Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens: Preview, Prediction, TV Info and more

Keys for Steelers:

September 9 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jason Worilds (93) reacts after his sack of Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (not pictured) during the first quarter at Sports Authority Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

1. Mistake Free Football: Ben Roethlisberger has played MVP caliber football as of late, partially due to the fact he has taken care of the football. The Steelers have won three games in a row, all by double-digits. During the stretch, Roethlisberger has been mostly mistake-free, completing 63.3 percent of his passes while throwing seven touchdowns to just one interception.

Roethlisberger ranks No. 8 in the NFL in quarterback rating, as the Steelers have really put the game in his hands the past couple of weeks with their use of the no-huddle offense, and the decision agrees with him. It all comes down to taking care of the football though. If the Steelers do, they get their fourth consecutive victory.

2. Get to Joe Flacco: Flacco will make mistakes if the Steelers pressure him to do so. Flacco has never been picked off more than 12 times in the regular season. This season, he has thrown 14, and it’s not even December yet. In addition the Steelers are coming off a season-high five sacks last Sunday against the Browns.

Outside linebacker Jason Worilds has emerged as a pass rushing threat the past two weeks coming off the left edge. Flacco doesn’t have the weapons he had last year. The Steelers need to get an early lead and start coming after Flacco hard.

3. Stop the run: Teams have been able to run on the Steelers this season, which has been a problem. They are coming off a week in which they allowed a season-low 55 yards on the ground to the Browns. However it’s one thing to stop Willis McGahee and company and another to stop ray Rice.

The Steelers had success containing Rice in their first matchup this season and need to do so again. Rice, who has struggled much of the season has found some success as of late. To put his season in perspective, against the NFL’s worst run defense (Chicago Bears), he ran for 131 yards. Last week against the best run defense (New York Jets), he was held to 30 yards. The Steelers rank only 23rd in the league against the run this season and must make it a priority to stop Rice.

Keys for Ravens:

1. Make Big Plays: The big play has been void from the Ravens offense almost all season long. The Ravens’ offense ranks 31st in the NFL, averaging just 4.54 yards per play. Since their debacle in New England three weeks ago, the Steelers have allowed just 4.97 yards per play during their winning streak. For the ravens to win, they are going to have to find ways to make a big play or two.

Nov 17, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice (27) is tackled by Chicago Bears defensive end Julius Peppers (90)during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

2. Get to Big Ben: These teams are so familiar with each other, their keys to win are practically the same. While they want to get sacks, the Ravens want to contain Big Ben in the pocket as much as possible. They know how dangerous he is when he escapes and finds an open receiver downfield. Don’t let him extend plays. 

The strength of the Ravens defense is their pass rush. Baltimore is tied for the NFL lead with 37 sacks and we all know about the Steelers problems protecting their franchise signal caller. Last week Roethlisberger wasn’t sacked for the first time all season long. Whoever wins the battle up front should win the game.

3. Get Rice Going: Whether it be running the football against a suspect Steelers front seven or finding ways to get him involved in the passing game, the ravens don’t win without a big performance from Rice.