What: Baltimore Ravens (8-6) at Steelers (9-5)
When: 4:30 p.m. Sunday
Where: Heinz Field
TV-Radio: NFL Network, WPXI Channel 11; WDVE 102.5-FM, 970-AM ESPN Pittsburgh.
When the Ravens have the ball …
Key Performers: QB Joe Flacco, RB Terrance West, FB Kyle Juszczyk, WR Steve Smith Sr., WR Mike Wallace, WR Breshad Perriman, TE Dennis Pitta, G Marshall Yanda
Who’s hot or not: Since the return of Yanda and rookie No. 1 LT Ronnie Stanley, the Ravens running game has started to show signs of life. Yanda, a six-time Pro Bowler, has been moved to left guard. West, a former Cleveland Browns running back, leads the team with 729 yards rushing and five TDs. Rookie RB Kenneth Dixon has been gaining a larger role, carrying 45 times for 220 yards (4.9-yard average) in the past five games.
What’s been working: Wallace, the former Steelers receiver, leads the Ravens and ranks 15th in the league with 963 receiving yards on 64 catches. His 95-yard catch-and-run TD in the first meeting was his longest of the season and one of five catches of 40+ yards in 14 games, tried for fourth most in the league. Since he was a third-round draft choice in 2009, Wallace has 71 catches of 25 yards or longer, tied for second most among active players.
Game plan: Coach John Harbaugh fired offensive coordinator Marc Trestman after the Ravens scored only 49 points in the three games prior to the first meeting with the Steelers. But new coordinator Marty Mornhinweg hasn’t stopped Flacco from throwing. Flacco leads all AFC quarterbacks with 579 pass attempts, but he has just seven touchdowns and thrown nine interceptions in six road games.
Keep an eye on: After missing most of the past two seasons with a broken/dislocated hip that threatened his career, Pitta has re-emerged as a dependable target for Flacco. He ranks second among the league’s tight ends with 67 catches and tied for eighth with 563 yards receiving. Pitta, however, went 11 games without a touchdown until he caught two against the Miami Dolphins. He wasn’t a factor in the first meeting with just two catches for 14 yards.
When Steelers have the ball …
Key performers: OLB Terrell Suggs, ILB C.J. Mosley, DT Timmy Jernigan, NT Brandon Williams, CB Jimmy Smith, CB Lardarius Webb, S Eric Weddle
Who’s hot or not: Mosley was selected to his second Pro Bowl in a season in which he has 72 tackles, seven passes defensed, three interceptions and a forced fumble. His biggest pass defense came last week when he deflected the two-point conversion that would have won the game for the Eagles. Mosley is one of just three players to have at least 300 tackles, five interceptions and five sacks since 2014.
What’s been working: Suggs leads the team with eight sacks despite playing with a torn left biceps. But he has just three sacks in the past seven games. Plus, the Ravens have been getting little pressure from the other edge where Elvis Dumervil rotates with Albert McClellan. They have combined for just three sacks. Jernigan, though, has been disruptive in the middle, registering the second most sacks (5) in the league by a DT.
Game plan: The Ravens plan is always the same — come out and be physical with the Steelers. And they make a point of delivering hard hits to Ben Roethlisberger, much the way Suggs did in the first meeting when he de-cleated the Steelers quarterback with a hard hit on the second series. Roethlisberger has two TDs, five interceptions and been sacked 10 times in the past three games against the Ravens.
Keep an eye on: The Ravens haven’t faced the Steelers with Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell on the field at the same time since a Nov. 2, 2014 game at Heinz Field — and that was a 43-23 Steelers victory in which Roethlisberger threw six TDs. That might have to be the same approach this time, especially after the Ravens gave up 406 passing yards and three TDs to Tom Brady just two weeks ago.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Ravens might have the best set of kickers in the league. Pro Bowl K Justin Tucker has missed only one field goal in 34 attempts — a 34-yarder that was blocked in New England — and is perfect on 25 extra points. He has converted 22 attempts from 40 yards or beyond, including 10 of 10 from beyond 50 yards. Since 2012, he has more FGs (163) than any kicker in the league. ... Punter Sam Koch, a 2015 Pro Bowl selection, is seventh in the league with a 46.3-yard average, slightly below his franchise-record 47.4-yard average from last season. However, the coverage units, usually a strength, have been a weakness. The Ravens are allowing an average of 11.6 yards per punt return, fourth worst in the league. That included an 85-yard touchdown by Washington’s Jamison Crowder in Week 5. ... Four-time Pro Bowl return specialist Devin Hester was released two weeks ago after the latest in a series of problems fielding the ball. Hester, who has 14 punt-return and five kickoff-return touchdowns in his career, had five fumbles as a returner. He has been replaced by Michael Campanaro, who was promoted from the practice squad just last week. Campanaro has averaged 13.2 yards on five career punt returns.
To win, the Ravens must …
1. Jingle Bell. He is averaging 142.6 yards rushing during the team’s five-game winning streak.
2. Deck the hauls. Despite a number of injuries at wide receiver, Roethlisberger has more completions of 20+ yards (56) than any AFC quarterback.
3. Feel like home for Christmas. They haven’t won a road game since Sept. 25 in Jacksonville and are 0-4 since.
To win, the Steelers must …
1. Ho-ho-hold ’em. After allowing 362 yards rushing in the two games prior to the first Ravens meetings, the defense has allowed just 323 yards rushing in the past five games.
2. Deliver a sack(s). The Steelers have allowed the fewest sacks (3) and registered the most sacks (19) of any NFL team during their five-game winning streak.
3. Rely on all ye faithful. Adopt the Bill Cowher mindset of “Throw early to run late.”
Gerry Dulac: gdulac@post-gazette.com
First Published: December 22, 2016, 6:43 p.m.
