November 12, 2024 • 28 mins
Matt Williamson and Tom Opferman preview the Steelers upcoming matchup with the Baltimore Ravens
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
We got some work to do.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
This is the advanced scout with Tom Opperman and Matt Williamson.
The Steelers with a big time win on the road
against the Washington Commanders to improve to seven and two
and remain in first place in the AFC North as
they welcome the seven in three Baltimore Ravens to town
and Matt Steelers Ravens week always has juice to it,
no matter if these two teams are contenders, if one's
(00:24):
a contender, if they're neither contenders. But this one just
has a little bit of extra umph to it compared
to the last few years.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
I think I tend to agree. I mean that Lamar's
in his prime. You know, there's high, high hopes in Baltimore,
but you also from their perspective, you feel the clock
ticking that can we ever get over a good point
homes bump, you know, And Steelers are standing in our
way now and they're ahead of us in the division.
And Steelers are having a really good year and looks
(00:52):
like they have a quarterback now, and you know, Dale
and I are just talking about on the drive, It's like,
I'm sure this game end up being you know, thirteen
ten because it always.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Is, but it's there doesn't feel that way.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
They're way different constructed than that though. I mean they're
I'm sure the over unders high, you know, I mean yeah,
and that just doesn't feel like a typical Raven Steelers game.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
No, I feel what you and dayl are saying there.
I think the same way. Offense is kind of defining
this one, not defense, which.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Especially for the opponent.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Yes, yeah, the whole rivalry is built on just having
badass defenses that win games, like you said thirteen to ten.
But what you said about the Steelers actually having a
good quarterback, Now that's been missing from the rivalry since
Lamar Jackson's gotten there is somebody that can match him
at that position. Ben was past his prime and injured
and then all the people behind. Yeah, so now you
(01:44):
got somebody that's not as equal, but he can go,
you know, twelve rounds with a guy like Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Yeah, and strangely, Lamar's missed a lot of Steeler games too,
That's true, you know what I mean. So you're gonna
get him two or three times this year, you might.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Pittsburgh is a plus sixty nine point differential compared to
plus sixty five for the Ravens. I would never think
that in Week twelve the Steelers would have Week eleven
excuse me, a higher point differential than the Baltimore Ravens.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Yeah, I mean they their defense is an issue, but
their offense, I think is the best in the league Baltimore's.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
This is a statistic that I wanted to point out
before we get into the series history and everything, because
I'm honestly shocked to hear it after playing Thursday night,
Baltimore has a significant rest advantage over This makes me crazy. Game.
It's gonna make a lot of Steelers fans crazy, and
it's unfair.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
It is.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Yeah, so they got the ten days rest, they got
the mini by because they played the Bengals.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
List not uncommon that happens, right, You hate that.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
It's before the Steelers game, but when, of course, for
the entire twenty twenty four schedule, the Ravens have sixteen
more days of rest than their opponents, the greatest rest
advantage since nineteen ninety when they began to track such
a thing. But that's most likely the largest of the
entire Super Bowl era. As far as how's the NFL
let that happen. Advantage as far as rest days compared
(02:58):
to opponents, I don't know, Uh.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Steelers a huge advantage.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Steels are going to be in a stretch for they
have to play like three games in ten days.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Right with at some point rest disadvantages and you know
all those things, right.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
They get the Ravens off of a short week, then
they get the Chiefs off of a short week. Excuse me,
they get their Browns off of a short week after
the Ravens. Not going to be easy then, but the Browns.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
I don't think the Browns have a rest advantage in
that one.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
But then you get But what I'm saying is like
you have to prove short weeks both times you play
the Ravens because then it's the Christmas Day game on Wednesday,
and Ravens games beat the hell out of you.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Absolutely, I'm not fighting you. But the Christmas four teams, Ravens, Texas,
they all get the same amount of rest.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
I'd rather play the Texans. Yeah, rest, That's what I'm saying.
And the sixteen day advantage is just that's just the
course of a year that somebody needed to know. Plaise
their hand in the meeting they'll be like, this doesn't
look right as far as the Ravens schedule is concerned. Sure, sure,
we want to do.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
This, Like I don't know if they ever play with
the rest disadvantage.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
So that's a big competitive advantage that Baltimore has over
the Steelers in this game and for the entirety of
their schedule.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Yeah, that should have been corrected.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Another thing that's so big in this game is the
quarterback matchup, as we illustrated, and these are great statistics
for Wilson versus Jackson. Currently, the longest streak of games
with a touchdown pass belongs to Russell Wilson. He is
twenty two. Well, Lamar's second with seventeen. Wilson has thirty
two touchdowns verse nine interceptions since the start of the
twenty twenty three season. That is the third most touchdowns
(04:28):
with less than ten interceptions during that stretch. Jackson is
first with forty eight touchdowns in nine interceptions. You could
argue that pretty good. Geting back to twenty twenty three,
we got like some top five quarterbacks going at it
right now.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Yeah, and Denver had no use for him and sat
them down for two of those games, or he'd have
a couple more probably, you know, I mean he was
intentionally sad, which is crazy. You know.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Well, I don't think I have to really highlight the
series history in this one, but we'll do it good
because this is what we do on the show. This
outstanding rivalry started in ninety six when the Ravens joined
the NFL. That's nineteen nine. Since then, Pittsburgh leads the
series thirty two to twenty five, including four four playoff matchups.
In the playoffs, the Steeers have lost just once against Baltimore.
(05:10):
Pittsburgh won six of the first seven meetings. They've also
won seven of the last eight. The Steeers have swept
Baltimore in three of the past four seasons. Mike Tomlin
is twenty one and sixteen against the Ravens. Well, John
Harbaugh is fifteen and twenty against Pittsburgh. It's been a
very one sided rivalry of late.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Yeah, and frankly, Baltimore's been the better football team over
the last half decade or so or that quarterback you know,
since Ben was in his prime type of you know,
the lamar Ero, let's call it.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
But I guess these guys, no, and the biggest advantage
that the Steeers have in this game is the defense,
because Baltimore's defense is just putrid. So let's start on
that side of the ball.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Their past defense is putrid, so no one runs on it.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Correction there, because you're right. I just kind of ignored
it because it's not going to be a game plan.
No one has been part of their game plan.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Now.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
I know the Steelers and Arthur Smith love to run
the football, but this might just be a week where
you have to kind of.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
You have to attack them down.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Yeah, you have to say I'm not going to run
more than twenty times.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
I mean, the tape so brutal with their pass defense
right now, the Steelers Hamilton might not play.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
The Steelers have obviously, the eye tests have told you
that they look a lot better since Russell Wilson got in.
But here's some stats to back it up. They've gone
from five point one yards per play to five point
six yards per play over the past three games. It's
pretty big increase. Yeah, it is almost a half a
yard per play. And then Pittsburgh is averaging thirty point
three points per game in Wilson's three starts. I mean
that's last year they finished the season around seventeen eighteen
points per game.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Yeah, it is so much different than this era. Yeah,
we keep talking about these last five years or so.
I mean, this is much different team.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Baltimore allows three hundred and sixty seven point nine yards
per game. That's the sixth most in the league. They
give up two hundred and ninety four point nine through
the air, most in the NFL and the fifth most
yards per pass attempt. The Ravens are seeing a pass
play caught against them at a sixty six point five
percent clip. It is the highest rate in the league.
Their run defense is outstanding. It is the best in football.
