Steelers Now
The Baltimore Ravens are off to a brutal 1-4 start to the season, but Pittsburgh Steelers safety Juan Thornhill knows Baltimore is not done.
“I really don’t want anybody to think that the Ravens are done. They aren’t done. I promise you that.” Thornhill said, via Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Show. “I’ve seen them enough, and I have played enough ball to know. They have a lot of guys injured right now and a lot of bad things happening for them, but once they figure it out, I guarantee they are not done. By the time we play them, they will be back to form.”
The Ravens were tabbed as Super Bowl favorites prior to the start of the season, but a slew of injuries and horrendous defensive play as left Baltimore at 1-4 through five weeks. The Ravens have allowed 41, 17, 38, 37 and 44 points in five games.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (hamstring) was inactive for Sunday’s 44-10 blowout loss to the Houston Texans. Jackson will be out again this week against the Los Angeles Rams.
RELATED: AFC North Goes 0-3, Steelers Alone in First Place
Following the Ravens’ bye in Week 7, Baltimore plays the Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns and New York Jets. On paper, that’s a pretty favorable schedule for the Ravens to get back in the AFC playoff picture.
“It’s just a complete disappointment,” Head coach John Harbaugh said after the Ravens’ 44-10 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday. “We’re going to have to find a way to turn it around, figure out who we are this next week, into the bye and out of the bye. We have more than half of the season left, we’re gonna have to find ourselves. That’s what our aim will be moving forward.”
Harbaugh said he doesn’t think it’s the answer to make a change with defensive coordinator Zach Orr. Baltimore has surrendered the most points in the NFL (35.4 points per game).
Harbaugh is leaning on senior defensive assistant/secondary Chuck Pagano to help turn things around. He also has been in communication with former Ravens defensive coordinator and senior advisor Dean Pees.
“Chuck’s got all that experience, he’s been there every day, he’s in the meetings, he’s a big part of how the defense is built already,” Harbaugh said. “He’s on the [head] phones. He’s making suggestions all the time, it’s a great conversation with the whole staff. Chuck is a great coach. He and Zach are talking all the time. That’s one of the reasons I’m so confident.”
The Ravens (-105) are still favored to win the AFC North at FanDuel Sportsbook.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, who are 3-1 and currently atop of the AFC North, have the second-best odds to win the division at +130. The Cincinnati Bengals (+1100) and Cleveland Browns (+1700) are considered long shots.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Safety Warns Fans to Not Count Out Ravens: ‘They Aren’t Done’
