When a team starts to stack victories, confidence starts to build.
It was one thing for the Steelers' players to preach about finding confidence within their games, but it has been another to experience it, especially following two wins in a row and three out of the last four.
The 19-16 win over Atlanta on Sunday was only the continuation of what is hoping to be the start of a late-season run to an above-.500 record and a possible playoff spot, just weeks after beginning the year at 2-6. The victory against the Falcons marked the first time the Steelers won two games in a row this season.
"We've been talking about it all year, especially the wins we've had, we've got to stack them," Alex Highsmith said during Monday's otherwise-quiet open locker room session at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. "This one's big, because we know that as we stack them, they continue to get easier. We've just got to continue to stack them this week. We've got an AFC North matchup; big game this week against the Ravens, so we've just to keep stacking them this week."
The Steelers' defense has allowed an average of 14.3 points per game over their last three wins. The Falcons were held to 306 total yards and just 3-of-10 on third down, while hyper-dynamic running back Cordarrelle Patterson was kept to 60 rushing yards and did not record a reception.
The Steelers' offense, meanwhile, did not commit a turnover, and Najee Harris continued his late-season surge by rushing for 86 yards on 17 carries. He has rushed for at least that amount in three of his last four games, excluding last Monday's game at Indianapolis in which he left with an oblique injury. Kenny Pickett also took care of the football, as he passed for 197 yards and a touchdown, with a 90.9 rating.
"I think we've been playing, really, complementary football the last, probably about a month of the season," Chris Wormley said on Monday. "Offense is playing a lot better, defense has been playing a lot better, and then our special teams has been kind of playing really good, too, except for the kickoff team a couple weeks ago. They had a really solid week this week, which was cool to see. They made those adjustments. It's getting tight, and every win counts, and we're trying to play our best ball in December."
As Highsmith mentioned, though, the team's greatest rival is on the horizon. Pittsburgh will oppose Baltimore at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday in the first meeting between the teams of the season. The Steelers will meet the Ravens twice over the next four weeks (followed by a game at Baltimore on New Year's Day).
Pittsburgh has won four in a row against the Ravens, dating to the start of the 2020 season.
"It's just a lot of confidence," Highsmith added. "We know the type of team that we can be, and so, just like I said, it's huge to finally stack wins this year, and we've just got to be able to stack one this week against a really good opponent in Baltimore, so that'll give us a lot of confidence if we win this one. It's an AFC North team. They're a really good team."
The largest question mark from the opponent is the health status of former MVP Lamar Jackson, who left Sunday's win over Denver with a knee injury. Ravens coach John Harbaugh spoke with area media on Monday, and he didn't seem all too optimistic about his star's status for Sunday:
“He's been through the MRIs, and I would say it's kind of week to week," Harbaugh said. "It's going to be a weekly thing, so as the week goes on we'll see for this week. It's probably less likely for this week but it's not impossible. And then after that, it'll become more and more likely.”
If Jackson cannot go on Sunday, it would be Tyler Huntley under center. Baltimore signed veteran Brett Hundley to the practice squad on Monday, and those would be the only two QBs on roster if Jackson misses action.
Huntley started for the Ravens in the second matchup against the Steelers last season, on Jan. 9. He completed 16 of 31 passes for 141 yards and two interceptions, while rushing 12 times for 72 yards, as the Steelers won 16-13 in overtime in Baltimore.
"It's really hard to replace a guy like Lamar," Wormley said. "I know Huntley has been in the system for a couple years now, and he can do some similar things, but I think Lamar's kind of in a class of his own when it comes to what he can do with the ball with his legs, throwing the ball, and just his command of the offense. ... (Huntley) can still do some things, but I think it's going to be hard to replace a guy like Lamar if he's not healthy."