Ravens vs. Steelers: Breaking Down Pittsburgh's Game Plan

No matter what happens on Sunday night, it is going to be hard for the Pittsburgh Steelers to top their performance from Week 8 against the Indianapolis Colts. If Pittsburgh wants to keep pace in a crowded AFC North, they are going to need to capture some of last week’s magic against a very good Baltimore Ravens team.

Nick Wass/Associated Press

In the first game against the Ravens, Pittsburgh struggled to move the football, and three turnovers made scoring more than a challenge. The offensive line failed to run block well enough for the Steelers to establish any sort of play-action passing, and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger took hit after hit from that physical Ravens defense.

On the other side of the football, things weren’t much better. The Steelers defense allowed far too many third-down runs, and that kept the Ravens offense on the field far too much. The Ravens held the football for a full 11 minutes longer than Pittsburgh.

So, can the Steelers right the wrongs of Week 2 and inch even closer to the top of the AFC North? They absolutely can, and this is how they do it.

Injury Report

Here are some of the latest injury updates for both teams from Twitter: 

"

Steelers RT Marcus Gilbert (concussion) and NT Steve McLendon (shoulder) were both full participants in practice.

— Scott Brown (@ScottBrown_ESPN) October 29, 2014 "

"

For @Steelers, Spaeth & Ventrone miss practice (hamstrings); Ike is limited: Gilbert, Shazier, McLendon, Shamarko full participants

— Bob Labriola (@BobLabriola) October 29, 2014 "

"

Seven #Ravens did not practice: WR Campanaro, RB Forsett, DT Ngata, CB J.Smith, LB Suggs, CB Webb (not injury related), G Yanda.

— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) October 29, 2014 "

"

Good news. Tight end Owen Daniels (knee) returned to practice in limited capacity and DE Chris Canty (wrist) was a full participant.

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 29, 2014 "

"

Ravens CB Jimmy Smith (foot) already ruled out. On Wed, CB Lardarius Webb (back) did not practice. He already missed 3 games w/ a back inj.

— Bob Labriola (@BobLabriola) October 29, 2014 "

When the Steelers are on Offense 

Could it be something as simple as a roster move to fix this struggling scoring offense? Not likely, but it is clear that the addition of rookie wide receiver Martavis Bryant two games ago has added a dimension to the passing game that was not there in the first six.

Nick Wass/Associated Press

But Bryant’s influence extends beyond his ability to beat defenses deep and use that 6’4” frame in the red zone. His presence on the field also forces linebackers and safeties out of the box to defend those voids that Roethlisberger loves to exploit with a tall target.

Another area where the Steelers have made steady improvements since Week 2 is along the offensive line. Against the Colts, Roethlisberger wasn’t sacked once. This from a team that had averaged 3.0 per game leading up to that point. It was a job well done by the big boys up front.

So, what do the Steelers do this week? They must mix up their formations. The Steelers utilized two-tight end sets a great deal against the Colts and had some success with it. This allowed additional protection for Roethlisberger and kept the run game moving.

However, upon watching the film again, it became clear that the splash plays came when the Steelers spread it out and in turn pulled the Colts defense wide. Look for more of these types of switches against the Ravens as long as the offensive line can do their job.

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

Pittsburgh also needs to continue to attack down the field. This helps the newly-efficient rushing attack (4.5 yards per carry) and gives them more chances for those chunk plays that really wear on a defense. The Ravens may be as thin in the secondary as the Steelers, and Pittsburgh is loaded with weapons.

Another area the Steelers have shown improvement is in the red zone. Against the Houston Texans, the Steelers scored twice in the red zone—once on a rather unorthodox wide receiver toss reverse pass from wide receiver Antonio Brown, and once on a short throw to Le'Veon Bell.

Against the Colts, it was more traditional, and that means easier to duplicate. In and around the goal line, the Steelers need to attack a hobbled Ravens secondary with Bryant, Bell and Brown.

When the Steelers are on Defense

It is a safe bet that the Ravens are going to come out and test the Pittsburgh secondary. There’s a real possibility that the Steelers are going to trot out cornerbacks William Gay, Antwon Blake and Brice McCain against the Ravens. This means guys like wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. and tight end Owen Daniels are going to figure heavily into the game plan.

Don Wright/Associated Press

Smith and Daniels combined for 11 catches in the first meeting, and Daniels was particularly deadly, scoring two touchdowns. Pittsburgh is going to have to commit to both players in coverage, meaning bracket coverage for Smith and likely losing a rusher in order to get a better coverage player on Daniels.

From a rush defense perspective, the Steelers defense seems have turned the corner as well. After allowing 75 yards to running back Arian Foster in the first quarter against the Texans, the Steelers run defense has stiffened; Foster gained 27 yards for the remainder of that game. Against the Colts, running back Ahmad Bradshaw only gained 35 yards on the ground.

This has been a product of better assignment football and gap integrity. Yes, there have been some adjustments to the roster, and I’ll readily admit that things are looking promising in my film study as far some of the young talent on the roster. However, that can never and will never supersede a great game plan executed with precision.

From a scheme perspective, the more time the Steelers can spend in base defense the better off they will be. When they want to rush the passer, crowd the line and mask which players are coming at the snap. And it doesn’t hurt to send more than the Ravens can block once in awhile as well.

Prediction and Implications

This game is so huge. The Steelers cannot afford to get swept by the Ravens. Not after splitting with the Cleveland Browns. If the Steelers can get through this, things will lighten up for a couple of weeks. That means the focus must be singular and all about the Ravens. And the Steelers recognize this.

Neither of these teams are what we all saw in Week 2. Pittsburgh is better, and Baltimore is a bit worse. The Steelers are going to ride this newfound scoring offense to a huge division win, putting themselves that much closer to the AFC North lead.

Steelers 35, Ravens 24

All stats courtesy of NFL.com.