Baltimore Ravens: Building A Defense To Stop The Steelers

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Dec 25, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell (26) rushes the ball against Baltimore Ravens cornerback Kyle Arrington (24) during the third quarter at Heinz Field. The Steelers won 31-27. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

Limiting The Big Plays and Picking Your Poison:

With two athletic safeties who are both equipped with a high football IQ, Dean Peas can be more aggressive with his defense. This will both create big plays for the Ravens and limit them for the Steelers. Signing Tony Jefferson was a game changer for the Ravens. Jefferson is a strong in the box safety but he has an incredible amount of range. Eric Weddle will likely play free safety now. The advantage here is that the Ravens have two players who can do it all in the back of their defense.

The Ravens have more options for covering Antonio Brown in 2017. In 2016, there strategy was obviously working. The Ravens always had two players accounted for Brown. Baltimore knows this better than anyone, you have to make the Steelers one dimensional.

Make Roethlisberger Try To Do It All:

Roethlisberger is the poison you choose for two reasons. If you can put a clamp on Brown’s production, you take away their only great weapon down the field. Just look at the production. Brown caught 106 passes. Bell caught 75 passes out of the backfield. Their next best weapon was Eli Rogers who had 48 receptions. Having three stars is a blessing and a curse. The Ravens will let the “other guys” try to beat them.

The second reason you pick Roethlisberger as the poison is because his strengths are his weaknesses. Roethlisberger keeps plays alive for what seems like a full calendar year but that can work against the Steelers. Sacks and interceptions can give the Ravens the advantage. This is another reason the Ravens need to add another pass rusher.

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