Steelers vs. Ravens, Week 5: Knee-Jerk Reactions to the Steelers’ devastating 26-23 loss to the Ravens

Here we go! The Steelers had a pretty rough start to the first quarter of the season. To stay in the hunt in the AFC North, they can’t afford to lose to their heated-rivals. This is really a must win. Let’s see if they can pull this off.

Nonetheless, a simple reminder, a knee jerk reaction is an immediate and unthinking, emotional reaction. It’s basically shooting first and apologizing later. I can safely say that’s a true definition of your’s truly and a good lot of Steeler Nation. Here’s my real-time reactions during the Steelers’ chance at redemption as they desperately look for their first win of the new season.

Quarter 1

• Crucial game for the Steelers. Gonna be interesting in the rain.
• L.J. Fort with an impressive tackle on the kickoff. Wrong team though.
• Going small ball early in the rain.
• See. Harbaugh actually scouts games. You kind of figured that they’d sniff that stuff out.
• Plus, why hand it off to the guy with the bad toe.
• At least they trusted Rudolph to pass on third and long instead of the handoff.
• Great punt covearage. That’s why you keep Tyler Matakevich around.
• The problem with pressure on Jackson. He made a lot out of nothing.
• Watt seemed like he was held on that Jackson 7-yard run.
• Ingram is just good.
• Tuitt missed the sack, Jackson is so elusive.
• Bad call on T.J.
• Nice tackle by Cam and Bush. Big third down coming up.
• Great coverage on Hollywood Brown by Cam Sutton. Sweet to hold them to three.
• Nice return by Switz. Of course, negated by a flag.
• Oh crap. This is what I was afraid of. Terrible pick thrown by Samuels.
• Just play real football.
• Holding on Barron. They are struggling.
• That stiff arm on Watt by Jackson was brutal.
• That personal foul on Tuitt hurts.
• The Steelers are playing better against the running backs.
• Not there. Ingram powers it in. 10-0, in favor of the bad guys.
• Conner needs to get going. That run is a good start.
• That run sets up nice play action. Good to see JWash with a big gain.
• Sweet play for the score from Mason to JuJu. Love it 10-7.

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• Juju and Diontae Johnson almost collided on that play.
• I’m not sure what all Bud did on that play. But celebrate.
• Dumb cut by Hollywood.
• They need to get tighter on the run.
• End of one. 10-7.

Quarter 2

• Bush is playing well again.
• The Steelers can’t stop the TE.
• Great coverage by Nelson.
• Crap. Down by ten.
• They are moving the ball well on this drive. Need to answer.
• First incompletion came at a bad time. Gotta punt.
• They need to force a punt on this next drive.
• Hilton with a great behind the line tackle. He seems like he’s back this year.
• Huge awareness by Kam Kelly. Kind of forgot about that dude.
• Minkah helped make that interception happen.
• Gotta convert here.
• Not really sure what they’re challenging here.
• Stop running the Wildcat. It is so obvious. It wasn’t last week.
• Horrendous sack. Huge missed opportunity.
• Wow, thought that was going left. Wanted seven. Will take the three.
• Short kick by Boswell. Bad coverage on the return by Justice Hill.
• Gotta love Watt. Huge sack.
• And another! VinniVidiVici is back with a vengeance.
• Mason got lucky on the incompletion. Overthrew into double coverage.
• Threw into double coverage again. Got lucky with the Humphries hold.
• My buddy just pointed out that you can tell that’s Washington before you see the number. He’s got really strong hands.
• Thats a forward pass.
• Mason looks scary here.
• This is disconcerting. Ravens get the ball with a lot of time and get it back after the half.
• Cam with a huge sack.
• Hilton...yes!!!!
• Get points!
• I’ll take the roughing the passer. But it was pretty weak.
• Take the three.
• End of two. 17-3.

Quarter 3

• Have to stop this offense early in this half.
• They are running all over the Steelers.
• Fourth and 6. They are going to go for it,
• And it pays off. Bush offsides.
• Bush with huge redemption on the pick.
• I think that interception is getting reversed.
• Shocked they didn’t get that reversed.
• What an athletic play by Mason for a huge first down.
• Rudolph got knocked out.
• This is bad.
• This is real bad.
• Praying that Mason is okay.
• Glad to see him up. He won’t be back today.

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• Even our cart doesn’t work right.
• The Duck Dynasty starts now. Really nervous about that.
• That was definitely interference,
• Hodges got the ball out and I think DJ caught it and fumbled it out of bounds.
• This might be reversed.
• Yes. That’s a huge loss of timeout and challenge.
• Gotta convert.
• Conner has got to take over here.
• What a huge play by Vanimal.
• Nothing dumb. Just power football.
• Conner with an inspired TD run.
• 20-17. Wow!
• Lets go Defense!!!!
• Giving Hayden Hurst too much room.
• Beautiful tackle by Watt in the backfield, Vince was there too.
• Crap. Needed to stop them on third down.
• End of three. Steelers with a 20-17 lead...for now,

Quarter 4

• That was a huge holding penalty against Baltimore.
• Great tackle by Minkah. Huge stop for this team.
• Huge pass from Hodges to JuJu. It was an obvious run situation deep in your own territory. Good play call.
• Just knew that ball was going to get intercepted.
• So lucky on the hold.
• Jefferson is really hurt. Never want to see that.
• Hodges is not getting rattled and really making some throws.
• Good PI by Johnson. Could’ve been picked.
• Samuels really could have had a good game if he just waited to catch the ball before running. Nuts.
• This drive is going south fast.
• Huge down by Artie Burns. What a play. Gotta stop them desperately here.
• Minkah with a great breakup and hurt Andrews. Andrews is their big weapon.
• Defense is fired up. Gotta stop it here.
• That was close. Definitely not a safety.
• I was screaming “No holds” that entire runback.
• C’mon James Conner. Need to move chains,
• Ducky with the huge run. Wow!
• I’m getting chest pains.
• Nuts. Needed the conversion there.
• How many time do you think they played “Renegade”?
• Really? That’s a terrible penalty call on Adeniyi.
• Huge sack...JWobble.
• Here we go. Tucker never misses.
• 23-23. Extra innings.
• Please kneel.

Overtime

• Baltimore with a 4-1 record in OT against Pittsburgh.
• Risky call. I kind of get it based on the situation.
• Nice swarming tackle.
• Bud the Stud with the sack.
• Too good of a punt.
• Bad fumble. Bad bounce. Bad break.
• Dammitt.
• It was a clean catch.
• This isn’t going our way.
• Need a miracle or a holding call.
• Not gonna happen.
• That curved. Thought it was gonna miss.
• I hate this game.

Once again, I just shot first and I’ll apologize later. All reactions were in real time. Basically, it is the equivalent of watching me do the highlights if I hadn’t been blacklisted by the major networks. Now time to watch it again and see what really happened. Make sure you get your voice heard in the comments below.