The Pittsburgh Steelers took care of business in their season finale, beating the Baltimore Ravens, 17-10. They finished the regular season at 10-7, and now will need help to make the playoffs. RB Najee Harris ran for 112 yards in the win.
The Ravens won the toss and chose to defer, so the Steelers got the ball to start the game. On 3rd and 1, QB Mason Rudolph connected with WR Diontae Johnson for a seven-yard gain to give the Steelers a first down, but on 3rd and 4 later in the drive, Rudolph was incomplete and nearly intercepted on a pass to WR Allen Robinson II. A rough punt by Pressley Harvin III went just 34 yards and the Ravens took over at their own 19-yard line.
Baltimore would go three-and-out on its first drive, and Pittsburgh would start on its own 24 after a 14-yard punt return by WR Calvin Austin III. Harris converted a 3rd-and-1 run for a first down, and then RB Jaylen Warren gained 23 yards on a swing pass behind the line of scrimmage, moving the Steelers into Baltimore territory at the Ravens’ 43. Pittsburgh picked up another first down on a short pass to TE Connor Heyward for two yards at the Baltimore 33.
Pittsburgh moved the ball inside the Baltimore 10 after an eight-yard run by Harris down to the 8, and a few plays later he capped the drive with a six-yard touchdown run. Following Chris Boswell’s extra point, Pittsburgh took a 7-0 lead with 2:36 left in the first quarter. It was a 12-play, 76-yard drive that took 7:32 off the clock.
Baltimore again went three-and-out on its second drive of the game, and the Steelers opened their third drive at their own 37 after a 16-yard return by Austin. The Steelers responded with a three-and-out of their own, and then was called for too many men on their punt so they had to punt again. Harvin’s second punt was significantly worse and went just 26 yards to the Baltimore 35. But on the third play of the Ravens’ drive, LB Mark Robinson forced a fumble on a run by RB Melvin Gordon and the Steelers would recover and take over at the Baltimore 45.
Pittsburgh’s drive began with a 10-yard run by Harris, but Warren fumbled a few plays later and the Ravens recovered, so they would get the ball back at their own 33. A sack by Robinson a few plays into the drive knocked Baltimore into a 2nd and 18, and on 3rd and 14, Huntley’s scramble was short of the sticks and the Ravens punted. A penalty on the first punt forced the Ravens to punt again, and then the Steelers were penalized on the second punt and took over at their own 10 with 7:26 left in the first half.
The Steelers would go three-and-out, with Baltimore taking over at its own 29 trailing 7-0. A 16-yard completion from Huntley to WR Laquon Treadwell moved Baltimore to its own 46, and then RB Gus Edwards rolled for a 29-yard gain to the Pittsburgh 25. Two plays later, Huntley hit TE Isaiah Likely for a 27-yard touchdown. Justin Tucker’s extra point tied the game at 7-7 with 2:19 left to play.
The Steelers began their drive at their own 40 after Jordan Stout’s kickoff went out of bounds, and on 3rd and 6 from their own 44-yard line, Rudolph hit TE Pat Freiermuth for a 13-yard gain. Pittsburgh would drive down to the Baltimore 42, and then Rudolph was hit and fumbled, and Baltimore recovered. The two teams went into the half tied at 7.
Baltimore didn’t pick up a first down after getting the ball to start the second half, and the drive included OLB T.J. Watt’s 18th sack of the season. Pittsburgh began its first second-half drive at its own 36 following a 21-yard return by Austin. The first play of the drive was a 15-yard run by Harris, but the Steelers would go backward after a delay of game and a fumbled snap, which Rudolph was able to recover.
The Ravens would begin their next drive at their own 21, but they would go three-and-out with another Watt sack on third down ending the drive. A first down run by Harris started the Steelers off well on their next drive, but then a loss of four on a run by Harris and a sack forced Pittsburgh into a 3rd and 20, and a screen pass to Warren went nowhere.
The Ravens would pick up a first down on the second play of their next drive, a 12-yard completion from Huntley to TE Charlie Kolar. Baltimore would also have a 16-yard completion later in the drive but would end up punting. A George Pickens end-around on 3rd and 1 gave the Steelers a first down with 1:41 left in the third quarter, and on the first play of the fourth quarter facing a 3rd and 4, Rudolph hit Diontae Johnson for a 71-yard touchdown. Johnson got open on a slant and took it to the house to give the Steelers a 13-7 lead that became a 14-7 lead after Boswell made the extra point.
The Ravens had back-to-back third-down conversations through the air and moved to their own 49 after a 10-yard completion to WR Nelson Agholor. The drive would stall at midfield though with Baltimore forced to punt after an incompletion on 3rd and 8. A great 34-yard return by Austin would set the Steelers up at their own 43. But the Steelers couldn’t capitalize on the good field position, going three-and-out. Baltimore got the ball back with 7:41 left in the game.
On the second play of Baltimore’s drive, Gus Edwards fumbled, forced by Eric Rowe and recovered by the Steelers. They would take over at the Baltimore 32, and Harris ran for nine yards on first down. Harris then rumbled for eight yards and a first down, and he got another first down on a four-yard completion on 3rd and 3 later in the drive. The Steelers were unable able to punch it in, losing five yards on a 3rd-and-goal run, settling for a 25-yard Boswell field goal that made it 17-7 with 3:13 left to go.
The Ravens got the ball back and got out close to midfield on a 19-yard catch by RB Justice Hill, but on 3rd and 1 Huntley threw Hill, and the Ravens were forced to go for it on fourth down. Huntley converted on a scramble, and later scrambled for 11 yards and a first down before completing a pass to WR Tylan Wallace for a gain of 11. The Ravens would get down to the Pittsburgh 9 with 53 seconds left, but OLB Markus Golden sacked Huntley with 45 seconds left on 3rd and 9. The Ravens attempted a field goal, and Tucker hit from 36 yards out to make it a 17-10 game with 16 seconds left.
Baltimore then tried an onside kick, but the Steelers recovered to the 17-10 win.
The Steelers finish the season at 10-7. They will need a tie from the Colts and Texans tonight or a loss/tie from the Jacksonville Jaguars or a loss from the Buffalo Bills to make the playoffs.
