Depot Roundtable: Week 16 Steelers Vs. Ravens Preview

The good news about a short week after a thumping is that you can turn the page quickly and move on. That’s what the Pittsburgh Steelers have done this week, turning the page after a blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and setting their sights on a hat and t-shirt game against the Baltimore Ravens with the AFC North crown on the line.

Just five weeks ago — 34 days, to be exact — the Steelers and the Ravens matched up at Acrisure Stadium, with the Steelers coming out on top in a thriller, 18-16. Things have changed since then as the Steelers are dealing with a number of injuries, while the Ravens are relatively healthy and well-rested after a Week 14 bye week.

That should all go out the window in the rivalry game, though. It’s going to be a rock fight for the AFC North crown, and the Steelers are darn good in those over the years.

Here at Steelers Depot, we’re doing something new this season. While Alex Kozora and Dave Bryan give their in-depth breakdown and preview of the game weekly on The Terrible Podcast, Joe Clark, Ross McCorkle, Scott Brown, Troy Montgomery, and I are doing a weekly roundtable, answering key questions ahead of each game.

Today, we examine the Steelers’ Week 15 matchup at Acrisure Stadium against the Eagles.

QUESTION 1: WHO IS THE STEELERS’ X FACTOR AGAINST THE RAVENS?

Josh Carney: RB Najee Harris. Steelers’ OC Arthur Smith used an interesting analogy Wednesday regarding the Steelers’ running game, stating that it’s like an old pickup truck: it takes awhile to get going, but once it’s running it’s smooth. It fits, but the Steelers can’t afford to take awhile in the run game on Saturday.

The focus for me is on Najee Harris, who had a killer fumble on Sunday against the Eagles that changed the game. It was a bad day overall for not just Harris, but the running game overall. They can’t start slow and struggle like they did against the Eagles. Harris has to come out and start fast, running hard downhill and ripping off some chunk runs. A strong running game for the Steelers will force the Ravens to add more to the box, which could open the passing game up for Russell Wilson and Co.

When it looks right, it all runs like a smooth engine. Harris has to make sure that old pickup truck is warmed up before kickoff.

Joe Clark:  LB Patrick Queen. The Steelers need to contain Lamar Jackson and having Queen flying to the ball will help that happen. It’s also his first game back in Baltimore, where he spent the first four years of his career. Queen came through with a splash play in his first game against the Ravens with a forced fumble, and in front of their fans, he’s going to want to prove to the team they made a mistake letting him go and send a message to the fans that chirped him on his way out. If Queen has a big game for the Steelers and can force another turnover, it’s going to be key for the Steelers.

Ross McCorkle: CB Joey Porter Jr. He’s had an up and down season lately and the last few weeks has been mostly down. His last good game was against the Ravens in Week 11. Especially if Rashod Bateman can’t go, Porter can help make sure Jackson is holding onto the ball to give the pass rush time to get home. Jackson has taken 22 sacks in five career starts versus the Steelers.

Scott Brown: OC Arthur Smith. Not saying he has to make chicken salad out of chicken-you-know-what, but the Steelers will again be without WR George Pickens. Justin Fields, who might have given the offense a dynamic element in doses, will also be sidelined because of an injury.

Smith’s run-first sensibilities will be challenged by a Ravens defense that is going to make the Steelers move the ball through the air. His options ain’t great there to say the least. But Smith has to figure out a way to establish some offensive balance or we could see a repeat of what happened in Philadelphia.

Troy Montgomery: TE Pat Freiermuth. Unfortunately, George Pickens won’t play this week. The Steelers are going to need someone else to step up. Their offense looked lost last week, and against the Ravens, it might be tough sledding running the ball. Therefore, it might fall to the Steelers’ pass catchers to make a play.

That’s where Freiermuth comes in. Russell Wilson talked about how he’s been on fire recently, and he isn’t wrong. The Ravens’ pass defense has been better as of late, but their linebackers still haven’t been amazing. If Freiermuth can exploit some of those matchups, he could give the Steelers the spark they need.

QUESTION 2: WHAT IS THE MATCHUP TO WATCH IN STEELERS-RAVENS?

Josh Carney: Steelers OLB T.J. Watt vs. Ravens RT Roger Rosengarten. If T.J. Watt can go, he has to dominate this matchup, plain and simple. The last time out, Watt didn’t exactly do that. Though he had a sack in the win over the Ravens, it came on a chasedown play with Lamar Jackson stepping out of bounds.

Against Rosengarten in Week 11, Watt had just one pressure. In fact, in his last 133 pass blocking snaps dating back to Week 11, Rosengarten has allowed just two pressures. Watt is coming off of a great game against the Eagles in which he had two sacks, a tackle for loss, and forced a fumble. But, he’s banged up with an ankle injury.

In a pivotal game, the Steelers need Watt to be, well, Watt, even with the extra attention Baltimore will undoubtedly pay him.

Joe Clark:  CB Joey Porter Jr. vs. WR Zay Flowers. Baltimore could be down both Nelson Agholor and Rashod Bateman against Pittsburgh, which means they can’t let Flowers have a big game. Porter will need to limit his grabiness and not let Flowers make plays downfield to flip the field and give Baltimore scoring opportunities. Limiting Flowers as much as possible will be key, and the onus will be on Porter to make that happen.

Ross McCorkle: NT Keeanu Benton vs. C Tyler Linderbaum. Benton struggled a little bit against the Ravens last time around, especially against the run. Maybe having Montravius Adams in the rotation will help, but they need to be stout in the middle against Jackson, Henry and Hill.

Scott Brown: FS Minkah Fitzpatrick vs, TEs Mark Andrews/Isaiah Likely. The Steelers don’t have a linebacker who can cover Andrews – not many teams do. The three-time Pro Bowler has four TD catches in the Ravens’ last five games, and Likely is a TE1 on many teams.

