Entering Sunday’s huge AFC North battle between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on the North Shore, the Steelers seemingly hold a clear advantage in one key area.
That would be throwing the football against the Ravens, who have the NFL’s worst pass defense through 10 weeks.
On the year, the Ravens are allowing 294.9 yards per game, which is 30 yards more per game than the next closest team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, at 264.1.
The Steelers come into the matchup averaging 188.0 yards per game through the air, but the passing game has taken off in the last three weeks with Russell Wilson under center for the Black and Gold. Add in the addition of veteran receiver Mike Williams to a passing attack that has taken off behind George Pickens and the Steelers are looking dangerous in the passing game.
CBS Sports’ Charles Davis will be interested to see if the Steelers can attack the Ravens in the middle of the field with the weapons they have under Russell Wilson and coordinator Arthur Smith.
“So they [Ravens] are struggling on that back end, which means the middle of the field, right? So if you’re Pittsburgh, George Pickens has really been running the slant route at a high level…Mike Williams is now going to get more opportunities to play jump ball on the outside,” Davis said of the Steelers’ passing game against Baltimore, according to video via CBS Sports on YouTube. “You can work inside with Calvin Austin, but the big thing is they’ve gotta get Pat Freiermuth at tight end going, and where do tight ends like to work? Middle of the field.
“This is gonna be a fun matchup to watch to see how they attack the middle of Baltimore’s defense and see if Baltimore has any answers this week to try and close things down.”
One week ago, Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow threw for 308 yards between the numbers, completing 19-of-26 attempts between the numbers. Burrow added three touchdowns in the middle of the field against the Ravens defense, which could be an area the Steelers try to work a bit more.
Last week against Washington, Wilson targeted the middle of the field just 10 times in the passing game, completing seven passes for 93 yards.
So far this season, the Steelers haven’t utilized the middle of the field much in the passing game. In Week 8, Wilson attempted just seven passes between the numbers against the New York Giants, completing four passes for 37 yards. Against the New York Jets in Week 7, Wilson completed just three of five passes between the numbers for 70 yards.
The Steelers will have an opportunity in the passing game against Baltimore. In Week 8, Cleveland’s Jameis Winston threw two touchdowns targeting the middle of the field, though Denver’s Bo Nix struggled in Week 9 against Baltimore in the middle of the field.
It will be interesting to see if Smith and the Steelers scheme to attack Baltimore in the middle of the field, an area where the Ravens very clearly have issues. Wilson typically doesn’t like to attack this area of the field, but it’ll be there for him on Sunday.
Time to take advantage.
