Tag Archives: Steelers vs. Ravens

Steelers Report Card for Win Over Ravens: Dare to Dream Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher daring to dream that his classroom once again features a franchise quarterback, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the 2022 win over the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers vs Ravens, Steelers vs Ravens 2022 M&T Bank Stadium

Minkah Fitzpatrick with the game-sealing pick. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune Review

Quarterback
Kenny Pickett’s stat line of 16 of 27 for 168 yards and one touchdown appears so “pedestrian” at first glance. But there was nothing pedestrian about the poise and playmaking instincts he showed on his final pass. Grade: A-Steelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Najee Harris had his first 100 yard game, a 111 yard one to be exact, mixing long runs and tough yards on 22 carries. Jaylen Warren ran for 76 yards on 11 carries with Derek Watt converting a 3rd and 1 for 3 yards. Warren and Harris combined for 5 catches, none more important that Harris’ game winner. Harris also pushed Pickett on a 4th down conversion. Grade: A+

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth had 3 catches on 6 targets for 36 yards to lead the team, but his 20 yard catch brought the Steelers to midfield on the game winning drive. Neither Zach Gentry nor Connor Heyward had a catch, but contributed to run blocking. Grade: B

Wide Receivers
Diontae Johnson had 2 catches for 35 yards, Steven Sims had 3 for 34 yards and George Pickens “only” had 2 for 29 yards. Miles Boykin didn’t have a catch, but helped push Kenny Pickett across the line on a QB sneak. Gunner Olszewski executed a nice reverse and made a key block on Warren’s long run. Plays like that, along with the receiver’s stats won’t make Fantasy Football owners happy.  But the reality is that the quality of each individual play is why the Steelers playoff hopes are alive. Grade: B+

Offensive Line
Kenny Pickett was sacked twice and hit nine times. The latter number is too high, but is OK given the context. However, the offensive line contested the line of scrimmage from the very beginning and paved the way for the best rushing effort of a Steelers offense since Le’Veon Bell’s prime. Grade: B

Defensive Line
Cam Heyward led the unit with 4 tackles followed by 3 by rookie DeMarvin Leal. What the stat sheet doesn’t show is the number of times the Ravens rushers were either stopped for zero or minimal gain. An excellent night for the line. Grade: A

Linebackers
Robert Spillane led the unit with 8 tackles including one for a loss. T.J. Watt “only” had one sack, but it came two plays after J.K. Dobbins 22 yard run and helped ensure it was the last run of the night. Watt also had another tackle for a loss and 3 other QB hits. Alex Highsmith and 3 tackles – for little or no gain. Grade: A

Secondary
The Ravens were 5 for 12 on third downs. And for the second consecutive week, an opponent’s desperation comeback attempt ended with a Steelers interception, this time at the hands of Minkah Fitzpatrick, who also led the unit in tackles. Grade: A

Special Teams
Chris Boswell missed a field goal, although he made 3 others including a 51 yarder. The Steelers gave up a long kickoff return, only to have their defense deliver a save. Pressley Harvin averaged 5 yards a punt including one inside the 20. Grade: C-

Coaching
Complainers about Matt Canada’s offense will find plenty of fodder given the Steelers partly pass numbers, sluggish Red Zone performance and settling for field goals instead of touchdowns. Again.

So be it. The Baltimore Ravens are on of the toughest teams in the NFL to rush on, and the Steelers waltzed into their home and rushed the ball down their throats earning a 10 point advantage in the time of possession.

  • Moreover, the Steelers committed to the run and that delivered dividends as the game wore on.

On defense Teryl Austin and Brian Flores decided that the Ravens weren’t going to repeat their success running against the Steelers, and deployed a 4-4-3 scheme that featured 2 rookies to stop the Ravens. And stop the Ravens they did.

Eight weeks ago the Steelers record was 2-6. They’d just gotten thrashed by the Philadelphia Eagles, and talk both inside and outside of Pittsburgh was how high within the top 5 of the draft the Steelers would fall.

But Mike Tomlin committed his team to playing to win, his players bought into it, and today their playoff hopes remain alive. Grade: A

Mark Robinson, Gus Edwards, Steelers vs Ravens M&T Bank Stadium

Mark Robinson stops Gus Edwards. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Unsung Hero Award
Mike Tomlin hesitates to praise rookies too much. Yet after the Ravens game he described this individual as “combative” and “confrontational” urging that those characteristics were “needed.” Seven tackles on 50% of the defensive snaps were enough to make Mark Robinson the 3rd leading tackler of game and for that he win Unsung Hero honors for the 2022 win over the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

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He’s Got “It”: Steelers Beat Ravens 16-13 as Kenny Pickett’s Poise Carries Day

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Neither quarterback threw for over 200 yards. The teams executed over 70 runs from scrimmage. Three points defined the difference. The game went down to The Wire.

  • In other words It was the Steelers vs the Ravens at their best.

And the Pittsburgh Steelers prevailed 16-13 because of “Decision Making Plus Pickett.” The Steelers won because of:

  • Decisions made before the game
  • Decisions made on draft day
  • Decisions made during the game

Add those to the poise that Kenny Pickett showed when the game was on the line, and the result was a decisive Steelers win. Let’s look each element in detail.

Kenny Pickett, Steelers vs Ravens

Kenny Pickett drops back. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Pre Game Decision

22 days ago the story was very different. The Baltimore Ravens arrived at Acrisure Stadium, lost their 2nd string quarterback and dared the Steelers to stop the run. It all came down to a 3rd and 3 play:

  • Either the Steelers stop the run and force a punt, or the Ravens run out the clock.

Everyone knew the Ravens would run. They did. And the Steelers couldn’t stop them, leading to this conclusion:

That singular failure in the trenches illustrates why the Ravens are leading the AFC North and why the Pittsburgh Steelers appear destined to author the first losing season of the Mike Tomlin era.

In his post-game press conference, Mike Tomlin feigned a shrug off, only conceding that “They wore us down.” But with Mike Tomlin, it’s always watch what he does, not what he says.

A week later, the Steelers won the toss and deferred to the Carolina Panthers, daring a team with a strong rushing attack to run against them. The Panthers tried to pounce, but the Steelers tamed them.

On Christmas Eve, the Raiders brought the NFL’s leading rusher to Pittsburgh. And, in near Artic conditions, they tried to run the ball down the Steelers throats. Outside of their first drive, they failed.

