When the two-minute warning struck at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday, it seemed as if the game would be one of the worst for Baltimore in recent memory. Not only were the Ravens trailing the 3-8 Denver Broncos, but Lamar Jackson had left the game with an undisclosed knee injury. Fortunately, Tyler Huntley led the team down the field to score a go-ahead touchdown and not long after, word came out that Jackson will almost certainly be back by the start of the playoffs. Having escaped two scares, the Ravens will now turn their attention to their bitter rivals. Get ready Baltimore, it’s Steelers week!
AFC North Recap, Week 13: Wins all the way around
The significance of the Ravens fourth quarter comeback against the Broncos cannot be overstated, especially considering the strong Week 13 showings by the rest of the AFC North. Frank Platko of BaltimoreBeatdown.com took time this week to examine each AFC North team’s performance in what was the first week this season in which all four teams won their respective matchups. His article begins with the Steelers, who took down the 19-16 Falcons in an ugly defensive battle to improve their record to 5-8. The Browns have also found themselves at 5-8 after taking down the Texans, no thanks to Deshaun Watson, who was 12 of 22 passing for 131 yards and an interception in his first game back from suspension. And, finally, the Bengals squeaked out a 27-24 win over the Chiefs thanks to a late missed field goal from Kansas City kicker Harrison Butker. The Bengals have now won six of their last seven games and have tied the Ravens record of 8-4. As Platko notes, the Ravens currently hold first place in the division on a tie-breaker, but given how well the Bengals have been playing recently, Baltimore will need to finish strong if that is still going to be the case by the end of the regular season.
Ravens make four roster moves on Monday
As is the case almost every week, the Ravens followed up their game on Sunday with a flurry of roster moves. According to Steve Rudden of Ravens Wire, this week’s moves primarily involved shifting around the practice squad. First, the team signed wide receiver DeSean Jackson to the active roster. Given that you are only allowed to elevate a player from the practice squad three times in a season, this decision was the only way that Jackson, who has caught five passes for 100 yards in limited action, will be able to suit up this weekend. To make room for him, Baltimore released third-year wideout Binjimen Victor and re-signed him to the practice squad. In addition, the team released linebacker Devon Kennard from the practice squad, signing quarterback Brett Hundley in his place. Hundley has started nine games in his career, all of which came when Aaron Rodgers was injured in 2017, recording just over 1900 yards and 9 touchdowns against 13 interceptions. He will likely serve as the team’s primary backup quarterback until Lamar Jackson is able to return from the sprained PCL he suffered on Sunday.
Wednesday’s practice report brought mostly good news for the Ravens. According to Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com, Lamar Jackson was absent as expected, while offensive linemen Kevin Zeitler, Trystan Colon, and Patrick Mekari, as well as cornerback Daryl Worley were also held out due to various injuries. However, linebacker Patrick Queen and offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, both of whom are dealing with injuries, were both present. Queen left Sunday’s game against the Broncos in a cart after suffering a thigh bruise and his status seemed somewhat up in the air moving forward. However, it looks as though he is on track to play this weekend in a game in which his hard-hitting presence will surely be needed. Stanley, on the other hand, was unable to suit up on Sunday due to a lingering ankle issue despite registering two practices late last week. If all goes according to plan, he should be back in the lineup to help slow down Pittsburgh’s ferocious pass rush this weekend. Mink also notes that the Steelers were without a number of significant players at their practice on Wednesday, including running back Najee Harris, offensive tackle Chuks Okorarfor, and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi. Their participation throughout the week should be monitored.
Ravens Have Fourth-Most Pro Bowl Votes
It’s that time of year when Pro Bowl voting is in full swing and, according to Todd Karpovich of Sports Illustrated, the Ravens have the fourth most votes of any team in the NFL. In addition to having two players who are leading their positions in votes in Justin Tucker and Kevin Zeitler, Baltimore has eight players who find themselves among the top five vote-getters at their respective positions. These include Lamar Jackson (fifth), center Tyler Linderbaum (second), fullback Patrick Ricard (second), offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley (third), tight end Mark Andrews (second), and linebackers Roquan Smith, Justin Houston, and Patrick Queen (second, third, and fourth respectively). The only teams that have received more total votes are the Dolphins (8-4), 49ers (8-4), and Vikings (10-2). While Pro Bowl selections are ultimately meaningless, Ravens fans can still rejoice at the sight of their team receiving recognition from voters across the nation.
Tomlin, Steelers ready to face Ravens, Huntley again
For most opponents, gameplanning for Tyler Huntley could be a difficult task as there is very limited film on him available. The Steelers, however, had the chance to prepare for and face off against Huntley in Week 18 of last season, holding him to 16 of 31 passing with 141 yards and two interceptions. According to Dale Lolley and Teresa Varley of Steelers.com, head coach Mike Tomlin and his crew are treating the Ravens offense the same way they would if Jackson was at the helm because the two quarterbacks’ skillsets are similar. That means they are putting an emphasis on slowing down Mark Andrews, who Huntley connected with eight times for 85 yards in last year’s Week 18 matchup. Another interesting storyline to watch this week will be how Steelers rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett will fare in his first taste of the best rivalry in football. Pickett’s statline has been mediocre at best this season but he has shown steady improvement, posting PFF grades of 89.8 and 70.1 in his last two starts. This game holds extra-importance for the Steelers, who need to win at least four of their remaining five games to have a shot at making the playoffs. As Tomlin said in his press conference “As the road gets narrow, it makes you or it breaks you. You feel that pressure or you apply that pressure. It’s my preference to apply it.” We will have to wait and see which team is able to apply the pressure on Sunday.
Luke Rollfinke is a student at Vanderbilt where he is pursuing a career in sports journalism. A recent graduate from the Friends School of Baltimore, Luke has spent his entire childhood in Charm City and is a devoted Orioles fan. In the past, he has written for SB Nation and has worked closely with Ravens columnist John Eisenberg. From nights at Camden Yards to Sunday afternoons watching NFL Redzone, Luke eats, sleeps, and breathes sports. He is excited to bring his perspective to BSL.