When the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, there will be the potential for a lot of points. Ravens QB Lamar Jackson leads the NFL in passing touchdowns while his team also leads the league in rushing yards. Meanwhile, the Ravens pass defense is allowing more passing touchdowns than any other team in the league (22). That means a big opportunity for Steelers QB Russell Wilson and his receivers.
Will the Ravens be able to keep up the ground assault? Or will Wilson and the Steelers punish the Ravens’ secondary all Sunday? The answer to those questions will likely determine who leads the AFC North after Sunday.
And Chris Brockman posed that question to Rich Eisen on Friday. Or more accurately, he asked Eisen which is more likely: Ravens RB Derrick Henry rushes for 150 yards and two touchdowns? Or Wilson throws for 300 yards and three touchdowns?
“I’d go 300, three touchdowns for Russ,” said Eisen on the What’s More Likely segment of Friday’s episode of the Rich Eisen Show. “That’s a stout Steelers D, pal. Even what Marlon Humphrey said after the Thursday night game even, he’s like, yeah, we gotta figure out how to take what we’re seeing in practice and put it into actual practice on the field. And I know Russ isn’t known for those 300, three touches for a while… I would say it’s more likely that Russell does that than Derrick Henry just looks right at Cam Hayward and says I’m running right at you. Runs away from TJ Watt, Patrick Queen.”
The reality is that neither of these outcomes are all that likely. Henry is averaging 112 yards per game this season. He’s only eclipsed 150 yards rushing in three of the Ravens’ 10 games in 2024. And he’s had two or more touchdowns in a game three times this season. Of those games, Henry has only hit the 150-yard, two-touchdown mark once. So it’s possible, but that specific stat line isn’t one that Henry is hitting with any regularity.
And it’s not like the Steelers are struggling to defend the run. They’ve allowing 87.1 rushing yards per game and have only given up seven rushing touchdowns all season. Both of those numbers are top 10 in the NFL.
As for Wilson, he hasn’t thrown for 300+ yards since he did so in back-to-back weeks in 2023 with the Denver Broncos. But he did hit the 300-yard, three-touchdown stat line in Week 2 of the 2023 season against the Washington Commanders. The very same team he just threw three touchdowns against last Sunday.
Wilson wasn’t that far off 300 yards against the New York Giants (278), but that plateau would represent a step up for the Steelers’ offense. However, the opportunity could be there against the Ravens. They’re giving up the most passing touchdowns of any defense and they’ve given up the most 20+ yard passing plays this season with 47. The Ravens have one of the best run defenses in the league, so the Steelers will have to rely on Wilson to move the ball.
Russell Wilson and the Steelers will have a chance to put up some big passing plays against the Ravens on Sunday. That’s why Steve Palazzolo on the Check The Mic show wants to see Wilson keep throwing deep. Chances are, if Wilson can throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns, the Steelers will solidify their hold on the AFC North.
