The Baltimore Ravens lost a game to the Pittsburgh Steelers that they have to feel could have been an easy win. However, the team got in their own way, and the Steelers are just the team to take advantage. With that in mind, there are plenty of questions to come away from the game. What do fans need to know?
10. Why do John Harbaugh and Lamar Jackson struggle so much against the Pittsburgh Steelers?
Something about the Pittsburgh Steelers has been an issue for the Baltimore Ravens in recent years. This rivalry used to be back-and-forth, and even last year, the teams split games. However, the Steelers have also won six of the last seven meetings.
A lot of those did not feature Lamar Jackson, but Jackson is now 1-3 against the Steelers. This is so stunning because Jackson is 14-3 against the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals. He can dominate the teams from Ohio, but once he heads to Pennsylvania, he struggles.
Is it that Mike Tomlin finally figured it out with John Harbaugh and now he has the edge? Or does Tomlin just know how to stop Lamar Jackson? Is it just weird timing? The Ravens need to beat the Steelers and even the series this season.
9. What happened to Jadeveon Clowney against the Pittsburgh Steelers?
Jadeveon Clowney had come into the game on a tear. He had 19 pressures in the first four games, and in three of his first four games, he had over five pressures. With Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo out, the Baltimore Ravens knew that they were leaning on Clowney, and perhaps a little too much.
Of course, his hot run came to a close too early, and he only had one pressure against the Steelers, per PFF. He also had zero stops after recording at least one each game over the first four weeks. This was by far the least active you saw Clowney on tape.
The Steelers' new left tackle, Broderick Jones, looked good, but Clowney spent most of his time on Chukwuma Okorafor, which is what makes this even more surprising. Was this a fluke game? Clowney has just two sacks in six games against the Steelers. Do they have his number as well? Can the Ravens get Oweh back to practice, or can some of the depth help Clowney?
8. The Baltimore Ravens trust any of their running backs?
The loss of J.K. Dobbins is costing the Baltimore Ravens. They have Gus Edwards, and he is fine, but the plan was always that Edwards would be the complement to Dobbins and that he is not capable of being the guy in the running attack. He does not have the speed or passing game value that puts fear into teams, and he is at his best when the Ravens have the lead, and he can lean forward on runs.
In week two, the Baltimore Ravens called on Justice Hill, and he got banged up and missed week three. In week three, the Ravens went to Kenyan Drake, who had a costly fumble that was a key play in the loss against Indianapolis.
Hill came back for week four, but in week five, he had the same fate as Kenyan Drake. Drake has not had a touch since week three. What are the Ravens going to do with Hill after he did something similar? Who can bring speed to the Ravens' backfield? Is Keaton Mitchell healthy? The Ravens need him to come back.
7. What will the Baltimore Ravens do with Justin Madubuike after this season?
Justin Madubuike is having your typical contract year breakout. He has 2.5 sacks this season after he recorded a sack and three pressures against the Steelers. He is playing his best ball right now, and with 5.5 sacks being his career high, he is about halfway to that point already, just five games in.
Madubuike is earning it, and the Ravens are letting him do his thing. The question is, what will happen this offseason? At this rate, he is playing so well that he is going to walk. He is going to earn a big contract, and the Ravens will be pressed against the cap. The Ravens also could use the cap relief if Madubuike does earn a big deal.
So, Ravens fans have to be excited with what is going on, because the defense has a high ceiling this year. However, next year, this defense will not be the same.
6. Which Baltimore Ravens wide out will be the first to step up?
The Baltimore Ravens wide receivers in general, were a letdown on Sunday. It is easy to excuse Zay Flowers because he has already ascended to being their top threat as a rookie. However, Nelson Agholor, Rashod Bateman, and Odell Beckham have all failed to live up to expectations so far.
That may be harsh for Agholor, who has been good in the first couple of weeks, but a typical drop by Agholor cost his team at a key moment. Beckham was bodied by Joey Porter Jr. and it led to an interception that cost the Ravens points.
Bateman had a drop that cost his team points as well. Both Bateman and Beckham are in their first game back after injuries. Were they in a funk or shaking off some rust? Can one of them snap out of this and play better?
