Ravens vs. Steelers: Three Players To Watch

Who will be the difference-maker when the Baltimore Ravens face their arch rivals?

Oct 13, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (5) during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

At long last, the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers will renew their rivalry for the first time this season, and with incredibly high stakes to boot.

With Baltimore at 7-3 and Pittsburgh at 7-2, the winner of this showdown will take sole possession of the AFC North lead. There's still a lot of football left to be played, including another meeting on Dec. 21, but it's hard to overstate just how important this game is for the division race.

With that introduction out of the way, here are three Ravens players to keep an eye on in this contest.

WR Diontae Johnson

Johnson is about to play his third game with the Ravens, but he's yet to make much of an impact. In his first two games wearing purple and black, the former Pro Bowl wideout has logged just 23 offensive snaps with two targets and one reception for six yards.

This time around, though, Johnson should see much more action. Not only has he had more time to learn the offense, but he'll be facing the team he spent five seasons with for the first time as an opponent. Best believe he'll look to make an impact on the other side of the rivalry.

"Just being back in that stadium, where it all started, it's going to be different," Johnson said. "I actually have never been in the away locker room [in Pittsburgh], so that's going to be different for me, but I'm ready to get back there, just to see the good people that I made relationships with, but other than that, it's a big moment for me."

OT Roger Rosengarten

Rosengarten has steadily improved since the start of the season, but he'll face by far his toughest matchup of the season in Steelers superstar edge rusher T.J. Watt, who almost exclusively lines up over right tackle. Watt has terrorized the Ravens throughout his career, recording 16 sacks in 14 games with at least one in 10 straight meetings. Obviously, the Ravens won't leave a rookie one-on-one with a former Defensive Player of the Year the entire day, but for the most part, they'll be counting on Rosengarten to hold his own.

CB Marlon Humphrey

Humphrey has been one of the few bright spots in a struggling secondary, and he knows better than anyone that the unit isn't playing up to the usual standard. After last week's game against the Cincinnati Bengals, in which he forced a fumble that completely flipped momentum, the veteran corner said it's "getting harder to enjoy these wins" with how much the pass defense has struggled.

As easily the Ravens' best corner this season, Humphrey should spend most of the game shadowing the Steelers' top wideout in George Pickens. The third-year wide receiver has been red hot since Russell Wilson took over as the starting quarterback, catching 14 passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns in three games. Keeping him in check will be key to a Baltimore victory.

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