Category: 2021 Week 18 Steelers vs. Ravens

Steelers get 2 starters back off Reserve/COVID-19 list

Pittsburgh should have Joe Haden back on Sunday.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers announced a number of important roster moves on Saturday. Perhaps the biggest of the moves were the activations of cornerback Joe Haden and center Kendrick Green from the Reserve/COVID-19 list ahead of Sunday’s game with the Baltimore Ravens.

Keep in mind, getting these two off the COVID list is no guarantee either will start or even play. Both guys had been dealing with injuries, especially Green who was benched in favor of J.C. Hassenauer last week due to a calf injury. But Haden has an excellent shot of being on the field on Sunday and just in time.

The Steelers also placed wide receiver James Washington on the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Saturday. This makes the record-breaking return of Diontae Johnson from the COVID list even more beneficial.

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Steelers vs Ravens: 3 keys to victory for Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh needs to let Ben Roethlisberger throw the football vs the Ravens.

This week the Pittsburgh Steelers put the wraps on the 2021 NFL regular season on the road against their top rival, the Baltimore Ravens. Both teams are needing help to get into the playoffs but or both teams it is win or go home.

Pittsburgh is coming off an emotional win over the Cleveland Browns last week and has to regroup and focus on getting back Baltimore. Here are our three keys to victory this week and our prediction.

Former Raven Bart Scott says Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger has a ‘very punchable face’

How does Bart Scott feel about Ben Roethlisberger? I guess this tells you what you need to know.

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Over his 18 NFL seasons, Pittsburgh Steelers has made enemies of plenty of defensive players. Roethlisberger has embarrassed plenty of defenders with failed attempts to bring him down as he just shrugged them off and make big throw after big throw. So it is understandable as these players reflect on Roethlisberger’s career. they would be a little bitter.

For example, former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Bart Scott was looking back at his career with Roethlisberger and noted that he always thought Roethlisberger had what he called “a very punchable face.”

He’s not wrong. Roethlisberger, in his prime, has some swagger on the field and I’m sure it showed on the field. Scott squared off twice a year against Scott while he played for the Ravens and they saw each other from 2004-2008. The Steelers went 6-5 against the Ravens during that stretch including one win in the playoffs.

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Steelers activate WR Diontae Johnson from COVID list

Pittsburgh will have its top receiver back against the Baltimore Ravens.

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On Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers placed wide receiver Diontae Johnson on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. Just two days later the team announced they were removing Johnson from that very same list.

This has to be some sort of record for being one and then off the COVID list but the team didn’t offer any details. It could have been a case of a false positive but I am not going to speculate. I’m just going to be grateful that Pittsburgh is going to have their top receiver back against the worst pass defense in the NFL in the Baltimore Ravens.

Johnson leads the team with 100 receptions and 1,100 receiving yards on the season. These are both career highs for the third-year pro as he continues to ascend to one of the top receivers in the AFC.

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Steelers vs Ravens: Baltimore to start QB Tyler Huntley vs Pittsburgh

No Lamar Jackson for the Ravens this week.

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Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh announced on Friday that the Ravens will start quarterback Tyler Huntley on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Lamar Jackson will miss another week with his ankle injury.

This will be Huntley’s fourth start of the season. He’s 1-2 as a starter and has shown a nice arm and excellent mobility. Huntley has 904 passing yards with three passing touchdowns and 222 rushing yards and two rushing scores.

The Steelers and Ravens are both battling for their respective playoff lives. I’m sure the Ravens would be much more comfortable with their franchise quarterback but this is exactly what the Steelers need. Pittsburgh matches up well with Huntley and the defense should have a good shot at putting some serious heat on him if they can slow down the run.

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Play in our FREE Week 18 Steelers Challenge

Think you know this team? Prove it. Answer six questions for a chance to win!

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Steelers vs Ravens: Pittsburgh has a predicament at inside linebacker

Pittsburgh has some decisions to make at inside linebacker.

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Last week the Pittsburgh Steelers have one of its best defensive performances of the last two months on Monday against the Cleveland Browns. The defense stepped up huge to shut down the Browns vaunted run game and forced Cleveland to be one-dimensional.

A big part of the improvement was the play of inside linebackers Robert Spillane and Marcus Allen. Spillane and Allen were filling in for Joe Schobert and Devin Bush who were both stuck on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.

Now Schobert and Bush are back and Pittsburgh is preparing to square off against one of the best run offenses in the league. It leaves the coaches with a tough decision to make. Do they go with the hot hands at linebacker and leave Allen and Spillane in there or go back to the starters who haven’t played well? Let us know in the comments below what you would do at inside linebacker this week.

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Steelers HC Mike Tomlin hasn’t ruled out DC Keith Butler for Sunday

Will the Steelers be without Keith Butler on Sunday? Does it matter?

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Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler joins multiple Steelers players this week on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. This puts Butler’s status for Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens in serious jeopardy.

But according to head coach Mike Tomlin, he hasn’t ruled Butler out completely. This means he could be available to work with the defense. Tomlin noted that if Butler couldn’t be there the team would make other arrangements.

Given the rumor floated by NFL Network reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala earlier in the season, Butler’s availability should have no bearing on the defensive playcalling. Kinkhabwala said the defense is Tomlin’s responsibility and Butler has never schemed a defense or made a play call.

Pittsburgh is clinging to the slimmest of hopes for a spot in the playoffs. But nothing works without a win over the Ravens. Baltimore has the No. 5 rushing offense in the NFL and could pose a significant threat to a beat-up Steelers defense.

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Steelers add 2 more starters to Reserve/COVID-19 list

Losing Diontae Johnson could be a huge blow to the Steelers offense.

First it was cornerback Joe Haden and now the Pittsburgh Steelers have announced that two offensive starters have been added to the Reserve/COVID-19 list ahead of this week’s game against the Baltimore Ravens.

The team announced on Thursday that starting center Kendrick Green and starting wide receiver Diontae Johnson have both been added to the COVID list. This late in the week, even with the lighter restrictions, make it a stretch for either guy to play on Sunday.

Johnson has emerged as the team’s best receiver and one of the top pass catchers in the AFC. In 15 games this season, Johnson has 100 receptions, 1,100 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns. All career highs.

Green was inserted into the starting lineup at center as a rookie despite limited experience at the position. Last week the Steelers benched Green in favor of J.C. Hassenauer and it created a spark in the run game.

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