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Ravens vs. Steelers, Week 4: Behind Enemy Lines

ByBrett Foote|

Jan 3, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) is sacked by Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw (91) and Ravens outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil (58) in the fourth quarter in the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Heinz Field. The Ravens won 30-17. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

It’s almost gameday, and we wanted to gain some inside perspective on Thursday night’s Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers showdown.  To do so, we reached out to Kim Myers at our FanSided sister site, Still Curtain.  Kim answered five questions for us, and we did the same for her.  Here is the info we gained, behind enemy lines.

Michael Vick is a big name, but how do you think he will really fare after so many quarterback hungry teams passed on signing him this offseason?  What are some realistic expectations?

Realistically I expect him to do well. I don’t think he’ll be lighting the field on fire with the Michael Vick moves of old but I think the Steelers’ offense has the tools in place to help him succeed in playing to win as opposed to playing not to lose the games. Not sure how it will go after this short week of preparation but I expect him to play conservative but still taking the opportunities to let the playmakers on the offense do their thing. 

The Steelers have quietly played well in run defense, but their pass defense has been almost non-existent through three weeks.  Is there any way they can slow down or stop the red hot Steve Smith?

With the Steelers’ secondary their best pass defense is going to have to come from the front seven. That’s just the way it has to be at this point until they can really invest in some quality players in the secondary. They’re going to give up big plays, as is the norm especially when playing against a quarterback like Flacco, who’s known for the deep ball, but a good front seven can make even the most questionable secondary look good. 

With Ben Roethlisberger out and Le’Veon Bell facing a stout Ravens’ run defense, is it possible he could wind up with more receiving yards than rushing yards?

I think that’s a real possibility. The Steelers offense has to be expecting the Ravens to go all out in stopping the run, expecting that will be the most effective way to stop the Steelers. Bell is an asset to the team with his versatility no only running the ball but his receiving skills move the chains as well. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if Bell has more receiving yards than rushing yards on Thursday night. 

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The Ravens have been burned each of the last two weeks by opposing team’s number one wide receivers.  Without Roethisberger, can Antonio Brown still pull off a huge game?

The best part about Antonio Brown is that he can make plays that leave even Steelers fans scratching their heads wondering how he pulled it off. He can be double-covered and he can still blow by defenders, not to mention his yards after catch plays. Vick would be very wise to get on the same page with Brown very quickly. 

What is your prediction for the game?

I’m cautiously optimistic that Todd Haley will put a game plan in that Vick can manage to play to his strengths and help him utilize the weapons he has around him. I think the defense can and will put pressure on Flacco to get him out of rhythm and prevent him from hitting up Steve Smith all night long. I think it’s going to come down to the wire, like these games always tend to do, and the Steelers come out on top, 23-20.

Be sure and head over to Still Curtain for my answers to Kim’s questions on the Ravens.

Next: Ravens can salvage their season with win over Steelers

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