(06:58):
No one tries to run against them. They've only allowed
ten rushing attempts of ten plus yards in the league.
That's the best that's for the season for the Ravens.
Seventy three yards allowed, three point four yards per attempt.
It's a no go on the ground, but it is
anything you want.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Through the air. Yeah. And one thing that's really plagued
this team is their defensive coordinator from last year became
the head coach in Seattle, right, but making matters worse,
they lost two or three other assistants that went on
to become defensive coordinators Titans offensive or defensive coordinator. Miami's
defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver might be another I'm forgetting. So
(07:38):
they promoted from within, and I don't know if Or
is a good coordinator or not, but right now he
looks like a rookie quarter rookie coordinator with a lot
of change. And you take your best free coaches off
their staff and there's a lot of communication issues and
blown coverages and things like that, not to mention just
some execution problems. You know.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
I think the Eagles plugged like that last year, yes,
a lot, and they're starting to come back from it
now this year. But they were just they got fans
robbed or pillaged at the end of the usually they
went to the Super Bowl and lost to the Chiefs,
and then they just couldn't really bounce back. Defensive coordinator
wasn't as good. Offensive coordinator wasn't as good. Yeah, figured
it out, but yeah, I think Baltimore's going through a
(08:19):
lot of similar stuff right now. They'll repair as.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Well as he used to. You don't make adjustments on
game day. You know, this guy's in charge of breaking
down red zone and he's not as good at as
he used to be, you know, all kinds of stuff
like that.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
So why is the secondary so weak in your opinion?
Because the players aren't bad, because like, Humphrey's a name,
Humphrey's name. I know Hamilton's hurt, but.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Hamilton's a star. You're not going to be there, So
I don't think he's gonna play. First round pick struggling
a little bit, Wiggins and they drafted a corner in
the first round for a reason because they didn't love
their corners.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Right.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Marcus Williams is a really good safety. He got benched.
I'm not sure what's going on with him, or he
was a really good safety. I would say he's had
a really tough year. Communication is definitely a problem. Tackling weirdly.
Tackling has been a real problem through the air, but
not on the ground.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Yeah, they two point two one yards after first contact.
It's the best in the NFL, which is you know,
the front stop in the run. Yeah, but the pickings
can slip away from somebody, I think.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
So, I don't think their corners have tackled all that well.
And part of it, too, is they don't have a
dominant pass rusher. You know what I mean, they have to
they kind of generate pressure, and they did that last
year too, But this was one of the best defenses
in the league last year.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Yeah, we'll get to the receiver, the receiving aspect of it,
and how Jamar Chase did against them on Thursday A
pretty well. Back to what you said about the blitz
or the pressure that they're getting on opposing quarterbacks, that's
not even there. Baltimore is pressuring quarterbacks on thirty one
point nine percent of dropbacks. That's eighth worst in the NFL,
and Ravens twenty point nine blitz rate is only higher
(09:51):
than five teams. They're trying their best, they just can't
get right. And the Raven's opponents are getting the ball
out of the passer's hand on average in two point
nine to one second. Only four defenses are higher.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
So the.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Three seconds to pat the football. If you give Joe
Burrow three seconds, we saw what happens.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
So I wonder how much coaching has to do with that,
because Clowney is the only guy from last year that's
not really there amongst the pass rushers, but they were
the reason he got hired as a head coach. Was
they were so good to one of at devising pressures.
I wonder if their blitz packages are just not nearly
as good. It sure doesn't seem that way. They definitely aren't.
I mean where I talked.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Through it, Mattabuque had three sacks last week, and his
five sacks for the season only trails Kyle van Noy,
who has seven Amongst Ravens defenders. So maybe Matabuke is
he's really waked up a little bit as far as
the sacks are concerned.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Yeah, I don't think he's been bad at all this year.
He's a defensive tackles.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
To have fifteen, sixteen, second thirteen. Last year he was
incredibly breakout.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
He's a really good player. He's definitely their best front player.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
And one of the big reasons why they're so good
against the run, correct is Matabuke. Yeah, But is there
another big hoss up there that's doing a lot of tears?
Speaker 1 (10:56):
Is Hurt? He's their big run stuff for huge They
always have Sarah Goosa, you know, a massive space eater. Jones,
the kid out of Yukon. Is that guy now with
Pierce out? But yeah, that has a lot to do
with it.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Yeah, So we mentioned Jamar Chase last week eleven catches
for two hundred and sixty four yards and three touchdowns
in that Bengals Ravens Thursday night game. So obviously Steelers
fans should be excited for what George Pickens can do.
And Pickens has really been unlocked by Russell Wilson Matt
He averaged sixty point five yards per game and didn't
have a touchdown reception in his first six games. Well,
(11:32):
since Wilson has been in he's averaging ninety two yards
per game, he has two touchdown catches, and he's been
targeted on twenty six point one percent of his routes.
Remember we did this whole load management thing with Pickens
two earlier in the year where his snapcounts were weird,
and yeah, yeah, he's everybody else in the wide receiving
room by a healthy margin. It was like eighty percent
of the snaps in the game against the Commanders, Pickens
was on the field and.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
The most end zone targets in the league. I mean
he's been used a lot.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Yeah, the numbers, yeah, ten en zone targets most in
the league. The numbers are great when Russ got in there,
but you can also tell Matt that Russ is in
his head in a positive way too.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
Yes, and the numbers are much better when he's in there.
But not to sell fields and pick and short. There
was a lot of plays that were made that didn't
count on the box score too. You know, earlier in
the year touchdowns called back defensive pass interference. So he's
been pretty awesome all year. Real quick, back to Chase.
So that pass that Thursday night game. I'm sure some
(12:24):
people watched it. Good game. They didn't have Higgins. I mean,
the whole goal had to be stop Chase, and they
could do They don't run the ball hardly at all.
They didn't have Higgins, and he went on to do
insane things and he set the record. That's the second
time that he's ripped them up this year. Chase as
the record for most production by any pass catcher against
(12:47):
a team in a season.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
For what he's done against the Ravens this year this year.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
For two going to and they got like four hundred,
He's like four hundred and fifty receiving yards against the Ravens.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Can't believe they lost both of those games. Him going
off like that, Yeah, I mean, you're right, like the
Ravens scored the touchdown in the two point conversion where
Lamar kind of moon walked into the end zone and
the place was going insane and it looked like they
finally took control of the game. The very next play,
you let Jamar chase behind you.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
And he's the one thing you can't with, you know, right.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
That was after he already had a touchholder in the
game and I already was flirting with a two hundred
yard performance, and then that very first play, after all
that momentum, you have a miscommunication and it's it's ti
game all all of a sudden. So that's a great
point that all they had was Burrow to Jamara and
they still almost won the game.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
And I'm sure they're looking at Pickens the same way.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
But maybe the Steelers have a little bit more than
just Burrow to Jamar. Because Mike Williams only ran seven
routes in the Steelers' debut, one of them was a
pretty damn important route, and I think that's going to
increase big time this week.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
I would think. And my point is I'm not sold
that they can stop Pickens, even if that's the right.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
There was a play Now, Williams was obviously in for
Austin on the play that. You know, Russ told them
he just do stutter and go here the ball and
match over that shoulder, make sure you're ready for it
if it comes to you, all that stuff. But there
was a play earlier in the game, Matt where they
threw Wilson threw a ball to Austin and he was
in bracketed coverage, but there was a window for him
to catch it and it landed a little bit in
front of him. I'm sitting there now and watching that,
(14:12):
and I'm like, that's Mike Williams. He might just go
up and grab that thing, or he might have All
those Austin plays are going to go to Mike Williams. Now,
I would think balls this kind of you know, crossing
routes over the middle. Now, Austin's still gonna be using
a slot capacity.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
I think he's still useful in getting better.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
But that's sutter and go. I mean, we saw Austin
catch a touchdown against the Giants in that same exact
route that Williams just took over for him in the
Commander's game, and I think that's Williams back now, moving forward.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
It's hard throwing to a small receiver.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
Down There's a reason why Russ went over to Arthur
and was like, let's prow a big mic o, Mike O.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
He had successful Lockett doing it. But it's tough throw
into a little guy downfield.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
So long story short, before we move on to the
Ravens offense, throw the ball and throw the ball some
more on this team and h Russell Wilson is a
quarterback that gives you the kid ability to you know,
let it rip forty times and you can trust them.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Yeah, I mean so, along with the Eagles, these are
the three run heaviest teams in the league. I hope
you don't come out and say, we do what we do,
We're just going to pound it into you know, and
not throw the ball a lot.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Well, let me ask you this. Actually, now you bring
that up, there is a little bit of an element
to that to Arthur Smith's offense regardless. Yeah, I did
not run the ball that successfully against the Commanders. Look
at the box score. They ran it forty three times.
