Ravens vs. Steelers: Complete Week 9 Preview for Baltimore
The Baltimore Ravens will be looking to rebound from a gut-wrenching loss when they take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football.
Baltimore comes into this game at 5-3, after losing a hard-fought game to the Cincinnati Bengals last week, 27-24. That gave Cincinnati the season sweep of the Ravens, who also fell out of first place in the AFC North.
With the Steelers now on deck, Baltimore must win this game just to avoid falling into last place in the division. The 4-3 Cleveland Browns are looming, and they could pass Baltimore with a win and a Ravens loss.
That would leave the Ravens in last place in the AFC North, something that's rarely happened since the franchise was formed in 1996.
In fact, the Ravens have finished last in the AFC North just once since divisional realignment in 2002. Needless to say, the Ravens need to win this game, but it won't be easy with the game being in Pittsburgh.
Here is my preview of the game for Baltimore.
Week 8 Recap
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Baltimore and Cincinnati clashed in Week 8 for the second battle this year. The two teams met in Week 1 in a game that saw Cincinnati escape with a 23-16 win.
Just like the season opener, Baltimore lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Bengals, who scored the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
Early on, it didn't look like this would be a game that would be all that competitive.
Baltimore got off to a terrible start, as the Bengals marched right down the field on their first drive, with Andy Dalton scoring on a QB sneak to put the Bengals up, 7-0.
Baltimore's offense answered with an 18-play, 89-yard drive that saw the offense get down to the Bengals' 1-yard line. However, Baltimore was unable to punch it in, despite going for it on fourth down, and Ravens came away empty.
Baltimore's defense would stiffen and not allow Cincinnati to score again in the first half. The offense got going and managed to score two field goals before the half, leaving the Bengals with a 7-6 lead at halftime.
Once the second half began, Joe Flacco began imploding, throwing two third-quarter picks that led to 10 Bengals points to give them a 17-6 lead. The Baltimore QB threw a pick to Bengals linebacker Emmanuel Lamur.
That's when Baltimore's offense awoke, going on a 79-yard drive that ended with Lorenzo Taliaferro running for a 10-yard touchdown.
Baltimore then went for two, and Justin Forsett ran two yards to convert the two-point conversion, which trimmed Cincinnati's lead to just 17-14.
The Bengals responded with a 12-play, 65-yard drive that ended with a 33-yard field goal to stretch their lead to 20-14.
After a Bengals fields goal put the score at 20-14, Baltimore's defense forced consecutive turnovers that they converted into 10 points to take a 24-20 lead late in the fourth quarter.
It looked like the Ravens had control from here, but the Bengals got the lead back after Dalton led the offense down the field. The drive ended with Dalton scoring on a QB sneak from the 1-yard line to put the Bengals up 27-24 with 57 seconds left.
Cincinnati would hold on for the win to improve to 4-2-1, good enough to surpass the 5-3 Ravens into first place in the AFC North.
News and Notes
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Bernard Pierce Adjusts to Reduced Role
The Ravens opened the season with Bernard Pierce expected to carry the load at running back. After an early-season thigh injury cost him two games, Justin Forsett and Lorenzo Taliaferro began to pass him on the depth chart.
Then in Week 8, Pierce was declared a healthy scratch against the Bengals, a clear sign Forsett and Taliaferro were now the top backs.
Despite a reduced role, Pierce isn't sulking, and he says he'll be ready to go if his number is called again, per BaltimoreRavens.com:
"My mindset is the same week in and week out–I come to practice, I work hard and whoever is up during the game, I’ll be ready for it..I’m going to be ready for my moment. It’s not a one-man sport. It’s a team sport. As long as you know that decisions are being made to help out my teammates, then I’m perfectly fine with that.
"
Owen Daniels Returns to Practice
The Ravens got tight end Owen Daniels back at practice Wednesday. It would be a big boost if he were able to start versus the Steelers after missing the Week 8 matchup against the Bengals.
Joe Flacco likes to throw to tight ends, but after Dennis Pitta was lost for the year to a hip injury in Week 3. Since then, Daniels has stepped up at tight end, catching 17 passes for 205 yards over the past four games.
While he's not the No. 1 or even No. 2 option in the Ravens passing game, he helps keep the chains moving while also providing Flacco a nice red-zone target.
In fact, Daniels caught two touchdowns in Week 2 versus the Steelers in their first matchup. His return will be key to the Ravens getting the win over Pittsburgh.
Jimmy Smith Foot Injury
The Ravens will be without their top cornerback this week versus the Steelers. That's because Jimmy Smith suffered a foot injury in Week 8 that's expected to cost him a few weeks.
Smith took over as the No. 1 cornerback for Baltimore, and he was thriving in that role before his injury. In eight games, Smith has had just 20 passes completed against him for a mere 163 yards, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Making matters worse is that Steelers receiver Antonio Brown enters this matchup with 852 receiving yards, second most in the NFL.
