Another week, another good victory for the Pittsburgh Steelers. This time, over the Week 13 NFC South Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Two consecutive wins mark the first time this season the Steelers have strung together a winning streak. Heading into Week 14, they will face another daunted yet eerily familiar opponent in the Baltimore Ravens, a bitterly respected rival who will likely be without franchise star quarterback, Lamar Jackson. Jackson suffered a knee injury Sunday against Denver.
Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick comes down with a clutch interception in the Steelers win over the Atlanta Falcons. (Karl Roser/ Pittsburgh Steelers)
The Ravens, most recently coming off of a last-second victory over the hapless Broncos via backup quarterback Tyler Huntley's heroics, are 1st in the AFC North standing tall at 8-4, tied for 1st place with the red-hot Cincinnati Bengals and 3rd best in the current AFC playoff race. They are absolutely dominant and towering above all other teams when it comes to overall rushing efficiency and total yards (YPRA - 5.2, RYPG - 157.8, and Total Rushing Yards - 1,893).
They are also extremely productive when it comes to rushing first downs (ranked 2nd in NFL - 122). What's more surprising, is that Baltimore statistically ranks as one of the worst passing offenses in the entire league with the 6th least amount in passing yards (2,439), and is in the middle of the entire pack at 17th best in passing touchdowns (17), are 20th worst in Yards per Attempt (6.8). If there's one thing the Steelers could adequately contain, it's the Ravens' inefficient 1st down-conversion rate.
On the defensive side of the ball, Baltimore certainly gives up a lot of yards (2,976 - 7th worst), but also racks up plenty of sacks (37). A strength of this defensive unit is their ability to stop the run (990 Yards - 2nd Best), generate turnovers through the air (11 INTs - 7th Best), and on the ground level (12 FFs, 8 FRs, 5th & 4th best respectively).
Of course, on special teams, they are a threat down the stretch, especially during a 2-minute warning (89.3 FG% - 7th Best) with arguably the greatest kicker ever in Justin Tucker. Digressing, the Ravens will not be easy out by any means (see last year's two meetings decided by 3 points or less). This is why it's one of the best rivalries in the NFL, and now it's on to see which players will be further contributing to that this upcoming Sunday at Acrisure Stadium.
1) Mark Andrews, Tight End
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Perhaps the best overall tight end besides Travis Kelce, Andrews has indefinitely made a name for himself. This position is scarce as they come, but this player has been anything but average, including this season (11.7 YDS/R, 654 Rec. Yards, 56 Receptions, and 5 Touchdowns). He's Baltimore's best-receiving option by far and can spin secondaries upside down in a hurry (I mean, are DeSean Jackson, Demarcus Robinson, and Devin Duvernay even viable options at this point?). Andrews' scouting was ahead of its time in regards to his annual dominance over defensive backs weekly. Lance Zuerlein:
"Andrews is a former wideout who plays with a receiver's mentality in a tight end's body. He is a pass-catcher with a deft feel for route adjustments and operating in space against zone coverage. Andrews is a big, reliable target who doesn't need a spacious catch window to haul it in.Red-zone rainmaker with a touchdown in every five catches, crafty in adjusting routes, not overly sudden or quick, but finds ways to uncover, uses body to leverage position at the top of the route, can mismatch defensive backs with his frame, has shown the ability to handle complex routes, plays with consistent pace through route breaks to optimize separation in tight spaces, has learned to catch defenders on his hip and keep them there through the catch, a quarterback's friend with the ability to drop and save the low throw as well as secure contested catches in traffic, and has the footwork and athleticism to make tacklers miss."
2) Patrick Queen, Linebacker
Creator: Rick Scuteri | Credit: AP
At one point, the Ravens needed a linebacker who could operate as the de facto leader down the line, trenches, flats, and seams. Surely enough, they couldn't have been any happier landing Queen during the 2020 NFL Draft, because he's playing at a very high level and one worthy of recognition (85 TOT, 4 Sacks, 8 TFL, 4 PD, 1 INT, and 1 FF). He leads the team in Tackles and Tackles for Loss. From the get-go, even Zuerlein recognized the potential in this kid as a total package linebacker:
"He plays fast, physically and with impressive field confidence for a one-year starter. His ability to diagnose and flow are both very rapid, and he operates with excellent body control and balance to gobble up runners as an open-field tackler.Rapid to diagnose and trigger to the action, ability to race ahead of blockers and beat them to the spot, play marked by control and balance from anywhere on the field, has desired sheriff mentality and disposition as inside 'backer, forceful pop to separate from block and tackle, pads squared and base wide in lateral scrapes, GPS linebacker with controlled tracking from gap to gap, has impressive contact balance and is a wrap-up finisher as tackler, athletic ability to cover tight ends and running backs, and sudden lateral quickness to close down passing lanes."
3) Marlon Humphrey, Cornerback
Creator: Nick Wass | Credit: AP
Want to find one player that's most revered and well-respected around the league among active players? Look no further than Alabama's own in Humphrey. There's no denying the impact he has had on this Ravens secondary (50 TOT, 3 Sacks, 3 TFL, 6 PD, 3 INT, and 2 FR). This is the defensive back that most likely gives Steelers wideouts and fans alike trouble, and his scouting report from the 2017 NFL Draft proves it. Zuerlein:
"Has the body type and athletic traits that are out of central casting, fluid hips and hard-charging makeup speed, well-versed in a variety of coverages, plays with disciplined eyes and good balance between high-low responsibilities in zone, good short-area acceleration to close out receivers and attack throwing lanes, reactive athleticism helps erase coverage mistakes, extremely competitive with an edge that spikes after he's beaten, timid receivers should take the day off.Aggressive from the press with a powerful punch, looks to intimidate when the opportunity arises, drives receivers out of bounds and out of the play if their vertical release takes them too close to the boundary, will not let a blocking receiver punk him, tears through blocker and attacks downhill, and searches for opportunities to strip the ball."
4) Kyle Hamilton, Safety
Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Although a rookie, there's no denying his outstanding ability and coverage skills in such a short span of time. Hamilton has quickly established himself on the radar. Coming out of Notre Dame as a prized prospect, talk about some notable stat lines through 11 games played (34 TOT, 1 Sack, 2 TFL, 2 PD, and 1 FF). He's such a well-rounded safety, that even Zuerlein couldn't stop raving about him:
"High-impact safety with a unique blend of traits and characteristics that make him a bit of a unicorn at the position. Hamilton has the eyes and speed to play over the top, the strength and toughness to play near the line, and the coverage length to guard elite pass-catching tight ends who often mismatch opposing defenses. It's rare to find such a ferocious striker and intimidator who has the football intelligence and athletic prowess to go make plays in the passing game, but Hamilton provides it all.He thrives playing downhill or sinking into a robber alignment on the back end, but will have occasional missteps in coverage when in retreat from his pedal. Enormous safety with a frame for more muscle mass, versatility to play safety in any scheme or alignment, urgent, competitive, physical, and football smart.
True intimidator over the middle, run-through power to obliterate pass-catchers, above-average fluidity for a really big safety, potential to press and cover premium pass-catching tight ends, searches for playmaking angles on the throw, long-strider with eyes and speed to range over the top.
Length and size overwhelm pass-catchers on contested catches, and effective in the box with the potential for downhill disruptions."
All that being said, please keep a watchful eye on these four Ravens players. They will not go unnoticed Sunday. Drop your players of interest in the comment section below. Here We Go Steelers!
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