  • But stopping the Panthers and Raiders from running on you is one thing.
  • Stopping the Ravens, in Baltimore no less, is something else entirely.
T.J. Watt, Steelers vs Ravens

T.J. Watt stuffs J.K. Dobbins. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

So Mike Tomlin, Teryl Austin and Brian Flores put their heads together to devise what network commentators called a 6-2-3 formation and what Jim Wexell termed as a 4-4-3 formation. However you arrange those numbers it doesn’t matter, the Steelers planned to deploy their biggest bodies and stoutest run stoppers. Mike Tomlin knows that innovation is worthless without execution.

So he did what NFL coaches seldom do in this day and age, let alone this late in the season: He ordered a fully padded practice.

But, as Tomlin is wont to say, “Coaches coach. Players play.”

Draft Day Decisions Come to Fruition

Even the best coaching schemes require competent execution by players. Against the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium, Mike Tomlin not only trusted his players, he embraced a youth movement. Snap counts never lie:

Connor Heyward: 17%
Jaylen Warren: 40%
Mark Robinson: 50%
DeMarvin Leal: 52%
George Pickens: 73%
Kenny Pickett: 100%

Those are all rookies, each one a member of the Steelers 2022 Draft Class, save for Jaylen Warren, who was an Undrafted Rookie Free Agent. But these numbers don’t tell a story about quantity, but rather quality.

George Pickens, Steelers vs Ravens

George Pickens makes a clutch catch. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Mark Robinson made or contributed to several critical stops. Jaylen Warren executed one of those oft maligned Jet Sweeps to perfection, gaining 31 yards and setting up the Steelers first score. George Pickens, dare we say, made the kind of catch that would have made Lynn Swann look proud.

Game Day Decision Making Delivers

Rushing the ball in today’s NFL anything is but vogue. The networks and Fantasy Football owners prefer passing. The college game is so skewed toward the pass that the fullback sits on the brink of extinction.

  • The Steelers are hardly immune.

Bruce Arians banished the fullback in his first act as offensive coordinator. Over the last decade Mike Tomlin has staffed shallow backfields, only to see injuries strike down starters and key backups just in time for the playoffs time and time again.

And, in the estimation of Steel City Insider’s Matt C. Steel, Steelers coaches abandon the run both too early and too often.

So when the Steelers began their first possession of the 2nd half down by a touchdown, the precedent if not the temptation to put the game in the hands of Kenny Pickett, Diontae Johnson, George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth had to be there.

  • Instead, Matt Canada remained committed to the run.

Najee Harris got the ball on the second play from scrimmage and ripped off a 15 yard run. Naysayers will note that although Harris and Warren managed a few other good runs on the drive, they also got stuffed several others and that the offense was forced to settle for a 51 yard Chris Boswell field goal.

Najee Harris, James Daniels, Steelers vs Ravens

James Daniels blocks for Najee Harris. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

And that’s the point. As soon as the Steelers got the ball back, Canada handed it again to Harris, and Najee Harris again blasted for 15 yards.

  • Good game day decision making was just as important to the defense as it was the offense.

Early in the second quarter it seemed like the Steelers might simply stone the Ravens running game. Baltimore opened a 2nd quarter drive with a run to Gus Edwards that T.J. Watt and Mark Robinson stopped for no gain. After a nine yard completion to DeSean Jackson, the Ravens tried to run it to Gus Edwards again.

But the Ravens rallied, rushing the ball – no imposing their will – with J.K. Dobbins on their next drive, setting up their only touchdown. Yet, the Steelers coaches refused to panic. The Ravens tried to pound the ball in the second half, but the Steelers refused to yield, forcing Tyler Huntley to beat them with his arm, something he couldn’t do, even when the Steelers stopped Baltimore a 56 yard kick return.

And so it was that the Steelers were down 9 to 13 with 4:16 left to play.

Pickett’s Poise Carries the Day – Again

Since he took the reins of the offense in week 4 against the Jets, much has been made about Kenny Pickett’s unimpressive statistics, the weak competition he’s faced, Red Zone struggles and his reliance on short-high percentage passes at the expense of open receivers downfield.

While those critiques remain valid, they belie a certain truth:

  • Kenny Pickett can learn what he needs to learn to improve on those areas of his game.

But consider the play he made on the touchdown pass to Najee Harris:

That shows poise and playmaking ability can’t be taught nor can it be learned. A player either has it, or he doesn’t.

  • Kenny Pickett has “It.”

And because of that the 2022 Pittsburgh Steelers playoff hopes remain alive going into the season’s final week.

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Losing It In the Trenches: Steelers Lose to Ravens 16-14 as Baltimore Dominates Line of Scrimmage

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The Pittsburgh Steelers fell to the Baltimore Ravens 16-14, losing out in the battle of the backup quarterbacks. The loss snapped the Steelers 2 game winning streak and the Ravens four game losing streak against Pittsburgh.

  • The reason for the change in trends?

As Mike Tomlin conceded during his press conference, there’s nothing mystical about it:  When you turn the ball over 4 times in the Red Zone, you’re going to lose. Even if that is true, and it is, the Steelers still had a chance to win. They didn’t because they fell short on another, more ominous fundamental.

Gus Edwards, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers vs Ravens

It falls to Minkah Fitzpatrick to stop Gus Edwards. Not Good. Photo Credit: Joey Polney, BaltimoreRavens.com

Understanding Tomlin’s Patience with Pickett

The win over the Falcons provided an affirmative example of why Mike Tomlin has been smart to stick with Kenny Pickett, despite calls from outside the franchise to sit the rookie. The loss to the Ravens provides a negative one.

  • Pickett’s progress has been slow at times, painfully slow.

The offense has improved, outside the Red Zone at least, the improvement has flowed the way molasses drips down the side of a bottle. The positive is that the drip’s progress is sustainable – unless something acts on it from the outside.

Roquan Smith, Kenny Pickett, Steelers vs Ravens

Roquan Smith sacks Kenny Pickett. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

  • A reason for Pickett’s slow progress is that he’s been very, very careful with the ball.

That caution virtually eliminated turnovers from Pickett’s game, yet that caution came at the cost of settling for field goals instead of touchdowns.

  • The Baltimore Ravens were the outside force that slowed the molasses of Pickett’s progress.

After just two series (and two punts), Pickett left the game in the concussion protocol, giving way to Mitch Trubisky. And Tribusky certainly provided the proverbial “spark” to the offense.

