Steelers-Ravens almost never disappoints. The rivalry produces "get your popcorn ready" games. It is going to be a physical, divisional matchup, and at this point of the season, this is a big game for both teams in the standings. The Steelers come in pretty hot at 4-2-1, winning three games in a row since losing to the Ravens, 26-14, in Week 4. The Ravens are coming off a rough 36-21 loss to the Panthers, which followed a 24-23 heartbreaker to the Saints. A win can get the Ravens (4-4) right back in the playoff conversation, but picking up a fifth loss, in a home game, would spell trouble.
How to Watch Steelers vs. Ravens: Week 9
Where: Baltimore, Maryland
Start: Sunday, Nov. 4, 1:00 p.m. ET
TV Network: CBS
Stream Online: Watch live with fuboTV
There's still no Le'Veon Bell for the Steelers. James Conner has done a fine job in his place, and even if Bell does return, he shouldn't be taking too many of Conner's carries. Conner is coming off the best game of his young NFL career with a career-high 212 yards from scrimmage and two rushing TDs in a 33-18 win against the Browns in Pittsburgh. Antonio Brown contributed two TDs of his own; Brown and QB Ben Roethlisberger have hit a groove after a slow start to the season. The Steelers defense struggled in the first four games, and in the last four they have played pretty well. They rely heavily on putting pressure on the QB, and it helps that Ravens QB Joe Flacco is the opposite of mobile. T.J. Watt continues to play in the shadow of his older brother J.J., but he keeps on playing tremendous football. T.J. Watt has four sacks in his past three games, and since entering the league, he is one of three players with 80-plus tackles, 12-plus sacks, and an INT (Khalil Mack and Cameron Jordan are the others). Joe Haden had a nice interception against his former team last week, and has been a force in the Steelers secondary.
A key for the Ravens coming into this season was the addition of Michael Crabtree, and he just has not been that good. Crabtree has yet to put up a 100-yard game, though he still is the team's leading receiver with 38 receptions and 440 yards. This Ravens offense has been stagnant. Flacco hasn't been the $100 million man. His receivers and tight ends have not been very good. Rookie Hayden Hurst hasn't been able to stay healthy and just caught his first career TD last week. The Ravens need running back Alex Collins to run the Steelers into the ground if they want to beat them for a second time this season. Collins has 358 rushing yards and five TDs. He's had the help of Javorius Allen, who also has five TDs. There's only so much the Ravens defense can do. The Ravens linebacking core, led by C.J. Mosley and the veteran Terrell Suggs, has been pivotal. Mosley has 27 tackles in the past two games. Suggs is tied for the team lead with 5.5 sacks. That defense will load up against Conner and the run game and force the Steelers to throw a lot.
