Ravens CB Prepared for Test vs. Steelers

The Baltimore Ravens' secondary looks to lock down the Pittsburgh Steelers' passing game again.

Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) catches a pass behind Baltimore Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens (21) during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Despite the dramatic mid-season improvement of the Baltimore Ravens' secondary, many believe the unit still has a glaring weakness entering the postseason.

Marlon Humphrey is having one of the best seasons of his career after battling injuries for years, while Nate Wiggins is enjoying a very strong rookie season and even snagged his first career interception in Saturday's regular season finale against the Cleveland Browns. That leaves Brandon Stephens, who's had a rough season in the final year of his contract, as the apparent weak link at corner, and opposing teams have taken notice.

Stephens, 27, has been targeted 102 times this season, per Pro Football Reference. Seven of those targets came in the game against Cleveland, on which he allowed four receptions for 47 yards. He allowed a passer rating of 117.3 in that game, easily the highest of any Raven with multiple targets.

With the Ravens set to open the playoffs against the Pittsburgh Steelers and standout wide receiver George Pickens, Stephens could be a popular target yet again. If that ends up happening, defensive coordinator Zach Orr has confidence in him to get the job done.

"'B-Steve' [is] prepared. He prepares hard just as anybody on our team," Orr told reporters Wednesday. "The thing I love about 'B-Steve' is he has the mentality that you want to have as just a professional athlete and especially as a DB in this league. I mean, he's a one play, next play, whatever happens – whether it's a good play or bad play – [he's] moving on.

"We [are] happy with 'B-Steve.' We love that teams are trying to challenge him, and we know that he's up for the challenge. He's been prepared, [and] he's been locked in. It was funny, me and [head] coach [John] Harbaugh [were] just talking earlier during practice about how locked in and how good he's looked. We [are] confident, and we [are] excited, and I'm ready to go see him ball out Saturday."

Stephens had a strong 2023 season, allowing a passer rating of just 80.6 and seemingly setting himself for a big pay day this coming offseason. Unfortunately, his decline this season has put his long-term future in Baltimore in doubt.

That said, a strong playoff performance could give him some redemption this season, and that journey begins on Saturday night.

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