Pittsburgh Steelers: 3 Bold predictions vs. Ravens, Week 5
By Samuel Teets
2. Defense sacks Lamar Jackson six times
The Steelers have led the NFL in sacks over the last two seasons. In 2017, Pittsburgh led the league with 56 sacks, topping the stacked Jacksonville Jaguars. In 2018, the Steelers tied with the Kansas City Chiefs at 52 sacks. However, Pittsburgh’s pass rush has struggled early in the 2019 season.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
Currently, the Steelers are tied with the Browns for the fourth-most sacks in the NFL at 14 apiece. However, eight of those sacks came last week against Cincinnati’s atrocious offensive line. That means the team averaged two sacks per game through the first three weeks of the season. That’s not on par with Pittsburgh’s production from recent seasons.
So far, the Ravens have protected Jackson well. He’s been sacked ten times, including four instances last week against the Browns. The offensive line, anchored by veteran Marshal Yanda and rising star Ronnie Stanley, is a solid unit that has laid the groundwork for Baltimore’s league-leading offense. Despite the mishaps last week, the Ravens still lead the NFL in total and rushing yards per game.
However, the Steelers are ready to take on Baltimore’s dominant front. Pro Bowlers Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt have finally hit their stride. When those two and Stephon Tuitt get going, any quarterback will have a long day.