By Ray Porter Jr. for Urban Media Today
BALTIMORE, MD–The Pittsburgh Steelers had a grand opportunity to clinch their first AFC North Division Championship since 2020 with a win vs the Baltimore Ravens, a team that they defeated 18-16 a month ago. All it took was for them to travel to MT & Bank Stadium to get the deed done and beat the Ravens 9 times in their past 10 games.
Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever as it was the Ravens who were the victors as they beat the Steelers 34-17 in front of the home crowd and clinched a playoff berth in the process.
“We didn’t do what we needed to do to secure victory today. So, I congratulate the Ravens on their performance in the victory,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “Specifically, we didn’t control the run game. We never did. When you don’t, you’ve got to do some splash plays or win the turnover battle in a significant way, and we didn’t do that either.”
The Steelers had previously been successful against Ravens QB Lamar Jackson and RB Derrick Henry, but didn’t have much success Saturday as Jackson picked apart the Steelers defense after throwing 3 TDs and passing for 207 yards. His lone mistake was a pass that was intercepted by Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick, but that was redeemed when Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey intercepted Steelers QB Russell Wilson’s pass and returned it for a TD.
“The turnover game is always significant in match-ups like this. We failed in both areas. So, when you do that, you should expect to lose,” Tomlin said.
Henry ran around and over the Steelers defense for 162 yards, WR Zay Flowers caught 5 passes for 100 yards, and fellow WR Rashod Bateman, TEs Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely all caught TD passes. K Justin Tucker added 2 FGs for the Ravens (10-5).
“As I mentioned, we never controlled the run game. When you’re not controlling the run game, you’re not going to have a sense of comfort in terms of the flow of it. That was the case,” Tomlin commented.
Unfortunately for the Steelers, it was a game in which they had their opportunities but weren’t as successful at taking advantage of them. In the first quarter, they forced fumbles on the offense and special teams, but the Ravens were able to recover. Wilson (22/33,217 yards, 2 TDs INT) did what he could to tie the Ravens on two occasions, but he blew a huge opportunity to help give them the lead when he scrambled in the Red Zone and just when it looked like they were inside the Ravens 5, Wilson was hit by S Ar’Darius Washington and fumbled the ball in which the Ravens recovered. Jackson then led the Ravens on a 96-yard TD drive and the lead.
“We had opportunities of some balls on the ground that we didn’t get. Then obviously, we turned the ball over going in,” said Tomlin. “It took seven points off the board, and they had a pick-six. The rest is history, as they say. You’ve got to control the run, the line of scrimmage.”
But like the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, it was the Steelers’ defense whose performance hurt their chances as missed tackles and lack of coverage provided opportunities for the Ravens.
While it may have hurt the Steelers because of the absence of QB Justin Fields, WR George Pickens, S DeShon Elliott, CB Donte Jackson, DT Larry Ogunjobi, and eventually CB Joe Porter Jr, they know that they could’ve made better decisions on the field when the players that they had.
Now, if the Steelers are to win the Division, they must shake off this loss and prepare to face the Defending Super Bowl Champion KC Chiefs in four days on Christmas Day. They know it’s not going to be easy, but they must be up for the challenge.
“Well, we are singularly focused on our next opportunity. Our business is winning. We get a next target; we focus our energies there. The big-picture stuff takes care of itself. We’ve got to win a football game,” Tomlin said.
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