The Pittsburgh Steelers will play their 18th sport of the 2024 season on Saturday night time on the highway towards the Baltimore Ravens. They’ll enter that Wild Card sport contest as underdogs as nicely. Under are 5 key issues I imagine the Steelers might want to do to come back away with their first playoff win for the reason that 2016 season on Saturday night time in Baltimore.
Oh Henry Half III – Ravens RB Derrick Henry ran wild on the Steelers’ protection just some weeks in the past. The bruising veteran managed to realize 162 yards on 24 carries and one other 27 yards on two receptions. The Ravens leaned on Henry early and sometimes in Week 16, resulting in the operating again having 75 yards on 13 carries at halftime.
Henry, by the best way, registered simply 13 whole carries for 65 yards and a landing within the first common season assembly between the 2 groups. The Steelers’ protection additionally pressured Henry to fumble early in that sport as nicely.
If the Steelers can’t higher management Henry on Saturday night time, it’ll make for yet one more lengthy sport for Pittsburgh. Forcing the Ravens away from coming near 25 whole touches for Henry is probably going the one likelihood the Steelers should hold the rating down and, thus, finally and hopefully win the sport. The Ravens are undefeated this season when Henry has rushed for 92 yards or extra in a sport. They’re 2-5 in video games this season that Henry has rushed for fewer than 92 yards.
No Flowers For Bateman – The Ravens is not going to have WR Zay Flowers Saturday night time as he’ll miss the competition with a knee harm. That’s a giant loss for the Ravens offense as Flowers leads the crew in receptions (74) and yardage (1,059). Not having Flowers leaves Ravens WR Rashod Bateman because the crew’s high participant at his place. Within the two earlier video games towards the Steelers this season, Bateman has managed simply three receptions for 44 yards and a landing.
The Steelers ought to in all probability take into account letting CB Joey Porter Jr. shadow Bateman Saturday night time with out a lot assist. That will enable the remainder of the protection to pay attention extra on the Ravens’ different high receiving targets, TE Mark Andrews, TE Isaiah Possible, and RB Justice Hill.
Win Toxicity In Appeal Metropolis – This Steelers crew is constructed to win due to takeaways on protection. Within the final assembly towards the Ravens, QB Russell Wilson had two essential turnovers. A kind of, a fumble, got here on the finish of a scramble deep inside Baltimore’s crimson zone, whereas the opposite was a pick-6 interception on an inaccurate throw. The Ravens fumbled thrice in that final sport in Pittsburgh, however the Steelers didn’t get well any of them. Finally, the Steelers misplaced the turnover battle 2-1. To make issues worse, in that final assembly, the Steelers misplaced the explosive play battle to the Ravens by a 4-2 margin.
The Steelers’ offense was with out the companies of WR George Pickens in that contest, and it actually confirmed. Pickens will play Saturday night time, and he should produce a couple of explosive performs for the Steelers to have an opportunity at successful the TOX (turnovers + explosive performs) battle. The Steelers offense will doubtless want not less than 4 explosive performs Saturday night time to match or hold near what the Ravens can register. If the Steelers don’t win the TOX battle by not less than two on Saturday night time, it’s arduous to think about they’ll finally win the sport.
Can’t Zero Out But Once more – Within the Steelers’ final 5 playoff video games that they’ve performed relationship again to the 2016 season, they failed to attain any factors within the first quarter. In these 5 video games, they had been outscored 66-0 within the first quarter, they usually clearly went on to lose all of these contests.
This season, the Steelers have been depressing in relation to scoring within the first quarter, with simply 48 factors in whole of their 17 regular-season video games. Of their final 5 video games to shut out their 2024 common season, the Steelers scored simply six mixed factors within the first quarter. They’ve additionally failed to attain any first-quarter factors of their final three video games. We should see some first-quarter factors on Saturday night time in Baltimore, ideally not less than seven.
Depart It All Out on The Area, Together with Fields – That is the playoffs now and so it’s win or go residence for the Steelers, who final received a postseason sport through the 2016 season. This crew wants a playoff win on Saturday night time they usually should do every thing they’ll to provide one towards the extremely favored Ravens.
Pretend punts, trick performs, and the usage of QB Justin Fields, in some situations, actually should be thought of on this sport. Nothing within the playbook must be held again because it’s now win or go residence till the 2025 common season. The Steelers have struggled to attain factors since Week 14. They’ll doubtless want not less than 23 factors to beat the Ravens on Saturday night time.
