Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is stoked to square off against the Baltimore Ravens in 2020.
Peter Schrager of NFL Network asked Smith-Schuster about the Steelers facing the Ravens on Thanksgiving Day, and whether the “rivalry” between the Pittsburgh and Baltimore has any “juice” left. Needless to say, JuJu is ready to go.
Does the @steelers vs. @Ravens rivalry still have the juice?@TeamJuJu is "hungry" to face BAL this season. pic.twitter.com/IPOwSIyACf
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) May 22, 2020
The Steelers star wideout said he still remembers fumbling the ball at the end of a regular-season matchup last season, but stated there are “great players” on both sides.
Pittsburgh also has the benefit of knowing Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is returning to the fold after “Big Ben” missed both matchups against the Ravens last year.
Baltimore took both contests against the Steelers in 2019, including a Week 17 thumping at M&T Bank Stadium. But things could change with a healthy Roethlisberger. A return to form from JuJu would help matters, as well.
Smith-Schuster followed up a nice rookie season with a huge sophomore campaign in 2018. JuJu caught 111 passes for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns en route to being named team MVP. It seemed he was on the verge of superstardom.
Instead, the former second-round pick struggled in 2019 amid a slew of injuries and poor quarterback play. JuJu himself also had a tough time when he was healthy. Smith-Schuster's drop percentage nearly doubled this past season.
Still, there are reasons for optimism. The Steelers defense ranked third in total defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA) last season. The Steelers also signed tight end Eric Ebron and drafted Notre Dame wide receiver Chase Claypool with their first selection of the 2020 NFL Draft.
With Roethlisberger back healthy, JuJu and the Steelers are hoping to challenge the Ravens for the divisional crown in 2020.
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