They are committed to it.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
See, I think that pays off late. I'm wearing guys.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
In that game, especially maybe if you haven't.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
But I did in that one for sure thought but I.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Don't want to get into this like just run your
head against the wall against the right mentality where yeah,
you get your one hundred yards, but you had to
do fifty rushes.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
To get there exactly Because well I thought the same
thing with Washington's offense. But when we get to the
Baltimore offense stuff, they're going to score, folks, Like if.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
They average seven point one yards per play, that's insanity.
Here's context that you laid out in your stat pack
second best to six point five yards per.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
Play, which is really good, right.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Third best of the Packers six point one, a full
yard per play behind Baltimore.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
From one to three.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
And then those are the only teams in the NFL
that average more than six yards per play.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Every time they snap the ball, he gets seven point
one yards and doesn't matter if it's through the era
they lost, right, Like you lose the Raiders and Browns.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Your defense must be really bad.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Yeah, they're also highly highly penalized and some of that's
cost them.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
So not only do the Ravens produce more yards per
game four hundred and forty point two than any team
in the league, but the second place team is San
Francisco and they are twenty seven point eight yards behind Baltimore. Now,
Pittsburgh did hold the Commanders to their lowest yardage total
to forty two in Week ten, and the Steelers allow
three hundred and two point seven yards per game, which
is ace best. This offense for the Ravens has scored
(16:41):
thirty eight touchdowns to lead the NFL. The next closest
team is Detroit, who is also a juggernaut offensively, they
only have thirty three touchdowns on the season, five less.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
This is insane, right, I mean, now, the Ravens haven't
had their buy but still.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Still it's very impressive. Baltimore turns a set of downs
into a new set of downs or a touchdown at
a seventy nine percent that's tied with Washington for the
best in the league. But the Steelers defense is at
sixty seven percent and only the Bears are better. And
the Steelers did okay at getting the Committeers off the field.
There three perfect but yeah, three and outs. The first
two series were three and outs field Washington.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
Commutes in that game, so they really only gave up
two bad drives to Washington.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
I'm not trying to say that there is a kryptonite
for the Baltimore Ravens offense, but this Pittsburgh Steelers defense
matches up pretty well against.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
It, especially in the trenches. You know, the the weakness
of the offense is the O line is okay. You
know Stanley the left tackles turned into is back to
being a good player. Linderbaum's a good center. The other
three spots especially, you know, would be concerning is the
right tackle. Rose Garden versus Watt is troublesome. But they'll
throw a lot of big people on the field.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
Preston Smith is going to have a big game. I think,
I think this is a this is a matchup that
he could thrive in. Oh, he's the type of player
for a Raven Steelers game.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Absolutely, edge setter, power player. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Only the Seahawks and forty nine Ers average more passing
yards per game than Baltimore's two hundred and fifty seven
point six, and their eight point five yards per pass
attempt is a half yard better than the second best
offense in San Francisco. Back to that kryptonite thing, Pittsburgh
has surrendered just eight passing touchdowns this season.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
You could throw the.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Ball on the Steelers, for sure. McLaurin had success against Porter.
Of course, you don't really throw the ball into the
end zone on the Steelers. See the Commander's game. All
three of their touchdowns were on the ground.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
And obviously they bundled up Daniels pretty well too.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Yeah, And that's gonna be such a big thing when
it comes to Lamar Jackson too, is how they handled
Daniels and how they've handled Lamar Jackson in the past.
But what I'm worried a Matt is this is a
different Lamar Jackson than in past years.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
As a pocket pass Yes, yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
He has a twenty four to two touchdown interception ratio
on top of his five hundred and thirty eight rushing yards.
Jackson has ten career games now with four plus passing touchdowns.
That is the fourth most of any player or any
passer under age twenty eight, behind Dan Marino sixteen, mahomes
Is sixteen, and Brett Farve's eleven.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
Of the Feast company, Yes, and.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
Of the forty two passers with fifty plus attempts, Jackson
ranks seven think completion percentage sixty nine point one, fourth
in yards per game two hundred and sixty six point
nine in his first in yards per tent at nine
point twenty seven. He has the highest passer rating in
the NFL right now, Matt. The top three passer ratings
are all in the ANFC North because they still count
run he hasn't.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Kind of makes sense.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
He's got one five point nine and then Brow's like
around one oh eight something like that. Lamar's won twenty three.
He's light years in front of.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
Everybody else that are having awesome years.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Taking a huge leap this year as far as a passer.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Yeah, and they've got a decent amount of weapons. I mean,
the run games scarier than ever. Their skill guys were great.
I don't even know how much they'll use Deontay Johnson
or need.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
To, but just Tolin doesn't think they'll use him that much.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
That's why I heard. Yeah, that was unbelievable, but strange stuff.
But their offense is awesome. Their offense is the best
unit in football right now.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
He has twenty four touchdown passes this year. He had
twenty four touchdown passes total last year, and he won
the MVP.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
He's better this year, and Henry helps of course.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Way better.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
This year.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
But the thing that the Steelers did so well was
they didn't let him get outside. They hit him every
time he does like a read option or a mesh point.
Always hit him helmet in the chest. Make it hurt.
But maybe it doesn't affect him as much this year
because he will just stand in the point. Oh, Watt
and high Smith, Well won't be Highsmith in this game.
But Watt and Smith, you're gonna kind of just contain
me in your pass rush. You're going to stay in
(20:20):
your pass rush lanes, stay in your pass rush lanes.
I'm just gonna zip one into Flowers, one into Bateman.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
Yeap, now there. I don't know how to defend them.
I'm sure they'll do everything you said and defend them
as they usually have, but they have more answers now
than ever, and it's a second year in the offense.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Is the Flowers a legit number one wide receiver in
your eyes? I'm getting there.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
That term gets thrown around too much for my liking.
