For as good as the Steelers-Ravens rivalry is, there is always a revolving cast of characters. This year includes some major new additions, Steelers OC Arthur Smith among them. While he seems to have the right disposition for the environment, this is his first taste of the rivalry. And beyond that, it’s simply a big game between two good teams for control of the AFC North.
“A lot goes into games like this,” Arthur Smith said of the Steelers’ upcoming game against the Ravens, via transcript. “It feels like a playoff game as much as it can feel in the regular season. So I’m excited to be a part of it.”
The Steelers and Ravens rank second and third, respectively, in rushing attempts per game this season, behind only the Philadelphia Eagles. The Steelers are running the ball over 34 times per game, the Ravens about 32. But the Ravens are far more efficient at it than Arthur Smith’s group.
The Ravens lead the league in rushing at 1,826 yards while the Steelers rank 10th. Even if you adjust for rushing yards per game, they still rank eighth, so they’re not among the most efficient teams. In fact, they rank in the bottom third of the league in rushing efficiency.
But games between the Steelers and Ravens tend to be more about attrition than accomplishment. It doesn’t matter how good either side of the ball is going into the game for either team. It’s about who can hold on the longest before breaking and making a mistake. Arthur Smith doesn’t want to be the one making the mistake. And he also knows that means keeping pace with the Ravens’ offense.
“Obviously you want to score more than 30 points a game,” Smith said about the Steelers’ upcoming game against a Ravens team averaging 31 points in 10 games. “You get in a matchup like this, that’s why probably their [defensive] numbers have been skewed one way or the other. They’ve had a great offensive year so far. Teams are down several possessions, and naturally you have a little bit more passing yards in soft coverage.”
Uncharacteristically, the Ravens rank dead last in passing defense. The Ravens also rank 27th in total defense and 25th in scoring defense while the Steelers rank eighth and second. The Ravens have also faced better offenses than the Steelers have, however, and, well, usually score more points.
That’s why Arthur Smith takes no comfort in his Steelers offense going against the Ravens’ passing defense. “Guys, they go about their possessions and the quarterback may throw for 300, but it was kind of irrelevant”, he said referencing “garbage time” stats, essentially. But it’s also true that the Ravens are blowing fourth-quarter leads, and sometimes the offense has to bail them out, as it did last week.
