Things haven't exactly been smooth sailing for Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson in the first month of the season. Signed to a two-year, $14 million deal in the offseason, the veteran hasn't quite delivered on the field just yet. He's been on the field for 99% of the team's defensive snaps thus far, which has led to an interception and five pass deflections. Still, he has allowed far too many big plays.
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Patrick Peterson and the Steelers cornerback room will face a tall task in Week 5, as they will look to slow down the Ravens' dynamic offense.
Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette doesn't feel as if the team has utilized the veteran in the right way. So far, the Steelers have yet to move him around the secondary, such as to safety or nickel corner, like they planned on using him. This weekend, Peterson and the Steelers have a huge divisional matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Via Brooke Pryor of ESPN, Peterson is looking forward to facing Ravens rookie wideout Zay Flowers.
"He's very shifty, very, very fast. He can get behind the defense. He's kind of like the guy that can do it all for them, run the screens, run the reverses, and still can run the big post as well. It's going to be fun trying to keep our eye on that fast, little munchkin there," Peterson said via Pryor.
The Ravens selected Flowers with the 22nd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and he's proved to be worth that investment through four games. Based off Peterson's comments, it's clear that the Steelers view the rookie as the Ravens' best wide receiver. Flowers' name was a hot topic throughout the summer and into training camp, as Ravens beat reporters believed he was the team's most electric wideout despite several other big names in the room.
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Ravens first-round pick Zay Flowers has looked good through the first four weeks, and he will now present a mismatch against the Steelers' secondary in Week 5.
That has held true, as he leads the team in receptions (24), targets (29), receiving yards (244), longest catch (52 yards) and first downs (10). Just four games into his first season in the NFL, and he has already established himself. Pro Football Focus has Flowers ranked as the 23rd-best wide receiver to this point in the season. His shiftiness will make the Steelers secondary pay extra attention to him, as he's hard to bring down after making a catch.
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It was initially believed that rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. may earn his first career start in this game, but Steelers Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin refuted that. This is one of several things fans can bet on if you're into non gamstop betting. However, the team doesn't feel confident enough in his tackling abilities quite yet, and that would be a problem against the Ravens with Flowers' elusiveness. The rookie wideout has already outperformed several of his other draft class counterparts, and Peterson will have to keep a close eye on him.
After missing the past two games, Ravens veteran Odell Beckham Jr. is set to return to the lineup for the Week 5 matchup. That will be just another guy in Baltimore's dynamic offense that Pittsburgh will have to keep an eye on. Regardless, it's clear that Peterson and co. are keeping their eyes on Flowers.
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Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson has matched up against Odell Beckham Jr. in the past, and he will look to shut him down in Week 5.
Are you concerned about Flowers' elusiveness against the Pittsburgh secondary on Sunday? Do you agree with Dulac that the team needs to move Peterson around the secondary more? What are the keys for the Steelers winning in Week 5? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!
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