Pittsburgh Steelers – Baltimore Ravens
NFL - 08/10/2023 - 19:00 CET
The Pittsburgh Steelers started the new season with a lot of optimism. The preseason promised good things, but it didn't translate into the official part. Kenny Pickett continues to struggle to connect with wide receivers, and everyone in America blames offensive coordinator Matt Canada for it. It was even believed that he would be fired after the debacle in Houston (30:6) last week, but it didn't happen. The Steelers have never made such a change during the season, and they are too proud a franchise to do so, even though it's obvious that Canada cannot maximize this offense. On the depth chart, players like George Pickens, one of the most talented wide receivers in the NFL, are listed, while running back Najee Harris also has shining moments. However, the game plan is often poor, and it's the defense that compensates for all offensive mishaps. The Steelers' defense has been the better side of this team for years, and T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick and the rest of the crew will have to push this team again.
The Baltimore Ravens are at 3-1 and hold the first place in the AFC North, although the impression they've left so far isn't perfect. The loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 3 pointed out certain flaws, and they were lucky in some games. The Cleveland Browns played last week without Deshaun Watson and Nick Chubb, the Cincinnati Bengals didn’t have a fully healthy Joe Burrow, and even the Colts played with a backup quarterback. Between the two seasons, the Ravens invested a lot in their offense. Odell Beckham Jr., Zay Flowers and Nelson Agholor were supposed to guarantee better things on that side of the field, but the full potential is still not unlocked. Lamar Jackson is playing at his standard level, and the defense is in the top 3 statistically. However, the Ravens have not been tested yet and probably won't be this week either.
The biggest problem for the Pittsburgh Steelers is that Pickett got injured last week. He practiced in full capacity on Wednesday and is expected to play. He even emphasized that it would be the case, although the media calls for rationality since the Steelers are in a bye week after this game, providing enough time for their quarterback to fully recover from the injury. Even if Pickett doesn't play, this is not a game either team's offense will win. The defense will be in complete focus on both sides of the field, as is always the case when these great rivals play against each other. The Steelers won five of the last six games against the Ravens, and in none of the last five games has a combined 40 points been scored. The Steelers are 51-29-3 against the spread as underdogs in the Mike Tomlin era, and they were humiliated in Houston last week. When that happens, they always show a reaction. After a horrible game in Week 1, they responded with triumphs against the Cleveland Browns and the Las Vegas Raiders. In another low-scoring game, they can definitely stay close until the very end and maybe take the win.