That was some of the worst weather that the Pittsburgh Steelers have had to deal with in quite some time, yet on Saturday in Baltimore in the regular-season finale, the Steelers did just enough to pull out a 17-10 win. Improving their postseason chances, they now await Sunday’s results to see if they’re in or out of the AFC playoffs.
Against the Ravens, the Steelers had another great day on the ground, rushing for 155 yards as a team, and they got an explosive play in the passing game from quarterback Mason Rudolph to wide receiver Diontae Johnson, leading to the seven-point win.
Defensively, the Steelers forced two turnovers in the sloppy conditions and again did enough to get by with a short-handed unit, though they did lose star outside linebacker T.J. Watt in the process to a potentially serious knee injury.
Now, we wait to see if the Steelers can get some outside help on Sunday and get into the playoffs.
For now though, let’s get to some grades and close out the regular season.
QB — B
This grade might seem a bit low for a quarterback in Rudolph who completed 18-of-20 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown in the win, but it’s a fitting grade.
Rudolph had a turnover-worthy throw early in the game that should have been intercepted, and then he held onto the football too long in the pocket later on in the game, resulting in a strip-sack from Ravens outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy. He also fumbled the ball on a snap that was actually a good one in shotgun from center Mason Cole.
But in the end, Rudolph made enough plays, especially on the 71-yard strike to Diontae Johnson to give the Steelers a 14-7 lead early in the fourth quarter. He made enough plays in the end, and the Steelers got a big win.
RB — B+
Najee Harris was once again a force for the Steelers, rushing for 112 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries.
It marked the second straight 100-yard game for the third-year running back, who is getting better and better down the stretch. Harris was a workhorse for the Steelers, bullying the Ravens throughout the game. He consistently fell forward in the run game and churned out hard yardage, though he struggled at times in space with getting upfield and taking what was there.
In the passing game, Harris added five receptions for 21 yards, serving as a check-down option for the Steelers.
Jaylen Warren had issue with ball security on the night, fumbling twice, losing one. That’s always been a concern with him, but it came back to bite him in a big way in a key game, which led to the Steelers leaning heavily on Harris. Warren finished with nine carries for 33 yards and added five catches for 17 yards in the win.
WR — B-
Diontae Johnson had a strong game, hauling in a 71-yard touchdown from Rudolph on an in-breaking route that saw him split the safety and the cornerback. He raced untouched to the end zone for the explosive play and the fourth-quarter lead.
On the night, Johnson finished with four receptions for 89 yards and the touchdown. He did pull up short on an early deep shot from Rudolph that looked catchable and then was slow getting off the field on the ensuing punt, leading to a penalty on the Steelers’ special teams, wasting a strong punt from Pressley Harvin III.
George Pickens didn’t have a single target on the night, but he was a strong blocker as the Steelers pounded the rock. He really embraced his role as a decoy as the Ravens double-teamed him throughout the night.
Allen Robinson II also didn’t see a single target, but he was an effective blocker, helping Pittsburgh have a ton of success on the ground.
TE — B-
The tight ends were quite effective in the run game again as Pittsburgh leaned on 12 and 13 personnel again, but they weren’t much of a factor in the passing game for the second straight week.
Pat Freiermuth had just two catches for 21 yards in the win, while Connor Heyward had two catches for four yards. His one catch was rather impressive as he made a spinning one-handed reception on a third down rollout from Rudolph that moved the chains. Freiermuth did a nice job drawing attention from the safety on Johnson’s long touchdown, opening up the middle of the field, too.
OL — C+
Rudolph took the blame for holding onto the football too long in the pocket, and at times that was true. But the offensive line really struggled in protection throughout the night.
Dan Moore Jr. had fits against Kyle Van Noy on the left side, allowing a strip-sack to the veteran. Rookie Broderick Jones had a rough night, too, allowing a sack to Jadeveon Clowney, and really had a hard time in the poor conditions. Right guard James Daniels was late identifying a blitz from Baltimore linebacker Trenton Simpson leading to a sack as well.
However, in the run game the offensive linemen really got after it. They were moving people in the trenches, opening up lanes for Harris and Warren, allowing the Steelers to consistently possess the football and chew up clock. But the pass protection remains a concern.
DL — B
Outside of a 29-yard run from Baltimore’s Gus Edwards, the defensive line held up well against Baltimore’s power rushing attack.
Larry Ogunjobi played a strong game taking on blockers and having the occasional pressure when rushing the passer. Rookie Keeanu Benton led the Steelers’ defensive line with three tackles while Cameron Heyward added two tackles. Ogunjobi also recorded a fumble recovery in the win.
LB — B-
Prior to getting hurt, T.J. Watt was having a great game. He had two sacks, six tackles and two tackles for loss. He was really getting after it in the second half, generating a ton of pressure for the Steelers, and starting to take over the game. Then, he got hurt when he was hit by teammate Montravius Adams, the two banging knees.
Opposite Watt, Alex Highsmith had just three tackles, but he should have had multiple holding calls against him. The Ravens were mugging him all game long, but he didn’t get a single call. It was a frustrating night for him.
Behind Watt and Highsmith, Markus Golden had a strong night. He had a big fumble recovery and finished with three tackles, a big sack on Tyler Huntley, and two quarterback hits. He played quite well in relief of Watt.
Inside, Mark Robinson had a strong game, forcing a fumble on Melvin Gordon III and later perfectly timing a blitz that led to him sacking Huntley. He’s starting to come on strong late in the season, which is quite encouraging.
Myles Jack had three tackles in the game and had his moments against the run while Mykal Walker added two stops. Elandon Roberts fought through his pectoral injury and had one tackle, but his impact on the field came from his communication skills, which were huge to have back in the fold, especially on the road.
DB — B
Eric Rowe continues to be quite the find for the Steelers. Though he left the game briefly with a neck injury, Rowe had 12 tackles for the Steelers, had a huge forced fumble on a punch-out and broke up a pass on the night. He was all over the place and was quite good.
Miles Killebrew had another strong performance at safety, recording four tackles and a pass breakup. With the Steelers thin at safety due to injuries, Killebrew has stepped up in recent weeks and is earning more and more playing time.
Patrick Peterson had a rough night, especially on Baltimore’s touchdown drive. He had a big missed tackle on Edwards’ long run and then missed a tackle on Isaiah Likely’s touchdown catch a few plays later. That remains his Achilles’ heel at safety.
It was a quiet night at corner for Joey Porter Jr., Levi Wallace and Chandon Sullivan. Ravens receivers combined for just seven receptions for 66 yards with the longest reception going for 16 yards. Wallace did have a missed tackle on Likely’s touchdown that put Peterson in a bind.
Special Teams — C
Sloppy night overall for Danny Smith’s units, though the poor conditions certainly played a part.
Punter Pressley Harvin III was a mess. He really struggled to punt the ball consistently in the win. He had a 26-yard punt in the first half, though he did bounce back in the second half. Still, it was a night-and-day difference compared to Baltimore’s Jordan Stout, who hammered the ball all night.
Calvin Austin III was quite effective in the return game, averaging 18.4 yards on five punt returns, including a 34-yarder in the fourth quarter that put the Steelers near midfield. He made some plays in the return game, which was quite encouraging.
Chris Boswell was clutch on the day again, which is no surprise. He drilled a 25-yarder in the rain to help put the game away in the fourth quarter.
Kick returner Godwin Igwebuike had the special teams play of the game on a kick return, laying out of bounds and grabbing the ball near the sideline for the penalty on the Ravens. It was an awesome heads-up play that is very rarely seen. High-IQ football player.
