The Beatdown gang share their post-game thoughts
Below are the reactions from the Baltimore Beatdown staff regarding the Baltimore Ravens 16-14 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pure resilience from a Baltimore Ravens squad that started the game with their backup quarterback and ended it with their third-stringer. This was a game of exorcising demons. The Ravens hadn’t won against the Steelers in nearly three years. They were at eight wins, the same as last season before they careened from 8-3 to 8-9. They were without Lamar Jackson, just like last year, too. But, they didn’t falter and secured a winning season. They also put the Steelers one game away from putting the “Mike Tomlin’s never gone under .500” to rest, too.
Speaking on the game now, it was clear what would win this game. Whoever’s team knew how to run the ball and not cough it up for the opposing defense. The Ravens run game piled on 215 yards on 42 attempts and did not lose the football. Meanwhile, the Steelers commit three turnovers and their run game finished with 65 yards. The defense stood their ground, special teams turned up with field goals and also a block of their own. Give all the credit to the coaching staff and the players for their execution. Hard to complain about much after a hard-earned win in Pittsburgh. — Kyle Barber
Baltimore executed a formula win against their arch rivals in Pittsburgh.
The returns of Marcus Williams, JK Dobbins and Ronnie Stanley were crucial. The Ravens offense moved the ball on the ground and their defense snared a trio of interceptions. Special teams also made an impact with a Calais Campbell blocked field goal.
Winning a divisional road game with a third string quarterback, despite questionable officiating, is a classic Harbaugh victory. It remains to be seen if the Ravens regular season formula can translate to postseason success. — Vasilis Lericos
The Ravens won the predictable war of attrition in Pittsburgh. Behind a rejuvenated rushing attack with J.K. Dobbins and Ronnie Stanley back in the lineup, the Ravens grinded away over 200 yards on the ground. Dobbins and Edwards churned out key conversions to eat clock in the second half, while the Ravens’ defense flipped the field three times with interceptions in their own territory. Down Lamar Jackson and then Tyler Huntley mid-game, the Ravens needed to learn on their offensive line, defense and special teams to pull out a much-needed divisional victory on the road. They delivered in all three of those facets. — Frank Platko
It may not have been pretty, but the Ravens’ win over the Steelers may be one of their most impressive of the season when considering the context. Baltimore, on their third-string quarterback, stuck to what they do best by running the ball down Pittsburgh’s throat. The defense came up big with three turnovers, although the continual late-game collapse once again reared its ugly head. Thankfully, the Ravens were able to put the game away on the ground with J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards on the final drive. The impact of returning players such as Dobbins, Ronnie Stanley, and Marcus Williams cannot be understated. Baltimore just needs to weather the storm until Lamar Jackson can return to the field, hopefully sooner than later. — Dustin Cox
What a game. A wild game from start to finish that was a culmination of the way the Ravens organization loves to build teams. Huge games from running backs J.K. Dobbins (120 yards and a touchdown), Gus Edwards (66 yards), linebackers Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen each had a red zone interception and their big free agent addition Marcus Williams had an interception.
In a game when Lamar Jackson was out, Tyler Huntley gets knocked out, the third-string UDFA quarterback has to play, and star cornerback Marlon Humphrey has his worst game in months, nothing was guaranteed. But the Ravens fought out a gritty, tough divisional win with a strong run game and impactful plays on defense. — Zach Canter