Steelers hope to pad AFC North lead
In each of the last two years, the Baltimore Ravens have been eliminated from playoff contention with lateseason losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
For the first time since 2014, these AFC North rivals will wrap up the season series before December. That doesn’t mean today’s 1 p.m. game is any less important to the skidding Ravens (4-4).
“You know you have eight games left, and 4-4 is not where you want to be, obviously,” cornerback Jimmy Smith said. “Doesn’t mean your season is over, it just means that every game now is so much more critical.”
Baltimore is only one game behind the first-place Steelers (4-2-1), who have won three straight since losing to the Ravens on Sept. 30, when Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco passed for 363 yards and two TDs. But the last thing the Ravens need now is to drop under .500 with a third successive defeat.
Unless the Ravens run the table, a highly unlikely occurrence, they’re at least going to have to perform much better than they have lately to end a run of three consecutive seasons without a playoff berth. Coming off a 36-21 loss at Carolina, Baltimore can jump into contention with its first sweep of the Steelers since 2015.
The Steelers would love nothing more than to pad their lead in the AFC North, and at the same time make it that much tougher for the Ravens to reach the postseason.
More things to know about the Steelers-Ravens matchup:
Cruising Conner
The Steelers are getting along just fine without wayward running back Le’Veon Bell, thanks in large part to second-year back James Conner .
Conner is averaging 175.3 yards of total offense during Pittsburgh’s winning streak, a surge that started after Conner carried the ball just three times in the second half against Baltimore.
“I’m just doing what I love to do,” Conner said.
Close shave
Flacco showed up at practice this week without the beard he’s worn for the first eight weeks of the season.
“I’ve been thinking about cutting it about every night for two weeks,” Flacco said. “It’s not like we’ve been winning with it. So, we’ve all got a little bit of superstition in us, I guess.”
Perhaps he should have cut it a week ago. Flacco had his worst game of the season against the Panthers, going 22 for 39 for 192 yards, with one TD pass and two interceptions.
Brown delivers
No active player has more catches (94) and yards receiving (1,149) against the Ravens in the regular season than Steelers wideout Antonio Brown.
Covering Brown will serve as a litmus test for Smith, who began the season serving a four-game suspension and hasn’t quite gotten his A-game going yet.
Surprisingly, Brown has only four career TDs against the Ravens.
Hello, November
The Ravens went 1-3 in October, but have cause for optimism because they’re 30-12 in November since coach John Harbaugh took over in 2008.
“Don’t jinx it,” Flacco said when told of the stat.
Then he might not want to know the Ravens are 7-0 at home in November against the AFC North under Harbaugh. 106th meeting between two AFC East rivals sporting two-game losing streaks:
Turf war
The Dolphins are tied for 29th in the NFL in run defense. In the past three weeks, they’ve allowed 164, 248 and 188 yards on the ground, with big plays the biggest problem.
“There is no secret. There is no magic pill,” five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Cameron Wake said.
The Jets’ recent rushing woes come after they gashed Denver in Week 5 for 323 yards, second-most in franchise history. Isaiah Crowell had a teamrecord 219 in that game, but in the past three weeks he has totaled just 94 yards in 37 carries.
The sputtering ground attack only increases the burden on rookie quarterback Sam Darnold .
Substitute
Tannehill will miss his fourth game in a row because of an injury to his throwing shoulder. Replacement Brock Osweiler has a slightly better passer rating than Tannehill, with six touchdown throws and three interceptions in three games.
Osweiler passed for 241 yards in last week’s 42-23 loss at Houston and said he’s trying to play so well he doesn’t go back to the bench.
Catch, if you can
The Jets could be shorthanded again at receiver as Robby Anderson and Quincy Enunwa, Darnold’s top targets, are dealing with ankle injuries.
Anderson missed the game at Chicago, and Enunwa has been sidelined the past two games.