Sunday night will feature one of the best rivalries in the National Football League: Pittsburgh Steelers versus Baltimore Ravens. This rivalry is characterized by hard hits, tough defense, and high emotions. Offense and points are normally at a premium when these two AFC North rivals meet. The game often comes down to one or two players making a key play that swings the balance in their team’s favor. With Le’Veon Bell still not with the team, the key player for the Steelers offense will be James Conner. His ability to be the balancing force that keeps the Baltimore defense on its heels.
Key for Steelers Offense is James Conner
Controlling the Ground
Pittsburgh running back James Conner got off to a fast start against the Cleveland Browns in Week One where he racked up 135 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns. However, against both the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Conner’s production has slowed to 78 yards and one touchdown. Baltimore enters Sunday night’s game with the top-ranked defense in the league. The Ravens’ run defense, however, has not been as strong. The Ravens are giving up more than one hundred yards per game on the ground. The Steelers need Conner to find the form he had against the Browns. If Conner cannot the Ravens will sit back and play the pass every down. If Conner can force the defense to play and respect him, that will give more opportunities to Ben Roethlisberger and the receivers to make plays in the passing game.
Balancing the Pass
It should be no surprise that the Steelers currently stand second in the league in passing offense after Roethlisberger’s huge performances against the Chiefs and Buccaneers. Standing in his way this week is the second-ranked pass defense in the league. The Ravens have forced three interceptions and less than 170 yards per game through the air. If Baltimore sits back and plays against the pass all game, it will be a long day for Pittsburgh. Sure, Big Ben has won plenty of shootouts in the past. The last matchup between these two teams was a 39-38 win by the Steelers; the highest scoring game between these two rivals. In order to keep the Ravens from keying on Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Vance McDonald, Pittsburgh needs Conner to be a strong option out of the backfield. Having Conner as a reliable option to dump the ball to when Roethlisberger is under pressure will keep the Steelers out of negative situations on Sunday. Conner can keep the passing game balanced and try to keep Ben from putting the ball into dangerous situations.
Conclusion
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a great chance to move back to the top half of the AFC North standings with a win over the rival Baltimore Ravens. For them to do that, James Conner needs to have a strong performance on Sunday night. He needs to be strong running the ball and dynamic receiving the ball out of the backfield. His performance needs to mirror that of his performance in Cleveland in Week One. In a way, he needs to channel his inner Le’Veon Bell. It’s not possible for him to do everything Bell can do. For the Steelers to contend for a championship they need Conner to be more consistent. It will balance the offense and allow it to be as dynamic as fans expect it to be. That all can start on Sunday with a win over Baltimore, and James Conner is they key for that to happen.
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