Turning Points: Tuitt sack spoils Ravens home stand
Could’ve. Would’ve. Should’ve. These words define those who fall short of their goals. Such is the case of this series, which will examine the ebbs and flows of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2018 season and how specific individual plays may have shaped the year.
One of the final turning points we have to cover from the 2018 season likely flew far under the radar as far as “big plays” are concerned.
The 4-2-1 Steelers were attempting to create some distance between themselves and the 4-4 Baltimore Ravens entering Week 9 of the 2018 NFL season. Despite winning three in a row to date, traveling to Baltimore was anything but a given for Pittsburgh, who embarrassingly dropped a home Sunday Night Football contest to their AFC North rival several weeks earlier.
Hitting the road to play at M&T Bank Stadium, there were still questions as to the authenticity of the Steelers: were they trending upward or downward?
The Ravens, as usual, played a tough, tight game. The Steelers got out to a 20-6 lead midway through the third quarter only to see the Ravens chip away at that margin and bring the game within seven points near the very end of regulation.
The Steelers played the time possession game and whittled away crucial minutes, forcing the Ravens to use the last of their three timeouts – which worked in their favor as they got the ball back at their own 24-yard-line with 44 seconds left in the game.
Flacco’s first deep pass intended for Michael Crabtree was incomplete.
His second attempt, would cost the Ravens dearly.
With a motor that doesn’t quit, Stephon Tuitt powered his way to Joe Flacco, bringing down the Ravens quarterback.
Tuitt’s sack would force a third-down situation deep in Baltimore’s own territory… and with no timeouts remaining, the clock kept ticking.
Two penalties and then two plays later, the game would end with the Steelers securing their fourth-straight victory by a margin of 23 to 16.
