The battlefield is primed for one of the wildest showdowns in the heart of the AFC North. Why? Coz the Baltimore Ravens (7-3) are gearing up to tango with their age-old rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2). And the vibe? Freaking electric! John Harbaugh, for one, takes pride in the better record Purple Pain has registered since 2022 but isn’t a tad foolish as he readies his team to kick the habit, the one that saw Charm City lose seven of their eight games against the Steelers during that stretch.

Before the ink could dry on the game plan set for Sunday at Acrisure Stadium, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is aware of what awaits him. In the first six games, the Steelers’ defense, which is arguably the best in the league, has been clinical in driving them ahead. But since Russell Wilson took over, the offense is turning over a new leaf. In four of the last five seasons? A bottom 10 ranking in PPG. In the first six games with Justin Fields as the starting QB? 20.67 PPG. Under Russell Wilson, who has played three games so far this season? 30.33 PPG!

“[The Steelers] have played well against us, and we haven’t played well against them, in that sense, as far as moving the ball and scoring points and all that,” Harbaugh said in the press conference on Monday. “This is a new game. We don’t live in the past.” A straight shooter. But dwelling in the past certainly won’t help as class defense acts from the Black and Gold have restricted the Ravens to a 14.9 PPG in their past eight games versus Pittsburgh, cracking the 20 points just once! Harbaugh added,

“[Their] defense has been very consistent. Obviously, it starts with the pass rush for them and the run defense. That’s where they start, and then you have to deal with that. Then, obviously, I think their safeties and their corners do a great job of triggering versus the run and getting up there and making tackles, and then, they’re very aggressive in coverage. And you know what?

Every year for the last 17 years, that’s what you could say about Pittsburgh’s defense.”

What more could he have said? Well, he didn’t leave Russell Wilson out. A collective 91 points in the last three (as opposed to the Ravens’ 110), six touchdowns, 737 passing yards, and just one interception? That calf injury, that kept him away for the first six games, isn’t a bother, after all. “I have a lot of respect for ‘Russ’ and what he does well. I think they’re leaning into to his skillset, and they have some receivers that match that up a little bit,” Harbaugh added.

Meanwhile, the Ravens? Well, they are buzzing to see Lamar Jackson back on the field. Out of the last eight games against the Steelers? Jackson had started just three. Either due to COVID, injuries, or when they decided to rest all started last season. But this time, the MVP-caliber quarterback is ready to fire up. In the last three games, he is just 35 yards shy of Wilson’s passing yards record, and just better ball protection overall interception-wise (just two in the last ten games so far).

John Harbaugh called QB Lamar Jackson’s playmaking “intentional”

For now, it’s not all smooth sailing for the Ravens! Safety Kyle Hamilton’s recent ankle injury has sent shockwaves through the fan base. Harbaugh’s “We’ll see how he looks on Wednesday going forward,” has everyone holding their breath. If Hamilton, a key player racking up 71 tackles along with a couple of sacks, is sidelined, the Ravens might have to think on their feet against a Steelers offense that could capitalize on any defensive gaps. Good news? Lamar Jackson, and Harbaugh knows it.

“I think Lamar [Jackson] has just been intentional about playing as well as he can across the board, and that’s a big part of it. There are so many things that go into playing the quarterback position, and then so many things that go into the thing that you’re talking about, as well.

“Across the board, I think he just tries to be the best he can, do the best he can [in] every aspect of it, whether it’s huddle communication [or] pre-snap making sure everybody is in the right spots. We’ve improved greatly in those huddle, pre-snap communication areas; we have to continue to get better at that and then operating the plays at a high level.”

As Jackson integrates back into the flow of the game, the entire vibe of Baltimore’s campaign shifts. Team chemistry is a real thing, and with him slinging the rock again, expect the Ravens’ offense to vibrate at a different frequency—a resonating echo of hope for playoff glory.