As we’ve been doing for several years now, we’ll break down the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opponent each week, telling you what to expect from a scheme and individual standpoint. This year, Jonathan Heitritter and I will cover the opposing team’s defense. I will focus on the scheme, Jonathan on the players.
Today, scouting the Baltimore Ravens’ defense.
*Important note. For today’s report, we’ll be doing things a little differently. Because the Steelers played the Ravens only a few weeks ago, we’ll have a more abridged version that focuses on the Week 11 game So this report will be laid out a bit differently and provide a more focus analysis since overall scheme and individual are similar.
Alex’s Schematic Report
Ravens’ Run Defense
A stout unit and excellent against the run all season. Pittsburgh ran often but didn’t have an efficient performance against Baltimore in Week 11, 34 carries for 122 yards and zero touchdowns. Najee Harris led the way with 18 carries for 63 yards while Jaylen Warren had nine carries for 41 yards.
Similar to Philadelphia last week, Baltimore trusts its 4-3 front to stop the run out of two-high looks. You’ll see the Ravens play it on early downs even against heavier, multi-tight end personnel.
While the Ravens don’t have a lot of changes in personnel, there is one key change. LB Trenton Simpson, the man tasked to replace Patrick Queen, has lost his job opposite Roquan Smith. His playing time has decreased starting in the first Steelers game and in the Ravens’ Week 15 win over the New York Giants, he played just five snaps. Simpson has been replaced by No. 40 Malik Harrison.
Based on our charting, the Steelers had more success out of 11 personnel than 12 personnel. Against 11, they averaged 4.9 YPC and had a 66.7-percent run success rate. In heavy personnel (12/13/21), they averaged 3.0 YPC with a 37.5-percent run success rate.
While conventional wisdom might lend itself to thinking YPC is always higher out of 11 than heavy personnel, it’s not for the Steelers. Ravens game aside, the Steelers are averaging 3.99 YPC out of 11 personnel this season. In everything else, they’re at 4.02. Virtually the same but in the first Ravens game, 11 personnel won the day. I’m not as opposed to running more out of heavy than in the Eagles game but there is use in going a bit lighter in this one.
Zone schemes worked best against Baltimore. Split flow was trickier with the Ravens EDGEs being bigger, but the Steelers still made plays and outside zone even found traction.
Pittsburgh did struggle in short-yardage, 2-of-4 on third/fourth-and-one against Baltimore, so that will be a crucial area to clean up.
Ravens’ Pass Defense
A much-improved unit and overall, Baltimore’s defense has gotten much better since its first matchup against Pittsburgh. They’ve allowed 19.5 points per game starting with the Steelers game. And it’s a unit that’s always had talent and simply underachieved through the first 10 weeks of the season.
Against the Steelers, the Ravens took away play-action and the team’s boot game well. That’s a staple under Arthur Smith and Pittsburgh may have to more creatively find ways to hit these concepts. The screen game was more effective, including a good gain by RB Najee Harris off play-action that feigned a vertical shot off a Yankee concept.
The throw was open on the second example, but it did take away Russell Wilson’s first two reads, the flat and the crosser.
Baltimore was a heavy man-coverage team on third down against Pittsburgh in Week 11. In most of those moments, top CB Marlon Humphrey travelled with and shadowed George Pickens though Pickens is out for the rematch. But a lot of Cover 1 in those money-down situations.
On 2nd and 10 against 2×2, they play more Cover 2.
And on second and medium, they play more Cover 3 with an off-ball linebacker blitz.
Against bunch looks in the red zone, they “box” it with 4 over 3 and play first-in/first-out rules.
Jonathan’s Individual Report
For the second time in little over a month, the Pittsburgh Steelers are set to face the Baltimore Ravens in a game that will likely decide the AFC North championship.
The last time these two teams met, it ended up a low-scoring, smash-mouth slobber-knocker of a game in which Pittsburgh came up on top 18-16 thanks to six Chris Boswell field goals.
Baltimore’s defense kept Pittsburgh’s offense from reaching the end zone, holding the Steelers to 303 total yards with 181 yards through the air and 122 yards on the ground. Pittsburgh ran 74 offensive plays on 13 drives while averaging 3.6 yards per carry on the ground.
LB #0 Roquan Smith led the charge with 13 total tackles (eight solo), including two tackles for loss. Baltimore had three defenders over the double-digit tackles mark as DB #29 Ar’Darius Washington racked up 12 total stops with one tackle for loss while S #14 Kyle Hamilton had 10 total stops, nine of which were solo.
Pittsburgh managed to get some traction in the run game, although it wasn’t very efficient work for RB Najee Harris, who averaged just 3.5 yards on 18 carries for 63 yards. RB Jaylen Warren, on the other hand, had nine carries for 41 yards, averaging 4.6 yards.
Pittsburgh will need to do a better job sealing off Baltimore’s defensive line and preventing Smith from coming downhill to spring Harris better into the second level this time around. Hopefully improving the run game keeps the offense from facing more third-and-longs.
Baltimore’s pass defense held its own despite being heavily attacked by other teams heading into the Week 11 matchup. The Ravens allowed just 4.5 yards per pass while picking off QB Russell Wilson once.
The interception was made by CB #44 of Marlon Humphrey, who was covering TE Darnell Washington in the end zone, backpedaling to catch an off-target Wilson pass. He overthrew it while on the run, ending a promising drive with no points.
Wilson must be better this time around making sound decisions on third down as well as in the red zone, not giving the Ravens any gifts while capitalizing on field position for touchdowns, not just field goals.
Pittsburgh will again without its WR1 in George Pickens as he nurses a hamstring injury. He led the Steelers with eight catches for 89 yards in Week 11. Washington was their next leading receiver with just two catches for 42 yards.
Wilson will need to be better spreading the wealth around to TE Pat Freiermuth, WRs Calvin Austin III, Van Jefferson, and Mike Williams as well as Washington and the running backs with Pickens out.
The Baltimore defense picked up four sacks in Week 11, resulting in a loss of 24 yards. EDGE #99 Odafe Oweh led the way with 2.5 sacks and four quarterback hits, dropping Russell Wilson on back-to-back plays at the end of the first quarter. On the first sack Oweh used a nice cross chop to beat LT Dan Moore around corner. He then showed great effort in pursuit on the next play to help bring down Wilson, combining with CB #21 Brandon Stephens on the sacks.
DL #96 Broderick Washington got the other sack on Wilson while EDGE #95 Tavius Robinson and EDGE #53 Kyle Van Noy each chipped in a quarterback hit. Pittsburgh noticeably struggled on the edges keeping Wilson clean. Moore gave up multiple sacks while OT Broderick Jones also allowed his fair share of pressures. Pittsburgh’s tackles will need to do a better job of giving Wilson time in the pocket in this rematch to attack Baltimore’s secondary.