Fitzpatrick has to contain both while also helping the Steelers’ front seven limit RB Derrick Henry. The three-time All-Pro has been good this season. The Steelers need him to be great at M&T Bank Stadium if they want to clinch their first AFC North title since 2020.

Troy Montgomery: OLB Alex Highsmith vs. OT Ronnie Stanley. T.J. Watt is going to play against the Ravens, but Baltimore is still probably going to devote a ton of attention to him. When all eyes have been on Watt, that has allowed Highsmith to make his presence known. He wasn’t healthy last time the Steelers played the Ravens, so he could be a difference maker in this matchup.

Stanley is no slouch, though. A few years ago, he was one of the best tackles in the NFL. Injuries have slowed his career down, but he’s still talented. Highsmith isn’t going to have an easy matchup. If Watt gets chipped and doubled, Highsmith will need to make Lamar Jackson uncomfortable.

QUESTION 3: WHAT IS THE BIGGEST KEY TO THE GAME FOR THE STEELERS?

Josh Carney: Don’t be that old pickup truck offensively that needs to warm up to get rolling. The Steelers cannot afford to start slowly on offense once again, especially in the run game. After getting manhandled throughout the game Sunday, the Steelers have to come in with a real edge to their game and take the fight to the Ravens.

Not only is it a rivalry matchup, it’s also a game in which the Steelers can clinch the AFC North crown and lock themselves into a top 4 seed in the AFC playoffs. Act like it from the opening kickoff. There is no room for warming up to it. While Mike Tomlin likes to say starts don’t determine the full 60 minutes, a strong start is necessary in this one, especially on the road.

Joe Clark:  Create some splash. The Steelers won’t have George Pickens, but they can’t start slowly and let drives stall out. Get into field position with some throws downfield, even if it’s to Scotty Miller or Van Jefferson. Pittsburgh will need to put themselves in position to score as much as possible, and they proved they can beat Baltimore even with just field goals. Just get into position to score and play good defense and the rest will sort itself out, but they need to create explosive plays. They can’t find themselves starting slowly and in and long situations on their own side of the field, so try and create deep.

Ross McCorkle: Possess the ball. The defense simply cannot endure another 77-snap performance like they faced against the Eagles. Derrick Henry is typically the king of second half football as defenses get tired. That might set in a little quicker this week if the Steelers aren’t careful on offense. This means winning third downs on both sides of the ball and avoiding any turnovers on offense.

Scott Brown: Don’t forget the kryptonite. Two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson only turns 28 in early January, and he is already among the best of best. Except when he plays the Steelers (or in January). Then he sails passes or his teammates fail him. Whether it’s scheme or the Steelers living between his ears, it needs to continue.

The Fightin’ Tomlins need to keep the final score in the teens through some combination of takeaways, defensive stoutness, special teams supremacy and offensive competency. A significant part of that equation is not allowing Jackson to finally solve the Steelers.

Troy Montgomery: Capitalize on turnovers. Last week, the Steelers forced two early turnovers against the Philadelphia Eagles. However, they were forced to settle for field goals both times. It was a similar story last time they played the Ravens. The Steelers probably aren’t going to beat the Ravens with only field goals again.

If they can steal a possession from Baltimore, they need to find the endzone. Lamar Jackson has been cruising lately. That entire team is fighting for a chance to win the AFC North. The game is on their home field. Forcing a turnover and capping it off with a touchdown would help suck the air out of that building.

QUESTION 4: WHAT IS YOUR PREDICTION FOR STEELERS AT RAVENS?

Josh Carney: While the Steelers are dealing with a number of injuries and the Ravens are largely recharged after a Week 14 bye and a blowout win over the New York Giants that had their starters taking the fourth quarter off, none of that really matters in a rivalry matchup like this.

These teams are so familiar with each other, and know the strengths and weaknesses. It comes down to execution. After getting thumped in embarrassing fashion Sunday against the Eagles, the Steelers are going to respond, in all three phases, too. Steelers 23, Ravens 20

Joe Clark:  Everything says the Ravens should win this game. But the Ravens haven’t shown they can beat the Steelers. They make mistakes that cost them the game, and Mike Tomlin always finds a way to outcoach John Harbaugh. Even with the Ravens healthier and arguably more talented, I don’t see the Steelers losing this game. They’re going to find a way, even if it’s ugly. Steelers 19 Ravens 17

Ross McCorkle: I bet against the streak last week against the Eagles, so I will side with the streak this week. The Steelers rarely lose multiple games in a row, and certainly not late in the season. This is the first “hat and t-shirt game” for a good portion of the team, and I expect them to play like it. The AFC North crown will return home to Pittsburgh in a standard low-scoring game between these two teams. Steelers 17, Ravens 16.

Scott Brown: The Steelers will have recent history on their side Saturday but little else. Have a bad feeling that Mr. Jackson is going to play lights out against a tired and ailing defense. And if the Ravens ring up the scoreboard, the Steelers have no chance of keeping up with George Pickens wearing street clothes. Ravens 27, Steelers 10 

Troy Montgomery: This feels like the same story as the first game between these two teams this year. The Ravens are better on paper, they’ve been rolling recently, and the Steelers look poised to fall flat on their face. Last time, Pittsburgh proved everyone wrong. I don’t think they’ll do that again.

With this game being in Baltimore, and the Steelers not having George Pickens, I don’t think they’ll be able to move the ball. I believe their offensive struggles will continue, and they’ll fall just short in their bid to seal the division. Suddenly, that final game against the Bengals looks incredibly important. Ravens 20, Steelers 13