Introducing Steelers vs. Ravens Wild Card

One of the most fascinating types of playoff matchups is between a pair of division rivals who have seen each other frequently throughout the season. It also helps when neither party particularly likes the other.

Example: Ravens and Steelers. A pair of bands that see each other very often year after year. And a pair of bands that have lost very little love between them.

Will Baltimore’s dynamic offense rule the day? Or will Mike Tomlin’s vaunted defense be able to stop the Ravens? Let’s break it down.

The story of the tape: These two teams split their regular season games. Pittsburgh defeated Baltimore 18-16 in their first matchup this year, but Baltimore returned the favor with a 34-17 victory in Week 17.

Crow crime: The Ravens have one of the most terrible offenses in all of football, thanks to two players: Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson.

Henry, a veteran running back, just completed the second-best statistical season of his career with 1,921 rushing yards on 325 carries and 16 touchdowns. He’s a brutal, powerful player who racks up yards as well as anyone in the league despite being 30, an age when the average running back turns into a useless puddle of goo and strained tendons.

And the combination of Henry and Jackson is enough to keep even the most tenacious defensive coordinators up at night. Jackson is having arguably the best season of his career, which is saying A LOT for a guy who already has two MVP awards. The 27-year-old quarterback set career highs in passing yards (4,172) and passing touchdowns (41) while throwing just four interceptions on the year. He was unstoppable throughout the season.

Sure, there are other players worth mentioning in this attack; Zay Flowers had a 1,000-yard receiving season, and Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews were, as always, consistent and reliable contributors. But the heart and soul of this explosive offense runs through Jackson and Henry.

Ravens Defense: Baltimore’s defense ranked among the top 10 this season, ranking 10th in yards allowed and ninth in points allowed. They are great at stopping the run, allowing a league-best 80 yards per game on the year and giving up just 12 rushing touchdowns.

In passing, the situation is a bit more chaotic; Baltimore ranks just 31st in passing yards and 19th in passing touchdowns this year. They also don’t force a lot of turnovers, making just 12 passes, which ranks 16th.

Instead, the Ravens rely heavily on pass rush to slow down opponents in the air; they rank second in the NFL with 54 sacks, led by linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh. This number is even more impressive when you consider that the Ravens are attacking just 20.3 percent of snaps, which is 26th in the league this year.

In other words, they’re a good defense, but they’re not a truly elite unit this year.

Path to victory: Let Lamar and Derrick Henry cook. Break up the Steelers passing game and put pressure on Russell Wilson all night long. Baltimore is the better team in this matchup and as long as they are smart, they should come out victorious.

Steelers offense: If you’re looking for a thrilling offensive clash, prepare to be disappointed. The Steelers have the most middle-of-the-pack offense in the league, ranking 16th in scoring (22.3 points per game) and 23rd in total yards allowed.

Things get even bleaker when you look at Russell Wilson’s passing game; Pittsburgh ranks 27th in yards and 24th in touchdowns this year. Thanks to Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, they’re just outside the top 10 in speed, but even on the ground they don’t score many points. This is a team built to win close games, mainly because the passing game is a mess.

George Pickens looks like a superstar when he’s on his way, but he remains the most erratic player in the NFL right now. There’s no telling if he’ll go over 100 yards and a touchdown or two, or if he’ll throw a tantrum because he’s not getting enough of the ball. And outside of Pickens, NOTHING looks dynamic in this passing attack.

Steelers Defense: As you’d expect from Mike Tomlin’s team, the defense is the star of the show. They rank in the top 10 in points scored and 12th in total yards allowed. Linebacker TJ Watt remains the star of the show, with his 11.5 sacks leading the team. They are best at interrupting opponents’ passes; they rank ninth in yards allowed and third in interceptions with 17.

They are even better against the run; Pittsburgh ranks sixth in the league in rushing yards while giving up just 4.1 yards per attempt. The Steelers want to drag their opponents through the mud, and as we’ve seen many times this season, they’re really good at it.

Path to victory: We’ve already seen them accomplish their goal once this season against the Ravens. Slow them down, crush them, make them struggle to achieve anything. It’s going to be a cold and dirty night in Baltimore, which gives them an advantage tonight. Use this to your advantage.

Verdict: Whenever these two teams play each other, it’s hard to predict what will happen. But this is the best and most balanced Ravens team we’ve ever had. They have plenty of weapons for Lamar to use, a solid defense, and a great running game that goes beyond their talismanic superstar QB. Look for them to take home the win, but don’t be surprised if Tomlin puts together something special defensively to try and steal this score.