BALTIMORE – Pittsburgh and Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, are separated by over 1,100 miles and are starkly different places, but they share a surprising connection: both have given Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson a tough time. Jackson reflected on his youth football days in Lauderdale Lakes, where his team faced constant setbacks against the Lauderdale Lakes Vikings, a youth program with teams for players aged 4 to 13. Despite eventually overcoming them when it mattered most, Jackson remembers the sting of the regular season losses, confessing that he used to get upset and even cry. However, he took pride in the fact that when it counted, he led his team to victory, including a Super Bowl win.
Now, in the NFL, Jackson faces a similar challenge with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who the Ravens will meet this Sunday at Acrisure Stadium, with first place in the AFC North at stake. To reach this season’s NFL playoffs, Baltimore will likely have to overcome the Steelers, who have consistently thwarted Jackson during his six-plus years in the league. Despite Jackson’s impressive career—boasting two NFL MVP awards and the possibility of a third this season—Pittsburgh has proved to be his kryptonite. Since becoming the Ravens’ full-time starter in 2019, Jackson has a dismal 1-3 record against the Steelers, with a quarterback rating of just 66.8, his lowest against any team. His stats in those matchups are less than stellar: he has thrown just four touchdowns compared to seven interceptions, fumbled five times, and been sacked 20 times. His sole victory came in October 2019 in Pittsburgh, a narrow 26-23 win in which Jackson completed 19 of 28 passes for 161 yards, one touchdown, and rushed for 70 yards, though he was also intercepted three times.
The Steelers have dominated the rivalry in recent years, winning seven of the last eight matchups, although Jackson missed more than half of those games for various reasons. He was rested during season finales in 2019 and 2023 when playoff positions were already secured, sidelined by COVID in 2020, and injured in 2021 and 2022. Jackson admitted that missing those games against such a fierce division rival has stuck with him. “But I get a chance to go up against them this year, so I’m good,” he said. “I’m looking forward to that.”
Through the first 10 weeks of the current season, Jackson has been exceptional. He’s completed 69.1% of his passes for 2,669 yards, on pace for a career-high total. His 24 touchdown passes are tied for the most in the league, with just two interceptions—none in the past month. His 9.3 yards per attempt and passer rating of 123.2 are both league-leading figures. The Ravens’ offense has mirrored his success, leading the league in points (31.8) and yards (440.2) per game. They also top the charts in red zone scoring, rushing yards per game, and yards per rush. Their offensive DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average) of 38.6% ranks fourth-best of any team from 1979 onward. Despite all this offensive firepower, the Steelers have found ways to stymie Jackson in their encounters.
Steelers-turned-Ravens cornerback Arthur Maulet, who previously played against Jackson in Pittsburgh, revealed part of the Steelers’ defensive strategy. The key is putting pressure on Jackson by forcing him to choose between the run and the pass in the Ravens’ read-option plays. While Maulet noted that the Steelers’ defensive tactics may have evolved under new defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, he also observed that Jackson’s growth as a player since those earlier matchups is remarkable. “He gets better every year, really every week,” Maulet said. “He has so much poise.”
However, Jackson’s most recent meeting with the Steelers, in 2023, saw him struggle again. He completed 22 of 38 passes for 236 yards but was intercepted once and sacked four times, including a crucial strip-sack late in the game by Alex Highsmith, which helped seal the Steelers’ victory. Highsmith will miss this Sunday’s game due to an ankle injury, but Jackson remains focused on overcoming the Steelers’ defense. Reflecting on last year’s loss, Jackson admitted, “I don’t know what it is, man. Last year, we were supposed to beat them, but things just didn’t go our way. The football gods weren’t on our side. But it’s a whole other year, it’s a new year.”
Now, with a fresh season ahead, the question remains: Will the result be different this time around?
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