The Pittsburgh Steelers are on the road today for the regular season finale against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens don’t have much to play for and will be resting several key players including QB Lamar Jackson. Keep in mind this is a Ravens team that takes pride in winning preseason football games, they will not roll over and let their rivals win with a chance to get into the playoffs. The Steelers’ clearest path involves a win today and one of a couple other results to happen. Since this is the first game of Week 18, it will be crystal clear what must happen by the time the game is over. Even with a loss, there is one scenario that could get the Steelers into the tournament.
QB Mason Rudolph will once again lead the offense, though this week is a little different because Kenny Pickett will be the primary backup. Head coach Mike Tomlin chose to ride the hot hand and benching Pickett was unavoidable. The offense has put up 30-plus points in back-to-back games and the team couldn’t risk messing with the winning formula in an important final week of the season.
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The weather will add another layer of intrigue. The tarp came off the field just before 2:00PM ET, so multiple hours of rain have likely made it muddy and slick.
Steelers Inactive:
QB Mitch Trubisky (3rd QB)
S Trenton Thompson
CB Darius Rush
S Minkah Fitzpatrick
LB Blake Martinez
T Dylan Cook
DE DeMarvin Leal
Ravens Inactive:
QB Lamar Jackson
WR Odell Beckham Jr.
LB Malik Harrison
CB Marlon Humphrey
G Kevin Zeitler
WR Zay Flowers
S Kyle Hamilton
No Minkah Fitzpatrick or Trenton Thompson means Eric Rowe and Patrick Peterson will primarily be holding down the safety position for the third straight week.
View Alex Kozora’s weekly pre-game Twitter thread capped off by the offensive and defensive scouting reports.
The Ravens won the coin toss and elected to defer to the second half. Rudolph and the offense will start with the ball.
START OF GAME
The opening kickoff resulted in a touchback.
On 1st and 10, Najee Harris struggled to secure the handoff and nearly fumbled. He recovered it for a gain of two. 2nd and 8, Rudolph to Harris out wide for a gain of about six. 3rd and 2, Rudolph to Diontae Johnson in the middle of the field to convert.
1st and 10, a pitch toss to Jaylen Warren and he nearly fumbled the toss for no gain. The weather is already creating issues. 2nd and 10, complete to Johnson out wide and he cut back inside for a gain of 6. 3rd and 4, nearly intercepted over the middle to Allen Robinson II, but incomplete. Pressley Harvin III’s punt was fair caught at the 19-yard line.
1st and 10, Tyler Huntley scrambled for two yards. 2nd and 8, Huntley complete to Charlie Kolar for 5 yards. 3rd and 3, incomplete deep to Justice Hill with Joey Porter Jr. in coverage.
Calvin Austin III let the punt bounce and returned the 64-yard punt 14 yards to the 24-yard line.
1st and 10, Harris up the middle for about 5 yards. 2nd and 5, Harris up the middle for 4 yards. 3rd and 1, Harris up the middle for a yard. It ended very close to the line to gain, but it looks like he got it.
1st and 10, Rudolph complete to Warren on a swing pass to the left side. He took the pass 23 yards.
1st and 10, Austin end around for 8 yards. 2nd and 2, speed out to Connor Heyward for two yards to convert.
1st and 10, Warren up the middle for 5 yards. 2nd and 5, complete to Johnson for 5 yards to convert.
1st and 10, Harris up the middle for 9 yards into the red zone. 2nd and 1, Harris off left tackle for 6 yards. The Steelers went back to the pitch despite the weather.
1st and goal, Harris up the middle for 2 yards. 2nd and goal from the 6, Harris up the middle for the touchdown! 7-0 Steelers.
The kickoff resulted in a touchback.
1st and 10, Melvin Gordon III around the right end for 3 yards. 2nd and 7, incomplete pass in the middle of the field. 3rd and 7, incomplete pass intended for Hill with Larry Ogunjobi in Huntley’s face. Another three-and-out forced by the Steelers’ defense.
