The Steelers enter the second half with a 16-7 deficit after Devlin Hodges lost a fumble on a late sack. The Ravens took over in field goal range, but were able to punch it in for their first touchdown of the game. Pittsburgh has one touchdown courtesy of Benny Snell. They begin the second half with the ball.
After a short run by Snell, Hodges threw the ball out of bounds. On third and long, he looked for James Washington deep down the left sideline, arguably a drop, but a difficult catch over the shoulder. All the same, it’s a three and out. Jordan Berry’s punt bounces and is fielded, Justin Layne making the tackle among a group inside the 20.
Gus Edwards beat the cat blitz, running past Mike Hilton for a first-down run. He got to the safeties to the 32. T.J. Watt made a great read on play action to tackle Robert Griffin III as he threw, incomplete. This time, however, Edwards lost the ball, stripped by Watt, recovered by Joe Haden.
From the 34, some determined running by Snell for 15 inside the 20. On the second play, about five yards for the rookie. On third and four, Hodges threw up a lame duck to Diontae Johnson in the end zone, making the catch but out of bounds. However, a defensive hold gave them a first down inside the 10. Snell broke one tackle to get to about the six from the nine. He fell behind the line this time for a loss. Now third and goal from the eight, Hodges threw the ball too far into the end zone for Smith-Schuster, incomplete. Not a great throw. Chris Boswell’s field goal made it 16-10.
After picking up a first down, Cameron Heyward got his ninth sack of the season, I believe the Steelers’ third of the game. He completed to Willie Snead for 10, setting up third and seven. Terrell Edmunds made the tackle on Snead for the stop on third down. Despite it being fourth and three, John Harbaugh decided to keep his offense on the field, even though there is nothing to play for. They false started instead. Johnson fielded the punt at about the five, but was able to get out to the 20.
Yet quickly into a third and 14, Hodges checked down to Johnson for a modest gain of eight.
Edwards was stuffed at the line by Daniel McCullers on first down. Following an incompletion, Heyward was flagged for encroachment. Griffin kept it himself for the first down. Justice Hill slipped a Tyson Alualu arm tackle attempt for a 10-plus-yard run. Now at the Steelers’ 35, Griffin completed to Nick Boyle for six on second and nine. Edwards was stuffed for no gain on third down. But Justin Tucker made it a two-score game against at 19-10.
After a throwaway on first down, Snell got eight off the left side. Now third and two, they ran the shovel pass play to Smith-Schuster, and it finally worked, picking up 11 yards. At the 44, Snell got about six before he was stopped. Hodges took a shot deep downfield, but too long for Johnson between two defenders. He stopped running, but he probably wouldn’t have gotten to it anyway. Now third and four, he was brought down as he threw the ball away for the incompletion, shaken up on the play. Tomlin elected to punt after it was ruled grounding, fourth and 16.
But at least Johnny Holton downed a punt at the two. On second down, Griffin took a hit in the end zone but delivered the ball for nine, setting up third and one. Minkah Fitzpatrick among others were able to hold Griffin short of the first. They ran a fake punt, and the officials ruled that Anthony Levine got the first down. Mike Tomlin challenged the ruling on the field. He lost the challenge.
After getting Baltimore backed up to the two, the Ravens converted two first downs. They kept it on the ground, getting into a fourth and two.
Back to the 19 following the punt, Hodges looked for Washington, dropping the ball in the rain, with the second-year receiver not finishing off the season on a positive note. He overthrew the ball on second down, popped up in the air off of Smith-Schuster’s fingertips, and nearly intercepted. Quickly into third and 10, he threw a hot pass to nobody in particular for the third straight incompletion. Hodges’ body language is absolutely awful at this point.
And to top it all off, in the pouring rain, Berry muffed the snap, and the Ravens recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown. He initially got the ball back but had it stripped from him. So now it’s 26-10.
Whyte apparently overestimated how tall he is, running up to retrieve a short kick only to see it go over his head. He peeled back to field the ball, but was tackled hard inside the 10 as everything continues to spiral out of control.
From the six, Hodges threw under pressure to Samuels, dropping the ball. Hodges damn near lost the ball again for a strip sack. Instead, he was flagged for intentional grounding in the end zone for a safety anyway. Now 28-10. Welcome to a three-possession game.
Following the safety kick, initially returned out past midfield, the Ravens started the ensuing drive at the 39 after a holding penalty. Griffin threw a deep ball down the left sideline out of bounds. Griffin rushed for a first down on…third and eight.
Look…I’m not gonna lie. I wasn’t even paying attention to what happened after this. It just didn’t matter.