  • He wasted little time in finding Pat Freiermuth for 14 yards converting a 3rd and 9
  • He immediately struck downfield to George Pickens for 42 yards
  • He looked again to Pickens who drew a pass interference penalty

Najee Harris lunched himself into the end zone, cutting Baltimore’s lead to 3. The decisiveness, and the downfield aggressiveness that had been missing from the offense was back. I daresay the series reminded me of the tiempo pickup we saw when Joe Gibbs benched Jay Schroeder in favor of Doug Williams against the Lions back in ’87.

But Tribusky’s aggressiveness carried its own cost. His next two series ended with a Red Zone interception and another interception just outside the Red Zone. Instead of settling for a Chris Boswell field goal, the Steelers got nothing.

Worse yet, while Tribusky protected the ball better the next time the Steelers neared the Ravens Red Zone, Calais Campbell blocked Chris Boswell’s field goal….

Yet despite turning the ball over four times on three possessions which could reasonably have ended with Chris Boswell field goals, the Steelers were in the game till the very end.

Defense Fails @ Line of Scrimmage

Normally turning the ball over four times yet still having a chance to win amounts to a tiny silver lining. That’s not the case here.

The Steelers defense had a chance to win this game. And the Steelers salary cap decision tell us that this defense was built to win games just like this.

Those Splash plays were nice, but the Steelers defense came up short on bread and butter plays. Fitzpatrick’s hit on Huntley forced him from the game, bringing in Ravens 3rd string quarterback Anthony Brown.

Gus Edwards, Alex Highsmith, Steelers vs Ravens

Gus Edwards stiff arms Alex Highsmith. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

  • All the Steelers needed to do was stop the Ravens running game.

The Steelers defense knew the run was coming. They tried to stop it. They failed. J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards hung 186 yards on Pittsburgh.

Sure, the Steelers limited the Anthony Brown-led Ravens offense to one field goal. But the field goal drive saw the Ravens rip off runs of 5, 14, 6, 7 and 7 yards. Patrick Ricard also converted a 3rd and 1. Oh, and the Steelers had done a good job of taking Mark Andrews.

  • Except when Anthony Brown hit him for 7 yards on to convert a 3rd and 4 on the field goal drive.

The worst play for the Steelers run defense came last: Gus converted a 3rd and 3, gaining 6 yards thanks to a Minkah Fitzpatrick stop.

You know your run defense is “choto” (Argentine slang for… coming up short er um, anatomically , discussed here) when it is 3rd and 3 after the 2 minute warning where a stop gets you the ball back and your free safety makes the tackle.

  • And so it was.

That singular failure in the trenches illustrates why the Ravens are leading the AFC North and why the Pittsburgh Steelers appear destined to author the first losing season of the Mike Tomlin era.

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Steelers Report Card for Overtime Win over Ravens: Ben in a Blaze of Glory Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher beaming that his star pupil is going out in a blaze of glory, here is the Steelers Report Card for the overtime win over Baltimore in Ben Roethlisberger’s last game at M&T Stadium.

T.J. Watt, T.J. Watt sack record. Tyler Huntley, Steelers vs Ravens

T.J. Watt ties the NFL sack record. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger had a 49.2 passer rating for the first three quarters. By the end of overtime, it was 80.1. So it’s a glass half full, glass half empty situation right? Wrong. Five 3rd or 4th down conversions, one lead scoring 4th quarter drive and another overtime score fill the glass every time. Grade: A+

Running Backs
Najee Harris had 56 yards total yards from scrimmage, to the horror of Fantasy Football fans. To the delight of Reality Football fans, he started overtime off with a one handed catch – with his left hand – and finished it with a 15-yard romp that made the final field goal a gimmie — while carrying the ball with his left arm. (Still wonder why we drafted him?) Benny Snell better than his numbers but the drop off was noticeable. Grade: A-Steelers, Report Card, grades,

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth missed a 3rd down conversion in regulation, but boy did he make up for it in overtime. He also did well blocking. Zach Gentry quietly caught 4 balls on 5 targets while blocking well. Grade: B+

Wide Receivers
Chase Claypool might have had his best day as a Steeler, and this is for a guy who had 3 TDs as a rookie. No, Claypool didn’t score a lot of points for Fantasy Football owners (see the trend), but he made hard gritty plays on the ground, catching the ball and blocking. Diontae Johnson had a good day catching 7 of 51 passes. Ray-Ray McCloud’s 4-37 might not seem like much, but boy, those catches counted. Grade: B+

Offensive Line
Ben Roethlisberger was only hit twice and sacked once – when can you say that after a Ravens game. While that was good, the run blocking wasn’t quite as solid has it had been against Cleveland. Grade: C

Defensive Line
Cam Heyward lead the team in tackles had a sack and another tackle for a loss. Chris Wormley got a sack and batted down a ball. Yet the Ravens still gained over 150 yards rushing with a 45 yard run and two plus 20 yard runs. Grade: B-

Linebackers
T.J. Watt had a sack and a hand in another that he wasn’t credited with. However, highly amateur film analysis suggests that linebacking lapses were at fault for the run defense woes. Grade: C+

Secondary
The Ravens were 3-14 on third downs and Tyler Huntly completed no passes in overtime. Cam Sutton’s interception in the end zone was a game changer, and Terrell Edmund’s pick, lucky though it was, positioned Pittsburgh for its first points. Arthur Maulet continues to come up strong in run support. Minkah Fitzpatrick pass defense of Marquise Brown with 31 seconds remaining is the season’s most underrated play. Grade: A

Coaching
Again, the Steelers offense remained stuck in third gear for 3 quarters and again did not find away out until Ben Roethlisberger took over. Is Roethlisberger just an adrenaline junkie? Have his skills eroded to the point where it takes a pressure cooker for him to deliver? Or is Matt Canada’s offense not suited for him? Or do the Steelers simply lack too many people in the trenches? Or is Canada just in over his head?

Outside of a few exceptions in October, the Steelers offense has only ever been effective late in games. Sixteen points in 5 quarters isn’t going to win you a lot of post season games in the NFL, but it was good enough to get Ben Roethlisberger to the playoffs.

With that said, credit Canada for using Chase Claypool to get the offense moving, which was critical on the touchdown drive.

  • On defense the Steelers played solid football.

Yes, the run defense lapses were real, but the Steelers coaches managed to make the right adjustments to neutralize that advantage down the stretch.

Beyond the X’s and O’s the attitude and the resiliency of this group of players is phenomenal. Yes, Ben Roethlisberger was the one throwing those 3rd and 4th down passes, but it takes a focused and ready receiver to catch them.

