While the Pittsburgh Steelers were banged up with three key defensive starters missing entering the matchup with the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, and then watching a fourth one go down in the game, the performance from the Steelers’ defense in the 34-17 loss to the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium was a rather frustrating one.
Particularly for Steelers’ star outside linebacker T.J. Watt.
Against the Ravens, the Steelers gave up 418 yards of total offense in the loss, including 220 rushing yards with Ravens’ star running back Derrick Henry setting a rushing record for a Raven against the Steelers in the win.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Watt was frustrated with the performance from the defense, even with the injuries putting them behind the eight-ball just a bit. Where Watt’s frustrations lied was with the Steelers’ defense not doing the things that make defenses good against the Ravens, much like the Steelers have done in the past, which is creating pressure on Lamar Jackson, slowing down the run game and winning on weighty downs, particularly third downs.
“We need to start faster, man. We have to tackle. We have to play gap sound,” Watt said regarding what went wrong with the Steelers’ defense, according to video via the KDKA Steelers’ post-game show. “We have to rely on our brothers in run defense. We just have to do things that make defenses good, and we didn’t do that tonight.”
The Steelers certainly didn’t do that tonight, and it started right away as Henry and the Ravens’ offense gashed the Steelers’ defense time and time again on the ground to open the game. Fortunately, an Alex Highsmith strip-sack that the Ravens recovered — a sign of things to come on the night — forced the Ravens out of FG range and led to an opening punt.
But that success on the ground was something the Ravens continued to hammer away at as Henry finished with 162 yards on 24 carries, averaging a robust 6.8 yards per carry. The Steelers have prided themselves on stopping the run all season long, but in a big spot on the road, they had no answers.
What was also killer from the Steelers’ defense was allowing the Ravens to march 96 yards for a touchdown after QB Russell Wilson’s costly fumble in the red zone at the end of a long scramble. In that situation, with the Ravens backed up at their own 4-yard line, that shouldn’t be a spot Baltimore goes the distance.
But they did, and it had Watt upset after the game.
“Ninety-eight yard drive just can’t happen,” Watt said of the back-breaking scoring drive from the Ravens after the Wilson fumble. “I don’t know if we even got off the field on third down much tonight. I don’t think we had any three-and-outs tonight.
“We had a tough time.”
The Steelers did have a tough time all game long, and they struggled to get off the field. Baltimore was 4 for 10 on third downs on the night, which isn’t a bad number for the Steelers. But when they needed it the most, like on the 96-yard scoring drive, they couldn’t get off the field.
Baltimore never faced a third down on the drive until the 3rd and 8 play that Jackson hit wide receiver Rashod Bateman for a 14-yard score, making it 14-7 Ravens.
Injuries and a lack of depth in the secondary are concerning for the Steelers, and they really played a factor on Saturday night. It won’t get any easier on a short week, either, as the Chiefs come to town on Christmas Day.
