If it’s Steelers-Ravens, it must be 2 good defenses

If it’s Pittsburgh Steelers versus Baltimore Ravens, it probably will have a significant impact on the AFC playoff race. And it also probably will feature two very good defenses.

Rarely have those things been more obvious than Sunday’s meeting between the division rivals: The winner will take over first place in the AFC North, and each team leads the NFL in one of the two major statistical defensive categories.

“This game has always comes down to defense — both defenses,” Ravens veteran cornerback Jimmy Smith said earlier this week.

“This is one of those physical, heavyweight fights. And it does usually come down to the defensive plays, and they have one of the best (defenses) in the NFL right now. It’s definitely going to come down to defensive plays made on Sunday.”

It usually does when these teams meet. Not only have the Steelers and Ravens combined to win 15 of the past 19 AFC North titles (it was called the “Central” in 2001), since 2000 one of them has led the NFL in scoring defense six times and one of them has led the league in yardage allowed seven times.

Add 2020 to both of those lists, at least to this point: The Steelers through seven weeks lead the NFL in total defense (286.3 yards per game against), and the Ravens are No. 1 in scoring defense (17.3 points per game against).

To the victor go the spoils, not only with a win in the standings but perhaps as the unofficial title-holder as the NFL’s best defense.

“There are a lot of motivators in life,” Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said, reluctantly acknowledging the battle of the defenses is a main event. “Everybody has their own things that motivate them. So, our guys take a lot of pride in the way they play.”

Since 200, only once (2013) did neither the Steelers nor Ravens make the playoffs.

Only once since the Ravens were “born” (converted as the old Browns in '96) have both had a losing record in the seasonhttps://t.co/VMkIeNj5ep

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) October 30, 2020

Including 2020, during 17 of the past 21 seasons the Steelers and Ravens both have finished among the top six of the NFL in either total defense or scoring defense (often both). This is shaping up to be the sixth time since 2000 both defenses rank among the top three scoring and/or yards allowed.

This season, the lowest rank among either team in either category is Baltimore’s No. 9 in yards allowed (339.8). But in the past three games, Baltimore has permitted an average of just 304 yards and 16 points.

“They have a lot of talent across the board defensively,” Steelers offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner said.

That warchest was added to last week when the Ravens traded for Yannick Ngakoue, a Pro Bowl edge rusher who has two sacks in three career games against the Steelers.

The Steelers lead the NFL in sacks. The Ravens are sixth. The teams rank 1-2 in blitz rate, but the Steelers have a hefty advantage in the pass-rushing stats ranging from pressure rate to total pressures to sacks.

“Their defensive line is great,” said Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson, the reigning NFL MVP. “Their front four, those guys get off the ball, they get after the quarterback. (They force) a lot of strip-sacks. T.J. (Watt) and Bud (Dupree), they do a great job of getting to the quarterback, harassing the run game. I feel like our offensive line is going to be ready, and we’re just going to go out there and play football.”

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