Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers -3
Games Total: 51
The last two weeks, the Steelers have played teams who can’t stop anyone but have potent offenses. Cleveland held the Steelers to 21 points through five quarters in Week 1.
The Ravens, for their part, have allowed the fifth fewest points in the NFL through Week 3. Of course, they faced the Bills, Bengals and Broncos, so we really have no idea how they will do against an above-average offense.
The Ravens have scored the fifth most points per game this season, at 32.3. That number is obviously skewed by destroying the Bills, but they have scored 23 and 27 points against the Bengals and Broncos the last two weeks.
Baltimore should put up a lot of points against a Steelers defense that has allowed 30.0 points per game this season. Only the Buccaneers, Chiefs, Chargers and Saints have allowed more points this season.
The one thing Pittsburgh has done well defensively this season is rush the quarterback. The Steelers are tied with the Cowboys for the league lead with 11 sacks.
Joe Flacco and Ben Roethlisberger have each been sacked eight times this season, leaving them tied for 12th in the NFL.
Part of that, of course, is probably the result of volume. The Steelers and Ravens rank third and fifth in passing attempts this season with 139 and 133, respectively.
Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster ranked second and fifth in the NFL in targets heading into Week 4, and while I still think Smith-Schuster’s targets will fall off if the offense ever slows down, we haven’t seen that yet.
Since running for 135 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1, James Conner has struggled running the football. He has 88 yards rushing combined over his last two games, though he has made up for that in part by remaining active as a receiver. Conner has five receptions in each of his three games this season.
The Ravens’ receiving corps has been surprising strong this season, as Michael Crabtree , John Brown and Willie Snead each have at least 12 receptions this season.
Joe Flacco has spread the ball to his tight ends as well, as Nick Boyle , Maxx Williams and Mark Andrews each have at least six receptions this season.
All of the Alex Collins truthers have been quieted through three weeks, as Collins has just 116 rushing yards on 34 carries through three games. Collins does have two rushing touchdowns to his name, which doesn’t even lead his own team. Javorius Allen has one rushing touchdown in each game despite having 32 total rushing yards this season.
The Steelers have been penalized for more than 120 yards per game so far this season, by far the worst in the NFL.