The Steelers will be without one of their top defenders today as linebacker Alex Highsmith has been ruled out with an ankle injury and is inactive.
Also inactive today are tight end MyCole Pruitt, offensive lineman Max Scharping, running back Jonathan Ward and Kyle Allen is the third quarterback.
With Highsmith out, it will be Nick Herbig and Preston Smith who will be asked to pick things up for the defense.
Herbig returned to practice this week after missing four games with a hamstring injury.
"I feel good," said Herbig. "I feel really good.
"I'm excited. I just want to play with my boys. There's no feeling like it in the world. Being out there with your brothers that you grind all year to have moments like this. So just being able to suit up and put that black and gold on, it feels good."
Missing the time wasn't easy for Herbig, something that he admits he struggled with but fought through it.
"I think you're lying if you don't say it's tough," said Herbig. "You work so hard. But you know that's the game of football. You know injuries happen; stuff happens.
"I try to look at it as a glass half full type of situation. I tried to see what I could learn from this. How can I better prepare my body and get my mentals right."
Herbig knows the timing couldn't be any better for him to be back with Highsmith out, and understands what needs to be done.
"It's a team sport," said Herbig. "We need guys to step up in that position. Alex is an 'A' player and doing it at an elite level. We just have to pick up the slack from there."
Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin was asked how Herbig and Smith will be used against the Ravens with Highsmith out, and he left it for the imagination.
"You'll have to come in Sunday and see how it works out," said Austin.
Having Smith, though, definitely provides options and he is someone Austin is happy they acquired via a trade with the Green Bay Packers last week.
"One thing I found out in a week's time is obviously he's a veteran, but he's not a veteran that needs a lot of reps," said Austin. "He understands the type of system and the things that we're trying to get done. For a lot of guys like that, it's just terminology and getting all that stuff together in their mind so it makes sense so they can play fast.
"I don't see any reason why he wouldn't be able to handle a bigger role this weekend.
"Losing Alex, we hate to lose Alex, but it's always next man up. Our scheme and our thing is pretty flexible, and the guys that we bring in here, we think they fit what we do. We're just going to move forward with how we play and how we plan and prepare and do all those things. We're not going to change a whole bunch, I don't think, in terms of saying, hey, we can only do this with Nick, and we can only do this with Preston."
The full list of inactives is below.
Steelers Inactives
No. 4 QB Kyle Allen (3rd QB)
Nol 35 RB Jonathan Ward
No. 56 LB Alex Highsmith
No. 64 OG Max Scharping
No. 81 TE MyCole Pruitt
Ravens Inactives
No. 10 CB Arthur Maulet
No. 26 RB Rasheen Ali
No. 39 S Eddie Jackson
No. 61 C Nick Samac
No. 81 WR Devontez Walker
No. 90 OLB David Ojabo
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