I really don’t have a great read on the game this week. All signs on paper point to the Steelers losing in embarrassing fashion. The Ravens are one of the best-rushing offenses in the league, while Pittsburgh has failed to stop anyone on the ground. Baltimore’s defense is a talented unit while Pittsburgh’s offense has failed to do anything. Add in some quarterback concerns and this game doesn’t favor the Steelers.
That said, these games are rarely that cut and dry. It isn’t uncommon for divisional games to be close, and the battles between the Ravens and Steelers are usually decided late and by a field goal. It is hard to have optimism, but this game isn’t a guaranteed loss yet. Here are three bold predictions for this Week 5 matchup.
Steelers hold Lamar Jackson in the run game
Lamar Jackson is consistently one of the best-scrambling quarterbacks in the league. His burst and ability to break tackles is unmatched, and he can also pass when need be. While he has been a notable threat on the ground, Pittsburgh has actually matched up well against him on the ground.
Frankly put, their entire focus is on stopping him, keeping a linebacker on him no matter what. On read options, there is no read for the defense, a defender always takes Jackson out of the play. While this limits his ability on the ground, it can lead to big performances from the running backs.
That is the case once again this week. While this run defense is bad, I think they once again stop Jackson on the ground, holding him under 20 rushing yards. This doesn’t negate the rest of the team though, as Baltimore has a successful day on the ground, but it isn’t because of their quarterback.
Steelers offense fails to improve
On one hand, how much worse could the Steelers offense really be? They have failed to move the ball well on the ground and through the air and haven’t been able to regularly score. In theory, the only direction this unit can go is up, as they have easily been one of the worst units in all of the NFL.
Despite the “big” changes that were promised for this team, I don’t think that extra padded practice is going to yield big results for this offense. Add in a murky quarterback situation and this just doesn’t seem like the rebound week that many are hoping for. In fact, I expect more of the same.
Add in Baltimore’s talented defense and this seems even more likely. The entire defense will be focused on stopping Najee Harris, and rightfully so. This passing offense is dreadful even when Kenny Pickett was healthy. If he plays this week, he will be limited by his knee injury. If he doesn’t, Mitch Trubisky isn’t exactly an elite quarterback either.
The offense is held to less than 225 total yards this week. Scoring isn’t there either, as they only find the endzone once, although the defense helps them out with another. Overall, despite the promise of some big changes to right this ship, the offense heads into the bye week limping.
The Steelers win
I hate to do it, but coming off an embarrassing loss a week ago to the Texans and against a divisional rival in the Ravens, I think this team finds a way to win. That will help quell all of the doom and gloom in the city heading into the bye week. It isn’t pretty, but it is another notch in the win column.
As was described above, this win isn’t attributed to the offense. The unit is once again a major liability and fails to do anything on its own. That said, Darnell Washington does find the end zone in an expanded role this week. He is the only player on offense to score though.
The defense once again comes up big, with three key turnovers that lead to the three scores for the team. The first one, an interception, sets up an early field goal. A fumble late in the third quarter opens the door for a fade to Washington. Finally, a Minkah Fitzpatrick pick seals the game as one of the ugliest wins. Despite the struggles, Pittsburgh eeks this one out.
This team is hard to get behind right now. That being said, I do think that they find a way to get another win this week as they take on the Ravens. Keep these bold predictions in mind as the Steelers hope to find a way to win in week five.