Saturday is arguably the Pittsburgh Steelers’ biggest game of the season. They have a chance to secure the AFC North title by beating the Baltimore Ravens. However, that will be much easier said than done. The Ravens are rolling, and the Steelers barely beat them the first time they played. With this game in Baltimore, it might seem like the Steelers have a slim chance to win. Former NFL offensive lineman A.Q. Shipley believes the Steelers are in for a long day at M&T Bank Stadium.
“The Ravens are gonna beat the shit out of the Pittsburgh Steelers in this game,” Shipley said Thursday on the YouTube channel Clean Pocket. “I have not been a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense all year. That same offense showed up again last week.
“I just don’t think they’re very good. I think their offensive line is average at best. I think Russell [Wilson] is average at best. Can he make some plays? Sure. Can he throw a moon ball up and someone makes a play for him? Sure. Do I think it’s gonna happen this weekend? Absolutely not.”
Shipley is correct that the Steelers’ offense looked awful last week. Without George Pickens, the Steelers have struggled to get their passing game going. Their run game has also taken a hit as a result. Against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, it doesn’t seem likely that kind of performance will be enough to win.
However, it might be a stretch to say the Ravens are going to stomp a mudhole in the Steelers. When these two teams play each other, the games are usually highly competitive. In fact, the last 10 matchups between them have been decided by one score. Bouts between the Steelers and Ravens usually do not result in blowouts.
It’s easy to see why Shipley believes the Ravens are going to dominate, though. On paper, they look far more talented than the Steelers. Jackson is an MVP candidate. Running back Derrick Henry has been on a tear with their group of pass catchers stepping up as well.
For most of this season, the Ravens’ Achilles heel has been their defense. That hasn’t been as much of a problem over the last few weeks, though. That unit has found more stability now, making the Ravens a more complete team.
History is not on Shipley’s side. The Steelers have won eight of their last nine matchups against the Ravens, with Jackson only beating them once in his career as a starter. In most of their recent games, the Ravens have seemed like the more talented team. Still, the Steelers have beaten them. That doesn’t mean they’ll win this game, but it does mean you shouldn’t underestimate them either.
