Steelers most to blame for Week 16 loss to Ravens
12/23/2024 11:02 PM
Entering Week 16, the Pittsburgh Steelers were no doubt eager to bounce back. Coming off a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Mike Tomlin’s squad was looking to vent their ire against none other than their rivals, the Baltimore Ravens. Additionally, a win would allow them to clinch the AFC North once and for all, finishing the in-division race between them and their foes in purple.
It wouldn’t happen, however. Behind three touchdown passes from Lamar Jackson, the Ravens took home a 34-17 win on Saturday. It wasn’t lopsided at first, as both teams exchanged touchdowns and field goals early on. With over five minutes remaining in the third quarter, the score was 17 all. A Mark Andrews touchdown late in the quarter broke the tie, and a pick-six by Marlon Humphrey early in the fourth gave Baltimore a comfortable cushion. The Steelers’ last two drives ended in punts, making it clear to M&T Bank Stadium spectators that a comeback wouldn’t happen.
While Pittsburgh still holds the top spot in the division, both they and the Ravens now have the same record (10-5), and the next two weeks will determine who the AFC North crown belongs to. All that being said, what caused the Steelers to fumble this golden opportunity? To answer that, here are the main factors that led to the loss.
Russell Wilson’s turnovers
Russell Wilson may have had two TD passes, but he committed two turnovers as well, both of which were arguably costly for the Steelers. The first happened with over 11 minutes remaining in the second quarter. Both the Steelers and Ravens were tied at seven points apiece, and Pittsburgh had a second down at the Baltimore 23. Scrambling out of the pocket, Wilson found himself with an open lane and attempted to run it all the way. Just when he was inside the five-yard line, a Ravens defender managed to hit him and the ball was pried free. Baltimore linebacker Kyle Van Noy recovered the fumble, ending a possession that could’ve nearly given the Steelers the lead. In the ensuing drive, the Ravens scored a touchdown.
The second of Wilson’s turnovers happened later in the game, when Pittsburgh was trying to cut down a seven-point deficit. With over 13 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Wilson’s intended pass to MyCole Pruitt was picked off by Marlon Humphrey. And as mentioned earlier, the cornerback managed to return it for a touchdown, giving the Ravens a two-score lead.
Speaking of fumbles, the Ravens committed three of their own. The thing is, none of them were recovered by Pittsburgh. Every time Baltimore lost control of the ball — such as during Desmond King’s punt returns — the ball somehow found itself with a Ravens player. All in all, the Ravens had four fumble recoveries while the Steelers only had one.
Struggles in coverage
The Steelers were without several injured starters on Saturday, including safety DeShon Eliott and cornerback Donte Jackson. Their absence was felt as the Pittsburgh defense seemed to lack cohesiveness in coverage. This was already seen when Isaiah Likely scored the Ravens’ first touchdown without anyone on him. Fast forward to the third quarter and nearly the same thing happened during Mark Andrews’ TD. Before corralling a pass from Jackson, the tight end — who has the third-most receiving yards among all Ravens players this season — was somehow wide open in the middle of the endzone. By the time realization set in for the defense, it was already too late.
The road ahead isn’t any easier for Pittsburgh. They’ll be facing the league-leading Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day, while a clash with the offense-heavy Cincinnati Bengals awaits to close out the regular season.
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