The Pittsburgh Steelers know the Baltimore Ravens will be trying to dominate the line of scrimmage to get the run game going when they meet in Baltimore on Sunday night. The defense managed to hold the Ravens to just 16 points in Week 14, which looks good on paper, but when you dive deeper, they let backup quarterback, Tyler Huntley, and running backs, J.K Dobbins and Gus Edwards gash them on the ground to the tune of 215 yards.
Pittsburgh's slim playoff hopes will depend on being able to continue a trend since that game of shutting down opposing teams' rushing attacks. The team's leaders on defense are aware they didn't get the job done in the season's first matchup against their AFC North hated rival and are committed to doing better this time around in prime time.
Tyson Alualu and Chris Wormley provide pressure on Baltimore's Tyler Huntley in the Steelers' 16-14 loss to the Ravens. (Abigail Dean/Pittsburgh Steelers)
"It's games like that when you take a lot of pride [in your job], when they line up and we know what they're going to do, we take a lot of pride in stopping that. We didn't do that," said Steelers veteran nose tackle, Tyson Alualu via Steelers.com. "We're looking forward to this opportunity to try and get that done and let the chips fall where they may."
Coming off a stellar shutdown game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Christmas Eve where they limited Josh Jacobs, the league's leading rusher in total yards, to just 44 yards on 15 attempts, defensive coordinator, Teryl Austin said some scheme adjustments might be in order to continue the positive trend of shutting things down on the ground:
"We had a bad game," Austin said about the first meeting. "Overall, over the course of the year, our guys have been playing well. Schematically, we'll obviously try to do some different things, as well. The most important thing, forget the scheme, we just have to play better. I think they won that battle."
Pittsburgh currently ranks 5th in yards given up on the ground and second in rushing scores surrendered per Pro Football Reference. The Ravens are the only team to get 200 or more yards against the unit this season. The stats back up Austin's claim that the last showdown with Baltimore was a bad game in a season where the overall run defense has been a strength, as they've limited other star backs like New Orleans Saints prized man, Alvin Kamara and Indianapolis Colts stud, Johnathan Taylor to pedestrian like performances.
Minkah Fitzpatrick and Alex Highsmith make a stop against the Ravens in the Steelers' Week 14 loss. (Abigail Dean/Pittsburgh Steelers)
Cam Heyward is coming off one of his best performances of the season and knows that it will be important for the team to limit the damage that all three key players in the Ravens' ground game can do:
"Huntley is definitely part of the running game, especially in the red zone. I'm not discounting him," the defensive captain said to the media. "But, that two-headed monster of Dobbins and Edwards really do a great job of falling forward with that big offensive line, and we're looking forward to attacking it."
If Pittsburgh is going to cling to the small chance they have left of getting to play in the postseason, it will be all about the defense shutting down the Ravens' multi-faced running attack and the offense making enough plays to get the points to win.
So, Steeler Nation, do you agree the first game against the Ravens was just one bad game? Do you think they can rebound in the rematch? Let us know in the comments below or on our social media.
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