The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens have one of the biggest rivalries in the NFL. Although the Steelers have dominated the Ravens lately, that didn’t matter Saturday. The Ravens had a point to prove against the Steelers, and they did just that. The old saying is you aren’t a Raven until you beat the Steelers, so many current Baltimore players earned their wings this week. Wide receiver Zay Flowers is one of those players, and he seems extremely happy about that fact.
“We had a couple bumps here and there, but we just played our game,” Flowers said after the Ravens’ 34-17 win via the team’s YouTube channel. “We just kept playing and it is what we expected. They say you ain’t a Raven until you beat the Steelers. I guess I’m a Raven now. I guess I’m a Raven now.”
To the victors go the spoils. Flowers is correct that he is “officially” a Raven after this win. Being a rookie last year, all Flowers had known was defeat against the Steelers. This week changed that. It’s unfortunate for the Steelers, but the Ravens were the better team.
Flowers certainly was active in earning his feathers too. He recorded five catches for 100 yards, including a 49-yard bomb that basically killed any hope of winning the Steelers had left. After struggling with drops last year against the Steelers, Flowers made sure not to repeat that Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium.
All around, it was an ugly day for the Steelers. And Flowers wasn’t the only player who gashed the Steelers’ defense. Derrick Henry had a historic day running the football. Outside of one interception, Lamar Jackson had a phenomenal day too, throwing for over 200 yards and three touchdowns.
The Steelers didn’t fare much better offensively. They had several costly errors that sapped them of any momentum. This was a game the Ravens dominated, and the loss does sting, but there’s no use crying over spilled milk.
All the Steelers can do now is look ahead to their two remaining games. If they can win those, they can still take home the AFC North crown. That’s easier said than done, though. The Kansas City Chiefs are on top of the AFC, and the Cincinnati Bengals aren’t slouches either. Flowers is excited over this game’s outcome, but the Steelers are feeling anything but joy.
