When the Steelers picked Najee Harris 24th overall two years ago, one of the attendees at the draft party could hardly contain his excitement. It was Marcus Peters, the veteran NFL cornerback who’s been in Baltimore since 2019.
Peters is one of several Bay Area football greats who are like big brothers to Harris, but this week, they’ll be rivals on the field for the first time as Harris and the Steelers meet Peters and the Ravens.
“I’m with him all the time in the offseason, too,” Harris said with a smile after practice Friday. “We’re from the Bay. We’re from the same little tree, man. It’s gonna be really fun to go against him.”
Will Peters, who’s notorious for his trash talk, be doing a lot of that Sunday?
“I’ll let you guys know after the game,” Harris said.
Peters, a first-round pick in 2015 who led the NFL with eight interceptions that year with the Chiefs, missed all of last season with a torn ACL, so he never got to play against Harris as a rookie. A matchup between those two on the perimeter probably wouldn’t be good for the Ravens — did you see Harris stiff-arm Falcons safety Richie Grant last week? — but Harris joked the day after the 2021 draft that Peters will have the other 10 guys try to hit him.
Where Peters could make an impact is covering Diontae Johnson or George Pickens. It remains to be seen which Steelers receiver will see the most of Marlon Humphrey, a 2019 first-team All-Pro who has made some big plays in Pittsburgh over the years.
“I don’t know who’s gonna travel [with me],” Johnson said Friday, expecting shadow coverage from one or the other. “It doesn’t really matter to me. They’re a real physical defense. The two corners, one’s coming off injury, but he’s a vet, so he’s gonna do what he does out there. Both of them, actually.”
What Humphrey does is punch the ball out. The Steelers have seen that firsthand, with Peters racking up three forced fumbles over the last three times he’s played here, including the one in overtime on JuJu Smith-Schuster in 2019 that led to the Ravens’ last win in Pittsburgh.
Humphrey plays mostly on the right side of the defense, but as Johnson noted, the Ravens could have him follow Johnson or Pickens if they want to try to take one away from Kenny Pickett. According to Pro Football Focus, Humphrey has 447 coverage snaps this season without allowing a touchdown, most in the NFL.
“I’ve tried to tell GP a little bit about how it’s gonna be, how they’re gonna be hunting for him,” Harris said of Pickens getting his first taste of Steelers-Ravens. “Marlon Humphrey’s really good at [taking the ball away]. I remember him at Alabama — [Nick] Saban taught it, too — punching at the ball every time, especially guys that have the ball kind of loose with it.”
What adds yet another layer to it is that Pickens and Humphrey go way back, similar to Harris and Peters. Both played at Alabama powerhouse Hoover High School, though Humphrey is five years older.
Humphrey even lamented the Steelers picking Pickens in the draft, seemingly disappointed that not only did the Ravens miss out, but their biggest rival swooped in to take Pickens in the second round.
“I’m really excited to go against him. I’ve kind of been waiting to see somebody from my high school be on the same field with me. Hopefully he doesn't put me on my butt with his ‘NBA YoungBoy’ style,” Humphrey told Baltimore reporters with a grin. “Really great player, and it’s great to see another guy where I’m from in the big leagues.”
That fiery style can be an asset for Pickens, or it can be a detriment if he loses his cool. Humphrey could try to get under his skin with his press coverage, or Peters could do it with his infamous motormouth ways.
“Oh, yeah, Marcus Peters is going to talk the most out of all of them,” Johnson said. “I’m gonna have to tell GP to keep his head.”
Johnson was referencing Pickens being shown expressing his frustration during last week’s broadcast. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty would do the Steelers no good in what could be a tight game.
Since John Harbaugh became the Ravens coach in 2008, 22 of his matchups with Mike Tomlin have been decided by one score, and 16 by three points or fewer. That’s the most in the NFL in that span.
“I’m sure they will try to use that against him. I’m sure they’ve seen it on TV,” Johnson said of Pickens wearing his emotions on his sleeve. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they did. It’s my job to be there for GP in that moment, just to keep his head so he doesn’t get to that point.”
Injury updates
Johnson (hip) and T.J. Watt (ribs) are listed as questionable after being limited participants in Friday’s practice, but both sounded optimistic about their status for Sunday. The only other Steeler with an injury designation is outside linebacker Malik Reed (back) but he practiced in full the past two days.
Harris (oblique) is off the injury report entirely after going from non-participant to limited to full throughout the week. Larry Ogunjobi (toe) and Chuks Okorafor (shoulder) also are good to go after logging full practices Friday.
For the Ravens, Harbaugh confirmed that Tyler Huntley is expect to start at quarterback in place of Lamar Jackson (knee) but Jackson is officially listed as doubtful. Running back J.K. Dobbins (knee) is on injured reserve, but Harbaugh said he practiced Friday and there’s a chance he’s activated for the game.
Linebacker Patrick Queen (thigh) is questionable but practiced fully Friday, while left tackle Ronnie Stanley (ankle) has no injury designation after missing last week’s game.
Brian Batko: bbatko@post-gazette.com and Twitter @BrianBatko.
First Published: December 9, 2022, 8:05 p.m.