Ray-Ray McCloud, Steelers vs Ravens, Ray-Ray McCloud 4th down catch Ravens

Ray-Ray McCloud comes down with it on 4th down. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

It doesn’t just take special talent to learn how to carry — and catch — with your left arm in the middle of a season finale with the playoffs on the line, it takes a special attitude. The Steelers “smiled in the face of adversity” to use Mike Tomlin’s words, and he deserves the credit for setting that tone. Grade: A-

Unsung Hero Award
How did the Steelers rally start? With a big Ben Roethlisberger pass? No. With a defensive “Splash play?” No. With a running back ripping off a run? No. It was actually Ray-Ray McCloud’s 23-yard punt return that set the Steelers up at midfield. Steelers special teams also defended a fake punt attempt early that could have been a game changer. And of course Chris Boswell went 3 for 3 and for that the Steelers Special teams win the Unsung Hero Award for the win over the Ravens.

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Playoff Bound! Steelers Beat Ravens 16-13 as Ben Roethlisberger Leads Overtime Comeback

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Last week’s Steelers win over the Browns was perfect. After such an emotional, dramatic close to Ben Roethlisberger’s career at Heinz Field, one wondered whether the Steelers had left it all on the field, whether the season finale would be anything more than disappointing denouement.

  • Oh, but underestimate these 2021 Pittsburgh Steelers at your peril.

The Steelers not only had “something” left to take to Baltimore, but they topped the Browns game for drama with a 4th quarter comeback and an 16-13 overtime win over the Baltimore Ravens.

How did the Steelers pull this off? Because, as Mike Tomlin describes Ben Roethlisberger is “…The same when everyone else gets funny.”

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers vs Ravens, Ben Roethlisberger final regular season game

Ben Roethlisberger fades back. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Slow Starting Steelers Hold True to Form

If it’s the Steelers vs the Ravens you know the game will be won and lost either the trenches or by the team that creates its own opportunity with a big play. The close to the 2021 season was no exception. After a bobbled snap,  a strip by T.J. Watt and a recovery by Henry Mondeaux the Steelers had a chance to prove both points.

A quick pass to Zach Gentry, followed by two strong runs from Benny Snell and another catch by Diontae Johnson gave the Steelers a 4th and 1 on the Ravens five. Mike Tomlin opted to go for it, but an illegal procedure  penalty robbed Pittsburgh of a shot at imposing its will.

The Steelers offense couldn’t do much for the rest of the first half, as the Ravens answered Terrell Edmunds interception with one of their own, but the Steelers defense held, followed by 7 straight series that resulted in an exchange of punts.

  • But Pittsburgh’s tenacity in the trenches would pay off.

The Ravens reached the Red Zone, but a Cam Heyward sack resulted in a personal foul, bringing Baltimore to the 3. T.J. Watt struck next, with an NFL record tying sack of Tyler Huntley, and the Steelers DBs did the rest, forcing Baltimore to settle for a field goal.

That four point differential would come in handy later on….

Run Defense? What Run Defense?

One has to wonder why any offensive coordinator would do anything other than call run plays against the 2021 Pittsburgh Steelers. Baltimore got the message at half time, as it only took them 5 plays to put Latavius Murray in position to rip off a 45 yard touchdown run.

  • Yes, Steelers Nation. We have seen this movie before. Too. Many. Times.

The Steelers answered with a field goal, but Baltimore held the lead. Two series later the Ravens circled in on making Pittsburgh pay for settling for a simple field goal. Latavius Murray gouged them for runs of 22 and 27 yards on consecutive plays. Sticking with what was working, Murray ran for 3 and then 6 yards bring up 3rd and 1 at the Steelers 17 yard line. The first down and eventual touchdown appeared to be formalities.

  • By Henry Mondeaux and Miles Killebrew stuffed Mark Andrews for no gain.
Cam Sutton, Mark Andrews, Steelers vs Ravens, Ben Roethlisberger final regular season game

Cam Sutton intercepts a pass to Mark Andrews. Photo Credit: Ravens.com

The Ravens went for it on 4th. This time Huntley ran it, and got 2 yards. Williams added another 4. Then, John Harbaugh opted to take to the air. Tyler Huntely threw a lazy pass towards Mark Andrews. Cam Sutton read it all the way and picked it off.

In two Red Zone situations, the Steelers defense had knocked 11 points off the Ravens board. They were creating their own opportunities.

A Patented Ben Roethlisberger 4th Quarter Comeback

Ben Roethlisberger went to work. He completed 5 straight passes with Benny Snell taking the last one 24 yards into the Red Zone. But a face mask penalty drove the Steelers back 15 yards, and two plays later, the Steelers punted.

But Roethlisberger was just getting warmed up, and the Steelers defense had come alive. Baltimore tried to kill the clock by shoving it down the Steelers throat, but Joe Schobert, Arthur Maulet and Cam Heyward each came up with critical stops.

Ben Roethlisberger would throw 9 passes over the next 5 minutes and 13 seconds, converting 2 third downs along the way before connecting with Chase Claypool from the six yard line to put Pittsburgh ahead with 3:54 remaining.

Three minutes and fifty four seconds is a long time in football, and even longer when your opponent has Justin Tucker. The Ravens tied the game, and the Steelers moved the ball.

  • But on 3rd and short Pat Freiermuth came up just short of the first down. Pittsburgh punted.

Tyler Huntley connected with Mark Andrews for 12 yards before throwing 3 straight incompletions. A punt and a kneel down later and the Steelers and Ravens were in overtime.

Overtime Atonement

The Ravens won the toss, got the ball. They earned a 1st down before Cameron Heyward stoned Murray for a one yard gain, leading to 2 Huntley incompletions. It was time for Ben Roethlisberger to do what he has done best for 18 years:

  • Author a game winning drive at the gun.

 

Najee Harris, Steelers vs Ravens, Ben Roethlisberger final regular season

Najee Harris starts overtime with 1 handed catch. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review.

Najee Harris set the tone on 1st down by transforming a seemingly broken play by making a one handed catch – with his left hand, and rushing it 11 yards.

Or 3rd and 7, Ben Roethlisberger gunned it to Pat Freiermuth who got the 1st down a 7 more yards. On 3rd and 9, Roethlisberger found Diontae Johnson, who made an 11 yard catch. On 4th and 8 Roethlisberger wanted to hit Freiermuth again, but had to target to Ray-Ray McCloud. McCloud had missed a 3rd down conversion before.

  • This time Ray-Ray McCloud made good, gaining 11 yards.

