Scouting the Ravens: Steelers' next opponent has NFL's best offense but worst pass defense

SCOUTING THE RAVENS

Last meeting

Steelers beat Ravens, 17-10, on Jan. 6 in Baltimore

Key matchup

Ravens RB Derrick Henry vs. Steelers ILB Elandon Roberts

Henry (10,622 yards), the active career rushing leader, has a 2,000-plus yard season on his resume and currently leads the NFL with 1,120 rushing yards this season. Roberts is the Steelers’ run-defense specialist in their linebackers corps, the only linebacker to play more snaps against the run than pass.

Key injuries

The Steelers are without outside linebacker Alex Highsmith — who suffered an ankle injury late in last week’s game at Washington — but welcome back the top backup at his position, Nick Herbig, who missed the past four games because of a hamstring injury. Running back Jaylen Warren (back) is questionable. … The only Ravens player assured to miss Sunday’s game is slot/nickel Arthur Maulet (calf). Starting defensive lineman Travis Jones (ankle) is questionable. Baltimore safety Kyle Hamilton will play despite an ankle injury.

Series record

Steelers lead 35-25.

Series notes

The Steelers have won three consecutive meetings and seven of the past eight dating to 2020. None of those games were decided by more than seven points. … Thirty-eight of the 60 games between the franchises have been decided by eight or fewer points. The Steelers have won 23 of those 38 one-possession games. … The Steelers have won 20 of 32 meetings in Pittsburgh, including 17 of 28 in the regular season. … Mike Tomlin (hired in 2007) and John Harbaugh (hired in 2008) are the NFL’s two longest-tenured active coaches with their respective teams. Their 35 meetings against each other are the second-most for a coaching duo in league history. Tomlin is 20-15 against Harbaugh, including 2-1 in the playoffs.

Notable

Baltimore leads the NFL in points (31.8 per game), yards per game (440.2) and yards per play (7.1). The Steelers, meanwhile, have allowed the second-fewest points (16.2), the fifth-fewest yards per game (302.7) and tied for seventh-fewest yards per play (5.1). … Allowing the most passing yards in the league (294.9 per game), it should come as no surprise that Ravens opponents have attempted the most passes in the NFL (39.8 per game). Only two teams in the league this season have attempted fewer passes offensively than the Steelers (27.4 per game). … Conversely, while the Steelers on offense are No. 2 in rushing attempts per game (34.3), no team has had its opponents rush against them fewer times than Baltimore (21.6 carries per game). … The Steelers have gone eight weeks between afternoon home games. Sunday will be the first 1 p.m. kickoff at Acrisure Stadium since the home opener Sept. 22 against the Los Angeles Chargers. The other three Steelers home games were all in primetime. … With a win, the Steelers clinch their 54th non-losing home season over the 55 seasons since the AFL/NFL merger.

Fantasy tip

Using standard scoring, no team in the NFL has allowed more opposing wide receivers to amass more fantasy points this season than the Ravens. Only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have allowed more fantasy points to opponent wide receiver, and no team has allowed more catches by opposing tight ends.