But I think he's They're extremely happy with him. He's
really good after the catch. But you have to design
some things for him too. I mean, he's not just.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Not a pick and type throw up and get it
no or you know.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
Line up in the line of scrimmagegainst Patrick's htain and
beat man coverage all day long. You know.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Was seventy three targets leads Baltimore and his twenty six
more than any other Ravens pass catcher of the thirty
five wide receivers with fifty plus targets this season, Flowers
ranked eighth in yards per route run at two point
four zero, seventh in yards per target at nine point
five six, fourth in yards after the catch per reception
at six point six four, and he is third in
yards after contact per reception at two point three four.
(21:20):
That's the thing. If he gets the ball in his hands,
he's extremely scarious. Yeah, he's making to him a lot
of shape.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
Yep, yep, yep, and then you gotta tackle.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
And I think we're show. Bateman has kind of stepped
up the past couple of ye yes, he's a quality player.
You hear Deontay Johnson was traded for I mean your
jobs on the line on a little bit. And I
think Bateman has been a lot better lately and he's
had much more impact in the two games that Deontay
Johnson's been there than Deontay Johnson has, that's.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
For sure, and they gave him some money, and you know,
injuries held him back early in his career. He's not great,
but he's a quality number two.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
You surprised about Mark Andrews kind of resurgence, not basically
because of Likely's injury.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
I think that's some of it. And he also was
in a car accident in the preseason, which I guess
a lot of people didn't talk about, right right, I
mean like that probably affects athletes.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
We like to think that it's just Madden and that
they're just you know x's and o's out there. They
just play at their best no matter what.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
But he's on a tear right now.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
He's five touchdowns in his past five games. His five
touchdowns on the season is only behind George Kittle amongst
tight ends. Just like that, He's got any other tight
end in football than Kittle. So Andrews is a problem,
But the biggest problem outside of Lamar Jackson is the
addition of Derrick Henry. Derrick Henry is.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
His numbers are insane this year.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
And before we get to his numbers this year, just
he is a Hall of Famer Yeah, he is the
best running back of this generation. He's an Emmett Smith,
He's a Walter Payton. Yeah, he's in that breath.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
Yeah. And I say this all the time that the
great of the great runners. I think you could put
them all in ugly Penn State jerseys with no numbers,
and I know you'd like that and just watch them
and be like, Oh, that's Dereck Henry. Oh that's Walter Payton,
you know, like.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
And I think Henry is like a great guitar, perfect
example of that. Yes, his body type.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
Is so strange, right, and then he opens it up
and runs away from defensive backs. And again it's like,
you know, listening to Jimmy Page or I'm like, I
need to hear Eric Clapton strum the guitar three times,
and I know exactly who it is. You know.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
Eight million dollars, How's that happened? Eight million dollars to
get him into Baltimore. Every team in the league should
kick themselves. I hear people be like, oh, how the
Steelers let that happened? How did all the other thirty
one things let that happen? He has scored a touchdown
in every one of his games in a Ravens uniform,
and he's fourteen so far this season total, two of
which are as a receiver. His twelve rushing touchdowns not
only leads all running backs, but no one else is
(23:42):
more than eight. Henry has one and twenty rushing yards
on the season, so he already has a one thousand
yard season, one thousand and three more than any other
Ravens running back has. But that is just leading because
Lamar is five hundred and eighty three.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
He's not there. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
Of the fifty running backs with at least fifty carries
this year, Henry rang first in rushing yards per game
at one hundred and twelve, first in yards per carry
at six point h nine.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
That's maybe the most insane staff first runs.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
He's first in runs that result in a first down,
He's got forty eight of those. He's third in runs
that result in fifteen plus yards, and he's fourth in
yards after contact per attempt and fourth in yards before
contact per attempt. So he gets like three yards before
he's even touched, then he gets three more yards after after.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
It touched right there. Six yeah, yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Mean the Steelers have had success in the past against
him when he was on the Titans.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
But Tanny, you gotta get him stopped quick. You can't
let him.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
When he starts to get momentum going downhill.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Yeah, that's a handful, right. They're a good tackling team.
They get a lot of people to ball though, they
get penetration, make him go left and right.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
The Bengals didn't do a terrible job against him last No.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
There's been games where he's been just okay. Then there's
the games he's gone insane.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Now it's not just Derrick Henry that you have to
watch in the rushing game. It's obviously Lamar Jacks. But
that's kind of what the Steelers have a great reputation
for is stopping Lamar's running abilities. The Steelers defense is
second in quarterback rushing yards allowed this year, just sixty one.
That's behind Minnesota. And they had Jaden Daniels just five
rushing yards last week. He had zero scrambles on design
(25:15):
passing plays too, And that's something that was intentional scrambling
on design passing plays.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Yep, and that was the game plan. Don't let him
do that.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
One note on special teams before we get into our
key matchups. Yeah, something up with Justin Tucker. I don't
know if he's something as a strange.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
He they've missed four field goals this year.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
And he misses a long points. Yep. I wonder if
he's going to hang it up after this year or
is it going to come out. He's had a bad
groin all year, like Boz did that one year. But
he's not close to one of the best kickers in
the league.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
Right now, whereas Boswell on one miss and it's a
fifty plus yarder sixty two, it was sixty two, shouldn't
even kicked it to So he's basically perfect. He's basically
he's been perfect. How many times, Matt have you seen
this game come down to who's got the better kicker?
Speaker 1 (26:02):
Huge? And Baltimore is always at the top of league
in special teams, and right now the Steelers are way better.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
On teams, way better on special teams. That's a good
point too. It's not just the kickers, just special teams
in general. Steelers are the elite unit in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (26:14):
They are right now.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
Yeah, I mean, they got another turnover last week and
it's just kind of like ho hum quiet. They forced
the muff punt and then Scronic jumped on it and
they like, whatever's special team's.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
Made another kick.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
You know, should have had an even bigger game with
Pierre catching that pass too on the fake punt, would
have real especially catches a masterclass.
Speaker 1 (26:33):
Yeah, all right.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
Key matchups. We kind of talked about the Steelers' ability
to stop running quarterbacks and how you need to do
that against the running quarterback and Lamar Jackson. Now, well
your key matchup there is Lamar versus Patrick Queen. I
thought Patrick for ye and I thought, you know, Patrick
Queen has been disappointing this year. I thought he was
great against the commands.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
I think he keeps getting better and was great in
the past.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
Sideline the sideline, he was magnificent and he was a
big reason why Daniels did not get a lot of
yardage play. You always scrambled, you know. Maybe that's what
the Steelers were trying to get him for all along.
No question is Lamar. This is how we stop Lamar.
This is how we stop running quarterbacks. It's having speed
sideline the sideline. And then the other key matchup is
George Pickens versus any Ravens quarterback, anyone that they want
(27:15):
to throw out against them. They'll throw multiple ones at
him because they'll try and everything. But this should be
one hundred plus yard game for George. This might be
a ten catch kind of game for George.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
I would think you just pepper them with targets at
all levels, not even all deep balls, you know, just yeah,
no matter what quick hitters, you know, yeah, slants everything.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
Especially with what you said about how they stink at
tackling their corners, they've been pretty bad. They can put
pickens on the ground.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Yeah, yeah, I mean he's a tough guy on the
ground a lot of yards.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
After catch, Steelers and Ravens one o'clock at Akroscher Stadium.
All of our cover starts at nine am locally on DV.
Steelers Audio Network picks up at eleven. Matt and I
will be back next week to preview Steelers and Browns.
It'll be a short week for the Steelers as they
go to Cleveland on Thursday night football. But you got
to get to eight and two first and solidify your
lead in the AFC. No. One from Matt Williamson on
(28:01):
Tom Opferman and this has been the advanced scout
We got some work to do.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
This is the advanced scout with Tom Opperman and Matt Williamson.