The Steelers had the ball at the Raven’s 31. 48 yards is in Chris Boswell’s range, but in January, in the rain? In the end, it didn’t matter. Najee Harris, carrying the ball in his left arm, ripped off a 15 yard gain to put the ball at the 16.

  • Roethlisberger closed his chapter at M&T Bank just as he’d closed it at Heinz Field – he took a knee.

One play later, the Chris Boswell knocked in a 36 yard field goal. Thanks to major upset by the Jacksonville Jaguars, and a win by the Las Vegas Raiders the 2021 Pittsburgh Steelers were going to the playoffs!

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King of the North? With 1 Win, Ben Roethlisberger can Boost His Record in Baltimore to .500

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The moment has arrived. It is time for Ben Roethlisberger to retire and being his “Life’s Work.”

Roethlisberger taking a knee to close Steelers 26-14 win on Monday Night Football over the Cleveland Browns couldn’t have been a more picture perfect ending for his time in Pittsburgh. But Big Ben is set to strike midnight in Baltimore, not in Pittsburgh. Which is also perfect.

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers vs Ravens, Ben Roethlisberger Baltimore, Ben Roethlisberger M&T Bank Stadiu

Ben Roethlisberger calling plays @ M&T Bank Stadium. Photo Credit: Tommy Gilligan, USA Today via the Athletic.

  • Because Ben Roethlisberger can end his career by completing the circuit.

The last game before the Ben Roethlisberger, the finale to the Steelers 2003 Season, was played in Baltimore. The first game of the Ben Roethlisberger era began in M&T Bank Stadium on September 19, 2004 with 6:45 left in the third quarter when Roethlisberger tried to target Plaxico Burress after going in for an injured Tommy Maddox.

His next pass was intended for Hines Ward, but got picked off by Adalius Thomas and his last pass on the as the afternoon would end with a 30 to 13 decision in Baltimore’s favor. But that was the last time Ben Roethlisberger would lose in his rookie year until the AFC Championship.

  • So the incentive for Ben to finish where he started is strong. But this goes beyond that.

Since that day Ben Roethlisberger has played in Baltimore 11 more times, having missed a surprising number of games due to injury or sitting out season finales.

But going into the final game of his career, Roethlisberger’s record in Baltimore is 5-6. Roethlisberger didn’t win his first game in Charm City until 2008, the year the Steelers won Super Bowl XLIII. And although he’s had some rough sledding and a few embarrassing losses in Baltimore, Ben hasn’t lost there since 2016.

Ben Roethlisberger has owned the AFC North for 18 years. For a long time he was the winningest quarterback in Cleveland since the Browns return to the NFL in 1999 and he’s done quite well in Paul Brown Stadium.

  • With one final win on Sunday, Ben Roethlisberger can improve his career record in Baltimore to an even .500.

Let’s do it Ben! Let’s close with one last win over the Ravens in Baltimore to officially go out King of the North!

 

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Steelers Report Card for Win Over Ravens: Rebound with Force Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher unabashedly proud of his student ability forcefully rebound, here is the Steelers Report Card for the 2021 Heinz Field win over the Ravens.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers vs Ravens, Minkah Fitzpatrick end zone interception

Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepts Lamarr Jackson in the end zone. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Quarterbacks
The “Bench Ben” calls look silly now, don’t they? Ben Roethlisberger played perhaps his finest game of the season, going 21-31-1-0 for 236 yards and he had a perfectly thrown touchdown ball dropped. You don’t lead 51 comeback wins by accident, and you don’t earn your 51st against the AFC’s leading team if you’re washed up. Grade: A

Running Backs
Najee Harris had his best night on the ground in weeks gaining 71 yards on 21 carries and he banged out his best ones with the game on the line. He also caught 5 passes for 36 yards. Benny Snell came in late and while he only had two carries for 13 yards, he ran strong and sustained a scoring drive. Grade: B+Steelers, Report Card, grades,

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth and 3 catches for 26 yards including two that set up the Steelers first score. And he came through with a very difficult 2 point conversion catch. Zach Gentry had 2 catches on the final Steelers scoring drive, one that converted a 3rd down and another than brought them to the 2. Grade: B+

Wide Receivers
Diontae Johnson caught 8 of 11 passes thrown his way for 109 yards and two touchdowns. He is developing into something special. Chase Claypool was having a relatively quiet night, until he opened the 4th quarter by flipping the field, setting up the Steelers first touchdown. Ray-Ray McCloud had one catch for 7 yards and was robbed of a 32 yarder. James Washington had one pass thrown his way. Diontae Johnson’s dropped TD lowers the group grade. Grade: A-

Offensive Line
Ben Roethlisberger was sacked once and hit 3 other times which might be some sort of record low for the Steelers-Ravens rivalry. The biggest difference however was the run blocking. When John Leglue entered the game following B.J. Finney’s injury, he became the 5th player to man the left guard position for the Steelers. Instead of contributing to the downward spiral of the line, he delivered improvements to the run blocking and that, quite frankly, was the difference in this game. Grade: A

Defensive Line
Cam Heyward was his usual disruptive self, dropping players behind the line of scrimmage, hitting Lamar Jackson and sacking him to help set up the Steelers first score. Montravius Adams walked in off the street and batted down a pass on his eight play as a Steeler. The Ravens came in to Pittsburgh with the NFL’s number one rushing attack and barely cracked 100 yards. Grade: A

Linebackers
If T.J. Watt was this good after having COVID how explosive would he have been at full health? Watt’s 3.5 sacks and forced fumble get the attention, but ability to set the edge in the running game and stay disciplined in pursuit of Jackson were equally important. Watt’s first pressure of Jackson forced an interception. His last force an incompletion on a 2-point conversion. Alex Highsmith had struggled against the run but made two tackles for losses. Joe Schobert had a pass defensed. Grade: A

Secondary
Minkah Fitzpatrick’s end zone interception set the tone not only took 7 points off the board for the Ravens, but it set the tone for the evening. Ahkello Witherspoon got his first start and deflected a 3rd down pass that set up the Steelers final scoring drive. The Ravens converted several third and longs, but the Steelers defense limited the Ravens to 19 points. Grade: B+

Special Teams
It was an on and off night for the Steelers special teams. They gave up a long kick return that set up the Ravens 3rd quarter score. Chris Boswell’s mortar kick was well-placed but rolled out of bounds giving the Ravens 15 free yards and untold seconds on the clock. That may not have been his “fault” but the missed extra point was. Ray-Ray McCloud was OK on punt returns but added nothing on as a kick returner. Tre Norwood was perfect on the on-sides kick recovery. Grade: C

Coaching
Matt Canada dialed back some of the bells and whistles of his offense, but remained committed to the run. The Steelers rushing totals weren’t impressive, but it opened up the passing game.

