Wednesday’s “First Call” shows us that the Baltimore Ravens are confident about Saturday’s game versus the Pittsburgh Steelers, despite their recent woes in the rivalry. And we now know the officiating crew for that game too.
The Eagles are saying former Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett helped their cause en route to beating Pittsburgh on Sunday.
And it looks like Mason Rudolph is getting another start in Tennessee.
Time for a change
The Ravens are tired of being beaten by the Steelers, and they want to turn things around.
The club has lost eight of their past nine games to Pittsburgh. Quarterback Lamar Jackson has won just one game in five tries against the Black and Gold as a starter.
On Tuesday, he was asked if Baltimore’s offense should finally have enough “answers to break lose” against the Steelers’ defense on Saturday.
“I believe so,” Jackson said with a grin, according to BaltimoreRavens.com. “I believe we should have answers, but when the game comes … I bet I’ll have an answer for you after the game.”
Baltimore’s offense is averaging just 15 points per game over those nine most recent contests in the rivalry. But even if Jackson and the Ravens offense can’t open things up against the Steelers, safety Kyle Hamilton says the Baltimore defense is ready to win another tight, low-scoring edition of Steelers-Ravens.
“It’s not a lot of glitz and glam. They’re going to line up and make you stop them,” Hamilton said to the team website. “A lot of teams just kind of wilt away (late in games). When (teams) get to the third and fourth quarter, you’re tired of tackling Najee (Harris), or you’re tired of hitting whoever. But I don’t think we’re built like that. I think we’re built for these kinds of games, and we’re going to come out on Saturday and prove that.”
The Steelers won the Week 11 contest between these franchises 18-16 at Acrisure Stadium.
However, the Ravens are favored by six points in Saturday’s rematch in Maryland. According to ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley, that’s the largest point spread in the rivalry since December 2020. That was the game at Acrisure Stadium when the Steelers were favored by 10.5 points thanks to a covid outbreak that sidelined nine Ravens starters, including Jackson.
Props for Pickett
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Darius Slay says the Eagles played with an additional edge against the Steelers on Sunday thanks to former Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett.
“We had to get the win for our quarterback,” Slay said at the 29-minute mark of this week’s“Big Play Slay” podcast. “Not (starting QB Jalen) Hurts. We’re talking about Kenny Pickett. He’s a great dude.”
The Steelers dealt Pickett to Philadelphia after they signed Russell Wilson in the offseason. Philly acquired Pickett and a 2024 fourth-round pick (No. 120 overall) in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick (No. 98 overall) and a pair of 2025 seventh-round picks.
“Without Kenny Pickett, I think our defense — I don’t want to say wouldn’t be great because we want to be great regardless — but Kenny (is) giving us a great look on scout team,” Slay continued.
The end of Pickett’s Steelers career and his subsequent trade to the Eagles wasn’t exactly smooth. Slay said the Eagles’ defense had their backup QB in mind while holding the Steelers offense to 13 points and under 21 minutes of possession time.
“We did that for you too, Kenny,” Slay added. “Shout out to my boy, Kenny, for helping us prepare for this week, giving us tips about what to look for because he’s been in that room with them.”
Pickett has played 28 snaps this season and is 1-3 throwing the ball for 5 yards.
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Flag fest?
How much yellow should we expect to see flying around the field in Baltimore on Saturday when the Steelers visit the Ravens?
I don’t mean Terrible Towels. I mean penalty flags.
Well, via FootballZebras.com referee Bill Vinovich’s officiating crew will be working the game. NFLPenalities.com data says his crew averages 12.69 penalties per game. That’s 10th among 17 crews.
Vinovich and company have not officiated a Steelers game this year. They did work a Baltimore game once. That was Week 5, when the Ravens won in Cincinnati, 41-38. Only nine penalties were assessed that day.
Vinovich’s past two games have been heavily penalized, however. His crew dropped 23 flags (22 accepted) in last week’s Dallas-Carolina game. The week before that, the Chiefs and Chargers drew 17 infractions, with 15 being assessed.
Vinovich was born in Beaver County before moving to Anaheim as a child.
Won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?
Much like last year, Rudolph is leading the way at Christmas again.
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Tennessee Titans are benching quarterback Will Levis. He is assuming that ex-Steeler Mason Rudolph will take over under center.
Rudolph was placed into the starting lineup two days before Christmas last year as he piloted the Steelers to a 34-11 win over Cincinnati, throwing for 290 yards and two touchdowns in the process. He won his next two starts as well and guided the Steelers into the playoffs.
The 29-year-old has played in four games this year. The Titans have won two of those and lost two. They are 3-11 on the season.
Last week against the Cincinnati Bengals, Rudolph replaced Levis after a third interception of the day went for a pick-6 courtesy of New Castle’s Geno Stone.
Rudolph came in and went 21 of 26 for 209 yards, two touchdowns and an interception as the Titans lost 37-27.
