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26This game happened on September 11. Before we get rolling in the recap, let’s not forget the sacrifices made by countless people on 2001. Words can’t really do justice to what happened, so I’ll just leave it to The Boss.
Back to football, the Ravens won the toss and deferred.
The Steelers seemingly got off to a terrible start with Ben getting sacked on 3rd down but a flag came out for Courtney Upshaw lowering his helmet on Ben. People were pissed off about the call, but it was the same thing James Harrison got flagged for a few years ago, so there is some consistency there. Basically, this started a giant flag-fest. Wheaton came up with a big grab for a first down and the Steelers started marching. A 3rd down conversion to Heath was nullified by a penalty but Ben came right back and fired one to AB who got hit in the head but hung on to the ball and got us into field goal range. The next few plays were a bit of a blur as they kept showing AB on the sideline undergoing concussion protocol, but Justin Brown fumbled a pass and gave up points.
If there was one injury this team can’t afford, outside of Ben Roethlisberger, it’s Antonio Brown.
The Ravens picked their way down the field with short passes to running backs and tight ends and the Steelers could not stop them. The defense seemingly held on a 3rd and 1 at the 35, but the Ravens went for it on 4th down and Flacco was able to make an elite fall forward for 3 yards. The Ravens biggest pass play of the night was when Cortez Allen got called for pass interference, giving the Ravens the ball on the 2. Two plays later, Flacco hit a wide open Owen Daniels for a touchdown.
The offense takes the field without Antonio Brown
Justin Brown continues to let the team down by dropping a pass on 3rd down that was thrown slightly behind him.
The Ravens continue dinking and dunking the Steelers to death, exploiting the Steelers inability to tackle. They pick their way down inside the red zone and get a first down on another Flacco QB sneak. The defense finally gets a “stop” when Flacco makes two errant throws out of the back of the end zone. Tucker nails it though.
Antonio Brown is back on the field and the drive looks ready to stall out but Heath takes a TE screen on 3rd and 9 and is able to move the chains. The Steelers get into the no huddle after the first down and goes back to Heath who moves the sticks again and gets us out near midfield. The Prescription makes something out of nothing and breaks free in the middle of the field, scampering for more yards down the sideline before getting into a little shoving match with a Ravens corner as he goes out. The Prescription keeps rolling with a catch on a shovel pass that he takes for 18 more to get inside the 20. Haley out-thinks himself in the red zone and tries to run and end-around to AB on 3rd and 4 that only gets 2 yards. Suisham.
Jim Nantz totally glosses over the failure by the NFL to properly address the Ray Rice issue just saying “We all know two games wasn’t the right call” before throwing it to Phil Simms.
The defense comes up with two big tackles for loss before the two minute warning. After the break, Flacco misses Torrey Smith and the defense gets to come off the field with a big 3-and-out after the score.
Ben takes over with 1:40 left and all 3 timeouts. Wheaton gets us into a 3rd and manageable on a WR screen then makes the grab on 3rd down on an out-route to pick up the first down. Ben goes right to AB who spins out of a tackle and turns it up the sideline to get across midfield and get out of bounds. Ben gets sacked but goes back to Wheaton who gets us into 3rd and 4 again but a false start on Gilbert knocks us out of field goal range. Ben overthrows Heath on 3rd down and that’s it.
The defense wins again, drawing a holding penalty then not giving up anything on a draw play and a throwback screen. Great field position after a punt.
Wheaton gets 11 on an end-around then The Prescription stutter-steps in the hole and bounces it outside to get inside the 30. A sack by Dumervil when he runs Gilbert over on a bull rush sets things back and the Steelers keep it conservative on 3rd down to set up Suisham who connects from 42.
Phil Simms starts openly rooting for the Ravens and Flacco seems to notice because he hits two passes to get into Steelers territory. The Steelers continue to be unable to defend tight ends in the middle of the field and the Ravens work it inside the 10. Both safeties get called for unnecessary roughness/blows to the head and the Ravens get the ball at the 1.
Even as a former NFL receiver, what I just saw was crazy. Smh those hits were not hits to the helmet
— Derrick Mason (@deemason85) September 12, 2014
Two plays later, Flacco finds Owen Daniels even wider open than he was the first time.
When the Steelers needed a big drive after their defense had been on the field for a long time, the offense couldn’t do it and went 3-and-out.
The Ravens go back to the air and move the ball right back down the field, getting the benefit of a facemask penalty on Mike Mitchell.
The defense finally holds inside the 10 but the Ravens tack on 3 more.
On the first play, Heath Miller fumbled and that was pretty much it. When Heath Miller fumbles, it’s over.
I fell asleep on the couch during the commercial break, but apparently the Ravens kicked another field goal?
Nothing else really happened. Brad Wing had a 56-yard punt that was essentially nullified by a 33-yard return. Jacoby Jones made sure to run up the Ravens sideline, not the Steelers. I guess he didn’t want to take a selfie with Mike Tomlin.
The Ravens added another field goal because John Harbaugh has Justin Tucker on his fantasy team.
Ben drove the Steelers down the field but was picked off by Haloti Ngata. Not sure how that even happens. Whatever.
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