The Baltimore Ravens cleared a major hurdle this weekend when it comes to their hopes of competing for a Super Bowl.
They have struggled against the Pittsburgh Steelers for most of the last few years, but the Ravens beat Steelers 34-17 Saturday and are now tied with them for first place in the AFC North at 10-5 with two games remaining in the regular season. After a rough stretch in the middle of the season, the Ravens have started to turn a corner and are starting to look like the championship caliber team everyone expects them to be.
Baltimore’s defense had one of its best games of the season against the Steelers (who were missing their best wide receiver, George Pickens). They held them to 1.7 points per drive and had three sacks and five tackles for loss, and also returned an interception for a touchdown that sealed the game in the end. This defense has come a long way from the start of the season where it regularly allowed explosive plays and got gashed through the air. They limited Pittsburgh’s passing game to -0.27 expected points per dropback and did a good job surviving the few explosive plays Russell Wilson was able to create.
The defense dominated the Steelers in general in the second half, limiting them to a success rate of just 31.8%, according to TruMedia. They were able to really put the clamps on when Pittsburgh tried to get back into the game, especially when they had to throw the ball. All Wilson and his teammates could manage was 6.1 net yards per attempt in the second half, which just wasn’t enough with the Ravens offense taking over the game.
This is why defensive improvement is so crucial for this Baltimore team: the offense is capable of winning a Super Bowl. Lamar Jackson threw three more touchdowns to give him 37 passing touchdowns for the season against just four interceptions, and Derrick Henry had a successful run on the Steelers to close out the game. In the second half, Henry rushed for 87 yards on just 11 carries and averaged an obscene 5.4 yards. Before contact. When the game becomes one-dimensional and all the Ravens have to do is rely on the running game to close things out, they become one of the most dominant teams in the league. They might have finally found the perfect running mate for Jackson to win the elusive Super Bowl they won. are capable of winning.
Jackson had a good game against the Steelers who had eluded him, Henry redeemed himself after fumbling in the first meeting between these teams, and the defense was able to match his talent. Getting a home game in the first round of the playoffs will be important, but this Ravens team still needs to be considered a dangerous and credible threat for a shot at the Super Bowl title. The Ravens offense has still managed to score 30 points in three of their last four games, only doing so in a loss to the Eagles. The stability Henry brings could be the reason the Ravens can actually succeed this time around.
The top of the AFC is incredibly loaded this year, but Baltimore should rightfully be considered in this group. If it can happen just enough defense to advance, the rest of the conference should watch out.
