A look at flaws the Ravens flock exposed in the Steelers' armor

The Pittsburgh Steelers' first losing streak of their 2024 campaign could not have come at a worse time. In a 34-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, everything they fought so hard for may have begun slipping away. Mike Tomlin’s Coach of the Year award, T.J. Watt’s Defensive Player of the Year, and most importantly the AFC North division title is now up for grabs, while Russell Wilson transformed into Denver Danger-Russ and committed a pair of turnovers that swung the score by at least 14 points.

Pittsburgh controls their own destiny still, but their next hurdle is a two-time defending champ led by a planet-killing quarterback. There’s enough negativity abound. Here are the flaws Baltimore exposed in Pittsburgh’s cracked exterior.  

The Steelers don’t look ready for primetime

The "told ya so" peanut gallery is more deafening this week than they have been all season. The Hard Knocks Division Title may be lost. Pittsburgh has had a deed on the division since Week 1, but for the first time, they appear poised to surrender it to Baltimore. Worst of all, the Steelers could be limping into the postseason. Their performances against the NFL’s best have left a lot to be desired. 

It remains to be seen if these Steelers are ready for primetime. For the second consecutive week, they scored under 20 points. Last week, they were lit up by the Philadelphia Eagles. The Ravens looked a lot like them offensively. Pittsburgh fought but just appeared outclassed and operating with a thin margin for error. They needed a perfect game, and miscues killed them. 

On Christmas Day, they’ll welcome a Kansas City Chiefs team seeking to clinch the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye, followed by a Cincinnati Bengals team attempting to secure a backdoor into the postseason in Week 18. The Steelers are literally and figuratively reeling right before their biggest game of the season.  If the Steelers can’t play clean football against Kansas City, they’re barbecue chicken.

The offense is too Russell Wilson-centric

The Steelers' pool of offensive talent is missing a je ne sais quoi. Witnessing the ground quake when King Henry shot out of the Ravens backfield or stiff-armed a Steelers defensive lineman is a different experience than anything Pittsburgh can offer. They don’t possess a comparable workhorse or all-purpose back in their stable. They tried to unlock Justin Fields in a change-of-pace quarterback role, but an abdominal injury he suffered after getting clobbered by Philadelphia safety Reed Blankenship while sliding late left him inactive against Baltimore.

Wilson is a heady playmaker, but he’s not a top-shelf passer across the middle of the field, and his mobility is limited to buying a few seconds 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage or the occasional sprint to a first-down marker. Without George Pickens on the outside, Pittsburgh is more reliant on Wilson than Baltimore is on Lamar Jackson. 

On Sunday, Wilson tried to do too much with his arms and legs. As a result, he mollified drives with a negative play to match every positive one. The upside is that in a potential playoff rubber match, Wilson’s favorite target would be available. Pickens changes the entire dynamic of Pittsburgh’s attack; without him, the downfield passing attack has no meat on its bones.

Pittsburgh’s overachiever status is reliant on winning the turnover battle

Since 2023, Pittsburgh is 14-4 when they record two or more takeaways. During the first half of the season, Justin Fields won four out of his first six games by taking advantage of short fields, finishing efficiently in the red zone and some stellar defensive plays from T.J. Watt.

Saturday's matchup was the third time this season that Pittsburgh's offense has committed two or more turnovers. The Ravens fumbled twice in the opening six minutes and pounced on both loose balls. Wilson’s pick-6 Secret Santa reveal to Marlon Humphrey nullified the high of Minkah Fitzpatrick’s first interception in two years. The last two losses have given Mike Tomlin something to drill down on. Turnovers in the last two weeks were all the difference. If they can cut down on their own mistakes, they can return to their overachieving ways.

Jaylen Warren has overtaken Najee Harris on the Steelers depth chart

Najee Harris will never be as bruising as Derrick Henry bouncing off of tacklers and bursting through gaps. 

Harris responds to external stimuli. When Marshawn Lynch shows up to Steeler games, and when his role as the bell cow in the backfield gets threatened, he runs like a banshee. In the wake of Harris’ struggles and last week's crushing fumble, Warren appears to be more trusted by the coaching staff.

For the second consecutive week, Warren's total share of snaps outpaced Harris'. Last week, he was utilized more on passing downs, while this week he was given more work overall, gaining 48 yards on 13 carries. Harris gained 40 yards on 9 carries, clearing four yards per carry for the second time since Week 9.