The Steelers with a big time win on the road
against the Washington Commanders to improve to seven and two
and remain in first place in the AFC North as
they welcome the seven in three Baltimore Ravens to town
and Matt Steelers Ravens week always has juice to it,
no matter if these two teams are contenders, if one's
(00:24):
a contender, if they're neither contenders. But this one just
has a little bit of extra umph to it compared
to the last few years.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
I think I tend to agree. I mean that Lamar's
in his prime. You know, there's high, high hopes in Baltimore,
but you also from their perspective, you feel the clock
ticking that can we ever get over a good point
homes bump, you know, And Steelers are standing in our
way now and they're ahead of us in the division.
And Steelers are having a really good year and looks
(00:52):
like they have a quarterback now, and you know, Dale
and I are just talking about on the drive, It's like,
I'm sure this game end up being you know, thirteen
ten because it always.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Is, but it's there doesn't feel that way.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
They're way different constructed than that though. I mean they're
I'm sure the over unders high, you know, I mean yeah,
and that just doesn't feel like a typical Raven Steelers game.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
No, I feel what you and dayl are saying there.
I think the same way. Offense is kind of defining
this one, not defense, which.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Especially for the opponent.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Yes, yeah, the whole rivalry is built on just having
badass defenses that win games, like you said thirteen to ten.
But what you said about the Steelers actually having a
good quarterback, Now that's been missing from the rivalry since
Lamar Jackson's gotten there is somebody that can match him
at that position. Ben was past his prime and injured
and then all the people behind. Yeah, so now you
(01:44):
got somebody that's not as equal, but he can go,
you know, twelve rounds with a guy like Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Yeah, and strangely, Lamar's missed a lot of Steeler games too,
That's true, you know what I mean. So you're gonna
get him two or three times this year, you might.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Pittsburgh is a plus sixty nine point differential compared to
plus sixty five for the Ravens. I would never think
that in Week twelve the Steelers would have Week eleven
excuse me, a higher point differential than the Baltimore Ravens.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Yeah, I mean they their defense is an issue, but
their offense, I think is the best in the league Baltimore's.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
This is a statistic that I wanted to point out
before we get into the series history and everything, because
I'm honestly shocked to hear it after playing Thursday night,
Baltimore has a significant rest advantage over This makes me crazy. Game.
It's gonna make a lot of Steelers fans crazy, and
it's unfair.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
It is.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Yeah, so they got the ten days rest, they got
the mini by because they played the Bengals.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
List not uncommon that happens, right, You hate that.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
It's before the Steelers game, but when, of course, for
the entire twenty twenty four schedule, the Ravens have sixteen
more days of rest than their opponents, the greatest rest
advantage since nineteen ninety when they began to track such
a thing. But that's most likely the largest of the
entire Super Bowl era. As far as how's the NFL
let that happen. Advantage as far as rest days compared
(02:58):
to opponents, I don't know, Uh.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Steelers a huge advantage.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Steels are going to be in a stretch for they
have to play like three games in ten days.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Right with at some point rest disadvantages and you know
all those things, right.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
They get the Ravens off of a short week, then
they get the Chiefs off of a short week. Excuse me,
they get their Browns off of a short week after
the Ravens. Not going to be easy then, but the Browns.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
I don't think the Browns have a rest advantage in
that one.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
But then you get But what I'm saying is like
you have to prove short weeks both times you play
the Ravens because then it's the Christmas Day game on Wednesday,
and Ravens games beat the hell out of you.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Absolutely, I'm not fighting you. But the Christmas four teams, Ravens, Texas,
they all get the same amount of rest.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
I'd rather play the Texans. Yeah, rest, That's what I'm saying.
And the sixteen day advantage is just that's just the
course of a year that somebody needed to know. Plaise
their hand in the meeting they'll be like, this doesn't
look right as far as the Ravens schedule is concerned. Sure, sure,
we want to do.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
This, Like I don't know if they ever play with
the rest disadvantage.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
So that's a big competitive advantage that Baltimore has over
the Steelers in this game and for the entirety of
their schedule.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Yeah, that should have been corrected.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Another thing that's so big in this game is the
quarterback matchup, as we illustrated, and these are great statistics
for Wilson versus Jackson. Currently, the longest streak of games
with a touchdown pass belongs to Russell Wilson. He is
twenty two. Well, Lamar's second with seventeen. Wilson has thirty
two touchdowns verse nine interceptions since the start of the
twenty twenty three season. That is the third most touchdowns
(04:28):
with less than ten interceptions during that stretch. Jackson is
first with forty eight touchdowns in nine interceptions. You could
argue that pretty good. Geting back to twenty twenty three,
we got like some top five quarterbacks going at it
right now.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Yeah, and Denver had no use for him and sat
them down for two of those games, or he'd have
a couple more probably, you know, I mean he was
intentionally sad, which is crazy. You know.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Well, I don't think I have to really highlight the
series history in this one, but we'll do it good
because this is what we do on the show. This
outstanding rivalry started in ninety six when the Ravens joined
the NFL. That's nineteen nine. Since then, Pittsburgh leads the
series thirty two to twenty five, including four four playoff matchups.
In the playoffs, the Steeers have lost just once against Baltimore.
(05:10):
Pittsburgh won six of the first seven meetings. They've also
won seven of the last eight. The Steeers have swept
Baltimore in three of the past four seasons. Mike Tomlin
is twenty one and sixteen against the Ravens. Well, John
Harbaugh is fifteen and twenty against Pittsburgh. It's been a
very one sided rivalry of late.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Yeah, and frankly, Baltimore's been the better football team over
the last half decade or so or that quarterback you know,
since Ben was in his prime type of you know,
the lamar Ero, let's call it.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
But I guess these guys, no, and the biggest advantage
that the Steeers have in this game is the defense,
because Baltimore's defense is just putrid. So let's start on
that side of the ball.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Their past defense is putrid, so no one runs on it.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Correction there, because you're right. I just kind of ignored
it because it's not going to be a game plan.
No one has been part of their game plan.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Now.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
I know the Steelers and Arthur Smith love to run
the football, but this might just be a week where
you have to kind of.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
You have to attack them down.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Yeah, you have to say I'm not going to run
more than twenty times.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
I mean, the tape so brutal with their pass defense
right now, the Steelers Hamilton might not play.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
The Steelers have obviously, the eye tests have told you
that they look a lot better since Russell Wilson got in.
But here's some stats to back it up. They've gone
from five point one yards per play to five point
six yards per play over the past three games. It's
pretty big increase. Yeah, it is almost a half a
yard per play. And then Pittsburgh is averaging thirty point
three points per game in Wilson's three starts. I mean
that's last year they finished the season around seventeen eighteen
points per game.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Yeah, it is so much different than this era. Yeah,
we keep talking about these last five years or so.
I mean, this is much different team.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Baltimore allows three hundred and sixty seven point nine yards
per game. That's the sixth most in the league. They
give up two hundred and ninety four point nine through
the air, most in the NFL and the fifth most
yards per pass attempt. The Ravens are seeing a pass
play caught against them at a sixty six point five
percent clip. It is the highest rate in the league.
Their run defense is outstanding. It is the best in football.
(06:58):
No one tries to run against them. They've only allowed
ten rushing attempts of ten plus yards in the league.
