Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens will face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11. The Ravens come into this game having won seven of their last eight games, and their quarterback is playing like the best player in the league.
Both teams have proven to be Super Bowl contenders this season, and the upcoming matchup is crucial for the race to win the AFC North. Baltimore currently has the league’s best scoring offense, as the duo of Jackson and Derrick Henry has been quite explosive and tough to deal with for defenses.
The Steelers have one of the best defenses in the NFL, and their defensive coordinator, Teryl Austin, recently gave some insights on the team’s preparations for the game against the Ravens.
Teryl Austin Gives Insight on Preparing for the Ravens
Austin spoke highly of Jackson and the Ravens during an appearance on the “NFL: The Insiders” podcast on NFL Network. He stressed the importance of limiting Baltimore’s run game.
“You have to pick your poison there. I think it’s got to be, they’re 1 and 1-A [Jackson and Henry],” Austin said. “I think for us, we always go into a game that we say, ‘Hey, we don’t want the running game to really batter us,’ because if the running game is battering you, it demoralizes you. And so we’re really going to be a focus on the run game, and how if we can slow this guy down, I think that’s going to be a big thing.
Enjoyed this chat alongside @wyche89 with #Steelers DC Teryl Austin on the challenge of the #Ravens’ dual-threat offense, what he likes about his defense so far, Mike Tomlin’s leadership and more. pic.twitter.com/49HwgijkUn
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) November 16, 2024
“Then obviously, the things that Lamar is doing in the pass game, they’re very challenging. I mean, the guys had three or four perfect passer ratings this year. I mean, they’re No. 1 in points scored, all the things that a good offense does.
“So, you can try to stop them both, but I think we’ll really be trying to focus on this run game first and then doing what we can in the passing game to try to hold them down.”
The Ravens are averaging a league-best 182.6 rushing yards per game, and Henry has scored a touchdown in every game since arriving in Baltimore. Jackson is also playing the best football of his career and has shown throughout the season that he doesn’t necessarily need to run with the ball to win games for his team.
On the other hand, the Steelers have the league’s second-best scoring defense, allowing only 16.2 points per game. They also have the fourth-best run defense in the league and have allowed 87.1 rushing yards per game, which makes the matchup against the Ravens even more exciting.
Since Russell Wilson made his debut for the Steelers, their offense has averaged 30.33 points per game, and the team is undefeated. The Ravens have the league’s worst passing defense, and Wilson is capable of exploiting their weakness.
The games between the Ravens and the Steelers have always been memorable ones, and this Week 11 matchup can turn out to be a very special one.
Lamar Jackson Is the Runaway Favorite To Win the MVP Award
Heading into Week 11, Jackson is the clear-cut favorite to win the MVP award. He has been the best quarterback in the league this year and is expected to win back-to-back MVPs unless his team massively underperforms in the remaining games.
The Ravens are unlikely to finish with the best record in the AFC, but Jackson’s numbers have been otherworldly this season. In 10 games, he has thrown for 2,669 yards, 24 touchdowns, and two interceptions with a league-best passer rating of 123.2.
Jackson is tied with Joe Burrow and Baker Mayfield for the most passing touchdowns in 2024 through 11 weeks and is only behind the Bengals’ quarterback in passing yards. He has also rushed for 538 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 5.9 yards per carry.
The Ravens quarterback is on his way to having one of the best seasons from a quarterback in NFL history, and he should win MVP. However, his team’s defense is a big concern — not only could it cost him the MVP but a chance to win the Super Bowl.
The upcoming game against the Steelers will go a long way toward making or breaking Jackson’s MVP case. It will also show whether the Ravens are ready to constantly outscore quality opponents, which former Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings had doubts about.