On one side, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen helped lead the charge as his defense locked down a high-flying Baltimore Ravens attack in an 18-16 win. On the other, Ravens wide receiver Diontae Johnson put up a goose egg in his return to Acrisure Stadium.
Despite HC John Harbaugh’s promises of ramping up reps and getting him more involved in the offense, Johnson’s production has been the same in his first three games with the Ravens. He has just one reception for all of six yards through three games.
Perhaps the snap count will reflect Johnson playing more against Pittsburgh than it seemed. Not just from the comfort of facing his former team but increased reps with his current one, benefitting from a 10-day “mini-bye” following the Ravens’ win over the Cincinnati Bengals two Thursdays ago. It certainly seemed like Johnson had a semi-regular role. But he failed to secure either of his two targets on two big downfield opportunities.
One went over an outstretched arm down the right sideline and incomplete, Jackson unable to make something out of a scramble drill. The other clanged off Johnson’s left arm near the goal line. A tough throw but arguably a poor route by Johnson, the sixth-year veteran drifting too far to the sideline and creating an impossible window for Jackson to fit the ball.
Of course, the Ravens’ passing game had all sorts of trouble with the Steelers’ defense. Jackson entered the game on a historic pace and is still likely to win his third MVP. But as he’s often done against Pittsburgh, Superman looked more like Clark Kent. Jackson finished the day completing under 50 percent of his passes, 16-of-33, for 207 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He was sacked twice and unable to create plays out of scramble drills, though a drop from WR Zay Flowers proved costly.
Baltimore hit a handful of chunk plays, including an early 42-yard catch by TE Isaiah Likely and a catch and run from Flowers for 23 yards. However, Pittsburgh kept a lid on things overall and held the Ravens to a season-low 16 points. Baltimore came into the game averaging more than 30 per game and had scored at least that many in six of its last seven games.
Johnson’s play wasn’t the difference maker. He’s low on the list of the Ravens’ concerns. And there is a rematch in the not-too-distant future, a Week 16 contest in Baltimore. Perhaps Johnson will light up the Steelers in that game. Or maybe he’ll show why he’s been traded twice and was practically given away by the Carolina Panthers as a deep reserve on Baltimore’s bench. Maybe Mike Tomlin wasn’t just jabbing Johnson when he said he’s not a priority. It’s clear he posed little threat today.