That's the best that's for the season for the Ravens.
Seventy three yards allowed, three point four yards per attempt.
It's a no go on the ground, but it is
anything you want.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Through the air. Yeah. And one thing that's really plagued
this team is their defensive coordinator from last year became
the head coach in Seattle, right, but making matters worse,
they lost two or three other assistants that went on
to become defensive coordinators Titans offensive or defensive coordinator. Miami's
defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver might be another I'm forgetting. So
(07:38):
they promoted from within, and I don't know if Or
is a good coordinator or not, but right now he
looks like a rookie quarter rookie coordinator with a lot
of change. And you take your best free coaches off
their staff and there's a lot of communication issues and
blown coverages and things like that, not to mention just
some execution problems. You know.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
I think the Eagles plugged like that last year, yes,
a lot, and they're starting to come back from it
now this year. But they were just they got fans
robbed or pillaged at the end of the usually they
went to the Super Bowl and lost to the Chiefs,
and then they just couldn't really bounce back. Defensive coordinator
wasn't as good. Offensive coordinator wasn't as good. Yeah, figured
it out, but yeah, I think Baltimore's going through a
(08:19):
lot of similar stuff right now. They'll repair as.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Well as he used to. You don't make adjustments on
game day. You know, this guy's in charge of breaking
down red zone and he's not as good at as
he used to be, you know, all kinds of stuff
like that.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
So why is the secondary so weak in your opinion?
Because the players aren't bad, because like, Humphrey's a name,
Humphrey's name. I know Hamilton's hurt, but.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Hamilton's a star. You're not going to be there, So
I don't think he's gonna play. First round pick struggling
a little bit, Wiggins and they drafted a corner in
the first round for a reason because they didn't love
their corners.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Right.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Marcus Williams is a really good safety. He got benched.
I'm not sure what's going on with him, or he
was a really good safety. I would say he's had
a really tough year. Communication is definitely a problem. Tackling weirdly.
Tackling has been a real problem through the air, but
not on the ground.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Yeah, they two point two one yards after first contact.
It's the best in the NFL, which is you know,
the front stop in the run. Yeah, but the pickings
can slip away from somebody, I think.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
So, I don't think their corners have tackled all that well.
And part of it, too, is they don't have a
dominant pass rusher. You know what I mean, they have to
they kind of generate pressure, and they did that last
year too, But this was one of the best defenses
in the league last year.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Yeah, we'll get to the receiver, the receiving aspect of it,
and how Jamar Chase did against them on Thursday A
pretty well. Back to what you said about the blitz
or the pressure that they're getting on opposing quarterbacks, that's
not even there. Baltimore is pressuring quarterbacks on thirty one
point nine percent of dropbacks. That's eighth worst in the NFL,
and Ravens twenty point nine blitz rate is only higher
(09:51):
than five teams. They're trying their best, they just can't
get right. And the Raven's opponents are getting the ball
out of the passer's hand on average in two point
nine to one second. Only four defenses are higher.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
So the.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Three seconds to pat the football. If you give Joe
Burrow three seconds, we saw what happens.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
So I wonder how much coaching has to do with that,
because Clowney is the only guy from last year that's
not really there amongst the pass rushers, but they were
the reason he got hired as a head coach. Was
they were so good to one of at devising pressures.
I wonder if their blitz packages are just not nearly
as good. It sure doesn't seem that way. They definitely aren't.
I mean where I talked.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Through it, Mattabuque had three sacks last week, and his
five sacks for the season only trails Kyle van Noy,
who has seven Amongst Ravens defenders. So maybe Matabuke is
he's really waked up a little bit as far as
the sacks are concerned.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Yeah, I don't think he's been bad at all this year.
He's a defensive tackles.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
To have fifteen, sixteen, second thirteen. Last year he was
incredibly breakout.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
He's a really good player. He's definitely their best front player.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
And one of the big reasons why they're so good
against the run, correct is Matabuke. Yeah, But is there
another big hoss up there that's doing a lot of tears?
Speaker 1 (10:56):
Is Hurt? He's their big run stuff for huge They
always have Sarah Goosa, you know, a massive space eater. Jones,
the kid out of Yukon. Is that guy now with
Pierce out? But yeah, that has a lot to do
with it.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Yeah, So we mentioned Jamar Chase last week eleven catches
for two hundred and sixty four yards and three touchdowns
in that Bengals Ravens Thursday night game. So obviously Steelers
fans should be excited for what George Pickens can do.
And Pickens has really been unlocked by Russell Wilson Matt
He averaged sixty point five yards per game and didn't
have a touchdown reception in his first six games. Well,
(11:32):
since Wilson has been in he's averaging ninety two yards
per game, he has two touchdown catches, and he's been
targeted on twenty six point one percent of his routes.
Remember we did this whole load management thing with Pickens
two earlier in the year where his snapcounts were weird,
and yeah, yeah, he's everybody else in the wide receiving
room by a healthy margin. It was like eighty percent
of the snaps in the game against the Commanders, Pickens
was on the field and.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
The most end zone targets in the league. I mean
he's been used a lot.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Yeah, the numbers, yeah, ten en zone targets most in
the league. The numbers are great when Russ got in there,
but you can also tell Matt that Russ is in
his head in a positive way too.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
Yes, and the numbers are much better when he's in there.
But not to sell fields and pick and short. There
was a lot of plays that were made that didn't
count on the box score too. You know, earlier in
the year touchdowns called back defensive pass interference. So he's
been pretty awesome all year. Real quick, back to Chase.
So that pass that Thursday night game. I'm sure some
(12:24):
people watched it. Good game. They didn't have Higgins. I mean,
the whole goal had to be stop Chase, and they
could do They don't run the ball hardly at all.
They didn't have Higgins, and he went on to do
insane things and he set the record. That's the second
time that he's ripped them up this year. Chase as
the record for most production by any pass catcher against
(12:47):
a team in a season.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
For what he's done against the Ravens this year this year.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
For two going to and they got like four hundred,
He's like four hundred and fifty receiving yards against the Ravens.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Can't believe they lost both of those games. Him going
off like that, Yeah, I mean, you're right, like the
Ravens scored the touchdown in the two point conversion where
Lamar kind of moon walked into the end zone and
the place was going insane and it looked like they
finally took control of the game. The very next play,
you let Jamar chase behind you.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
And he's the one thing you can't with, you know, right.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
That was after he already had a touchholder in the
game and I already was flirting with a two hundred
yard performance, and then that very first play, after all
that momentum, you have a miscommunication and it's it's ti
game all all of a sudden. So that's a great
point that all they had was Burrow to Jamara and
they still almost won the game.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
And I'm sure they're looking at Pickens the same way.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
But maybe the Steelers have a little bit more than
just Burrow to Jamar. Because Mike Williams only ran seven
routes in the Steelers' debut, one of them was a
pretty damn important route, and I think that's going to
increase big time this week.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
I would think. And my point is I'm not sold
that they can stop Pickens, even if that's the right.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
There was a play Now, Williams was obviously in for
Austin on the play that. You know, Russ told them
he just do stutter and go here the ball and
match over that shoulder, make sure you're ready for it
if it comes to you, all that stuff. But there
was a play earlier in the game, Matt where they
threw Wilson threw a ball to Austin and he was
in bracketed coverage, but there was a window for him
to catch it and it landed a little bit in
front of him. I'm sitting there now and watching that,
(14:12):
and I'm like, that's Mike Williams. He might just go
up and grab that thing, or he might have All
those Austin plays are going to go to Mike Williams. Now,
I would think balls this kind of you know, crossing
routes over the middle. Now, Austin's still gonna be using
a slot capacity.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
I think he's still useful in getting better.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
But that's sutter and go. I mean, we saw Austin
catch a touchdown against the Giants in that same exact
route that Williams just took over for him in the
Commander's game, and I think that's Williams back now, moving forward.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
It's hard throwing to a small receiver.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
Down There's a reason why Russ went over to Arthur
and was like, let's prow a big mic o, Mike O.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
He had successful Lockett doing it. But it's tough throw
into a little guy downfield.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
So long story short, before we move on to the
Ravens offense, throw the ball and throw the ball some
more on this team and h Russell Wilson is a
quarterback that gives you the kid ability to you know,
let it rip forty times and you can trust them.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Yeah, I mean so, along with the Eagles, these are
the three run heaviest teams in the league. I hope
you don't come out and say, we do what we do,
We're just going to pound it into you know, and
not throw the ball a lot.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Well, let me ask you this. Actually, now you bring
that up, there is a little bit of an element
to that to Arthur Smith's offense regardless. Yeah, I did
not run the ball that successfully against the Commanders. Look
at the box score. They ran it forty three times.