Austin fielded the 51-yard punt and returned it 16 yards to the 37.
1st and 10, Harris up the middle for 5 yards. 2nd and 5, Rudolph complete to Heyward for 2 yards. 3rd and 3, Rudolph attempted one deep to Johnson, but it fell incomplete. Harvin’s punt went 49 yards and was downed at the 7-yard line after a Steelers’ roll. Too many men on the field called way after the play was over. Harvin will have to punt again.
END OF 1ST QUARTER: 7-0 STEELERS
The second punt after the penalty went just 26 yards to the Baltimore 35-yard line. The Ravens gained 28 yards on that bizarre sequence of events.
1st and 10, Gordon found an edge and picked up 6 yards around the right end. 2nd and 4, Gordon up the middle for 4 yards to convert.
1st and 10, Gordon around the right end and he fumbled recovered by Ogunjobi. Myles Jack and Mark Robinson were in on the tackle and Robinson will likely get credit for the forced fumble.
1st and 10, Harris around the left end for 10 yards.
1st and 10, Mason Cole called for a snap infraction. Cole was trying to catch 12 men on the field for the Ravens, but the illegal snap negates that. 1st and 15, Harris up the middle for 2 yards. 2nd and 13, complete pass to Warren in the middle of the field for 5 yards. 3rd and 8, Warren caught the pass for a short gain and former Steelers CB Arthur Maulet recovered the fumble. It kind of looks like Warren recovered it initially, so we will see after replay review.
The Ravens get the ball. 1st and 10, incomplete pass bounced off the ground. 2nd and 10, Huntley scrambled up the middle for 7 yards. 3rd and 3, Huntley complete to Isaiah Likely for 4 yards.
1st and 10, Robinson blitzed up the middle and sacked Huntley. That is now one sack and one forced fumble for Robinson. 2nd and 18, screen pass to Hill for 4 yards. 3rd and 14, Huntley scrambled for 7 yards. The punt was downed at the 3-yard line. A flag against the Ravens will make them punt again.
The punt resulted in a touchback, but a holding called against the Steelers will back them up.
1st and 10, Harris around the left end for about 2 yards. 2nd and 8, Rudolph complete to Harris for 5 yards. He could have lowered his shoulder to possibly convert, but he tried bouncing outside. 3rd and 3, Warren up the middle for 2 yards. Harvin’s punt went short, but took a very lucky roll to the 29-yard line. It counts as a 52-yard punt.
1st and 10, Gus Edwards up the middle for 1 yard. 2nd and 9, incomplete pass with Eric Rowe breaking it up intended for Hill. 3rd and 9, Huntley deep pass complete to Laquon Treadwell for 16 yards.
1st and 10, Edwards up the middle for 29 yards.
1st and 10, Edwards tackled behind the line for a loss of two by T.J. Watt. S Eric Rowe banged up on the play. Not a great position to suffer an injury. 2nd and 12, complete to Likely who broke some tackles on his way to the end zone. 7-7 Even.
The kickoff went out of bounds to spot the Steelers the ball at the 40-yard line.
1st and 10, Warren up the middle for 5 yards.
TWO MINUTE WARNING
2nd and 5, Warren tackled behind the line for a loss of one trying to find an edge around the left end. 3rd and 6, Rudolph complete to Freiermuth along the left sideline for 13 yards.
1st and 10, Rudolph complete to Warren for 3 yards. 2nd and 7, Rudolph complete to Warren for 7 yards. The Steelers took their first timeout.
1st and 10, Rudolph fumbled the ball while being sacked, but Dan Moore Jr. recovered. A loss of 9 yards on the play. The Steelers called timeout number two now outside of field goal range. 2nd and 19, Rudolph complete to Freiermuth for 8 yards in the middle fo the field. Back on the edge of field goal range on 3rd and 11, Rudolph was sacked and fumbled again, this time recovered by the Ravens.
The Ravens kneel the ball to end the half.
END OF 1ST HALF: 7-7 EVEN
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