Steelers say ‘It’s Ravens Week, no excuses’
PITTSBURGH 鈥� In his short NFL career, David DeCastro has accomplished much. The 26-year old was a first-round pick, he鈥檚 played in the playoffs, the Pro Bowl and earned All-Pro honors.
Besides winning the Super Bowl, of course, there鈥檚 another thing he鈥檇 like to add to his already impressive resume: Play in a meaningless Week 17 game.
鈥淲ould be nice,鈥� DeCastro said after the Steelers鈥� 24-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
If the Steelers can win at home on Christmas Day, it would not only give them the AFC North title and clinch a playoff berth, it would render their regular-season finale against Cleveland on New Year鈥檚 Day a moot point.
For a team that has no shortage of injuries, including two more potentially big ones sustained in Cincinnati, a well-earned rest would be much appreciated.
To do that, all the Steelers need to do is beat the Baltimore Ravens this week.
Therein lies the problem.
The Steelers haven鈥檛 beaten Baltimore since Nov. 2, 2014, or a span of two years, one month and 23 days. In that time, the Ravens have tormented the Steelers four times, including an AFC wild card game at Heinz Field two years ago and just seven weeks ago when Baltimore held Pittsburgh鈥檚 high-powered offense to a season-low 277 total yards.
Though technically not a postseason game, this Sunday鈥檚 loser is likely to be eliminated from playoff contention (or needing a lot of help to get in). If nothing else, it should add yet another intriguing chapter in the long-running Pittsburgh-Baltimore saga.
Despite all the venom and cheap-shots thrown in Cincinnati, the Steelers have long maintained that their biggest rivalry is not with the Bengals, but with Baltimore. Suitably, the Steelers say, they should meet the Ravens with their season potentially at stake.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 pretty fitting,鈥� DeCastro said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a team we haven鈥檛 been able to beat or have much success with lately. We have them at home, it鈥檚 going to be a huge game.鈥�
The Steelers will enter Week 16 on a five-game winning streak, their longest since 2009. Beginning with their win at M&T Bank Stadium over the Steelers, the Ravens have won five of seven and are a game behind Pittsburgh in the AFC North with a chance to tie, while holding both of the tie-breakers.
While the Ravens have averaged 29.3 points over their last three games, Baltimore has 鈥� in vintage fashion 鈥� staked its claim on defense and their ability to stop the run. In their last meeting, the Ravens held Le鈥橵eon Bell to just 32 rushing yards on 14 carries. Baltimore boasts the NFL鈥檚 second-ranked run defense (82.1 yards per game), while Pittsburgh 鈥� which hasn鈥檛 allowed 100 or more during their current streak 鈥� is fourth (89.1).
鈥淲ho says anyone鈥檚 impossible to run on?鈥� said Steelers right tackle Marcus Gilbert. 鈥淲e鈥檒l see. If they play a game of chess, that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e going to do. We lost the first game. This game is going to be on our field. We have to come out and dominate.
鈥淭his is a good (Ravens) team. I鈥檓 looking forward to it. They have great players on both sides of the ball and we do, too. Whoever runs the ball good, protects the quarterback better and plays better on special teams 鈥� The most physical team ends up winning.鈥�
Unfortunately for the Steelers, they could be shorthanded against the Ravens.
Tight end Ladarius Green, who was finally starting to emerge as another offensive weapon in the Steelers鈥� arsenal, sustained an apparent concussion late in Sunday鈥檚 win. The defensive line, with Cam Heyward already out, could be without fellow starter Stephon Tuitt, who suffered a knee injury in the first quarter at Cincinnati. Coach Mike Tomlin is expected to give an update on both injured players鈥� status Tuesday during his weekly press conference, but the loss of one 鈥� or both 鈥� could be catastrophic.
And that鈥檚 to say nothing of players like DeCastro, who was out briefly during the Bengals game with an arm or shoulder injury, which he wasn鈥檛 revealing. How do the Steelers rebound physically and emotionally from a game against their second-biggest rival to their biggest rival in a week?
鈥淲e鈥檒l find a way,鈥� DeCastro said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 that time of the season where you feel like you鈥檙e sleeping a little more, a little more tired, taking a little longer to heal up.
鈥淚t鈥檚 Ravens week. We鈥檒l be ready to go, no excuses.鈥