The Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6) and the Ravens (also 6-6) clash this week in Baltimore. Ahead of a matchup that will place the winner atop the AFC North (for now, at least) , I chatted with the staff of SB Nation’s Ravens website Baltimore Beatdown to figure out what the Steelers can expect from the Ravens in Week 14.

You can read my questions and their answers below:

1. The Ravens have done a good job climbing back from their 1-5 start, but their Thanksgiving loss showed there’s still some work to do. What’s the vibe around this team currently, and do you see Baltimore as a shoe-in for first place in the AFC North?

The vibes around the Ravens are strange. The team seems to be riding high off their five-game win streak, but that collapsed after the Thanksgiving loss to the Bengals. There seems to be a lot of confusion from fans and coaches as to how last year’s offense has regressed so much with largely the same cast. It’s especially frustrating seeing how wide open the AFC is this year with the Chiefs and Bills both showing inconsistencies. Much of the season-long issues remain present and it’s hard to see them being fixed this season.

Lamar Jackson is clearly not healthy and the offense is suffering because of it. There is no way I can say Baltimore is a shoe-in to win the AFC North with how their season has gone so far. I don’t think the race will be decided until close to the end of the season.

(By Dustin Cox, Stephen Bopst).

2. Lamar Jackson has not looked like himself while dealing with injuries. What does his status look like ahead of Sunday’s game? Do you see him returning to form yet?

I thought Lamar looked his healthiest last Thursday in terms of pure rushing ability. Unfortunately, his accuracy and field vision have been atrocious which has tampered any optimism. While injuries and offensive line play have been a factor, it’s discouraging to see Jackson not able to make any progress from a performance standpoint over the last three weeks.

The Steelers always have a good pass rush and give Jackson issues so it’s tough to imagine a scenario where he plays well on Sunday. But he’s still one of the most electric players in the league capable of pulling incredible performances out of thin air. If that version of Jackson shows up, it could be a long afternoon for Pittsburgh’s defense.

(By Zach Canter, Nikhil Mehta).

3. Last year, the Ravens had one of the league’s worst defenses before turning it around into one of the best. How has Zach Orr’s group evolved in his second year as defensive coordinator?

Similar to last year, the Ravens’ defense struggled mightily through the early portion of the season before beginning to improve. Prior to allowing 32 points in last week’s loss to the Bengals, the Ravens had gone six straight weeks without giving up 20 or more points. Some of this certainly has to do with a drop-off in opposing offenses and quarterback play, but Zach Orr’s defense also made clear adjustments.

The biggest one, much like last season, was changing the usage and role of Kyle Hamilton. After the Ravens acquired veteran safety Alohi Gilman in a trade, Hamilton began playing primarily around the line of scrimmage as opposed to in a deep-safety coverage role. This had a dramatic impact on the team’s defensive success. Hamilton’s ability to wreak havoc as a supplemental pass rusher, run stuffer, and tackler around the ball was unlocked.

Orr has deployed three-safety alignments with Hamilton, Gilman, and rookie Malaki Starks almost 100% of the time, giving the defense more variety and helping to offset their lack of star power up front. Acquiring edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones and growth from rookie Mike Green has also helped improve their pass rush, which was almost non-existent for the first several weeks of the year.

Orr’s defense is still prone to lapses in coverage over the middle of the field and can struggle to slow down speedy rushers, as was evident in Week 13.

4. Who are two under-the-radar players, one on each side of the ball, who could have a big impact on Sunday’s game?

On offense, you could look at the fourth running back Rasheed Ali. With Justice Hill on injured reserve, Ali has been moved up the depth chart. Interestingly, he actually took the most snaps out of all the backs last week. The Ravens were in two-minute mode for a long time and Ali has seemingly taken over Hill’s role as the third-down back. Watch how Ali impacts the game, both catching the ball and as a blocker.

On defense, I would look at Teddye Buchanan. He’s a fourth-round rookie middle linebacker and has taken a surprising number of snaps. Inside backer is one of the hardest transitions from college to the NFL, but he’s fought to be a starter next to Roquan Smith. With the Steelers’ rate of short passes, his ability in coverage will be tested.

5. The Ravens are heavy favorites heading into the weekend. How do you see this game playing out, and why?

The opening line of 5.5 points felt bizarre given the two teams’ even record and history of tight matchups. We see this game playing out much like the majority of the recent meetings between these two teams. There’s always extra motivation, whether it’s the race for the division, a chance to play spoiler, or simply the deep rivalry. No matter which team wins, expect an ugly, mistake-filled slugfest that comes down to the wire.

Neither team is particularly good at the moment, so this game could be an eyesore. I still don’t trust the Ravens in those types of games, so I am slightly leaning towards the Steelers winning on Sunday. Baltimore still feels like the type of team that loses these games.

(By Stephen Bopst, Nikhil Mehta).