While the Pittsburgh Steelers will still enter Sunday’s game as underdogs, it looks like OLB Alex Highsmith will be on the field to help try and pull off the upset. Despite sitting out of Thursday’s practice with a groin injury, Highsmith told reporters Friday he expects to play this weekend.
As tweeted by The Trib’s Chris Adamski, Highsmith said his groin injury was “a little thing” and that he’s received plenty of treatment.
The Steelers will need Highsmith and a successful pass rush if they want any hope of beating the Ravens. If Baltimore has a weakness, it’s at tackle. Starting left tackle Ronnie Stanley has been perpetually injured, and though he appears on track to play this weekend, the former Pro Bowler is no longer the top blindside protector he once was. On the other side, starting RT Morgan Moses has been bothered by a shoulder injury and looks to be on the wrong side of questionable for this game.
That creates an advantage for Highsmith and Watt, two players enjoying solid years. Watt has six sacks through the first month and was named September’s AFC Defensive Player of the Month. Highsmith’s numbers haven’t been as gaudy, just one sack (though it was a key strip sack to beat the Cleveland Browns in Week Two) but the pressure has been consistent throughout the first quarter of the season. Their pass rush, however, was quelled against the Texans and they failed to sack Houston QB C.J. Stroud once in a 30-6 loss last Sunday.
Both players will have to anchor against the run and tackle in space. They’ll also need to win their opportunities to get home as a pass rusher. QB Lamar Jackson has been getting the ball out of his hand quicker this season, the ninth-fastest mark in football, which will make it tougher to bring him down. But if there’s one team Jackson has struggled against, it’s the Steelers. He’s thrown more interceptions (six) than touchdowns (four) and been sacked 16 times against Pittsburgh.
On paper, Baltimore has the advantage in most ways. Their defensive line against the Steelers’ run game. The obvious upgrade they have at quarterback. Pittsburgh’s defense must create splash to steal possessions and keep the score down, just as the Indianapolis Colts did to pull off the upset of Baltimore in Week Three.
Pittsburgh will release its final injury report later today with game statuses for Highsmith and the rest of the team.
