4 biggest causes of concern for Steelers vs. Ravens Week 12
By Andrew Falce
A short week
It is a well-known fact that NFL players hate to play on Thursday. This gives them minimal time to prep and practice before games and adds to injuries and overall fatigue. While this is an issue for both the Steelers and the Ravens, a short week may actually favor the Ravens more so than the Steelers. This is simply due to the offensive scheme that both teams run.
The Steelers are a pass-first team right now. While that has clearly worked on the field, it typically takes more practice in the week to get that down straight. While Ben Roethlisberger will end up connecting on his passes Thursday, it won’t be surprising to see him have a slow start as he gets into a grove. The Ravens, on the other hand, are a run-first team. While they still need to practice, running the ball makes it a lot easier to get going on a short week.
While this could be resolved quickly if Roethlisberger gets over his struggles early, if he is still trying to get in synch during the second quarter or even into halftime, it could allow the Ravens the chance to take an early lead. As for the Ravens, if they find early success on the ground, that short week may seem like it is affecting them late. Keep this in mind early in the game if the Steelers come off sluggish.