3Rivers’ Takeaways: Steelers comeback stunner dings AFC-North leading Ravens
Christina Rivers (3Rivers_Writer on Twitter) offers her Pittsburgh Steelers post-game takeaways, both positive and negative, as Steel City Underground extends its coverage of the Steelers’ on-field performances throughout the 2021-22 NFL regular season.
After last week’s performance, I was admittedly nervous about Week 13’s rivalry game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. Typically, games between these two teams have been nail-biters and must-watch situations during the NFL regular season. Although it looked like Pittsburgh might be doomed early due to injuries on the offensive line and a defense that didn’t immediately warm up on a 90-plus yard drive by Baltimore that was capped by a touchdown and ate a ton of time off of the game clock, the Steelers came back in a stunner that put Ravens head coach John Harbaugh in a bind: go for the tie or be as aggressive as Pittsburgh was and go for a two-point conversion for the win. With the miss on that conversion, the Steelers were able to take the win, 20-19, and ding a Ravens team that has been lucky to win a number of very close games to lead the AFC North entering December.
Getting “home” made big difference for the defense
The Steelers’ defense may have looked like they were going to have issues adjusting to what Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense presented early. They adjusted appropriately, however, in how they addressed pressuring the fourth-year quarterback and it was a difference-maker.
Chris Wormley looked very comfortable playing on the interior defensive line and, as a result, was able to grab the first sack of Jackson out of six that the Steelers would put together in the game. Wormley earned 2.5 sacks.
The only turnover of the game was created by pressure from T.J. Watt. Watt was able to pressure Jackson into tossing an interception that Minkah Fitzpatrick recovered in the second quarter. Watt finished with 3.5 sacks. Watt also earned a forced fumble that was retained by Baltimore when the ball rolled out of bounds and added a pass knockdown.
Cameron Heyward earned one sack but was once again very active in this game. Keith Butler didn’t always line his pressure players up in their usual positions, and it appeared to shake Jackson’s confidence several times. Heyward showed great athleticism chasing one play down across the field, and accumulated three solo tackles.
Johnson and Harris spark Steelers offense
Neither team scored, at all, during the first quarter of the game, setting the stage for another battle between the Steelers and Ravens. Right before halftime, Pittsburgh got a field goal from Chris Boswell that might have been a PAT had the pass from Ben Roethlisberger been hauled in by Diontae Johnson. The pass was a bit of an over-the-head rainbow, but it was catchable.
Johnson made up for the miss in the second half of the game. In the third quarter, the Steelers offense was able to drive the ball 78 yards down the field in four plays and score what looked to be the tying touchdown thanks to a 29-yard pass and run to a wide-open Johnson. The run-pass option worked as Roethlisberger faked the handoff to Najee Harris, pumped toward Zach Gentry, and found Johnson along the left sideline.
Following the missed Boswell PAT, and a successful Justin Tucker field goal, the Steelers were able to close the game to just one point (13-12) thanks to the rushing and receiving of Harris; his ability to keep his legs moving and gain extra yardage. Johnson also hauled in a 25-yard reception that helped set up a successful field goal by Boswell.
It was once again thanks, in large part, to the chemistry Roethlisberger has with Johnson and Harris, that the Steelers were able to drive 69 yards (11 plays) to take the 20-13 lead due to a spectacular move Johnson made in order to get into the end zone for another touchdown with just 1:48 left in the final quarter. Pat Freiermuth successfully converted the two-point attempt.
Johnson caught eight-of-11 passes for 105 yards and the Steelers’ two touchdowns. In a complementary fashion, Harris added five receptions for 36 yards and rushed 21 times for 71 yards.
Negative narratives may have been motivation
Just ahead of the big game, the national media opted to release statements that inferred that Roethlisberger would hang up his cleats at the end of this season. Almost immediately, pundits and analysts began talking about whether “Big Ben” should have done it before this season. Steelers fans saw a determined Roethlisberger on Sunday afternoon, though. He was quick on his releases, looked comfortable in the hurry-up offense, and seemed undeterred from the goal: winning.
Linebacker Devin Bush may have received more pep in his step, too, from the media attention that focused on an announcement that the Steelers were opting to not utilize the fifth-year option to keep him in Pittsburgh. Bush looked more engaged in this game than he may have all season.
I’ve never thought making game-day announcements that include potentially negative narratives ahead was the “right time,” but this week the “news” may have become a motivation to Roethlisberger and Bush.
