PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The numbers really blow your mind when you look at what the Ravens have done against the Steelers. The head coach, defensive coordinator and players discuss changing that.
To give you an idea of how bad it is.
· last three games against Baltimore the Steelers have given up 736 yards rushing.
· Last time Steelers made the Super Bowl, they gave up 1,004 yards in the entire 16-game regular season
Now, it has improved in the last three weeks, the Steelers defense is tops in the league against the run:
· Miami, 63 yards
· Detroit, 15 yards
· Cleveland, 78 yards
“I think the confidence was always there, we just haven’t put a string of good games together doing that,” said linebacker Patrick Queen. “Lately, we have. You can kinda see the momentum take over and everybody is feeling it.”
“I just feel like it’s our communication and togetherness, and actually rushing as a group rather than four individuals,” said defensive lineman Keeanu Benton. “We’ve been doing a good job of communicating with our gains and rush lanes and being disciplined.”
Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is quick to point out his defense hasn’t arrived. What he does notice on tape is that he can see everybody’s number on defense. What that means is they are square to their tackles and getting off blocks and not being pushed sideways by the offense.
He said that creates a trickle-down effect when the defensive linemen are getting off blocks and their linebackers are playing well. But he’s quick to point out the perimeter guys are playing well, and that’s been without TJ Watt and starting corner James Pierre and last week minus slot corner Brandin Echols. They’ve been fundamentally sound, made their tackles and prevented explosive plays.
This week is different, even with a sore back, Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson brings a different element with his feet. He’s a former thousand-yard rusher and even though he’s rushing much less now than earlier in his career, he still averages 5.4 yards a carry picking up 23 first downs and two touchdowns in 12 games.
“I think it’s a unique situation with Lamar and Derrick,” said linebacker Nick Herbig. “They can all run, they are a threat. That just adds another element to the game. Having a mobile QB is another layer of the onion you have to peel back.”
“It’s a challenge, but just being disciplined and getting after it and making sure somebody accounts for the quarterback and the running back, that will be important,” Benton said.
“We've had better communication, better alignment, better assignment, but with this team, it's not just the quarterback,” said Steelers captain Cam Heyward. “So everybody's got to be accountable, and it takes a lot of hats to the ball. It's not something that's done in the first quarter or second quarter. I think last time we did a pretty good job in the 1st and 2nd and then they kind of reeled off some big runs late. This game is always predicated on playing well all the way through the fourth.”
With the season on the line for the Ravens, Derrick Henry has rushed for over 100 yards in three straight games, carrying it 36 times for 216 yards and four touchdowns Saturday against Green Bay.
“When you are facing a team that will give a back 35 carries a game who runs the way he does, it’s tough,” Queen said. “It’s going to be a challenge for us, but I think we are built for the challenge. I think every single guy in the locker room is fired up for the challenge.”
“We just got to do our job, these last three weeks we’ve shown we can stop the run,” said linebacker and former Raven Malik Harrison. “Just us being physical and doing our job, we can get the job done.”
“We just got to play our ball, it’s a tough task,”Herbig said. “It always comes down to this game, Steelers-Ravens. We just got to go out and perform.”
“This is the playoff mentality,” said rookie defensive lineman Derrick Harmon, who will play in his first game ever against Baltimore. The Steelers allow an average of 80 yards fewer per game on the ground when Harmon plays. “We got to win and win all the way throughout until the Super Bowl. Loser goes home, so this is a big one for us.”
“It’s at home, the stage is set,” Heyward said. “Both teams have their warts, but both teams have a chance to play their best ball late.”
Then Heyward broke it down in a message to his team.
“Bring your kick ass.”