The Baltimore Beatdown staff outlines bold predictions for

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Week 4 has been circled on the calendar since the NFL schedule was released , as Ravens-Steelers is always a must watch showdown. Sage’s predictions:The Ravens will win the turnover battle.Through three games, Baltimore has three interceptions on the season to Pittsburgh’s four. The Ravens have forced just one fumble (failing to recover the football), while the Steelers have forced four fumbles and recovered two of them. Expect the Ravens to intercept at least one of Ben Roethlisberger’s pass attempts, as he has already thrown four picks on the year to Joe Flacco’s two. Baltimore’s run defense will contain James Conner. Last week, Conner rebounded from his disappointing Week 2 performance, averaging two more yards per carry. However, do not anticipate him to match his explosive 135 yard, two touchdown showing from the Steelers Week 1 tie with the Browns. Despite allowing an average of 103.7 rushing yards, Baltimore’s run defense will take advantage of the fact that Conner has never been the number one back in the rivalry, and Le’Veon Bell’s absence will be felt.Vasilis’ predictions:Marlon Humphrey will hold Antonio Brown below 50 yards receiving.Humphrey nearly shut out Brown last December, and Antonio has been out of sync with Ben Roethlisberger this season. This is a prime opportunity to let Marlon shadow Brown and put the defensive personnel in position to succeed.Justin Tucker will kick a game winning field goal with less than a minute remaining.Flacco has produced some of the best games of his career in Pittsburgh, includingcomeback wins in 2010, 2011 and 2015. Joe will drive down the field in the 4th quarter and allow the most clutch kicker in NFL history to secure the victory.Frank’s predictions: John Brown will have 150+ receiving yards and two touchdowns.Brown is off to a strong start this season. Through three games , he leads the Ravens with 222 receiving yards, which ranks 20th in the league. His 18.5 yards per catch average is reflective of his big-play ability. The Steelers defense has struggled in pass coverage this season, and Brown should be able to get loose for a couple of big gains. Getting his first taste of the Ravens-Steelers rivalry in prime time, look for “Smokey” to have a huge performance. Hayden Hurst leads all tight ends in catches and yards in his regular season debut.The Ravens first round pick returned to practice this week and is looking to make his debut on Sunday night. If he suits up, it should not take long for Hurst to make an impact. Although the Ravens tight end room is crowded, Baltimore drafted Hurst for a reason. He is a legit pass-catching threat with sure hands and crisp route-running ability. Look for him to get acclimated quickly and outproduce Mark Andrews, Maxx Williams and Nick Boyle. Dustin’s predictions:Alex Collins will rush for 150 yards. Throughout the first three weeks, Collins has yet to eclipse 100 rushing yards in a game. Pittsburgh currently has the 24th ranked run defense, and Baltimore will use that to their advantage by fully unleashing Collins. In the last meeting between these two teams, Collins rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown on 18 carriers. Expect an even better performance on Sunday night, with Collins rushing for 150 yards.Matthew Judon will have three sacks.The third-year edge rusher has started this season slower than many had hoped. However, Judon will make his presence felt against the Steelers. Pittsburgh’s right tackle Marcus Gilbert could potentially miss the game, which Judon will take advantage of , racking up at least three sacks, similar to his performance against Tennessee last season. Dean Pees' retirement from his old job as defensive coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens sure didn't last very long. Not with Mike Vrabel pouncing on the chance to lure his former coach to work with him in Tennessee.Now the NFL schedule is giving the defensive coordinator a chance to try and slow down his old team on Sunday."At some point in time when I do conclude my career," Pees said, "it will be to me a unique situation and a unique opportunity I was given to work for two guys that are great coaches and were great players for me, and for me then to kind of give back and the fact that I kind of know them so well. We're on the same page as far as how you do things and that kind of stuff, it all kind of came from the same school."Ravens coach John Harbaugh, who played for Pees at Miami (Ohio), hired his former defensive coordinator in 2010 as linebackers coach before turning over the defense to Pees in 2012 鈥?a year Baltimore won the Super Bowl. Pees held that job through last season before retiring after 45 years as a coach.Vrabel, who played for Pees in New England, called Harbaugh and Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome for permission to talk to the retired Pees once hired as the Titans head coach.Safety Eric Weddle said it was tough to see Pees join the Titans."We were all happy for him, because we know how much he loves coaching," Weddle said. "But he's with them now. We appreciate what he did here, but we're doing our thing now , and he's doing his."The Ravens replaced Pees, 69, by promoting Don "Wink" Martindale. Vrabel hired Pees to replace Dick LeBeau in Tennessee."Replacing Dick LeBeau anywhere is not an easy thing to do, and I was very aware of that, but I felt like we needed a change," Vrabel said. "And Dean has been everything that I had hoped for."Both the Ravens (3-2) and Titans (3-2) come into this game off disappointing road losses. Baltimore lost 12-9 in overtime in Cleveland, while the Titans fell 13-12 in Buffalo.After kickoff, friendships are forgotten for at least three hours."Once the game starts, we'll be trying to choke each other out," Harbaugh joked.Some things to know about the Ravens and Titans:DEFENSIVE SHOWDOWNWithout Pees, the Ravens remain just as stingy, leading the NFL in scoring defense and with 34 tackles for loss. The Ravens haven't allowed a touchdown in the second half of a game this season. Baltimore also is third in fewest yards allowed, four spots ahead of Pees' Titans , with Tennessee third against the pass, just ahead of Baltimore. Tennessee leads the NFL in red zone defense.The Titans hope to get back veteran linebacker Wesley Woodyard after missing a game with an injured shoulder, while Harbaugh hopes to get back defensive tackle Michael Pierce after missing a game with an injured foot.JACKSON'S JAUNTSDrafted 32nd overall, rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson gives opposing defenses something else to think about when he lines up behind center. The 2016 Heisman Trophy winner ranks fourth on the team with 72 yards rushing and leads Baltimore with an average of 4.5 yards per carry. Jackson ran three times for 10 yards last week and threw an incomplete pass. He's 1 for 5 through the air this season.NEED MORE OFFENSEThe Titans are coming off their second game this season when they couldn't score a touchdown. Luckily, Marcus Mariota and his elbow is off the injury report for the first time since being hurt in the season opener. But the Titans could be missing left tackle Taylor Lewan, who hurt his right foot in Buffalo. Mariota said it's just a matter of execution and the Titans have to get better.HEAVY WORKLOADTerrell Suggs was used for 66 of the 71 total snaps last week against the Browns, no small workload for a 16-year veteran who turned 36 on Thursday. Suggs is Baltimore's career sacks leader with 129, including 3 1/2 this year. A rigorous training regimen has enabled him to maintain a degree of excellence, but Harbaugh acknowledged that 66 plays might be too much.PAYBACK TIMEOdds are good that C.J. Mosley will get a chance to tackle his former Alabama teammate and current Titans running back Derrick Henry at least once, and the Ravens linebacker says he still owes Henry from last year. Henry converted a big third-down late in a Tennessee win with a big stiff arm, breaking loose from Mosley. "I have to make sure that this time I don't let him get a big play," Mosley said.AP Sports Writer Dave Ginsburg contributed to this report.Follow Teresa M. Walker at teresamwalker

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