The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are fierce rivals, but most people don’t expect their next game to be particularly close. The Steelers are huge underdogs, and rightly so. They’re ice cold, but the Ravens are red hot. Given the game in Baltimore, it feels like the Steelers have a pretty good chance of winning on Saturday night. Analyst Chris Sims seems to agree with that common sentiment.
“I think the Ravens are going to piss that guy off,” Sims said. Thursday is Pro Football Talk. “The Steelers are over. 4 [losses] In a row, they yelled their asses off for three weeks in a row.
“And they made some plays against the Bengals, who have the worst defense in football. I didn’t like how Pittsburgh’s defense absolutely lost. [run] Derrick Henry was in charge. ”
Just a few weeks ago, the Ravens defeated the Steelers in Baltimore. Henry also had issues, rushing for 162 yards on 24 carries. The Steelers got pushed in that game and haven’t done anything since to prove they’re the better team.
However, there may be reasons to be excited about the Steelers. That game in Week 16 was without several key contributors. The secondary was loaded with injuries, with the Steelers without DeShon Elliott and Donte Jackson. Additionally, Joey Porter Jr. was injured during the game. George Pickens also missed the game due to a hamstring injury.
It’s reasonable to think the Steelers are in a better position going into this game, at least from a health standpoint. Elliott is probably their best tackler, so perhaps with him back Henry won’t have such a dominant day.
In Week 18, the Steelers’ defense was better with most of these players back. The real problem is their crime. Even with Pickens back, things haven’t changed for them in recent weeks. If they look this dysfunctional, the Ravens will be playing against them.
The Steelers proved they can beat this team, as they defeated the Ravens in the first meeting of the AFC North rivals this season. It looks like the Ravens will also have to deal with health issues this time around. Their star wide receiver Zai Flowers is not scheduled to play. That should make the Steelers’ job a little easier.
All of this still might not be enough for the Steelers to win on Saturday night. The last few weeks haven’t been very good. While their flaws destroyed them, the Ravens took what was holding them back and made it their own. It seems unlikely that the Steelers will win.