Injury Report
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NAME | POSITION | INJURY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Campanaro, Michael | WR | Thigh | DNP | DNP |
Canty, Chris | DL | Wrist | FP | FP |
Daniels, Owen | TE | Knee | LP | DNP |
Forsett, Justin | RB | Ankle | DNP | LP |
Ngata, Haloti | DT | Shin | DNP | FP |
Smith, Jimmy | CB | Foot | DNP | DNP |
Suggs, Terrell | OLB | Neck | DNP | DNP |
Webb, Lardarius | CB/RS | NIR | DNP | FP |
Yanda, Marshal | G/T | Knee | DNP | LP |
Practice Status
DNP = Did not participate in practice
LP = Limited Participation in Practice—Less than 100 percent of a player's normal repetitions
FP = Full Participation—100 percent of a player's normal repetitions
Out = Player will not play
The Ravens were without starting running back Justin Forsett for Wednesday's practice, but he returned to the field Thursday. If he were to miss Week 9, rookie Lorenzo Taliaferro would be in line for his first NFL start.
The Ravens also got tight end Owen Daniels back Wednesday, but he was held out of practice on Thursday. It would be a nice boost for Baltimore if he's able to start versus the Steelers after missing the Week 8 loss to the Bengals.
Cornerback Jimmy Smith has missed every practice while dealing with a foot injury that will keep him out of the Steelers game. Smith took over as the No. 1 cornerback for Baltimore, and with him out, Lardarius Webb and Chykie Brown will be the top corners.
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Matchups and X-Factor to Watch
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OTs Eugene Monroe and Ricky Wagner vs. LBs Jason Worilds and James Harrison
The Ravens offensive tackles will have to step up big against a surging Steelers pass rush.
Last week in a win over the Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh's outside linebackers James Harrison and Jason Worilds combined for five QB hits and two sacks, according to Pro Football Focus. Those two have also combined for 20 quarterback hurries this season.
Eugene Monroe and Ricky Wagner will be the starting tackles, which means they'll get a lot of one-on-one matchups with those two. That's not necessarily a good thing.
Wagner and Monroe have allowed a combined 20 QB hurries, but just one sack this year, according to Pro Football Focus.
Those two have to give Joe Flacco enough time to find open receivers. Keeping Harrison and Worilds at bay will be key to an efficient Baltimore passing attack.
RBs Lorenzo Taliaferro and Justin Forsett vs. ILB Lawrence Timmons
The Ravens were without starting running back Justin Forsett for Wednesday's practice, and he returned to the field Thursday, but in a limited capacity.
If Forsett were to miss Week 9, rookie Lorenzo Taliaferro would be in line for his first NFL start. Either way, those two backs will get plenty of touches versus the Steelers if they both play, so it's key for each of them to perform well.
In the Week 2 win over Pittsburgh, Baltimore backs carried the ball 28 times for 132 yards. That helped open up the passing game and allowed Baltimore to win the time of possession battle and keep Pittburgh's offense off the field.
Taliaferro and Forsett combined for 154 total yards against the Bengals in Week 8, and the duo will look to carry the load versus Pittsburgh. They'll find it hard to succeed if Steelers linebacker Lawrence Timmons has his way.
The starting inside 'backer has registered a team-high 53 tackles and 43 stops (tackles causing an offensive failure), according to Pro Football Focus.
He's often wreaking havoc in opponent's backfields, making tackles in one-on-one situations. Forsett and Taliaferro will each likely draw Timmons in individual matchups, and if they can win a few, those could go for big plays.
X-Factor: TE Owen Daniels
Whether the Ravens have starting tight end Owen Daniels this week could determine how efficient Baltimore's offense is against Pittsburgh. After all, Joe Flacco loves to get the TEs involved in the offense.
Daniels caught two touchdowns in Baltimore's Week 2 win over the Steelers, and those were the only times Baltimore got into the end zone in a 26-6 win.
Daniels was back at practice Wednesday, but was held out Thursday. It would be a big boost if he were able to start versus the Steelers after missing Week 8 against the Bengals. He's caught 17 passes for 205 yards over the past four games.
If he's out, rookie Crockett Gillmore would have to make his first NFL start. He has just five catches for 52 yards in eight games this year.
Prediction
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The Ravens get to face the Steelers at possibly the worst possible time for Baltimore. Jimmy Smith and Asa Jackson were the two starting corners in a Week 2 win over the Steelers, but both will miss this game due to injury.
This comes as Pittsburgh's offense is finally finding its groove, scoring 81 points in their past two games while quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw eight touchdowns in those games.
The Steelers will also look to revenge their Week 2 loss to Baltimore.
Pittsburgh gets off to a quick star as Ben picks apart Baltimore's battered secondary and hits receiver Antonio Brown for several big plays.
Baltimore's offense keeps the Ravens hanging around, as Justin Forsett and Lorenzo Taliaferro have big games on the ground while Joe Flacco has a clean and efficient game throwing the ball.
The Ravens will put up a good fight, but the Steelers hold on for the win at home.
Prediction: Steelers win, 27-23
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