FRIDAY INJURY REPORT
BALTIMORE RAVENS
–OUT: CB Anthony Averett (hamstring), DT Willie Henry (abdomen)
–QUESTIONABLE: CB Brandon Carr (knee), TE Hayden Hurst (foot), S Anthony Levine (hamstring), LB C.J. Mosley (knee), DT Michael Pierce (foot), T Ronnie Stanley (foot), LB Terrell Suggs (knee)
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
–DOUBTFUL: S Morgan Burnett (groin), CB Mike Hilton (elbow)
PLAYER NOTES
–LB C.J. Mosley (knee) was able to practice this week, but he is still uncertain whether he will play Sunday night in Pittsburgh. “I’m just taking it day by day still,” he said. “I’m trying to make sure I don’t rush it and reinjure it. That’s the main goal.” Mosley practiced last week and was “really close” to playing against Denver, but was held out of the game. Mosley calls plays for the defense. Safety Eric Weddle has taken over those responsibilities with Mosley out.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: LB Kenny Young. With C.J. Mosley out with a knee injury, the rookie stepped into the starting lineup against Denver and had a dominant game. He finished with a team-high 10 tackles and had several hard hits. Young, a fourth-round pick from UCLA, also has been solid in pass coverage and is playing with confidence.
GAME PLAN: The Ravens have scored a record 12 touchdowns in 12 trips inside the red zone — six through the air and six on the ground. Quarterback Joe Flacco is playing the best football of his career and is on pace to pass for more than 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns. As a result, the Ravens will take some shots downfield against a Pittsburgh defense that is ranked 29th in the league, allowing 410.3 yards per game. However, Baltimore has struggled to get its running game on track with Alex Collins and Javorius Allen sharing the load. The Ravens will need to get more out of these players to keep the Steelers’ dynamic offense off the field.
The Ravens entered the week with the league’s No. 1 ranked defense. Baltimore is also fifth with nine sacks. That pressure has been key in keeping opposing quarterbacks off-balance. That will be especially important against Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who has already thrown for 1,140 yards with seven touchdowns and four interceptions. Pittsburgh also has talented wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Antonio Brown, and tight ends Jesse James and Vance McDonald can make game-breaking plays. The Ravens need to make sure the Steelers don’t get off to a quick start, so Flacco and the offense are not forced to recover from a big deficit. The Ravens are 9-1 when they hold Pittsburgh to 20 points or fewer since 2011, but 0-5 when the Steelers score more than 20 points.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
–Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey vs. Steelers WR Antonio Brown. Brown made headlines when he got into a sideline argument with offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner during a game against Kansas City. However, the Pro-Bowl receiver appears to have moved past the drama and had a solid game the following week against Tampa Bay with six receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown. Brown has also traditionally put up big numbers against Baltimore. Humphrey, a second-year player from Alabama, was thrust into the starting lineup with the suspension of Jimmy Smith. He will be challenged to contain the dynamic Brown and could use some support from the safeties.
–Ravens C Matt Skura and RG Marshal Yanda vs. Steelers DE Cameron Heyward. Heyward has been dominant against the Ravens and will be a disruptive force again Sunday night. Despite dealing with early knee injury, Heyward has been a main cog in the Steelers’ defense. Skura and Yanda will both have to contain Heyward from getting into the backfield and pressuring quarterback Joe Flacco. However, the Ravens also have to be wary of linebacker T.J. Watt, who leads the team with three sacks.
