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It’s a big week in the Steel City, as it always is when the arch rival Baltimore Ravens make their annual visit to renew one of the NFL’s most storied and violent rivalries. Certainly, there’s no love lost between these two foes and we can expect to see more of the same when the ball is kicked at 1pm EST on Sunday. The last time these teams saw each other, it was Kenny Pickett and the Steelers emerging with a dramatic, last second win on Sunday Night Football in Baltimore. The Ravens will look to avenge that defeat by taking one back in Acrisure Stadium as the NFL season rolls on to Week 5. 

The Steelers have been plagued with offensive struggles to this point this year. However, this isn’t anything new to Steelers Nation as the team hasn’t had a truly dynamic offense since arguably 2018. To say Pittsburgh’s offense is subpar and underwhelming would be an immense understatement to say the least. The Steelers offense in 2023 is averaging 4.9 plays per drive. They’re averaging 21.4 yards per drive while maintaining possession of the football for just under 2 minutes each time they have it. The Steelers also score touchdowns on offensive drives at under 9%, 8.7% to be exact. That is so inconceivably awful and pathetic that it legitimately seems like a joke. Averaging approximately 5 plays on each drive, the Steelers are narrowly above averaging a three and out each time they touch the ball. Speaking of three and out’s, this offense under OC Matt Canada, does in fact go three and out at a rate of 46%. This past weekend in Houston, the offense struggled to manage 53 total yards in the first half of play with 18 of them coming on the ground. The Steelers dropped the contest to level to 2-2 by a resounding final of 30-6 Texans. It hasn’t been all bad, of course. The Steelers are sitting at .500 through approximately 25% of the season. They won back to back games against division foe Cleveland and Las Vegas, both on prime time television. The Steelers defense has been relatively good. Led by TJ Watt, the Steelers have tallied 11 sacks with 4 interceptions and a positive turnover ratio. 

Previewing Week 5 vs Baltimore

The good news is Kenny Pickett will be playing after sustaining a knee injury in last week’s loss. The bad news is that Matt Canada is still employed as his Offensive Coordinator. In fact, last week on the play Pickett was injured, the Steelers were facing a crucial 4th down in Houston territory. It was 4th and less than 1, which seems obvious enough to run the ball with Najee Harris or have Kenny keep it himself. Instead, Canada had Pickett line up in the shotgun and drop back to pass, which resulted in a sack and turnover on downs. Anyways, how do the Steelers keep themselves above water and beat Baltimore? The defense will have to do more of what it has been known to: get pressure on the quarterback and take the ball away. To me, getting pressure on Lamar Jackson will be expected. With an edge rushing duo like TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith, sacking the quarterback is the Pittsburgh speciality. More importantly, in my opinion, will be stopping the run. This Steelers defense has struggled to do that and the Ravens are a good rushing team. If Baltimore can establish the run early and often, it will tire the Pittsburgh defense, neutralize the pash rush and eliminate the possibility for big plays. Additionally, it will control the tempo of the game and take pressure off Lamar Jackson. The Ravens are coming off an impressive 28-3 thrashing in Cleveland, making this Sunday their second road division game in a row.  On the offensive side of the ball for the black and gold, I think they desperately need to find a run game. Whether it’s Najee Harris or Jaylen Warren, the run attack needs to get going. The Steelers actually were able to run the ball well in the last meeting between the teams so perhaps that will continue this week. It’s going to have to for Pittsburgh to keep the game close in the latter stages of the contest. 

With all of the unknowns and what-ifs of this contest, one thing is without question known: these teams do not like each other and we can expect sixty minutes of violent, emotional football where the game is almost always decided by three points or fewer. It should be a good one, it always is. 

written by Andrew Petrino.

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images