The Baltimore Ravens are set to face the Pittsburgh Steelers at home (M&T Bank Stadium) this weekend for their Wild Card-round clash. The Lamar Jackson-led team enters the game as favorites and on the back of a four-game winning streak. The Steelers, on the other hand, currently boast a four-game losing streak, with one of those defeats to the Ravens. Even so, FS1 analyst Joy Taylor believes the Steelers can come out of the game as winners.
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On the latest episode of Speak, Joy acknowledged that the Ravens are currently the better team between the two. They have a better QB, a superior run game, home-field advantage, and are 9.5-point favorites to win the bout. The Steelers, however, have historically been better at keeping the Ravens at bay.
“We all believe the Baltimore Ravens are a better team right now than the Steelers. Obviously, Lamar Jackson is better than Russell Wilson. The run game has been tremendous… However, I think you have to give the Steelers a chance.”
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has a 21-16 record against Ravens head coach John Harbaugh. Jackson also has a poor record against the Ravens’ divisional rivals, 2-4, succumbing to at least one interception in those contests. This, for Joy, is enough to give the Steelers the credibility to pull off an upset win this Saturday.
She believes Tomlin might have something up his sleeves that could give the Steelers the edge that they need. Especially since he is facing an opponent that is very much familiar to him. The Steelers aren’t a Super Bowl team, Joy knows that, but they have played good football this season, and it can happen once again in the Wild Card round.
“Mike Tomlin is going to try and do whatever can to disrupt the Ravens and throw something in the game plan they are not expecting. Now, is Justin Field (or Russel Wilson) going to come out and do something spectacular? Maybe. Maybe not. But when you’re talking about one game or go home (there’s a chance). For one game against an extremely familiar opponent, that has given you a lot of trouble in the past, they have their number even if the Ravens are a significantly better team.”
Joy certainly has a point. The Steelers can come out of the Wild Card-clash as winners. But let’s not forget that the Ravens are on an unprecedented run this season. They look particularly hungrier than the previous seasons, and so does their QB.
Jackson vs. Wilson — who wins in the Wildcard Round?
Jackson is currently a top contender for the NFL MVP nod. He has tallied a total of 45 touchdowns this season, tied for the most in the league. He has also racked up over 4,100 yards while gaining about 915 on the ground.
Wilson, on the other hand, has shown signs of struggle this season. He played better than his stint in Denver, but far worse than in his prime with Seattle. In 11 starts, he boasts a 6-5 record and has tallied a total of 18 touchdowns. He has gained 2,482 yards through the air, while racking up a mere 155 rushing yards.
The 36-year-old QB’s production might simply not be enough against a high-scoring offense like the Ravens. And the four-game skid could make things even worse, potentially creating a psychological dilemma about which QB to start.
Jackson just has to keep a few things in mind going into the game. Avoiding interceptions, for one. And rushing the ball when necessary—not every minute he can.
The Steelers’ defense has significantly struggled against the passing attack recently, which can help the Ravens get into field-goal range and rack up points, something the Bengals did in Week 18. On the other hand, the Ravens’ defense can limit Wilson and create more opportunities for the offense to score.
