situation early in training camp and found themselves back at ground zero last Sunday when they were one of the first teams to take part in an on-field protest after President Donald Trump crudely criticized players who have taken a knee during “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Which is why you can expect to see protesters outside M&T Bank

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Nine months later, the play remains ingrained in the minds of the Ravens’ returning defensive players. Even for guys such as safety Eric Weddle, who vowed not to watch it again because living it was painful enough, it’s been unavoidable.

Antonio Brown’s 4-yard touchdown reception with nine seconds remaining on Christmas Day secured the AFC North title for the Pittsburgh Steelers and eliminated the Ravens from postseason contention. Surrounded by four defenders and in the grasp of Weddle, Brown extended the ball into the end zone, giving the NFL one of its indelible images from the 2016 season.

The game-winning score played over and over on highlight reels for months during the long offseason and is now featured on a commercial that runs regularly during prime-time NFL games.

“He got probably the perfect picture for his career, scoring a touchdown like that and every time I see the play, all I see is my gold shoe sticking in the air and him reaching over,” Ravens middle linebacker C.J. Mosley said. “It definitely was a tough loss, especially with the way we worked all year to get down to that one play and lose it, and then playing the last game for nothing. We definitely don’t want to put ourselves in that situation.”

The Steelers and Ravens meet today at M&T Bank Stadium for the