OTL: After All That, Another Clash with Pittsburgh Awaits

The Baltimore Ravens are getting ready for the playoffs and they know who they’re playing. Saturday night the Ravens take on the Pittsburgh Steelers for a third round of the division fight.

The Ravens have opened as 8.5-point favorites in their wild-card game against the Steelers, per @ESPNBET

— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) January 6, 2025

It’s a game the Ravens are supposed to win. The Steelers are limping into the playoffs and their offense looks lost. The Ravens are entering the game with the fewest excuses they have ever had against the Steelers. Still, this is a game the Ravens struggle with. Will they find a way to make this harder than it should be?

It kind of goes back to what I wrote in my four downs post for the last Steelers game. The psychology of this rivalry has been a problem for the Ravens. It doesn’t take much for bad habits to come out of hiding. The 34-17 win didn’t eliminate all the demons of the Ravens’ past like a magic eraser..

Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports wrote this about the playoff matchup: 

While the regular season series was split, it’s worth pointing out that the Steelers failed to muster 20 or more points in either of those games. They also enter the playoffs on a four-game losing streak where scoring has continued to be a problem. Over the losing skid, they’ve averaged just 14.2 points per game. That will need to turn around and fast as they take on a high-flying Ravens offense led by Jackson, who just became the first player ever to record 4,000 yards passing and 800 yards rushing in a single season.

There’s no doubt that the Ravens have the better team at the moment. The Steelers had an incredible start to the season. They’ve struggled against top competition. The Ravens first game against Pittsburgh was more on their mistakes and turnovers. When the Ravens played their best football, the Steelers lost 34-17.

“It’s something that he has a chance to be okay with.” Head Coach Harbaugh with an update on Zay Flowers pic.twitter.com/KW3Yay7gbn

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 5, 2025

One thing that could get in the way is the injury to Zay Flowers. Flowers made it to the Pro Bowl and is one of the best playmakers in the league. In that 34-17 win over the Steelers, Flowers had five receptions for 100 yards.

More medically inclined minds than mine had some ideas about the potential injury:

Zay Flowers #ravens

From this view you can see his foot gets caught on his teammates leg as the defender contacts his knee from the inside. This creates a mild varus stress which puts stress on the LCL. However, the total varus motion is minimal, his knee flexes which absorbs… pic.twitter.com/eZbfpQLIte

— Tom Christ, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT (@FantasyInjuryT) January 4, 2025

Zay Flowers –

Concern for Right knee, LCL+ injury.
Knee absorbs a good amount of varus stress with the defender hitting it outwards but Zay’s teammate keeping his foot fixed in place.

Low blood supply/doesn’t heal well on its own, so hopefully it’s not major or require surgery. pic.twitter.com/RWRiRbpTXC

— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) January 4, 2025

But here’s the scoop as we know it per Jordan Schultz:

Initial tests showed #Ravens Pro Bowl WR suffered a knee sprain and is considered week to week. He will undergo more testing, per source. pic.twitter.com/aeGeqRm4Fm

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 5, 2025

This means the Ravens have to be prepared to win this game without Flowers. What does that mean for the offense? I don’t think there’s one player that can replace his production but between a little more Isaiah Likely and some Tylan Wallace, the plus the return of Justice Hill, the offense doesn’t have to miss a beat.

Wallace is an interesting player. He’s less explosive but he’s got a similar style at the wide receiver position. He only really seems to make huge plays. Remember the walk off punt return against the Rams? The point is that in a small sample size he’s made the most of his chances.

The play of the NFL weekend was Michael Pierce’s interception at the end of the division-clinching game against the Browns. It’s officially ruled a Big Boy Interception.

Michael Pierce INT and the defense goes craaazzzy…as they should!! #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/VV1TVpcGsq

— Carita Parks (@CaritaCParks) January 5, 2025

I can’t think of a more positive ending to the Ravens regular season. The sheer joy this play produced was impressive. The sideline went nuts and the crowd was very enthusiastic. It seems like the perfect exclamation point on the 2024 season.

Pierce said he didn’t want to be a meme and that’s why he just went down. Instead of a meme he was the moment!

Michael Pierce didn’t wanna end up a meme after his INT pic.twitter.com/NguhRu8v2a

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 5, 2025

Speaking of the wild card round the Ravens have a very important anniversary today.

12 years ago today, Ray Lewis ran onto the field as a member of the offense and danced in front of Ravens fans one last time

Baltimore would defeat the Colts in the Wild Card Round 24-9pic.twitter.com/DjyVW5u3vg

— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) January 6, 2025

12 years ago Ray Lewis announced his impending retirement. It sparked the Ravens through the playoffs and it’s part of what made their Super Bowl run have so much meaning. I’ll never forget this moment. The team wanted to win for him and it was a very palpable feeling.

The Ravens came this close (and a 2-point convo) away from beating every team in the AFC playoffs in the regular season.

L vs. No. 1 Chiefs, 20-27
W vs. No. 2 Bills, 35-10
W vs. No. 4 Texans, 31-2
W vs. No. 5 Chargers, 30-23
W vs. No. 6 Steelers, 34-17
W vs. No. 7 Broncos, 41-10 pic.twitter.com/BVlE9l55XQ

— Ryan Mink (@ryanmink) January 6, 2025

Ryan Mink made a great point on X. The Ravens have almost beaten everyone in the AFC playoffs. The Ravens are the most tested team going into the postseason. They’ve aced the test.

Now they have to do it when it matters most.

The post OTL: After All That, Another Clash with Pittsburgh Awaits appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2025/01/06/out-to-lunch/otl-after-all-that-another-clash-with-pittsburgh-awaits/