Week 11 arrived and with it the start of the AFC North schedule for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
As luck would have it, the Steelers open division play with a showdown for first place when they host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Pittsburgh certainly has confidence with seven wins in the past eight meetings with Baltimore.
The Ravens (7-3) are 2-1 against AFC North opponents and looking to unseat first-place Pittsburgh (7-2).
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin isn’t the least bit concerned about a schedule that calls for the Steelers to play four straight division opponents and six of eight against the AFC North to end the regular season.
“I don’t care,” Tomlin said on Wednesday. “I’ll play them whenever they schedule us. We’ve got no control over the schedule. Our goal is to beat everybody, but specifically week to week, we get singly focused on this week’s opponent, and so I’d be making it up if I told you I cared about the schedule of when we face people. I don’t.”
After the tussle with the Ravens, Pittsburgh goes on the road to play the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals before hosting the Browns.
The Steelers have thrived no matter the opponent in recent weeks, winning four straight games and averaging 30.8 points during the span.
Russell Wilson has been the starter for the past three victories, including a 28-27 road win over the Washington Commanders last week.
Baltimore swept two division shootouts against the Bengals — including a 35-34 home win last week — and lost to the Browns.
While some pointed to a “soft” schedule as fuel for the Steelers’ fast start, Baltimore began the season with losses to the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders.
The Ravens have won seven of their past eight games with a red-hot offense scoring 28 or more points in all but one contest while averaging 34.4 during that stretch.
Lamar Jackson-led Baltimore tops the NFL in both scoring offense (31.8 points per game) and total offense (440.2 yards per game). The Steelers are in second in scoring defense (16.2).
Pittsburgh linebacker Patrick Queen spent the previous four seasons as Jackson’s teammate. Now he has to figure out how to slow him down.
“He wants to win,” Queen said of Jackson. “He’ll do whatever it takes to win, and he knows what it takes. So just from my perspective, just going against him, just being able not to tackle him in practice, finally get a chance to actually tackle him, that should be fun.
“He’s just a great competitor, he’s a great athlete. He can do whatever he wants on the field as we all know. So for me, it’s just going against the best.”
There is one mark Jackson isn’t highly fond of: He is 1-3 all-time as a starting quarterback against the Steelers. Jackson is highly motivated to reverse the trend.
“It’s a new year, I’m looking forward to the game,” Jackson said. “I’m just focused right now, I’m having fun. I hate everybody in the league — well, every team in the league — when I’m going against them.”
Whereas the Ravens are introducing Derrick Henry to the division rivalry, this will be the first time the Steelers deploy Wilson at quarterback against Baltimore.
Henry leads the NFL in rushing yards (1,120), rushing touchdowns (12) and yards per carry (6.09).
Pittsburgh acquired Wilson after he was released by the Denver Broncos in the offseason.
“They’re a very good offense. Russ brings a lot to the table, kind of playing the way he plays,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said of Wilson. “We’re getting ready to play our best defensive game on Sunday.”
Ravens star safety Kyle Hamilton (ankle) missed practice Wednesday. His availability will be firmed up later in the week. Outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy (illness) also missed the session.
Steelers standout linebacker Alex Highsmith (ankle) was injured against the Commanders and is ruled out for Week 11.
Also sitting out Wednesday for Pittsburgh were running back Najee Harris (ankle), receiver Van Jefferson (quadriceps), tight end MyCole Pruitt (knee) and cornerback Donte Jackson (hamstring).
