Steelers vs. Ravens: 5 questions with the enemy ahead of Week 14

The Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6) and the Ravens (also 6-6) clash this week in Baltimore. Ahead of a matchup that will place the winner atop the AFC North (for now, at least) , I chatted with the staff of SB Nation’s Ravens website Baltimore Beatdown to figure out what the Steelers can expect from the Ravens in Week 14.

You can read my questions and their answers below:

1. The Ravens have done a good job climbing back from their 1-5 start, but their Thanksgiving loss showed there’s still some work to do. What’s the vibe around this team currently, and do you see Baltimore as a shoe-in for first place in the AFC North?

The vibes around the Ravens are strange. The team seems to be riding high off their five-game win streak, but that collapsed after the Thanksgiving loss to the Bengals. There seems to be a lot of confusion from fans and coaches as to how last year’s offense has regressed so much with largely the same cast. It’s especially frustrating seeing how wide open the AFC is this year with the Chiefs and Bills both showing inconsistencies. Much of the season-long issues remain present and it’s hard to see them being fixed this season.

Lamar Jackson is clearly not healthy and the offense is suffering because of it. There is no way I can say Baltimore is a shoe-in to win the AFC North with how their season has gone so far. I don’t think the race will be decided until close to the end of the season.

(By Dustin Cox, Stephen Bopst).

2. Lamar Jackson has not looked like himself while dealing with injuries. What does his status look like ahead of Sunday’s game? Do you see him returning to form yet?

I thought Lamar looked his healthiest last Thursday in terms of pure rushing ability. Unfortunately, his accuracy and field vision have been atrocious which has tampered any optimism. While injuries and offensive line play have been a factor, it’s discouraging to see Jackson not able to make any progress from a performance standpoint over the last three weeks.

The Steelers always have a good pass rush and give Jackson issues so it’s tough to imagine a scenario where he plays well on Sunday. But he’s still one of the most electric players in the league capable of pulling incredible performances out of thin air. If that version of Jackson shows up, it could be a long afternoon for Pittsburgh’s defense.

(By Zach Canter, Nikhil Mehta).

3. Last year, the Ravens had one of the league’s worst defenses before turning it around into one of the best. How has Zach Orr’s group evolved in his second year as defensive coordinator?

Similar to last year, the Ravens’ defense struggled mightily through the early portion of the season before beginning to improve. Prior to allowing 32 points in last week’s loss to the Bengals, the Ravens had gone six straight weeks without giving up...