It isn't that Nate Washington has been getting more opportunities to catch passes. After all, he has only three catches the past two games.

But each of those catches has been for a touchdown -- proof that Washington is taking advantage of his opportunities, something he hasn't always done in the past.

"That's the difference between us and the St. Louis Rams and the Indianapolis Colts," said Washington, a third-year wide receiver. "It's fun for those guys because they get so many opportunities [to catch passes]. If they do happen to miss one, they have so many more to make up for it. In this offense, it's definitely, take your chance when you have it."

Washington has done just that, erasing the memory of some of his early-season drops with touchdown catches of 30 yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars and 17 and 33 yards against the Rams.

Washington has only 24 catches this season, but five have been for touchdowns -- giving him the best touchdown-to-catch ratio on the team among players with more than five catches.

"It's a lot more frustrating to have the opportunity right in front of you and not be able to seize it because you don't know when the next opportunity might be," Washington said. "I've been doing a better job of letting it go when I drop a ball and waiting for the next one, whether it's going to come or not. That's the way we play ball here."

Washington is the team's third receiver, coming into the game when offensive coordinator Bruce Arians uses his multiple-receiver sets. Typically, when the team uses three wide receivers, he will line up on the outside with Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward will line up in the slot.

When the Steelers use four wide receivers, Holmes and Cedrick Wilson are split wide and Ward and Washington line up in the slot.

It was from each of those formations that Washington produced touchdown catches against the Jaguars and Rams. And why the Ravens and their injury-depleted secondary have to be on the alert today when the teams meet at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

"When the opportunity has presented itself, he has made plays," said Ward, who leads the team with 71 catches and is tied for the team lead with seven touchdown receptions. "You're not going to get many opportunities in this offense. But I told Nate, 'You have to do it on a consistent level, week in and week out. You can't have a huge game this week and come back the following week and not have as good a game.'"

The Ravens began the season with cornerbacks Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle, a pair of former Pro Bowlers who were part of a defense that allowed a league-low 201 points in 2006. But, because of injuries, they played only three games together this season before being placed on injured reserve.

That has forced the Ravens to start nickel back Corey Ivy at one corner and rotate Derrick Martin and Willie Gaston at the other. Gaston has started the past two games, leaving Martin as the nickel back who will come into the game when the Steelers use three or more wideouts.

"It's just confidence," Ward said of Washington, an undrafted free agent from Tiffin (Ohio) University. "I know he was down on himself. But I told him, 'Look, regardless what people say outside this room, you have confidence and I have confidence in you. You can play at this level, a high level.' And it went from there."