  • Keith Butler had his work cut out for him on defense.

The Steelers defense had gone from suffering quarterly lapses in the running game, to something far more systemic. And they had the NFL’s most dynamic quarterback to defense. Yet Butler managed to find the perfect mix of pressure, containment and coverage.

Chris Wormley, Lamarr Jackson, Steelers vs. Ravens

Chris Wormley sacks Lamarr Jackson. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

But neither Canada’s nor Butler’s schemes wouldn’t have mattered an iota had the Steelers been pushed around at the line of scrimmage. The Steelers instead won those battles after several weeks of losing them. Mike Tomlin deserves credit for snapping that trend and keeping his players positive and focused. Grade: A

Unsung Hero Award
Jersey numbers mean a lot to Steelers fans. Sometimes new players live up to the pedigree. Most often they do not. Since Greg Lloyd retired 22 years ago, 9 different players have worn Number 95. All were either forgettable or disappointing. But against the Ravens number 95 exploded for 2.5 sacks, 3 more QB hits and several stops for no gain, and for that Chris Wormley wins the Unsung Hero Award for the win over the Ravens.

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Redemption! Steelers Beat Ravens 20-19 as Ben Roethlisberger Leads 51st Comeback

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Players coming off the COVID list at the 11th hour. Guys signing off of other team’s practice squads and suiting up. Injury forcing a 4th string guard into action. 26 fourth quarter points. Two 2-point conversion attempts within a span of 92 seconds.

  • Yes, it was the Steelers vs. the Ravens at their best.

The Steelers came out ahead by a nose, winning 20-19. The victory improved the Steelers record to 6-5-1 and kept their playoff hopes alive. But the victory also delivered something more.

Diontae Johnson, Steelers vs Ravens

Diontae Johnson scores a 4th quarter touchdown. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune Review

Down, But Not Like This Before?

The Mike Tomlin era has seen the Steelers suffer their share of down swings. While some of those might have been mathematically worse, think the 5 game skid in 2009, this one felt different.

After clawing their way back from a 1-3 record, the Steelers won 4 games in a row, working themselves into the thick of the AFC North race. But those wins were all barn burners, each seemingly closer than the one before.

Then came the comedy of errors that led to the tie against the winless Detroit Lions. Then came the dramatic comeback against the Chargers that fell short due to a total offensive line collapse. But with the loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, it felt like the other shoe had dropped.

The Steelers didn’t just lose 41-10 in a game that was over at half time, they were manhandled on both sides of scrimmage. Veterans from both Steelers Super Bowl eras, Rocky Bleier and Ryan Clark, piled on.

Bleier charged that the Steelers lacked “pride and self-esteem.” Clark condemned the Steelers defense for “not being able to stop a nosebleed” and four days later called for Ben Roethlisberger to be benched.

  • The worse part about it?

Even the most naïve homer would have had a difficult time telling either man that he was wrong.

Treading Water Instead of Suffocating

Stats have always formed part of NFL’s narrative, but with a rise of analytics this tendency has gone on steroids. Today we can’t watch a game without seeing AWS-sponsored graphics telling us what plays the coaches should call next.

  • And the half time stats painted a pretty grim picture for Pittsburgh.

The Ravens had 13 first downs to the Steelers 4. Not surprisingly, Baltimore had gone 4 for 8 on 3rd down conversions while the Steelers were 0 for 4. Worse yet, the Ravens held a 23:30 to 6:30 advantage in time of possession.

  • Those types of numbers typically indicate one thing: One offense is suffocating the other.

The fact that the Ravens bridged the first and 2nd quarters with a 16 play, 99 yard drive that lasted 10:27 and culminated with a touchdown would seem to confirm this.

But there was something a typical afoot. Thanks to Minkah Fitzpatrick, the Ravens had come up with nothing after burning off nearly ½ of the first quarter on an 11 play 65 yard drive.

There’s no question that the Ravens offense held the upper hand, but even if the Steelers defense failed to get off the field on 3rd down, Baltimore wasn’t running at will on Pittsburgh as other teams had.

  • Fantasy football owners started players from the Steelers this week doubtlessly felt bummed beyond belief.

But the key stat from the first half was this: Despite dominating in every category possible, the Baltimore Ravens held a meager 7-3 lead over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Instead of being suffocated, the Steelers were treading water.

T.J. Watt, Lamarr Jackson, Steelers vs Ravens

T.J. Watt contains Lamarr Jackson. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune Review.

Steelers Dig Deep as Roethlisberger Leads 51st Comeback

When story tellers chronicle games like this they’re wont to fall back on phrases like, (feel free to imagine John Facenda’s voice), “Times like these force players to dig deep, finding something a little extra that they didn’t know they had.”

This is certainly true. The “usual suspects” authored plenty of big plays to either keep the Steelers in the game or push them ahead:

  • Cam Heyward sacked Jackson, ending a drive and allowing the Steelers to score
  • Najee Harris ripping off a pair of 8 yard runs and a 13er on the Steelers touchdown drives
  • Diontae Johnson came up big, with 2 touchdown catches
  • Pat Freiermuth made a difficult 2 point conversion catch look easy
  • T.J. Watt sacked Lamarr Jackson three and a half times

While those players and perhaps some of those plays will live on forever via NFL Films, Mike Tomlin got critical contributions from unknown and/or forgotten players from deep within his roster.

  • Montravius Adams a practice squad poachee played nearly ½ the snaps, improving the defensive line
  • Steelers practice squader and 4th string guard  John Leglue stepped in making  an immediate impact
    Chris Wormley had a had in 3 sacks, two of which shut down drives
  • Ahkello Witherspoon battled away a pass on 3rd and 15, setting up the Steelers final scoring drive
  • Benny Snell ripped off 5 and 8 yard runs on the final touchdown drive

Beyond these splash plays, on both sides of the ball the Steelers played physical football with discipline. They stopped runners at the line of scrimmage, pressured Lamarr Jackson without allowing him to run wild, and gave up only 5 penalties to the Ravens 10.

But if forced to name a single hero, you’d have to name Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers defense managed just 3 points during the first 45 minutes. Ben Roethlisberger remained cool throughout, and then led an offensive explosion for 17 points in the fourth quarter, including a 2-point conversion.

