No one outside of the fan base for the Pittsburgh Steelers is necessarily expecting the team to defeat the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2024 NFL Playoffs. Mike Tomlin's group will enter the matchup on a four-game losing streak while John Harbaugh's group is one of the hottest throughout the entire league. Any division battles in the postseason can end with an upset, but it's clear that Baltimore is heavily favored to win the big contest. On Thursday, Harbaugh made it very obvious that he already has next week on his mind when it comes to preparation and the health of his players.
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Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin (right) and Baltimore Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh (left) talk during warmups before the game at then-Heinz Field on September 30, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The Steelers will enter the Wild Card Round relatively healthy, but the Ravens have announced that a key player will not be suiting up on Saturday evening. Wide Receiver Zay Flowers, who was just voted to his first Pro Bowl, won't be playing due to a knee injury he suffered in Week 18.
Ravens rule out WR Zay Flowers (knee) for Wild Card game vs. Steelers on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/gXY7GtEIfd
— NFL (@NFL) January 9, 2025
This is a big deal, mainly because Flowers had five catches for 100 yards when Baltimore beat up Pittsburgh by a score of 34-17 in Week 16.
Zay Flowers had just two catches on six targets for 39 yards and a TD against the Steelers in their first meeting this season, but he torched them in the second with five catches on eight targets for 100 yards.
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) January 9, 2025
Harbaugh didn't seem concerned during his press conference on Thursday, however. In fact, he guaranteed a win over the Steelers without directly saying it.
"Zay Flowers is not going to be able to make it to the game, so he'll get started again next week," Harbaugh said. "We'll move forward with the guys we have and we're excited about the guys we have, which is everybody else."
Harbaugh is already stating that the Ravens will be working out and preparing for a Divisional Round contest following the game versus the Steelers. That's a lot of confidence for someone who has not done well against Tomlin in recent seasons.
Don Wright / ap photo
Baltimore Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh (left) and Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin (right) talk on the field prior to a competitive matchup in Pittsburgh, PA.
It's one thing for a coach to be confident behind closed doors, but very rarely does one give an update on an injured player at this point in the season, and go on to say he will be at practice the following week. The Ravens and Steelers are part of a fierce rivalry and Harbaugh's comments, albeit subtle, should light a fire under everyone inside Pittsburgh's locker room.
This can be looked at as bulletin board material, especially because it seems as if Harbaugh is completely overlooking the Steelers. Pittsburgh is hungry to prove several doubters wrong and find a way to win a playoff game for the first time since the 2016 season. It seems as if Harbaugh is full of confidence and already anticipating to have practices a week from now.
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Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh throws his hands up in the air in disgust as he shows displeasure after a questionable call from an official during a home game in Baltimore, MD.
Steelers Definitely Get Benefit Of The Doubt With Flowers Not Being Healthy Enough To Play
Without the Ravens' best receiver in the lineup on Saturday, Joey Porter Jr. will be able to focus on guarding Rashod Bateman while the other defenders focus on a very talented tight end group. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are top priorities, but when it comes to Baltimore's passing game, the absence of Flowers should make things a little bit easier on a secondary that has been inconsistent.
Do you think the Steelers can win on Saturday down in Baltimore? Do you think Harbaugh is overlooking Pittsburgh? Let us know in the comments below!
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