The Steelers are finally set to play their first AFC North game of the season after getting off to a 7-2 start in their first nine games.
It's the latest a team has played its first divisional game in NFL history and means that six of the Steelers' final eight games will come against AFC North opponents.
But head coach Mike Tomlin's attitude regarding that occurrence is a simple one. Bring them on.
"I don't care," Tomlin said. "I'll play them whenever they schedule us. We've got no control over the schedule. Our goal is to beat everybody, but specifically week to week, we get singly focused on this week's opponent, and so I'd be making it up if I told you I cared about the schedule of when we face people. I don't."
What Tomlin does care about is this week's opponent, as the Steelers get set to open their AFC North schedule against the Ravens (6-3) and reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.
The Steelers have won seven of the past eight meetings with Baltimore, including sweeping the Ravens in 2023. But Jackson played in just one of those games, sitting out the regular season finale.
Overall, the Steelers are 3-1 against Jackson in games against the Ravens in which he's been the team's starting quarterback, with that one victory coming back in 2019.
But with the addition of running back Derrick Henry in the offseason, the Ravens have added an entirely new dimension to their offense and helped unleash Jackson, a two-time NFL MVP, even more as a passer.
While Henry leads the NFL in rushing with 1,120 yards, Jackson leads the league in passer rating (123.2), is tied for the league lead in touchdown passes with 24 against just two interceptions and is three yards behind Cincinnati's Joe Burrow for the league lead in passing yards with 2,669. And, by the way, Jackson has run for 538 yards and two touchdowns.
It's added up to an offensive unit that is averaging a league-high 440 total yards and 31.8 points per game.
For Tomlin, it's all about Jackson.
"I just respect what he's capable of doing," Tomlin said of Jackson. "I see continual evolution in him, and I've seen that since they drafted him. There's always a component of his game that's moving forward. And I just think it speaks to not only his talent, but his approach to business and their approach to business. He's got a unique skill set. He and they always appear to be evolving in terms of maximizing that skill set. And I just have a lot of respect for it."
That respect is born out of twice – and sometimes three – yearly meetings with Baltimore over the years.
The Steelers respect the Ravens and Jackson, even if they don't necessarily fear them.
Coming off a 28-27 win over Washington last week and a quarterback capable of doing similar – not equal – things to Jackson as rookie Jayden Daniels, the Steelers and Tomlin will attack the task at hand in a similar fashion.
The Steelers held Daniels to a season-worst five rushing yards on three carries and held Washington, which entered the game averaging nearly 400 yards of total offense, to a season-low 242.
"We faced a significant challenge a week ago, not trying to compare the two, just acknowledging that we face another hot offense with a multi-dimensional quarterback and a really good running game and an offense that's ringing up the scoreboard," Tomlin said. "And so if I know anything about our group, that fires them up, but it fires them up in the appropriate way.
"I expect them to be singularly focused on prep. I expect to see a group that's really locked in in every prep environment, whether it's classroom or walk-through or practice. And usually when we do that, we'll position ourselves to be what we desire to be."
The Steelers know from past history in this matchup that nothing outside the two teams will decide the matter on the field. It doesn't matter when or where they play the Ravens, the games are typically tight and almost always meaningful.
The Steelers and Ravens have played 38 games decided by one score since 1996, with the Steelers winning 23 of those. That includes both meetings in 2023, when the Steelers took both games by identical 17-10 scores.
It's not surprising considering the two head coaches have been at their respective posts as long as they have. Tomlin is the longest-tenured NFL coach, having been on the job with the same team since 2007. Baltimore's John Harbaugh has been with the Ravens since 2008.
"We're highly familiar with them. But you know, we don't seek or find comfort in that, because we know that they're highly familiar with us," Tomlin said. "It's Steelers-Ravens. And so let's get at it."
Injury update: Tomlin said outside linebacker Alex Highsmith will be week-to-week after suffering an ankle injury in the second half of the team's 28-27 victory over the Commanders.
"(I'm) excited about getting him back to us ASAP, but he won't be available this week," Tomlin said. "But it makes it even cooler that we have a guy like Preston Smith under those circumstances."
The Steelers acquired Smith, a 10-year veteran, at the trade deadline last Tuesday from Green Bay to bolster their depth at outside linebacker.
Smith played against Washington and had three tackles and a sack.
The Steelers also expect outside linebacker Nick Herbig back after missing the past four games with a hamstring injury.
"He was at the doorstep of it a week ago, so I think it's reasonable to be able to include him and some other guys that have missed some time," Tomlin said.
Those other guys would include running back Najee Harris and cornerbacks Donte Jackson and Cory Trice.
Harris left the win over the Commanders briefly with an ankle injury but returned to the game, while Jackson suffered a hamstring injury and did not return.
Both could be slowed early in the week but are expected to be available against the Ravens.
Trice, meanwhile, has been on the Reserve/Injured List with a hamstring injury and could have his practice window opened this week.
• Dale Lolley is co-host of "SNR Drive" on Steelers Nation Radio. Subscribe to the podcast here: Apple Podcast | iHeart Podcast
Tomlin further explains fake: Tomlin took ownership following Sunday's win for a failed fake punt attempt that failed when gunner James Pierre was unable to hold onto a pass attempt from safety Miles Killebrew.
The Steelers called for the punt when the jammer covering Pierre broke to the inside before the snap, leaving the gunner uncovered. The result of the play, however, was that Washington took over at the Pittsburgh 15, setting the Commanders up for a touchdown that tied the game at 7-7 in the first quarter.
"We're just not going to allow people to do unorthodox and potentially unsound things against us," Tomlin said. "I'm not going to allow people to overstress our protection unit by leaving people uncovered. We've got people that are capable of throwing and catching the football. We don't view it as a gadget or trick play.
"To be quite honest, that discussion and that work didn't start last week in preparation for the Commanders. It's what we. We've been working on that since the spring, and so our attitude about it is probably a little bit different than you might think. Because of that, we're not hoping and wishing. There's nothing mystical. We have got that level of comfort in it. But all of that being said, we didn't execute it in that moment, and that's what I took responsibility for."
