Football is the ultimate Iron Man sport. Availability is currency, especially when the difference between playing another week and packing up lockers comes down to four quarters. That’s why Sunday night feels different for the Pittsburgh Steelers. As they prepare to battle their AFC North rivals with their season on the line, Pittsburgh will benefit from timely good news.
Despite a growing injury report in recent weeks, the Steelers expect to have their core contributors on the field. T.J. Watt, who has been fighting through a lung issue, is expected to go. Calvin Austin III has pushed past a nagging hamstring. Brandin Echols has battled a groin injury but should be available. In a game defined by physicality and attrition, simply being upright matters.
The same cannot be said for the Baltimore Ravens.
On Friday, Baltimore announced that wide receiver Rashod Bateman will not play Sunday night due to an illness. It’s tough news for Ravens fans hoping to see Lamar Jackson unleash his full arsenal in the biggest game of the regular season. For Pittsburgh, however, it’s a welcome break at exactly the right time. The Steelers don’t need a miracle—they just need enough advantages to survive one more battle and extend the war.
Bateman’s absence quietly shifts the chessboard. Over the last three games, Pittsburgh’s secondary has ranked sixth in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game (256.7). It is another reminder of how often Teryl Austin’s unit has been tested this campaign. That posture leads to hesitation, a clear disadvantage against a bruising presence like Derrick Henry if the Ravens control the tempo.
But remove one receiving threat, and suddenly the picture sharpens.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' defense is at an advantage with Rashod Bateman unavailable
Bateman may only be one player, but his absence allows Pittsburgh to realign its coverage priorities. Joey Porter Jr. can now focus more attention on Zay Flowers, Baltimore’s primary receiving target and a player who has shown flashes of brilliance alongside moments of carelessness with the football. That alone matters in a rivalry where turnovers often decide outcomes.
Even more important is what it allows Jalen Ramsey to do. Without Bateman stretching the defense horizontally, Ramsey can become a true chess piece—sliding into the slot, creeping into the box, or disguising coverages instead of playing off the ball. Those subtle changes don’t always show up on the stat sheet, but they can disrupt timing and force hesitation from a quarterback who thrives on rhythm.
This isn’t a get-out-of-jail-free card for Pittsburgh. Jackson is still Jackson. When reads aren’t there, he’s capable of turning chaos into highlight reels with his legs. Still, there’s reason to believe his rushing impact could be limited. Time missed earlier in the season due to injuries may curb some of that explosiveness, especially against a hungry pass rush led by Watt and Alex Highsmith.
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I don’t believe No. 8 ultimately decides this game on his own.
What will tilt the balance is hunger. How desperate are the Steelers when they step onto the Acrisure Stadium turf Sunday night? Do they treat Bateman’s absence as a footnote—or as an opening? Minor advantages don’t win rivalry games. What teams do with them does.
If Pittsburgh arrives starving, disciplined, and violent at the point of attack, this small break could become a major turning point. And in January football, that’s all you can ask for—a chance.