What to watch: The Ravens are coming off a bye-week after a solid rebound win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 10. Sitting at 6-4, they're facing a rare opportunity to knock off a struggling Saints team on the road on Monday Night Football.
Why it Matters to the Steelers: The Ravens sit at 6-4, just a half-game and a tie behind division leader Cincinnati, a team that beat them twice this year. Another loss would put the Ravens in an odd position; being on the outside looking in on the brink of December.
When and Where: 8:30 p.m. ET SuperDome, New Orleans
Keys to the Game: The Ravens must find a way to get Steve Smith involved again. He has failed to top 36 receiving yards in four of his last six games after making his statement against his former team, the Carolina Panthers, in Week 4. He had three catches for 17 yards against Tennessee.
This game was probably tabbed at the beginning of the year as a critical one for the Ravens, and indeed it is. The difference is the Saints had been expected to play much better than they have this season. While they still boast one of the game's best passing offenses, inconsistency on that side of the ball and only a mediocre unit defensively, has dragged them down to a 4-6 mark on the season. Still, they find themselves in the thick of an NFC South race that might be captured by an 8-8 team at the end of the year.
The Ravens needed some time to figure things out offensively. The bye-week should help with that, but this is a team that has seen its passing game fall off considerably over a three-game stretch in which they lost to division-rivals Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. The win over the Titans was big for them and the added week to prepare for the Saints should be enough for the Ravens to keep pace with the rest of the AFC North.