The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Baltimore Ravens 18-16 at Acrisure Stadium to improve their record to 8-2 and claim sole ownership of the AFC North lead
- The Steelers and Ravens rivalry has lived up to the lore surrounding it.
Yet going into this game many felt this one might be different. Behind the future hall of fame combo of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, the Ravens have fielded the NFL’s most dominant this season. And with Russell Wilson at the helm Pittsburgh’s offense has become potent in its own right.
- Could this installment of the Steelers vs. the Ravens be a shoot out?
- No, that was not to be. Not on this afternoon at Acrisure.
This was the Steelers vs the Ravens at its best. Twice, two players from each side drew unsportsmanlike conduct flags. For 60 minutes, two defenses slugged it out. Steelers emerged victorious because they mustered a forceful, focused team-encompassing effort the very beginning of the game to the tail end.
Joey Porter Jr. stops a 2 point conversion. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com
Wait. Is It Going to Be THIS Kind of Game?
You have to wonder if Mike Tomlin doesn’t put in a little extra preparation prior to Ravens game to punish himself for picking Terrell Edmunds over Lamar Jackson in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Whether that’s the case or not, it is no secret the Steelers have had some success containing two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson. Yet, the Steelers have never had to face a Ravens backfield featuring Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry.
If the Ravens could get Henry going, that would allow Jackson unleash a torrent of RPOs and play action passes on the Steelers defense.
So the Ravens opened with a run to Henry. Keeanu Benton stopped him at just 3 years, but Baltimore’s intent was clear. They gave it to Henry again. This time Henry made it 4 yards, but Nick Herbig punched out the ball and DeShon Elliott recovered.
Less than a minute had elapsed, and here were the Steelers with the ball at Baltimore’s 32 yard line. Could it really be THIS easy? Was it really going to be THIS kind of game?
No. Its Going to Be THAT Kind of Game
Word to the wise to Steelers-Ravens newbies, if it looks too easy and it feels too easy – for either team – then it certainly is too easy.
Such was the case with the Steelers first possession. A few passes and runs to Najee Harris and George Pickens brought Pittsburgh to reach Baltimore’s 16. Then, with the Ravens secondary blanketing the Steelers wide receivers, Russell Wilson threw it away twice, bringing on Chris Boswell for field goal try. The Steelers defense had secured a turnover, given the offense prime field position, but had to try a field goal.
It would be Boswell first successful six field goal attempts.
So was going to be THAT kind of game.
First Half – Value of Executing the Ordinary
The first half of this game saw both teams combined for 7 punts and 6 three and outs, much to the disappointment of Fantasy Football owners banking on a bonanza of offensive fireworks. But for Reality Football enthusiasts the first half reinforced to fundamental truths about the game:
- Doing an extraordinary job of executing the ordinary can be priceless
- Sometimes there’s a fine line that separates reward from risk
Justin Tucker is the most accurate kicker in NFL history. The fact that he can stake that claim and reside in the AFC North, and in a dome or bleached-blond sunbelt city makes his achievement all the more remarkable.
Yet, late in the 1st quarter he missed a 50 yard field goal that could have tied the game. Yes, 50 yards is long particularly at Acrisure, but for Tucker these kicks should be more or less automatic.
But, it didn’t seem to matter. The Steelers could only muster 9 yards, and rather than squander field position, Mike Tomlin went for it. Kyle Hamilton stopped Najee Harris cold on 4th down.
- Six plays and 14 yards later, the Ravens next drive stalled.
- Out trotted Justin Tucker again, this time trying for 47 yards.
- And again he missed.
- Mike Tomlin’s risk didn’t yield a reward, but Pittsburgh didn’t pay much of a price
The Steelers managed to get another field goal two series, later, but the Ravens found the end zone with 1:16 left in the half. Yet, the Steelers could only manage 5 yard and with 46 seconds remaining, John Harbaugh, playing for all the marbles, took a time out.
Patrick Queen forces a fumble. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com
From own 9 yard line, Lamar Jackson hit Isaiah Likely on a 4-yard sideline route, only to have Patrick Queen force and then recover a fumble.
The best the Steelers could manage was a 5-yard pass to Pat Freiermuth. But Chris Boswell was money on his 32-yard field goal.
And so it was that the Steelers took a 2-point lead into the locker room by doing the ordinary things well and reaping the rewards from the Ravens unsuccessful risks.
“Play Hard, Fast and Together”
A lot will be written this week about how the Steelers schemed to slow the Ravens juggernaut offense. Yet, as he often does Mike Tomlin boiled it down to its base elements explaining, “Forget the minutia of what it is you do. You better play hard, fast, and together or you have no shot.”
Tomlin hit the nail on the head.
- Looking at the stat sheet, its hard to find a single player that stood out.
Instead, everyone had their hand in the pile. Patrick Queen may have forced a fumble and lead the team in tackles, but Larry Ogunjobi, Elandon Roberts, Cam Heyward, and Minkah Fitzpatrick all came up with big stops. Dean Lowery didn’t even play 1/3 of the snaps yet, he deflected a pass and sacked Lamar Jackson.
Even T.J. Watt’s sack came on a play where he, Preston Smith and Nick Herbig corralled Jackson out of bounds and they were able to do so because the Steelers secondary had blanketed the Ravens receivers.
- That synergy extended to both sides of the ball.
The Steelers offense blew a chance to go up two scores at the beginning of the 4th quarter when Russell Wilson got flushed from the pocket and threw an ill-advised pass to Darnell Washington in the end zone that Marion Humphrey easily picked off.
Lamarr Jackson ripped off a 25 yard run to start the next series. Derrick Henry caught a 15-yard pass. Next, Lamar Jackson looked deep for Justice Hill. Rookie Payton Wilson was on coverage.
As Mike Tomlin explained after the game, the Steelers knew the Ravens would target the rookie, prepared him for it, and Wilson clearly did not blink.
Holding Lamar in Check @ the Goal Line
Again the Steelers offense took advantage of Baltimore’s turnover, but again they had to settle for 3 instead of 7. That left the Ravens in the game. And as you’d expect, Lamar Jackson led his team to the end zone, finding Zay Flowers with a minute 6 remaining.
- But the Ravens needed the two-point conversion just to tie the game.
Baltimore sent its offense out. Mike Tomlin called time out. The Ravens, he felt had tipped their hand, so he adjusted the Steelers play call, flooding the strong side and forcing Lamar Jackson to run to his left, where he’s less effective.
- Jackson had plenty of time to throw, but no one was open.
Joey Porter Jr. brought him down as Jackson flug the ball skyward. The Steelers held their 2 point lead.
With just over a minue left, the Steelers needed a first down, as Baltimore had all of its time outs. Justin Fields came in could have gotten the first down, but he began his slide a second too soon.
On third and one Najee Harris ran it behind Zach Frazier and Isaac Seumalo. Malik Harrison stopped him, but only after Harris after he got the yard he needed.
Out came the victory formation and up went the Steelers record to 8-2, alone atop the AFC North.
