Despite all the negativity entering today’s game and all the ugliness of the first 45 minutes of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ showing against the Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers have come out on top. Not only did they win, they moved into first place in the AFC North with the victory.
Pittsburgh is now 3-2 on the season with a 17-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens. It wasn’t pretty, it literally never is, but a win is a win. And Pittsburgh badly needed one.
The Steelers hung on by a thread throughout the first half, an offense that again looked lifeless and could only muster three points. The defense made a couple of splash plays, highlighted by a forced fumble on a great effort play by DT Larry Ogunjobi, and the Ravens hurt themselves with repeated mistakes.
Pittsburgh found traction in the second half. Joey Porter Jr. saved WR Gunner Olszewski after his costly fourth quarter fumble with the first interception of his career, giving the Steelers the ball back trailing 10-8. Pittsburgh moved downfield before QB Kenny Pickett hit WR George Pickens for a 41-yard touchdown down the right sideline to put the Steelers up 14-10 after a failed two-point try.
Baltimore still had a chance to come back in the game but OLB Alex Highsmith beat LT Ronnie Stanley to strip QB Lamar Jackson of the football. The ball was recovered by T.J. Watt. Pittsburgh booted a Chris Boswell field goal to go up 17-10 with under a minute to play, though a botched third down-play that resulted in a penalty gave the Ravens additional time. But Pittsburgh’s defense got a fourth down stop, Watt sacking Jackson, to ice the game.
It was a classic wild and wacky and hard-to-describe Steelers-Ravens game. For Pittsburgh, they play their best when backed into a corner and that was the theme of today’s game, both entering and during it.
The Steelers now enter the bye at 3-2 to lead the AFC North. They are now 2-o in the division. They’ll have a Week Six bye before being back in action for Week Seven against the Los Angeles Rams.