The effort marked Ben Roethlisberger’s 51st comeback win. If the Steelers could hold…

Too Much Time? And Perhaps Too Much Time to Think

When Ben Roethlisberger hit Pat Freiermuth with 1:48 left to play, the response of my friend and rabid Ravens fan Bill W. after the Steelers-Ravens 2016 Christmas classic came to mind, “We left too much time on the clock.”

  • Indeed, the Ravens had gone ahead with 1:18 left to play, and Ben Roethlisberger made them pay.

Could Lamarr Jackson return the favor? Well, when Chris Boswell’s well placed mortar kick rolled out of bounds, it seemed like that might happen. When Jackson moved down the field with clock-work precision (minus the strip sack that went out of bounds) “might happen” became “was happening.”

  • When Jackson connected with Sammy Watkins with 16 seconds left, the worst had come true.

Surely, Justin Tucker, the best place kicker there is, was or will ever be, would send it to over time. But John Harbaugh chose the cerebral approach and went with what his analytics told him: He went for the 2-point conversion.

Harbaugh got the look he wanted. Mark Andrews was open in the flat. A walk off 2 pointer was there for the taking…. And yet, T.J. Watt charged in, forcing the throw a millisecond too soon. It hit Andrews’ finger tips, and then bounced to the Heinz Field turf.

  • The Steelers recovered the on-sides kick and then took a knee.

With the victory, the Steelers earned a new lease on their playoff life.

But they also earned something more important: After a week where fans, pundits and even franchise legends gave up on them, the Steelers steeled their faith in themselves and they prevailed. That earned them far greater than a single win, it earned them Redemption.

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Steelers Report Card for Win Wednesday Win over Ravens

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher who is so late he almost had to call in a substitute, here is the Steelers Report Card for the Wednesday win over the Ravens.

Luke Wilson, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers vs Ravens

Minkah Fitzpatrick denies Luke Wilson a touchdown. Photo Credit: Shawn Hubbard, Ravens.com

Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger completed 70% of his passes going 36-51 for 266 with a touchdown and a pick. Had he not suffered so many drops, Roethlisberger easily could have gone for 80%. On paper his lone interception doesn’t look bad, but it came in the end zone, again, and foreshadowed missed opportunities to come. That brings his grade down. Grade: B-Steelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Steelers running backs rushed for 68 yards on 20 carries with a long run of 13 yards. They also made 4 catches for 40, and one of those came from Anthony McFarland’s catch for 17 yards. That looks pretty pathetic on paper. But the running backs had no room to run, and moved the chains when they had to. Grade: B

Tight Ends
Eric Ebron led the Steelers in receptions with 7 and appeared to be in rhythm with Ben Roethlisberger early. Yet he had several drops, including one in the Red Zone. The tight ends did not help much in the running game either. Grade: C

Wide Receivers
Looking at the stat sheet, one might concluded the Steelers wide outs had a respectable, if economical day. Chase Claypool had 6 catches on 9 targets for 52 yards. Diontae Johnson had 8 grabs for 13 targets for 46 yards. Yet both men dropped or failed to make multiple combat catches in the Red Zone and/or the end zone. James Washington also missed a combat catch in the end zone, but came up with a critical grab late in the game. JuJu Smith-Schuster made 8 catches in 9 targets for 37 yards including a touchdown bringing the group’s grade up. Grade: D

JuJu Smith-Schuster, Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster stiff arm, Steelers vs Ravens

JuJu Smith-Schuster lays down the law. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Offensive Line
The story here remains the same for almost the entire season. Ben Roethlisberger wasn’t sacked and was hit 6 times which is low for a Ravens game. So the pass protection was good. The running game was a different story. Mike Tomlin openly called out his line for “unblocked men at the point of attack.” The failure to create daylight is leading to 1 and 2 yard runs on first down that complicate everything else that follows. Grade: D

Defensive Line
Cam Heyward led the unit with two tackles and a sack. Overall, the Steelers did a reasonable job against a Ravens team that rushed at will against them the first time, although RGIII’s 39 yard scamper went right through the heart of the Steelers defense and the line takes some heat for that. Grade: C

Linebackers
T.J. Watt had 7 tackles 2 sacks and another tackle and a half behind the line of scrimmage in addition to 3 more QB hits. The Steelers will need every bit of that production with Bud Dupree down who made two tackles for losses. Robert Spillane and Avery Williamson combined for 8 tackles. Vince Williams 2 tackles look pretty pedestrian on paper, but he recovered a fumble and his slow stand up from the pile late in the first half might have saved a touchdown. Grade: C+

Secondary
The Baltimore Ravens completed 9 passes while giving up 3 sacks. And went 3-13 on 3rd down conversions. Moreover, Minkah Fitzpatrick broke up a pass in the end zone, as he seems to do almost every week. And Joe Haden’s pick six should have sparked a Steelers romp. That’s a 14 point swing. However, Terrell Edmunds missed tackle allowed Trace McSorley (who?) to burn them for a 70 touchdown that put Baltimore right in the game, which brings the mark down. Grade: B

Special Teams
Chris Boswell went 2 for 2 on field goals, yet missed another extra point. Jordan Berry‘s punting was respectable. Kick and punt coverage was strong. Ray-Ray McCloud had a sub par day on both kick and punt returns, and his fumble put Baltimore into the game. Grade: D

T.J. Watt, RGIII, Steelers vs Ravens

T.J. Watt sacks RGIII. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Coaching
Eleven months ago essentially the same Steelers defense played an RGIII led Ravens squad who had less at stake and the Steelers did demonstrably better (OK, that Baltimore team wasn’t fighting a COVID-19 outbreak.) Still, Keith Butler’s defense does seem to have an identifiable flaw:

  • Almost once again, they give up a long run.

At this point in the season one has to wonder if this can be corrected or if the only remedy is to compensate for it in one way or another.

It is hard to fault Randy Ficthner’s game planning given that execution was at issue. However, the Steelers running game is severely lagging and one wonders if improvement is possible on this front. One thing to keep in mind, the jet sweeps and other creativity seen earlier in the year wasn’t on display this week.

The Steelers started expected to play the Ravens on a short week and instead played them on a very long one. Whether that was the reason or not, the blunt fact is the Steelers suffered critical breakdowns in all three phases of the game. Mike Tomlin quickly accepted responsibility for this, and we will happily hand it to him. Grade: C-

Unsung Hero Award
16 rushes for 68 yards and no touchdowns will not make any Fantasy Football owner happy. But when the Steelers needed to move the chains and then later needed to make yards to kill the clock, Benny Snell delivered by running with authority, and for that he wins the Unsung Hero Award for the win over the Ravens.

