Ravens hoping to end four-game losing streak against rising Steelers

The Baltimore Ravens are sitting in a decent spot entering Week 14, but they know their next task won’t be an easy one.

The Ravens meet the Steelers this weekend in Baltimore, a team they haven’t defeated in over two years. They’re well aware of this fact, which only stings more when considering each game has been decided by five points or fewer.

“Yeah, we know,” Ravens tight end Mark Andrews said Wednesday. “We know. We’re excited about the game.”

Andrews’ succinct answer says it all: Baltimore is tired of losing to Pittsburgh, especially a Steelers team that clawed its way into the postseason last year and is battling through a significant transition at quarterback. If ever there was a time to take down the Steelers and end their recent run of success, it’s now.

Baltimore has its own flaws to address. The Ravens have been held to 13 or fewer points in two of their last three games and have struggled mightily on the ground, with starting running back Gus Edwards averaging just 2.9 yards per carry in his last two contests.

Lamar Jackson isn’t likely to play this weekend, leaving the keys to the offense in the hands of backup Tyler Huntley and increasing the level of difficulty for a Ravens offense that was already having a hard time getting going. Historically speaking, Jackson’s anticipated absence doesn’t bode well: The Ravens are 1-5 without him since 2020, scoring their lone win in thrilling finish in Chicago in Week 11 last season. They’re also averaging nearly eight fewer points per game without Jackson.

Huntley hasn’t won any of his last three starts, owning a 1-3 mark as the lead man under center. Simply put, it won’t be easy for the Ravens against a Steelers team that believes it is finally hitting its stride.

“We’re always in the chase, man,” Pittsburgh running back Najee Harris said during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “As long as we have games and as long as we got another team to play, then we always feel like we’re in the chase. Even with the situation we’re in right now. Right now, we’re just worried about stacking bricks and stacking wins.

“As of now, we’ll just take it one game at a time. We’re just trying to get as much wins as possible so we can be in that race.”

Pittsburgh is 3-1 since its Week 9 bye, and rookie Kenny Pickett has cleaned up his performance, playing turnover-free football in each of his last four games after accounting for nine giveaways in his first five outings. His improvement has boosted Pittsburgh’s offensive output from 13.2 points per game between Weeks 4-8 to 23.3 in Weeks 10-13, providing concrete proof for why the Steelers have suddenly started to win games.

They’re not perfect, of course, but they seem to have addressed their issues on the ground, too, going from averaging less than 95 rushing yards in Weeks 1-8 to more than 161 in the last four weeks. Their opportunistic defense is tied for ninth in turnovers this season, too, illustrating a run of complementary football that makes playoff hopes somewhat realistic, even at 5-7.

Pittsburgh likely won’t get there if it doesn’t extend its streak to five wins over Baltimore this weekend. And as Andrews indicated, the Ravens would love nothing more than to all but bury their rivals, even with a backup at quarterback.