Steelers staying focused on Ravens

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) celebrates his touchdown with teammate Darrius Heyward-Bey (88) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015.

This was a team that entered training camp with practically everyone having expectations that its highly efficient and balanced offense would have to carry a transitioning and young defense that just did not look to be very good.

The Ravens have been eliminated from the playoffs and they can only hope to damage the Steelers playoff hopes right now. Brown’s season-long production has been especially impressive because Roethlisberger missed four games with knee and foot injuries. I think each one goes about their job a little bit differently, but it’s always 100 percent. So, it just can’t happen that way.

“We’re going to keep playing”.

-Ravens NT Brandon Williams vs Steelers RB DeAngelo Williams. While Roethlisberger was nursing an MCL sprain, backup Michael Vick passed for only 124 yards. With a victory Sunday and a loss by the New York Jets, the Steelers are in.

There’s no telling who will be calling the signals for Baltimore.

Coach John Harbaugh said Monday he wouldn’t reveal whether Jimmy Clausen, Matt Schaub or Mallett would start this week, and Trestman believes all three are ready if called upon.

FAST FACTS: Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is 10-10 all-time against the Ravens and counterpart Harbaugh is 9-9 against Pittsburgh. “But largely, their schematics are their schematics, and they have a playing style that has been displayed throughout the 14 games that they’ve played”. Koch, now in his 10th year, has played in a Ravens franchise-record 158 consecutive contests. But this is Steelers-Ravens, so…

There’s only one thing on the Steelers’ minds this Christmas week, and it’s “Baltimore”, Roethlisberger said. “They’re going to have to take it from us; they’re not coming in here and just beating us”. It was the second week in a row he set a single-game high for catches in a game.

“… Regardless of circumstance, we should anticipate their best, and they should anticipate ours”. Mitchell returned to the Broncos game after missing only one play when he was injured. “It’s our division rival”, Ravens guard Marshal Yanda said. Denver, Cincinnati, Houston and Indianapolis have quarterback issues.

Since that game, Pittsburgh has won five of six. He had 17 catches for 284 yards against Oakland last month.

When pressed on whether he would feel any extra joy if the Steelers were to clinch in Baltimore, Tomlin said, “It’d be hard for me to care less about the location”.

FanSided Daily brings you the hottest content on your favorite teams. “He has been as critical to our run in that regard as he has as a player”.

If you were wondering, the Steelers’ largest margin of victory in this rivalry was a 37-0 win in 1997. Defensively, the Baltimore Ravens yield 248.3 yards in passing and 99.5 yards in rushing.

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger and WR Antonio Brown are devouring defenses at a record clip.

“I just don’t want to put any parameters on it right now”, Harbaugh said about the starter.

Baltimore, meanwhile, has come to rely on Kamar Aiken since Steve Smith’s season ended with a torn Achilles tendon.

-The Baltimore Ravens have not named a starting quarterback for the game against the Steelers.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T: The word “hate” has been used in the past by the Steelers and Ravens to describe their feelings toward each other, but Tomlin sees things differently. (We are) probably not going to say anything. “We’ve got respect for how they do their business and their intentions, and I really think the intensity of the rivalry is based on that respect”.