A lot of fans and some local commentators are furious about what appeared to be a flop on the part of the defensive back covering Steve Smith during what would have been a game-winning touchdown had it not been for the flag thrown for offensive pass interference. If that flag wasn't thrown, the Ravens would have likely won that game with almost no time left on the clock. Steve Smith did have his hands on the defensive back's jersey regardless of whether or not the defender flopped and sold the call. The game is over. The Ravens lost. The Ravens are still 5-3 at the half-season point, but I've suddenly become far more worried about the second half of their season after everything that unfolded in the NFL on Sunday.
It's clear that the Steelers are not nearly as bad as they looked against the Browns and Ravens earlier this season. The Steelers struggled in previous weeks to deal with major losses to their defense and have since re-signed such former veterans as James Harrison. Just as they did last season, the Steelers have made mid-season adjustments and just absolutely obliterated the Colts. It's not that the Steelers defense put up an overwhelming performance against the Colts as they still allowed 34 points, but the offense was absolutely sensational as it amassed 51 points on a Colts defense that totally shut out the Bengals only a week earlier. For the first time in what seems like years the Steelers offensive linemen were able to give Ben Roethlisberger a lot of time in the pocket. Was this a reflection of a poor performance by a dome defense or have the Steelers simply fixed things from a schematic standpoint? I have to assume it was a combination of both.
I was not particularly impressed by the Steelers when they beat a Texans team that could not stop fumbling the ball away, but a win is a win, and forced fumbles are forced fumbles. I did not have the luxury of being able to watch the Steelers face the Colts on Sunday, but it's abundantly clear that their receiving corps has been upgraded with the rise of rookie receiver Martavis Bryant. Bryant was inactive for the first six weeks of the season, but has emerged as a huge redzone threat. The rookie accounted for 83 of Ben Roethlisberger's 522 passing yards on Sunday and two of Ben's 6 touchdowns. The Ravens will have their hands full trying to stop both Bryant AND Antonio Brown this Sunday night, and they're going to have one hell of a time doing it without Jimmy Smith.
Jimmy Smith inexplicably sprained his foot against the Bengals on a play wherein he made a solid tackle. The elite corner should be back for the home game against the Titans or after the bye week, but he will absolutely not play this week. Smith's absence and Asa Jackson's placement on the injured reserve/scheduled to return list means the Ravens will be down to just three cornerbacks against their most hated rival team. This is hardly the situation the Ravens envisioned in the last few weeks as they trounced lesser teams.
If the Ravens hope to beat the Steelers, they'll need a monumental pass rush. Big Ben is great at extending plays with his legs, but he has also been sacked extremely often compared to other quarterbacks in the league. The Ravens had exhibited a fantastic pass rush against the Buccaneers and Falcons, but those teams are not nearly as good as Pittsburgh at home. The Ravens will also have to force turnovers if they hope to win on Sunday night. The Steelers offense WILL move the ball. The question is how often they'll be able to find the endzone.
If there was ever a way to minimize the effects of inadequacies in the Ravens defense, it would be a huge showing from the Ravens offense. The Ravens will need a much bigger offensive performance than the 26 points they put up on the Steelers at home in Week 2. Even in their loss to the Steelers, the Texans showed the ability to move the football--they just couldn't hold on to it. The question isn't whether or not the Ravens can score on this Steelers defense, it's how MUCH can they score and will it be enough to outgun Big Ben?
I have already told friends and co-workers that I'm not terrifically optimistic about the Ravens chances of winning this game without Jimmy Smith and possibly without Owen Daniels. I'd like to see the Ravens get Marlon Brown back in more often as a redzone threat with his incredible height, but they'll also be able to utilize Kyle Juszczyk and the power of their impressive stable of running backs. If the Ravens lose to the Steelers, their season is not over by a long shot. They'll have an easily winnable home game against the Titans and then a bye week with which they can get healthy and ready to face some fairly tough opponents. They will beat the Jaguars and they should beat the Browns at home, but the the Dolphins on the road will be a challenge as will the Texans and Saints. I'm fairly certain the Ravens can beat the Chargers at home with a healthy team after the bye week, but that will be a HUGE test. If the birds manage to beat the Steelers on national T.V. on Sunday night, they'll be in great position to win 10-12 games. If they're exposed once again and go into the bye week 6-4, it could be a serious uphill battle after the bye.
Keep the faith, Baltimore. As the Redskins just showed us, all of the stats and records often mean absolutely nothing in fierce divisional rivalries. No team seems to be consistently good or bad from week to week, and these teams know each other just as well as any other two rivals in the league. C'mon Joe...we need you, big guy. Oh and Torrey: how about some of that magic from the Pittsburgh game in your rookie season?
AS ALWAYS
GO RAVENS
BEAT THE STEELERS!!! (Please?)
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