The Pittsburgh Steelers don't play football this week... but that doesn't mean that they can't witness a massive 'win' in their division. Following a Week 4 meltdown, the AFC North is in shambles, and for Mike Tomlin's biggest rival, things could only get worse.
Last week, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson suffered a hamstring injury late in the game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Now the 2023 NFL MVP is slated to miss time.
Jackson was not able to participate in practice early in the week due to the hamstring injury, and it looks like backup Cooper Rush is on track to suit up in Week 5. NFL insider Josina Anderson reported that Jackson is not currently expected to play in the next two games. This is terrible news for an already struggling Ravens team with the league's worst defense at the quarter mark of the season.
John Harbaugh's Ravens are set to host the Houston Texans at 1 pm on Sunday. Though the Texans have struggled offensively at times early in the season, they are coming off a 26-0 blowout win over the Tennessee Titans.
Entering Week 5, Houston has the number one scoring defense in the NFL—allowing a mere 12.8 points per game to their opponents. This couldn't be further from what we've witnessed from Baltimore. The Ravens are currently dead last in the NFL in scoring defense, surrendering a whopping 33.3 points per game.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could win big despite bye week with a Baltimore Ravens loss
The Baltimore Ravens are home underdogs this week, which isn't what Ravens fans want to see after a dismal 1-3 start to the season. Historically, teams only have an 11 percent chance of making the playoffs after a 1-3 start, according to ThePlayoffs.news. So starting 1-4 is a recipe for disaster.
In the Super Bowl era, only about six percent of NFL teams that have started 1-4 have gone on to make the playoffs. And if Baltimore doesn't win this week, their misery might not end here.
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After hosting the Texans this week, the Ravens will have Matthew Stafford and the L.A. Rams coming to town. The Rams are already proving to be one of the best teams in the NFL this year, and there's no guarantee Lamar Jackson will be back for this game.
If Baltimore drops its next two games against the Texans and Rams, their 2025 season would be effectively over. Dropping to 1-5 would mean that the Ravens essentially need to be spotless for the final two-thirds of the season to give themselves a shot at the postseason—and even then, a division title would not be guaranteed.
With the Browns looking like the Browns and no Joe Burrow for at least the next three months for the Bengals, the Baltimore Ravens are still the biggest competition for the Pittsburgh Steelers for the AFC North crown. Keep your eyes on the Ravens this Sunday, as a Baltimore loss could be a massive win for Pittsburgh.