The Pittsburgh Steelers are facing a familiar foe in the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, and despite beating Baltimore in Week 11, Mike Tomlin said in his weekly press conference that he’s seen many changes from the Ravens defense. Entering their last matchup with the Steelers, the Ravens ranked last in the league in passing yards. Since then, Tomlin noted they’ve only given up two passing plays of 20-plus yards. He said that they’re a much different team on that side of the ball since Week 11.
“They’ve really settled some things down on defense, and they’re making themselves a more difficult group to score on. The tape tells me that, the statistics tell me that as well. So we’re working with an edge man. They’re about as different as you can get defensively over the course of a month. And so we got some work ahead of us in that area,” Tomlin said via the team’s YouTube channel.
Tomlin pointed out some of the key differences, which include CB Marlon Humphrey almost exclusively moving to the slot while Kyle Hamilton is back at safety, along with Ar’Darius Washington. While he didn’t play against the Steelers in Week 11, the team also moved on from S Eddie Jackson, and S Marcus Williams is now a backup. DT Michael Pierce is also back from an injury that caused him to miss the first game against the Steelers. Tomlin also credited the team bringing on Dean Pees, their former defensive coordinator, as a defensive advisor for some of the defensive turnaround.
It’s going to be a tougher matchup than Week 11 regardless because it’s on the road and WR George Pickens’ status remains in doubt as he’s missed the last two games with a hamstring injury, but Baltimore’s defensive improvements certainly add another element that the Steelers have to prepare for. It’s the same team, but it’s a team that looks a lot different than it did just a few weeks ago. The Steelers must adapt and change their game plan to prepare for the changes that the Ravens have made.
With the Steelers able to clinch the division with a win, there’s a little added to the fire from both teams. The Steelers have had the upper hand against Baltimore lately. But injuries on Pittsburgh’s end and the fact that the Ravens have made some in-season changes will make Pittsburgh’s preparation just a little bit more difficult as they look to gain AFC North supremacy.