5. Should the Baltimore Ravens play Geno Stone more?
It was obviously great for the Baltimore Ravens to get Marcus Williams back into the lineup, but it was disappointing to see how it impacted Geno Stone. Stone went from a full-time player to just 20 snaps, which was about 30%. Arthur Maulet played 18 snaps, so the team essentially split the two up.
Half of the time Kyle Hamilton would play the slot and Stone would play safety and the other half Hamilton would play safety and Maulet would play the slot. It was a matchup-based decision, but you wonder if this will continue.
Maulet is fine, and he had a sack in this game after helping create an interception the week prior. However, Stone is younger and has been ascending in this defense. He has been playing his best. More than that, Hamilton impacts the game a lot more when he is in the slot.
Will this split continue, or will the Ravens start to lean one way or the other on Maulet against Geno Stone?
4. What will happen with the Baltimore Ravens at right tackle?
If the Baltimore Ravens were going to lose, their right tackle was likely going to be one of the reasons. With Morgan Moses out, the team went to Patrick Mekari. You have to repsect Mekari. He started at left tackle against Myles Garrett just last week. Then, the Ravens asked him to move to right tackle and take on T.J. Watt just one week later.
That is the life of a swing tackle.
With that in mind, he had two bad games. Still, who would not have a bad game in those circumstances? Even worse, he got hurt. Mekari played 47 snaps and their backup Daniel Faalele played 22 snaps. Faalale was even worse against Watt.
So, the question now is, what will happen? Mekari left with a chest injury that does not appear to be serious. Does he start another week, or can Morgan Moses return against the Titans? The Ravens could use him, especially because Ronnie Stanley struggled in his return to the lineup on Sunday.
3. Is this how the Baltimore Ravens cornerback shuffle will continue?
The Baltimore Ravens brought back Marlon Humphrey after he missed the first four weeks with a foot injury. It was going to be interesting to see how the team broke down cornerback snaps because there had already been a rotation going.
Brandon Stephens had been playing full-time, and then the opposite side saw Rock Ya-Sin and Ronald Darby splitting work. For the most part, Darby would start and get the majority of the snaps, but the team would work Ya-Sin into the game. Both Ya-Sin and Darby are coming back from injuries so the split made sense.
On Sunday, Stephens kept his every snap role, a testament to what the team thinks of his play this month. Then, the Ravens gave Marlon Humphrey about 55% of the snaps, and they gave Ronald Darby about 45% of the snaps. The split was 37 to 29 in raw snap totals.
Everyone had their issues with George Pickens in this game; it was just Humphrey who lost to him at the very end. So, the question is, does this rotation continue? There will be a point when Humphrey becomes an every-snap player. Is that next week?
Does Stephens lose his every snap role, or does Darby join Ya-Sin on the bench?
2. Do the Baltimore Ravens need a blocking tight end?
It was notable watching the Pittsburgh Steelers edge rushers dominate the Baltimore Ravens tackles and think that the tackles sure could use some help. This is when it was glaring that the Ravens do not have a trusted blocking tight end.
Mark Andrews is the man, and the Ravens cannot ask more from him. However, the Chiefs have Noah Gray for a reason. He needs someone to help block. Isaiah Likely is not that guy. He is a pass catcher and has done next to nothing this season. On Sunday, Likely played just eight snaps.
Charlie Kolar is inactive because he brings little as a blocker, and they do not need another pass-catching tight end out there. So, it has left Patrick Ricard to fill that role. It is fair to think that Ricard can do it, and he has enough ability as a pass catcher to get that respect.
Still, this is not his role. The Ravens needed a real blocking tight end before the season and now they are leaning on Ricard playing out of his role and possibly calling up the recent signing Erik Tomlinson.
1. Will Malik Harrison continue to play edge for the Baltimore Ravens?
It was notable that Malik Harrison started on the edge for the Baltimore Ravens against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He wound up playing 33 snaps, two more than Kyle Van Noy. For the most part, Van Noy and Clowney played together, while Harrison filled in for both on each side. Still, he was more active in this game than any other.
It is clear that the Baltimore Ravens are preparing for Tyus Bowser coming back. Between Harrison and Van Noy, the Ravens now have two edge rushers who can play off of the football and drop into coverage. Harrison can be replaced by Bowser once he returns.
So, do the Baltimore Ravens think that Bowser will be back before Odafe Oweh? Will Harrison continue to have a role like this until he gets back? Could we see Bowser back as soon as this week?