It doesn’t get any easier in Week Five for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Coming off a disappointing blowout loss to the Houston Texans, 30-6, in Week Four on the road, the Steelers return home to Acrisure Stadium for the first time since Week Two to take on the AFC North rival Baltimore Ravens.
Baltimore is riding high, sitting at 3-1 on the season with two wins in the rugged AFC North already in hand after topping the Cleveland Browns in convincing fashion in Week Four, 28-3.
The Ravens look like a different team offensively with new offensive coordinator Todd Monken opening things up more for quarterback Lamar Jackson in the passing game. Meanwhile the defense has been quite good all season, putting the clamps on teams seemingly week after week.
Now, they’ll get a shot at the Steelers, who are coming off of the blowout loss and have a ton of questions that need answered. One of those lies in the secondary regarding veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson, who got beat on a 52-yard touchdown in Week Four against the Houston Texans and largely struggled.
It will be Peterson’s first matchup against the Ravens as a member of the Steelers, which has him looking forward to diving into the AFC North rivalry while taking on Jackson. After starting slow on the road against the Texans, Peterson knows that the Steelers can’t warm up to it on Sunday.
“We have to play better than what we played last week for sure. Like you said, this matchup is always a low scoring affair. Always a defensive battle. Comes down to the last-drive field goal or two-point play or whatever the case may be. We understand that we have to be on our P’s and Q’s at all times, man. We cannot start a neutral, we cannot get warmed up to it,” Peterson said on the latest episode of his podcast All Things Covered with co-host Bryant McFadden, according to video via the show’s YouTube page.Â
The not getting warmed up to it is a Mike Tomlin special, one that he uses often when it comes matchups, and even the season in general.
The Steelers seemingly tried to warm up to the game on the road against the Texans on Sunday, even deferring the ball to the second half after winning the opening coin toss. That backfired as the Texans marched right down the field and ended up scoring three touchdowns on the drive before the final one stuck without penalty flags.
That can’t be the case on Sunday against the Ravens. Peterson knows it, considering just how great Jackson truly is.
“We have to come out with our hair on fire, man. Set the tone defensively, especially, set the tone from the first play,” Peterson added.Â
The Steelers tried that and failed in Week Four. Will it be any different in Week Five against the Ravens? Time will tell.
According to Peterson, the team knows how big of a game the Week Five showdown with the red-hot Ravens is. It’s made all that bigger with it being an AFC North clash and one with Pittsburgh coming off of a dreadful loss on the road. The Steelers need a bounce-back game. They have to get up for the Ravens. No excuses.
Peterson is ready for it.
“I understand, and I know the team understands this as well, how important this game is to us. Not only is the Baltimore Ravens, because it’s the next one after a loss, but I’m looking forward to it, man. I really, really am. I know it’s gonna be a lot of excitement in the stadium,” Peterson said according to video via the show’s YouTube page. “I know obviously with Lamar Jackson coming to town, I’m extremely excited to finally get the opportunity to play against him, so this game is huge.
“This game is huge. I’m excited. The team is excited. We’re ready to roll, man. Try to get this bad taste out of my mouth.”
