After a sloppy first quarter that featured four total turnovers, the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated a depleted Baltimore Ravens team 19-14, concluding a wild week for the two teams.
To begin the game, both teams would go three and out. On the Ravens second possession of the game, starting quarterback Robert Griffin III would fumble the exchange between him and his running back, picked up by Steelers linebacker Vince Williams. It gave the Steelers the ball on the Ravens 22 yard line.
After entering the redzone, and picking up a first and goal from the Ravens seven yard line, the drive would stall. On fourth and goal, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger would be intercepted by Ravens linebacker Tyus Bowser, giving the Ravens the ball on their six yard line.
A few plays later, Griffin would be intercepted by Joe Haden, who returned it for an 11 yard touchdown return. The Steelers would miss the extra point, giving them an early 6-0 lead.
After the Ravens offense failed to move the ball on their next possession, they would punt after going three and out. On the ensuing punt, Steelers returner Ray Ray McCloud would muff it, and the Ravens would recover at the Steelers 16 yard line.
The Ravens would capitalize, as Ravens running back Gus Edwards would score from a yard out for a one yard touchdown, giving the Ravens a 7-6 lead near the end of the first quarter.
On the Steelers next possession, the offense would put together their first sustained drive. Big Ben would find Eric Ebron and Anthony McFarland for big gains on the drive. The Steelers would once again have a first and goal opportunity, and once again the drive would stall. This time, on fourth down, they would kick a short Chris Boswell field goal, giving them a 9-7 lead early in the second quarter.
After the Ravens offense would punt the ball on their next possession for the third time in the half, the Steelers offense would drive the length of the field again. This time, Big Ben connected with Diontae Johnson on three straight plays, then a big 20 yard gain to Claypool to get them near the red zone again. However, another goal line opportunity would stall for the Steelers offense, having to once again settle for a Boswell field goal, giving the Steelers a 12-7 lead with a little over four minutes to go in the half.
On what would be the final possession of the half, the Ravens offense finally moved the ball down the field, without virtue of a turnover. Griffin would rip off a 39 yard run before the two minute warning to put them in plus territory. After running back Justice Hill sprinted for a 19 yard gain, the Ravens had first and goal from the Steelers four yard line.
The Ravens would run the ball twice, and kept from the endzone both times. On the final play of the half, the Ravens rushed to the line with the clock running, tried to pass the ball to tight end Luke Willson, but Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick broke up the pass, ending the half.
At the half, the Steelers outgained the Ravens 164-104 total yards. Big Ben completed 16-25 passes, for 145 yards and just the lone interception. Griffin is the leading rusher for the Ravens with 56 rushing yards at the break.
The Steelers would receive the second half kickoff, and after getting a defensive pass interference call on the Ravens to start the half, the Steelers drive would stall. On fourth and two from the Ravens’ 37 yard line, the Steelers would go for it, and fail, as Big Ben’s pass to Claypool was broken up.
The Ravens could only pick up one first down before their ensuing drive stalled, after TJ Watt forced the Ravens to punt after a promising start to the Ravens drive.
Both teams would trade punts after being unable to sustain drives, and the Steelers would take over with three minutes left in the third quarter.
The Steelers offense would come alive in the waning moments in the third quarter. Back to back first downs by Diontae Johnson and Claypool help get the ball past midfield. After Benny Snell picked up a short third down just outside the goal line, the Steelers had another chance to score inside the 10 yard line. This time, they cashed in, as Big Ben found JuJu Smith-Schuster for a four yard touchdown catch. It put the Steelers up 19-7 with 13 minutes to go in the fourth quarter.
The Ravens offense would once again stall on their next possession, going three and out for the fifth time in the game.
After the Steelers next drive stalls near midfield on their next drive, they would punt it back to the Ravens, who make a quarterback change. Former Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley would enter the game, and pick up one fourth down conversion, but their drive would end in a punt as well with a little over five minutes left in the game.
After the Steelers went three and out on their next possession, McSorley and the Ravens offense would come alive. McSorley would find Marquise Brown for a 70 yard touchdown, pulling the score to 19-14 with 2:58 remaining in the game.
Despite a late Ravens push, the Steelers offense would finish the game, picking up three first downs to secure a tough 19-14 win.
Big Ben finished completing 36 of 51 passes, 266 yards and one touchdown. Griffin finished completing seven of 12 passes, for 33 yards and the lone first quarter interception, while McSorley completed two of six passes, 77 yards and one touchdown. TJ Watt two sacks, and three tackles for loss while Bud Dupree finished with two tackles for loss before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with injury.
The 11-0 Steelers will take on the Washington Football Team at 5 pm next Monday night.
