First Call: Ravens TE praises fans for keeping Terrible Towels in Pittsburgh; Baltimore injuries to watch

Friday’s “First Call” examines the Ravens injury report as the Steelers get ready to visit them Saturday in Baltimore.

One of the Ravens is reminding the franchise’s fans how important it is to avoid selling their tickets to folks from Pittsburgh. The Penguins head into Christmas break against some divisional foes.

And there’s a busy weekend of local college basketball to preview.

Banged-up birds

The Steelers won’t be the only team in Maryland dealing with injuries Saturday afternoon. When they take the field against the Ravens, Baltimore may be without three contributors on offense and a starter on defense.

Wide receivers Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor are both questionable. Neither practiced Thursday. Bateman is second on the team with 654 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, and Agholor has 14 catches for 231 yards and two scores.

Starting guard Daniel Faalele was limited in practice and is also questionable. So is linebacker Odafe Oweh. The Penn State product is second on the team with eight sacks. Two of them came in Pittsburgh during the first meeting between the clubs.

Ravens injury report vs Steelers

-WRs Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor are both questionable after not practicing Thursday

-Two other starters are questionable after being limited: OLB Odafe Oweh and RG Daniel Faalele

-S Ar'Darius Washington has no injury designation pic.twitter.com/mob1mIA4ko

— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) December 19, 2024

While Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt will play, the organization has already ruled out receiver George Pickens and quarterback Justin Fields. Safety DeShon Elliott is doubtful. Cornerback Donte Jackson and defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi are questionable.

No time for towels

The Steelers have a reputation for taking over road stadiums. Just down the way from Baltimore early this season, Terrible Towels were waving like crazy during a win in Washington.

"GEORGE PICKENS CLIMBS THE LADDER FOR THE TOUCHDOWN" - Ian Eagle pic.twitter.com/TnzZ22XW6k

— NFL on CBS ???? (@NFLonCBS) November 10, 2024

But that’s not often the case at M&T Bank Stadium. When asked about Ravens fans holding onto their tickets when the Steelers come to town, tight end Isaiah Likely complimented the fanbase.

“It just shows you the type of rivalry it is. They don’t like us as much as we don’t like them. Just keeping a home game a home game, I feel like, that’s the biggest thing that the Flock Nation tries to preach,” Likely said.

Regardless of how many fans infiltrate M&T Bank Stadium, the Steelers have had a lot of success there lately. They’ve won four in a row in Baltimore.

Bedeviled

As the Penguins were winning an overtime ping-pong match in Nashville Thursday night, their next opponent suffered a surprising loss in Columbus.

Bryan Rust polished off a 5-4 OT victory against the Predators.

RUSTY. STRIKES. AGAIN.

BRYAN RUST WINS IT IN OVERTIME! ???? pic.twitter.com/ELHB6UXygW

— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) December 20, 2024

That was his second goal of the night, to go along with a pair of assists. The Pens erased deficits of 3-1 and 4-3 along the way. Sidney Crosby had a goal and three assists. They have now won eight of their past 11 games.

Up next, they travel to New Jersey for a game on Saturday. The Devils have 45 points, the most in the Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference. The Pens are fourth in the division with 35 points.

However, the Columbus Blue Jackets, tied for last in the Metro with 31 points, upset Jersey, 4-2, on Thursday night. Sean Monahan had two goals and an assist for the Jackets.

MONEY MONNY ????@FanaticsBook | #CBJ pic.twitter.com/GyeUzVwkIS

— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) December 20, 2024

New Jersey had won its previous three games. This will be the first meeting of the year between the divisional foes. The Pens played there twice last year, winning 6-3 and losing 5-2.

The Devils average 3.31 goals per game — seventh-best in the NHL. They also give up the fourth-fewest goals per game at 2.60. New Jersey’s power play is clicking at 29.8%, second-best in the NHL. Their 81.4% penalty kill is 10th-best.

The Pens then host Philadelphia (33 points, fifth in the Metro) on Monday before breaking for Christmas.

Back at it

The Pitt men’s basketball team (9-2) hasn’t played since Dec. 11. That’s when they blew out Eastern Kentucky, 95-56. They’ll return to action Saturday at the Petersen Events Center. Sam Houston comes to Oakland for a 1 p.m. start.

This will be the Panthers’ only game until Jan. 1 at home against California. They then host Stanford on Jan. 4, and they travel to Duke on Jan. 7.

Meanwhile, the women’s team blew out New Hampshire, 94-39, on Thursday afternoon. Mikayla Johnson had 21 points. Marley Washenitz put up 20.

55-POINT DUB ????

Pitt dominated New Hampshire this afternoon, defeating them 94-39 at home as the Panthers shot 56% from the floor, including 55% from three-point range while limiting UNH to 26% shooting for the game@Pitt_WBB | @Pitt_ATHLETICS | #H2P pic.twitter.com/LMFL5hxLje

— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) December 19, 2024

The Panthers will visit Utah Tech at 3 p.m. Saturday.

Double dips

Duquesne basketball fans are getting two games in one day Saturday at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.

The women’s team opens the action at noon against Bowling Green. The Dukes come in at 8-2 after smoking Canisius 90-66 on Sunday. Chartiers Valley product Megan McConnell put up 35 points.

24 points in 7 minutes ????????#GoDukes | @megg_mcconnell4 pic.twitter.com/Ts0zMRhhdi

— Duquesne Women's Basketball (@DuqWBB) December 19, 2024

BGSU comes in at 6-4, having just won a 64-62 contest against Marquette on Wednesday. The Falcons have won four in a row.

The men take the floor after the women’s game is over. That’s at roughly 2:30 p.m. Dru Joyce III’s team (3-8) won its most recent game, a 65-47 decision over Towson in Akron. Cameron Crawford led the way with 13 points.

Now U.C. Irvine comes to the Bluff at 10-1. The Anteaters’ only loss was to Oregon State, 67-55. They beat Belmont 92-84 Thursday. The Dukes won a 66-62 affair between the teams in Pittsburgh last year.

Robert Morris is hosting a basketball doubleheader at the UPMC Events Center on campus Saturday as well.

In the Colonials’ case, the men’s team plays first. Andy Toole’s team (7-5) welcomes St. Francis (5-8) at 1 p.m. RMU has won six of seven games at home.

The women’s team (4-7) takes the floor at 4 p.m. against St. Bonaventure (4-6). Chandler McCabe’s club just dropped a 55-53 result to Oakland on Wednesday.