Ravens vs. Steelers: Three Things To Watch

The Baltimore Ravens clash with their bitter rival for first place in the AFC North.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) scrambles with the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

When the dust settles on the 2024 regular season, whether or not the Baltimore Ravens host one or multiple playoff games may come down to their Week 11 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Baltimore (7-3) and Pittsburgh (7-2) will add another chapter to one of the best rivalries in all of sports when they clash with first place in the AFC North on the line. The Steelers have won seven of the last eight meetings against Baltimore, including winning both games last season. Baltimore has won seven of its last eight games, while Pittsburgh has won four in a row and has averaged 30.33 points per game in its three games with Russell Wilson starting at quarterback.

Here are three things to watch when the AFC North rivals clash on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET at Acrisure Stadium.

Can Lamar Jackson exorcise his demons?

Lamar Jackson is well on his way to winning his second straight MVP, and a strong performance against a stout Steelers defense would go a long way toward ensuring he wins the award for the third time in his career.

No team has given Jackson a tougher time than the Steelers, though. Across four starts, the two-time MVP is 1-3 and has thrown for 870 yards, four touchdowns and seven interceptions. The Steelers boast another elite defense that is capable of posing problems to any offense, as they've allowed the second-fewest points per game (16.2).

Pittsburgh has had Jackson's number in the past, but one can argue this is the best version of him that it will have faced. The Ravens quarterback has thrown for 2,669 yards, 24 touchdowns and two interceptions this season and he has rau for 558 yards and two touchdowns.

More often than not, winning MVP comes down to a particular moment or performance that stands out above the rest. If Jackson can deliver that against a team that has historically given him trouble, he may have his third MVP locked up by the end of Week 11.

Can Baltimore crack Pittsburgh's run defense?

It's no secret how Derrick Henry's success correlates to the Ravens winning. In games he has ran for over 100 yards, Baltimore is 5-0, as compared to being 2-3 when he's held under that mark.

Running the ball on Pittsburgh is a tall task, as it allows the fourth-fewest rushing yards per game (87.1). Baltimore leads the NFL with 182.6 rushing yards per game and Henry leads the league with 12 rushing touchdowns and is second in rushing yards with 1,120.

The Ravens' ability to get Henry going on the ground may very well determine their success on offense against Pittsburgh. If Henry has a huge day, life gets much easier for the rest of the offense. But if the Steelers continue to defend the run well like they have all season, that'll just increase the pressure on Jackson to deliver an MVP-like performance.

How healthy is Kyle Hamilton?

The difference between having Hamilton on the field in Week 10 and him being off of it was night and day for the Ravens' defense in Week 10 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

With Hamilton on the field, it held the Bengals to just seven points for most of the first half. After he sprained his ankle with 1:09 remaining in the second quarter, Cincinnati went on to score 27 points in his absence as he missed the rest of the game.

While the Steelers offense isn't as high-octane as the Bengals, they made taken significant strides since Wilson became the starting quarterback in Week 8. The veteran quarterback threw for over 250 yards in his first two starts, which Pittsburgh only did once with Justin Fields under center.

Wilson has thrown for 691 yards, six touchdowns and just one interception in his three starts this season.

Defending the pass has been the Achilles heel of the Ravens' defense throughout the season, as they rank last in passing yards allowed per game. Even with Hamilton on the field, Baltimore has struggled mightily to slow down opposing offenses through the air.

But if Hamilton isn't close to 100 percent, the Ravens' defense could be in for another long day trying to stop Wilson from throwing the ball all over the field against them.

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