For pretty much as good because the Steelers-Ravens rivalry is, there may be all the time a revolving forged of characters. This 12 months consists of some main new additions, Steelers OC Arthur Smith amongst them. Whereas he appears to have the correct disposition for the surroundings, that is his first style of the rivalry. And past that, it’s merely an enormous recreation between two good groups for management of the AFC North.
“Rather a lot goes into video games like this,” Arthur Smith stated of the Steelers’ upcoming recreation in opposition to the Ravens, by way of transcript. “It looks like a playoff recreation as a lot as it may possibly really feel within the common season. So I’m excited to be part of it.”
The Steelers and Ravens rank second and third, respectively, in speeding makes an attempt per recreation this season, behind solely the Philadelphia Eagles. The Steelers are working the ball over 34 occasions per recreation, the Ravens about 32. However the Ravens are much more environment friendly at it than Arthur Smith’s group.
The Ravens lead the league in speeding at 1,826 yards whereas the Steelers rank tenth. Even if you happen to regulate for speeding yards per recreation, they nonetheless rank eighth, so that they’re not among the many best groups. In actual fact, they rank within the backside third of the league in speeding effectivity.
However video games between the Steelers and Ravens are typically extra about attrition than accomplishment. It doesn’t matter how good both facet of the ball goes into the sport for both group. It’s about who can maintain on the longest earlier than breaking and making a mistake. Arthur Smith doesn’t wish to be the one making the error. And he additionally is aware of which means maintaining tempo with the Ravens’ offense.
“Clearly you wish to rating greater than 30 factors a recreation,” Smith stated in regards to the Steelers’ upcoming recreation in opposition to a Ravens group averaging 31 factors in 10 video games. “You get in a matchup like this, that’s why in all probability their [defensive] numbers have been skewed come what may. They’ve had an important offensive 12 months thus far. Groups are down a number of possessions, and naturally you may have slightly bit extra passing yards in delicate protection.”
Uncharacteristically, the Ravens rank lifeless final in passing protection. The Ravens additionally rank twenty seventh in whole protection and twenty fifth in scoring protection whereas the Steelers rank eighth and second. The Ravens have additionally confronted higher offenses than the Steelers have, nevertheless, and, properly, often rating extra factors.
That’s why Arthur Smith takes no consolation in his Steelers offense going in opposition to the Ravens’ passing protection. “Guys, they go about their possessions and the quarterback might throw for 300, however it was sort of irrelevant”, he stated referencing “rubbish time” stats, basically. However it’s additionally true that the Ravens are blowing fourth-quarter leads, and generally the offense has to bail them out, because it did final week.