They are committed to it.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
See, I think that pays off late. I'm wearing guys.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
In that game, especially maybe if you haven't.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
But I did in that one for sure thought but I.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Don't want to get into this like just run your
head against the wall against the right mentality where yeah,
you get your one hundred yards, but you had to
do fifty rushes.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
To get there exactly Because well I thought the same
thing with Washington's offense. But when we get to the
Baltimore offense stuff, they're going to score, folks, Like if.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
They average seven point one yards per play, that's insanity.
Here's context that you laid out in your stat pack
second best to six point five yards per.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
Play, which is really good, right.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Third best of the Packers six point one, a full
yard per play behind Baltimore.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
From one to three.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
And then those are the only teams in the NFL
that average more than six yards per play.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Every time they snap the ball, he gets seven point
one yards and doesn't matter if it's through the era
they lost, right, Like you lose the Raiders and Browns.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Your defense must be really bad.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Yeah, they're also highly highly penalized and some of that's
cost them.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
So not only do the Ravens produce more yards per
game four hundred and forty point two than any team
in the league, but the second place team is San
Francisco and they are twenty seven point eight yards behind Baltimore. Now,
Pittsburgh did hold the Commanders to their lowest yardage total
to forty two in Week ten, and the Steelers allow
three hundred and two point seven yards per game, which
is ace best. This offense for the Ravens has scored
(16:41):
thirty eight touchdowns to lead the NFL. The next closest
team is Detroit, who is also a juggernaut offensively, they
only have thirty three touchdowns on the season, five less.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
This is insane, right, I mean, now, the Ravens haven't
had their buy but still.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Still it's very impressive. Baltimore turns a set of downs
into a new set of downs or a touchdown at
a seventy nine percent that's tied with Washington for the
best in the league. But the Steelers defense is at
sixty seven percent and only the Bears are better. And
the Steelers did okay at getting the Committeers off the field.
There three perfect but yeah, three and outs. The first
two series were three and outs field Washington.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
Commutes in that game, so they really only gave up
two bad drives to Washington.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
I'm not trying to say that there is a kryptonite
for the Baltimore Ravens offense, but this Pittsburgh Steelers defense
matches up pretty well against.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
It, especially in the trenches. You know, the the weakness
of the offense is the O line is okay. You
know Stanley the left tackles turned into is back to
being a good player. Linderbaum's a good center. The other
three spots especially, you know, would be concerning is the
right tackle. Rose Garden versus Watt is troublesome. But they'll
throw a lot of big people on the field.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
Preston Smith is going to have a big game. I think,
I think this is a this is a matchup that
he could thrive in. Oh, he's the type of player
for a Raven Steelers game.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Absolutely, edge setter, power player. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Only the Seahawks and forty nine Ers average more passing
yards per game than Baltimore's two hundred and fifty seven
point six, and their eight point five yards per pass
attempt is a half yard better than the second best
offense in San Francisco. Back to that kryptonite thing, Pittsburgh
has surrendered just eight passing touchdowns this season.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
You could throw the.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Ball on the Steelers, for sure. McLaurin had success against Porter.
Of course, you don't really throw the ball into the
end zone on the Steelers. See the Commander's game. All
three of their touchdowns were on the ground.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
And obviously they bundled up Daniels pretty well too.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Yeah, And that's gonna be such a big thing when
it comes to Lamar Jackson too, is how they handled
Daniels and how they've handled Lamar Jackson in the past.
But what I'm worried a Matt is this is a
different Lamar Jackson than in past years.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
As a pocket pass Yes, yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
He has a twenty four to two touchdown interception ratio
on top of his five hundred and thirty eight rushing yards.
Jackson has ten career games now with four plus passing touchdowns.
That is the fourth most of any player or any
passer under age twenty eight, behind Dan Marino sixteen, mahomes
Is sixteen, and Brett Farve's eleven.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
Of the Feast company, Yes, and.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
Of the forty two passers with fifty plus attempts, Jackson
ranks seven think completion percentage sixty nine point one, fourth
in yards per game two hundred and sixty six point
nine in his first in yards per tent at nine
point twenty seven. He has the highest passer rating in
the NFL right now, Matt. The top three passer ratings
are all in the ANFC North because they still count
run he hasn't.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Kind of makes sense.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
He's got one five point nine and then Brow's like
around one oh eight something like that. Lamar's won twenty three.
He's light years in front of.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
Everybody else that are having awesome years.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Taking a huge leap this year as far as a passer.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Yeah, and they've got a decent amount of weapons. I mean,
the run games scarier than ever. Their skill guys were great.
I don't even know how much they'll use Deontay Johnson
or need.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
To, but just Tolin doesn't think they'll use him that much.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
That's why I heard. Yeah, that was unbelievable, but strange stuff.
But their offense is awesome. Their offense is the best
unit in football right now.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
He has twenty four touchdown passes this year. He had
twenty four touchdown passes total last year, and he won
the MVP.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
He's better this year, and Henry helps of course.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Way better.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
This year.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
But the thing that the Steelers did so well was
they didn't let him get outside. They hit him every
time he does like a read option or a mesh point.
Always hit him helmet in the chest. Make it hurt.
But maybe it doesn't affect him as much this year
because he will just stand in the point. Oh, Watt
and high Smith, Well won't be Highsmith in this game.
But Watt and Smith, you're gonna kind of just contain
me in your pass rush. You're going to stay in
(20:20):
your pass rush lanes, stay in your pass rush lanes.
I'm just gonna zip one into Flowers, one into Bateman.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
Yeap, now there. I don't know how to defend them.
I'm sure they'll do everything you said and defend them
as they usually have, but they have more answers now
than ever, and it's a second year in the offense.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Is the Flowers a legit number one wide receiver in
your eyes? I'm getting there.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
That term gets thrown around too much for my liking.
But I think he's They're extremely happy with him. He's
really good after the catch. But you have to design
some things for him too. I mean, he's not just.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Not a pick and type throw up and get it
no or you know.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
Line up in the line of scrimmagegainst Patrick's htain and
beat man coverage all day long. You know.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Was seventy three targets leads Baltimore and his twenty six
more than any other Ravens pass catcher of the thirty
five wide receivers with fifty plus targets this season, Flowers
ranked eighth in yards per route run at two point
four zero, seventh in yards per target at nine point
five six, fourth in yards after the catch per reception
at six point six four, and he is third in
yards after contact per reception at two point three four.
