The Pittsburgh Steelers have been a kryptonite for Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson in his career. The two-time MVP is 1-3 as a starter against the Steelers. In the four games, he has four touchdowns total, seven interceptions, five fumbles, a completion percentage of 59.1%, 66.8 passer rating and has been sacked 20 times.
On Wednesday, Jackson said he can not explain why the Steelers have given him fits.
“I don’t know,” Jackson told the Baltimore media. “It’s a different team, right now. Different guys last year, it’s a different unit this year, but it’s always the same goal; we want to win. We want to be the ones that come out victorious, and that’s going to be the goal going into this game.”
Ravens cornerback Arthur Maulet played for the Steelers from 2021-2022. He believes he has a pretty good indication of what the Steelers are going try to do against Jackson on Sunday.
“So this is what they’re trying to do with Lamar. They’re going to put a person at the dive and they’re going to run a person straight at Lamar,” Maulet said, via Morgan Adsit of FOX Baltimore. “And they’re going to make him make a decision. So that’s their gameplan. … Maybe they change [it] a little bit, I ain’t been there in a while. [Jackson] can throw way better now. And he lost a little weight.”
He spent 2021-22 with Pittsburgh, Ravens CB Arthur Maulet has a pretty good idea what Lamar Jackson might see from the Steelers Sunday. Added some humor saying, "When I was over there he (Lamar) was a little fat man." Lamar has lost weight & throws way better now Maulet added. pic.twitter.com/9ea3vctfCl
— Morgan Adsit (@MorganAdsit) November 12, 2024
Maulet’s former Ravens teammate Patrick Queen signed a three-year, $41 million with the Steelers this offseason. Maulet had to go through the same ordeal last year when he left Pittsburgh, joining a division rival.
Maulet understands that it’s a business, but he has no love for the Steelers anymore.
“It’s football, man. Obviously it’s business is business,” Maulet said on Glenn Clark Radio in March. “It’s a rivalry. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t like those guys anymore. I respect them, I don’t have to like them. … I respect those guys on the other side, and obviously I want PQ to have so much success, but not against us.”
Maulet was released last May. After, he and the Steelers had a contract dispute, causing Maulet to ask for his release. Seemingly, Maulet asked for more money, and Pittsburgh did not oblige.
“I’m a vet, year No. 7,” Maulet told Ravens.com. “I just wanted a little something, a little security. I think I earned that. Baltimore gave me that, which was surprising that it was a rivalry team. Obviously, they believe in me. That just makes me feel good about the work I put in this offseason.”
Maulet didn’t get payback on the Steelers last year, as Baltimore lost to Pittsburgh in Week 5 and in Week 18. The Ravens had the No. 1 seed in the AFC secured, so they sat a number of key starters in the regular-season finale.
Maulet will try to get revenger on the Steelers on Sunday, which is building up to be a heated game. There’s a lot at stake with first place in the AFC North being on the line.
Sunday’s matchup between the Steelers andRavens has a slew of storylines. In addition to Diontae Johnson returning to Pittsburgh for the first time, Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen will also get his first shot at his former team. It will also be safety DeShon Elliott’s first game against the Ravens as a member of the Steelers.
Queen said on Wednesday that he was upset when he wasn’t offered a contract to return to the Ravens this spring and that he hasn’t talked to John Harbaugh or Eric DeCosta since he left.
“I wasn’t wanted back,” the All-Pro linebacker said while discussing his contract situation for the first time. “I didn’t get an offer back. It was definitely kind of upsetting, you know, being there for four years and the bond that you grow with your teammates and stuff.”