The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing to play their first AFC North game of the 2024 NFL season. And of course, it’s against their bitter rivals, the Baltimore Ravens. And Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is playing at an incredible level right now. He’s completing 69.1 percent of his passes for 2,669 yards and 24 touchdowns versus only two interceptions. He leads the league in passing touchdowns.
And the Ravens are leading the league in rushing with 1,826 yards, too. It’s going to be quite the test for the Steelers’ defense. But Mike Renner believes that the interior of the Steelers’ defensive line could change the game on Sunday.
“I like the Steelers,” Renner said on Pushing The Pile’s Week 11 preview on Thursday. “I think this is the first d-line that can really bring back what we saw happen to Lamar Week 1. If you recall when the Chiefs really just, they lived in the backfield. They were getting pressure pretty much instantly, continuously. And it’s because they can do it on the interior. Guys like Keeanu Benton, guys like Cam Heyward, they can win quickly. And that, to me, is what you have to do to disrupt this passing attack. Because if you give Lamar time, if he can dance around there in the pocket, you’re toast.”
In that Week 1 matchup against the Chiefs, Jackson completed 63.1 percent of his passes, well below his season average of 69.1 percent. He only threw for one touchdown while the Chiefs sacked him once. But more importantly, the Chiefs’ defense pressured him 15 times in the game, Jackson never able to get into a rhythm. And consequently, the Ravens were unable to keep up with the Chiefs and lost, 27-20.
The very next week in a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, Jackson was sacked three times. Then in the Ravens’ third loss of the season, this time to the Cleveland Browns, Jackson was pressured 21 times and sacked three times.
It certainly seems like flustering Jackson and getting him on the ground is a key part of beating the Ravens this season. And Renner thinks that the Steelers’ defensive line duo of Cam Heyward and Keeanu Benton will be key.
Benton has been credited with one sack by Pro Football Focus this season while also generating six quarterback hits and four hurries. He was one of the best players on the field when the Steelers beat the New York Jets earlier this season. He may have only had one pressure, but he found other ways to disrupt the quarterback by knocking down two of QB Aaron Rodgers’ passes.
Meanwhile, Heyward is back to his game-wrecking ways with five sacks, seven quarterback hits, and 17 hurries per PFF.
We all think about LB T.J. Watt when it comes to getting after the quarterback and for good reason. But getting quick interior disruption is always helpful against any quarterback in the league. And if Heyward and Benton can help disrupt Lamar Jackson quickly, that will certainly help the Steelers slow the Ravens’ potent offense.
