On paper, Sunday's meeting between the Steelers and Ravens at Acrisure Stadium looks like an offensive mismatch of sorts.
After all, Baltimore (7-3) leads the NFL in points and yards per game at nearly 32 points and just over 440 yards per game, respectively, while the Steelers (7-2) are outside the top-10 in the league in both of those statistics.
However, even though the Steelers are currently outside the top-10 in those categories, they're climbing quickly.
Since Russell Wilson was inserted into the starting lineup, the Steelers are 3-0 and averaging 30.3 points per game, which ranks fifth in the league over that period. They've also averaged 382.3 yards per game, which ranks sixth, 152 rushing yards, which ranks third, and 4.7 red zone trips, which ranks third in the league over that period.
Wilson also has thrown a touchdown pass in 22 consecutive starts, the most in the NFL. Baltimore's Lamar Jackson is second with a streak of 17 such games. They're both top three in passer rating this season and are both top-5 in career passer rating, as well.
With just a half game separating the two teams heading into this game, it's not a stretch to say that whichever team's quarterback has the best game will determine who wins this matchup.
"Every game our job is to outscore their team's offense," said Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. "A lot goes into games like this. It feels like a playoff game as much as it can feel in the regular season. So I'm excited to be a part of it."
So is Wilson, who will be making his first start in a Steelers-Ravens game.
The 13-year veteran has been around the NFL long enough to know what goes into a rivalry game such as this. He also knows he has to keep a level head, something he learned in playing some monumental games in the NFC West when he was with Seattle.
"This is a historic rivalry," Wilson said. "Obviously, being the AFC North and all the great teams, all the history in the AFC North, it's pretty historic. Definitely in Seattle, there's some great moments and great battles. Obviously, Seahawks and 49ers, those are some big games. A lot of great players on both sides. So those are always good moments. But this one has got a lot of history to it."
Knowing that Jackson is on a historic pace – he's trending toward throwing for nearly 5,000 yards and rushing for 1,000 – puts a little extra on Wilson's plate this week.
The Steelers' defense has been good this season, ranking second in points allowed per game. But expecting the defense to shut down the Ravens probably isn't realistic.
Both meetings in 2023 were 17-10 wins by the Steelers, who have won seven of the past eight meetings between these two teams.
But nobody expects a 17-10 game this time around. The key is that the Steelers know they can put points on the board, as well.
"I think that we can definitely score points, and we can do some special things," Wilson said. "We've got a great defense. We trust each other as a team and everything else.
• Dale Lolley is co-host of "SNR Drive" on Steelers Nation Radio. Subscribe to the podcast here: Apple Podcast | iHeart Podcast Pittonline@iheartmedia.com
"Nobody's trying to predict scores. You just play the moment. You just be in the moment. Do whatever it takes to win, and our goal is to score one more point than they do. That's the goal, and if you score more than that, that's good too. I think the biggest thing is just being focused on us being our best, and they're going to bring their best, and we've got to bring ours."
The Ravens have been outstanding offensively this season, but the defense has showed some leakage against the pass.
Baltimore ranks last in the NFL, allowing nearly 295 passing yards per game while giving up a league-worst 22 touchdown passes.
"If you look at their numbers, defensively they're top of the league in rush defense, and they're bottom of the league in pass defense. They've got a good unit," Smith said. "A lot of that is due to some of the style of play. They're a great tackling team. You don't see a lot of explosive runs get hit. On the same side, they haven't had a lot of rushing attempts either because of how their offense has played and their explosive ability."
For the Steelers, this kicks off a stretch, as well, in which they will play all six of their division games in an eight-game stretch.
So, winning this one would be a great way to kick-start that stretch – while also giving them some breathing room and a leg up on the Ravens.
"Every game matters, but the division ones matter and have such great weight to them," Wilson said. "I think the way that you win them is you play good, clean football, and you do the things well that you do well already. And you've got to make clutch plays. And they've got some guys that can really make some great plays on both sides of the football. We do too. And understanding that we get to play in front of our fans and that'll be a great experience for us."