(21:20):
That's the thing. If he gets the ball in his hands,
he's extremely scarious. Yeah, he's making to him a lot
of shape.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
Yep, yep, yep, and then you gotta tackle.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
And I think we're show. Bateman has kind of stepped
up the past couple of ye yes, he's a quality player.
You hear Deontay Johnson was traded for I mean your
jobs on the line on a little bit. And I
think Bateman has been a lot better lately and he's
had much more impact in the two games that Deontay
Johnson's been there than Deontay Johnson has, that's.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
For sure, and they gave him some money, and you know,
injuries held him back early in his career. He's not great,
but he's a quality number two.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
You surprised about Mark Andrews kind of resurgence, not basically
because of Likely's injury.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
I think that's some of it. And he also was
in a car accident in the preseason, which I guess
a lot of people didn't talk about, right right, I
mean like that probably affects athletes.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
We like to think that it's just Madden and that
they're just you know x's and o's out there. They
just play at their best no matter what.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
But he's on a tear right now.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
He's five touchdowns in his past five games. His five
touchdowns on the season is only behind George Kittle amongst
tight ends. Just like that, He's got any other tight
end in football than Kittle. So Andrews is a problem,
But the biggest problem outside of Lamar Jackson is the
addition of Derrick Henry. Derrick Henry is.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
His numbers are insane this year.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
And before we get to his numbers this year, just
he is a Hall of Famer Yeah, he is the
best running back of this generation. He's an Emmett Smith,
He's a Walter Payton. Yeah, he's in that breath.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
Yeah. And I say this all the time that the
great of the great runners. I think you could put
them all in ugly Penn State jerseys with no numbers,
and I know you'd like that and just watch them
and be like, Oh, that's Dereck Henry. Oh that's Walter Payton,
you know, like.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
And I think Henry is like a great guitar, perfect
example of that. Yes, his body type.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
Is so strange, right, and then he opens it up
and runs away from defensive backs. And again it's like,
you know, listening to Jimmy Page or I'm like, I
need to hear Eric Clapton strum the guitar three times,
and I know exactly who it is. You know.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
Eight million dollars, How's that happened? Eight million dollars to
get him into Baltimore. Every team in the league should
kick themselves. I hear people be like, oh, how the
Steelers let that happened? How did all the other thirty
one things let that happen? He has scored a touchdown
in every one of his games in a Ravens uniform,
and he's fourteen so far this season total, two of
which are as a receiver. His twelve rushing touchdowns not
only leads all running backs, but no one else is
(23:42):
more than eight. Henry has one and twenty rushing yards
on the season, so he already has a one thousand
yard season, one thousand and three more than any other
Ravens running back has. But that is just leading because
Lamar is five hundred and eighty three.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
He's not there. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
Of the fifty running backs with at least fifty carries
this year, Henry rang first in rushing yards per game
at one hundred and twelve, first in yards per carry
at six point h nine.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
That's maybe the most insane staff first runs.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
He's first in runs that result in a first down,
He's got forty eight of those. He's third in runs
that result in fifteen plus yards, and he's fourth in
yards after contact per attempt and fourth in yards before
contact per attempt. So he gets like three yards before
he's even touched, then he gets three more yards after after.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
It touched right there. Six yeah, yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Mean the Steelers have had success in the past against
him when he was on the Titans.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
But Tanny, you gotta get him stopped quick. You can't
let him.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
When he starts to get momentum going downhill.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Yeah, that's a handful, right. They're a good tackling team.
They get a lot of people to ball though, they
get penetration, make him go left and right.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
The Bengals didn't do a terrible job against him last No.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
There's been games where he's been just okay. Then there's
the games he's gone insane.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Now it's not just Derrick Henry that you have to
watch in the rushing game. It's obviously Lamar Jacks. But
that's kind of what the Steelers have a great reputation
for is stopping Lamar's running abilities. The Steelers defense is
second in quarterback rushing yards allowed this year, just sixty one.
That's behind Minnesota. And they had Jaden Daniels just five
rushing yards last week. He had zero scrambles on design
(25:15):
passing plays too, And that's something that was intentional scrambling
on design passing plays.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Yep, and that was the game plan. Don't let him
do that.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
One note on special teams before we get into our
key matchups. Yeah, something up with Justin Tucker. I don't
know if he's something as a strange.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
He they've missed four field goals this year.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
And he misses a long points. Yep. I wonder if
he's going to hang it up after this year or
is it going to come out. He's had a bad
groin all year, like Boz did that one year. But
he's not close to one of the best kickers in
the league.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
Right now, whereas Boswell on one miss and it's a
fifty plus yarder sixty two, it was sixty two, shouldn't
even kicked it to So he's basically perfect. He's basically
he's been perfect. How many times, Matt have you seen
this game come down to who's got the better kicker?
Speaker 1 (26:02):
Huge? And Baltimore is always at the top of league
in special teams, and right now the Steelers are way better.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
On teams, way better on special teams. That's a good
point too. It's not just the kickers, just special teams
in general. Steelers are the elite unit in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (26:14):
They are right now.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
Yeah, I mean, they got another turnover last week and
it's just kind of like ho hum quiet. They forced
the muff punt and then Scronic jumped on it and
they like, whatever's special team's.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
Made another kick.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
You know, should have had an even bigger game with
Pierre catching that pass too on the fake punt, would
have real especially catches a masterclass.
Speaker 1 (26:33):
Yeah, all right.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
Key matchups. We kind of talked about the Steelers' ability
to stop running quarterbacks and how you need to do
that against the running quarterback and Lamar Jackson. Now, well
your key matchup there is Lamar versus Patrick Queen. I
thought Patrick for ye and I thought, you know, Patrick
Queen has been disappointing this year. I thought he was
great against the commands.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
I think he keeps getting better and was great in
the past.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
Sideline the sideline, he was magnificent and he was a
big reason why Daniels did not get a lot of
yardage play. You always scrambled, you know. Maybe that's what
the Steelers were trying to get him for all along.
No question is Lamar. This is how we stop Lamar.
This is how we stop running quarterbacks. It's having speed
sideline the sideline. And then the other key matchup is
George Pickens versus any Ravens quarterback, anyone that they want
(27:15):
to throw out against them. They'll throw multiple ones at
him because they'll try and everything. But this should be
one hundred plus yard game for George. This might be
a ten catch kind of game for George.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
I would think you just pepper them with targets at
all levels, not even all deep balls, you know, just yeah,
no matter what quick hitters, you know, yeah, slants everything.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
Especially with what you said about how they stink at
tackling their corners, they've been pretty bad. They can put
pickens on the ground.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Yeah, yeah, I mean he's a tough guy on the
ground a lot of yards.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
After catch, Steelers and Ravens one o'clock at Akroscher Stadium.
All of our cover starts at nine am locally on DV.
Steelers Audio Network picks up at eleven. Matt and I
will be back next week to preview Steelers and Browns.
It'll be a short week for the Steelers as they
go to Cleveland on Thursday night football. But you got
to get to eight and two first and solidify your
lead in the AFC. No. One from Matt Williamson on
(28:01):
Tom Opferman and this has been the advanced scout
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