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Consequences: Steelers 19-14 Win Over Ravens Carries Costly Repercussions

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The Steelers-Raven game was supposed to be on Thanksgiving. COVID-19 pushed it to Sunday. And then to Tuesday. And then to Wednesday. By the time they actually played, the Baltimore Ravens had called up 11 players from their practice squad.

  • Everyone expected a JV-Varsity game.
  • Stephon Tuitt, himself out on the COVID-19 list, tweeted about padding stats.
  • We did see a JV-Varsity effort.

Except the Baltimore Ravens brought their Varsity game, while Mike Tomlin labeled the Steelers’ effort as “J.V.” As they’ve been many times this season, the Steelers were below the line in all three phases. And, just like in other outings this year, Pittsburgh prevailed 19-14 despite that.

But the critical question is, how much longer can continue to do that?

RGIII, Steelers vs Ravens 2020

RGIII is off to the races on 3rd down late in the 2nd half. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

First Quarter Foreshadows Things to Come

The Steelers and Ravens began by exchanging punts, then on the first play of Baltimore’s second possession, a failed exchange between Robert Griffen III and his running back landed on the grass with Vince Williams pouncing on it to give Pittsburgh the ball at Baltimore’s 22.

In other words, things happened exactly as they were scripted to.

Lack of practice had reduced the Ravens to struggling with fundamentals, as Pittsburgh looked poised to go up early and easily. But instead of capitalizing, the Steelers stumbled. Sure, Ben Reothlisberger and  Benny Snell had a nice 13-yard hookup that brought the ball to the Ravens 6, but the rest of the drive consisted of 1 and 2 yard runs by Snell and piecemeal catches by Eric Ebron.

  • Unable to score on 3rd down, the Steelers went for it on 4th and 1.

As he’s done too many times this season, Ben Roethlisberger threw an interception in the end zone. The Steelers squandered an opportunity to go up by an easy 7.

But that didn’t seem to matter. The script that destiny had drafted for this game continued to impose its own inertia. On the Ravens very next possession, RGIII looked to convert a very easy 3rd down to James Proche, but Joe Haden read him all the way, picking off the ball and taking it to the house.

  • What the Steelers offense couldn’t do, the defense did for it.

It took about a minute and a half longer, but the Steelers still got their early touchdown. Except the score was only 6-0 instead of 7-0 because Chis Boswell missed the extra point, foreshadowing things to come.

Ravens Force Role Reversal, Steelers Oblige

Had the Steelers offense scored its easy touchdown AND had the defense brought home its pick six, it is easy to imagine the game evolving very differently. No, John Harbaugh’s team would NOT have quit on him. But often times when inexperienced teams get behind early in big games, they start trying too hard.

  • Balls get loose.
  • Blocks get missed.
  • Easy catches bounce off hands.
  • Simple tackles slip and big gains ensue.

And that is exactly how things evolved following Chris Boswell’s missed extra point. Except the Baltimore Ravens rejected the role of method actor, opting to go improv and the Steelers willingly obliged by flipping the script.

You can pin-point the Steelers somersault with precision. With the help of a Cam Heyward sack, Pittsburgh seemed to be slamming the door on the Ravens by forcing a quick punt.

Marlon Humphery, Chase Claypool, Steelers vs Ravens

Marlon Humphery bats away touchdown pass from Chase Claypool. Photo Credit: Shawn Hubbard, Ravens.com

Unfortunately, Ray-Ray McCloud fumbled the return, giving Baltimore the ball at Pittsburgh’s 16. 6 plays later, the Ravens were up 7-6 and Steelers Nation was primed for what is perhaps the sloppiest 48 minutes of play in recent history. It was JV football at its most mediocre. Here are the low lights:

  • The Steelers had to settle for Red Zone field goals, twice
  • Eric Ebron, Diontae Johnson, James Washington and Chase Claypool all either had Red Zone drops or passes batted away
  • RGIII gored the Steelers defense with a 39 yard run on 3rd an 11
  • The Steelers failed to convert a 4th and 2
  • Minkah Fitzpatrick dropped an easy interception/pick six
  • Terrell Edmunds and Minkah Fitzpatrick missed tackles allowing Trace McSorley (who) to connect with Marquise Brown for an easy touchdown.

Yet, in spite of all that, the Steelers to eeked out a win. Let’s look at why.

JuJu and Snell Gamers to the End

Athletes who are good enough to reach the pros generally give it their all. But “gamers” are athletes who give it their all but manage to find a little something extra when the game is on the line. Franco Harris in the Immaculate Reception and James Harrison in Super Bowl XLIII are two easy examples.

  • But true gamers find ways to deliver that something extra on bread and butter plays.

To use Mike Tomlin, in his William and Mary eloquence, the Steelers had “sucked” in the Red Zone throughout the game. By the look of it, JuJu-Smith Schuster took it personally. When the Steelers reached the end zone to begin the 4th quarter, Ben Roethlisberger tagged JuJu Smith-Schuster. The stat sheet says he only went 8 yards getting stopped four yards short of the end zone.

But in truth JuJu would not be denied:

https://twitter.com/DevinBushFan/status/1334272521235992578

Anyone surprised that Ben Roethlisberger looked to JuJu Smith-Schuster 2 plays later? Anyone surprised that JuJu caught it? Neither am I.

The Steelers other “gamer” is Benny Snell Jr., who on that self-same touchdown drive, got the ball on a 3rd and 3, had ZERO room to run, reversed field and ripped off 10 yard run. Later, with the Steelers looking to kill the clock, Snell exploded for a 13 yard run, forcing the Ravens to use a precious time out, and then ended the game by converting a 3rd and 1.

Benny Snell, Steelers vs Ravens

Benny Snell delivers for Steelers in 4th quarter. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Sloppy Play Carries Consequences

With 5:31 left to play, Trace McSorley fired off a deep pass to Marquise Brown. Minkah Fitzpatrick almost intercepted it.

  • Bud Dupree had blitzed the passer, slipped and immediately began pounding the turf.

Later, we not only saw him walking with the trainers to the locker room, but he did so under his own power. Surely, this couldn’t be serious, could it? Alas, it was serious as he’d torn an ACL.

If the Steelers had made half, perhaps even a third of the plays they’d left on the field, Bud Dupree would have been out of the game, resting up for Washington. Instead, he’s out for the year.

The Steelers had slipped but recovered enough to win, but as Dupree’s injury reveals, sloppy play has its consequences.

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