Although the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are bitter rivals, most people do not expect their upcoming game to be particularly close. The Steelers are massive underdogs, and rightfully so. They’re ice-cold, while the Ravens are red-hot. With the game in Baltimore, it feels like the Steelers are a longshot to win Saturday night. Analyst Chris Simms seems to agree with that consensus opinion.
“I think the Ravens are going to whoop that ass,” Simms said Thursday on Pro Football Talk. “The Steelers are done. Four [losses] in a row, they got their ass whooped three weeks in a row.
“And then, okay, they put up a fight against the Bengals, who have one of the worst defenses in football, and they did make a few plays. I didn’t like the look of how Pittsburgh’s defense got absolutely [run] over by Derrick Henry.”
Just a few weeks ago, the Ravens crushed the Steelers in Baltimore. Henry was a problem, too, rushing for 162 yards on 24 carries. The Steelers got pushed around in that game, and since then, they haven’t done much to prove they’re a better team.
However, there might be some reasons to have hope for the Steelers. In that Week 16 game, they were missing several key contributors. Their secondary was riddled with injuries, the Steelers missing DeShon Elliott and Donte Jackson. In addition, Joey Porter Jr. got hurt during the game. George Pickens was absent as well, dealing with a hamstring injury.
It feels reasonable to say the Steelers are in a better spot going into this game, at least from a health perspective. Elliott is arguably their best tackler, so maybe with him back, Henry won’t have as dominant of a day.
The Steelers’ defense was better in Week 18 after getting most of those players back. The real question is their offense. Even with Pickens back, they haven’t looked the same over the last few weeks. If they continue to look so dysfunctional, the Ravens will have a field day against them.
The Steelers did beat the Ravens in the AFC North rivals’ first matchup this season, so they have proven they can beat this team. This time, it looks like it will be the Ravens who are dealing with health issues too. Zay Flowers, their star wide receiver, is not going to play. That should make the Steelers’ job a little easier.
All of that still might not be enough for the Steelers to win Saturday night. For weeks, they just haven’t been very good. Their flaws have doomed them while the Ravens have taken ownership of what was holding them back. The Steelers’ chances at victory seem slim.
