Remember back to week 4 and the Ravens were 2-1, but no one really believed in the team and thought they were headed for an almost certain loss in Pittsburgh? Remember the Ravens going into Heinz field and dominating the Steelers up and down the field, and if not for a fumble on the goal line would have most likely won a laugher? Are the Ravens really that different of a team now?
I guess it’s time to stop asking questions and take an objective view of where the Ravens stand as a team. They’re 4-4 so I guess it is fair to call them mediocre. They have played 5 road games, including a 3 game in a row stretch, and have played against some of the better teams in the league. The Saints, whom the Ravens went toe to toe with, are widely considered a Super Bowl favorite are favored at home this week against the last unbeaten team in the NFL. The Ravens almost beat them. The one bad loss was on the road against a divisional opponent, and while that loss to the Browns makes the Ravens road ahead more challenging than perhaps it should have been, it’s also not an insurmountable flaw.
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These next two home games against the Steelers and the Bengals are likely going to determine the Ravens season, and you have to imagine every player in the locker room knows it. Win these next two and the Ravens are essentially back on top, lose them and they will have to hope for a lot to go right down the stretch and that includes improvement on their behalf.
Despite what we saw last week in Carolina, the Ravens have a very good defense, but they injuries are starting to mount and they will need to get strong play from some role players if they hope to stop the Steelers on Sunday. Marlon Humphrey’s absence in the past two weeks has been clear as the defense is not able to play with the same level of aggression and fluidity without their top CB. Several other starting defenders could miss next week’s game including LB C.J. Mosley and Edge Rusher Tim Williams. With DT Willie Henry now on the IR, the pass-rushers are starting to dwindle.
On offense the Ravens could be missing three starting offensive lineman between Alex Lewis, James Hurst and Ronnie Stanley. Lewis returned to practice on Thursday which is good news, but Stanley and Hurst have been out all week. Stanley’s absence would be felt the hardest, but the ripple effect of losing Lewis and Hurst has also strained the offense. The Ravens have yet to truly establish a running game this season, and the injuries to the OL are only making it more challenging. Last season, there were injuries early but the OL was able to come together over the course of the season to become a formidable run blocking unit. This season, the lack of chemistry was apparent early and they have not been able to figure it out as of yet.
The good news for the Ravens is that the Steelers are also a flawed team. Their pass-defense is still very poor, and they are a team that plays much better at home than on the road. The question is will the Ravens once again be able to take advantage of what should be a favorable match-up? Joe Flacco has struggled as of late connecting with WR John Brown and other targets down the field, which was a strength earlier in the season. He will need to be at the top of his game with down-field accuracy to exploit the Steelers secondary. The health and competency of the Ravens offensive line is going to be the X factor in this game. The OL did an excellent job protecting Flacco in week 4 and if they can have a similar performance in week 9, the offense should have a good chance to consistently move the ball. I wouldn’t expect much in the running game, but I will hope to see at least an attempt to keep the Steelers defense honest. The Lamar Jackson plays still seem to be working even with teams knowing what is coming. It adds a different dimension to the offense that is badly needed.
On defense, it’s the same old story against the Steelers. They key will be pressuring Roethlisberger and staying disciplined on defense when he extends plays. It looks like the Steelers will once again be without Le’Veon Bell, and while James Conner has performed admirably in his stead, the offense is not nearly as dynamic without Bell. Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster are an extremely talented duo, and thankfully Humphrey returned to practice for the Ravens this week. He should be tasked with covering Brown as he has done a credible job against some of the NFL’s best WRs. If Mosley can’t play it will leave a void in the middle of the defense that will be filled by a combination of Kenny Young, Patrick Onwuasor and Anthony Levine. The Ravens may be at their best with Levine playing the dime LB, so it will be interesting to see how the defense looks if Mosley can’t go.
Every divisional game is tough, and the Steelers in particular are a difficult team to plan for. In their last meeting the Ravens out-coached the Steelers pretty handily, and with the number of injuries that the team is facing, it will likely require another excellent game-plan to earn the victory. Being at home is also going to be a big advantage for the Ravens. This is a must-win game for the home team, and I think the Ravens will manage to pull this one off in a close one, 23 -20.
Ravens Analyst
Gabe is an avid fan of the NFL and Ravens football. He grew up in Westminster, MD, and attended college at Johns Hopkins University majoring in Biology. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and now works as a R&D Scientist developing Transplant Diagnostics assays. Gabe has appeared as a guest on 105.7 The Fan.