The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens renewed their rivalry in Week 8 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD. This was a colossal battle between the 6-0 Steelers and 5-1 Ravens. What was on the line? Plenty.
If the Steelers were to remain perfect, it would put the Ravens in a two game hole in the AFC North rankings, but if the Ravens could pull out a win coming off their bye week it would mean they would overtake the Steelers for the top team in the division.
Needless to say, this was a huge game between bitter rivals.
The Steelers won the opening coin toss, but chose to defer their possession to the start of the second half. Instead, their elite defense would get the first shot at Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore offense.
The Ravens’ opening possession was forgettable for the home team when on a 3rd and 6 play Jackson’s pass was intercepted by Robert Spillane and returned for the touchdown.
STEELERS DEFENSE WASTES NO TIME
— PFF (@PFF) November 1, 2020
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Chris Boswell’s point after was good, giving the Steelers a 7-0 lead with 14:06 left in the opening quarter.
It looked as if the Steelers had stopped Jackson and the Baltimore offense on their next drive, but a late hit penalty on third down by Minkah Fitzpatrick extended the Baltimore drive. It was just the boost the Ravens needed as Jackson would connect with Willie Snead, and then Myles Boykin in the end zone. The Justin Tucker extra point tied the game 7-7 with 8:44 left in the first quarter.
Ben Roethlisberger and company took the field for the first time, and after a defensive pass interference call gave the Steelers a new set of downs a slant to Chase Claypool resulted in a fumble which was recovered by the Ravens. A J.K. Dobbins run moved the Ravens into the red zone, but on third down when Jackson looked to throw Bud Dupree was able to knock the ball out of his hands. The loose ball was recovered by the Steelers, giving the Steelers their second takeaway of the game.
The Steelers were only able to muster one first down before Jordan Berry was called on for his first duty of the day. However, his first punt of the day was uninspiring, giving the Ravens great field position, again. After a gruesome ankle injury to Ronnie Stanley, the Ravens’ drive stalled and they were forced to punt the ball for the first time of the game.
The second quarter started with the Ravens punting the ball to the Steelers, but the Pittsburgh offense failed to muster anything resembling a drive. After Jordan Berry’s second punt, it was Baltimore which struck next. A drive which was powered by the ground game resulted in a Gus Edwards one-yard touchdown to give the Ravens a 14-4 lead with 7:24 left in the first half.
Ben Roethlisberger’s next drive was the offense’s most successful of the game, and was mostly aided by a person foul, and ejection, of Matthew Judon. Nonetheless, the offense failed to put points on the field yet again.
With the Steelers’ offense doing nothing in the half, it was Baltimore who had a chance to put more points on the board at the end of the half. Jackson and company were able to move the football into Justin Tucker’s range, and the All-Pro kicker was able to make a 51-yard field goal to make the score 17-7 heading into halftime.
The Steelers received the ball to start the second half, but after a big pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster to get the ball into Baltimore territory the drive stalled and Pittsburgh had to punt the ball right back to the Ravens.
However, on Lamar Jackson’s first pass of the second half Jackson was intercepted by rookie Alex Highsmith, giving the Steelers new life.
First career interception for @highsmith34!
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) November 1, 2020
CBS https://t.co/tI5aUTu7te pic.twitter.com/IJdB7RSKWe
It only took two plays before Ben Roethlisberger hit Eric Ebron for the touchdown.
WIDE OPEN!@Ebron85 | CBS https://t.co/tI5aUTu7te pic.twitter.com/23o9hwrt7h
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) November 1, 2020
Chris Boswell’s point after was good, and made the score 17-14 with 13:21 left in the third quarter.
After a rare Ravens three and out, the Steelers’ offense started to find a rhythm and huge completions from Roethlisberger to JuJu Smith-Schuster moved the ball into Baltimore territory. Completions to Eric Ebron and Smith-Schuster put the ball at the Baltimore one-yard line, and James Conner plunged into the end zone for the touchdown.
James Conner gives the Steelers the lead
— PFF (@PFF) November 1, 2020
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Boswell’s point after was good, making the score 21-17 with 5:38 left in the third quarter.
The Ravens’ offense remained stagnant in the half, and Pittsburgh’s offense was able to force another punt on the ensuing drive. A three and out by the Steelers gave the ball back to Baltimore, but the quarter would end with the Steelers up 21-17.
Jackson continued to make big plays on the next drive, passes to Willie Snead and the go-ahead touchdown pass to Marquise Brown. After Justin Tucker’s extra point, the Steelers lead vanished quickly with the Ravens taking a 24-21 lead with 11:56 left in the fourth quarter.
Pittsburgh’s offense took the field to answer, and they did just that. This drive highlighted JuJu Smith-Schuster, who converted on several third downs to keep the drive going. After a defensive pass interference call against Marlon Humphrey moved the ball into the red-zone, Roethlisberger hit Chase Claypool for the Steelers’ touchdown.
You love to see it!@ChaseClaypool | CBS https://t.co/tI5aUTu7te pic.twitter.com/jnpvs2XojD
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) November 1, 2020
The Chris Boswell point after was good, giving the Steelers a 28-24 lead with 7:29 left in the fourth quarter.
J.K. Dobbins and the Raven’s rushing attack gashed the Steelers on the ensuing drive, all the way into the Pittsburgh red-zone. But when the field shortened, so did the Steelers’ defense. At the two-minute warning the Ravens faced a tough decision on 4th and 3. John Harbaugh elected to go for it, but Lamar Jackson was stopped and fumbled the ball. Robert Spillane recovered, giving the ball right back to Pittsburgh with 1:57 left in the fourth quarter.
Needing just one first down to seal the victory, James Conner was stopped and the Steelers had to punt the ball back to Baltimore with 59 seconds left in regulation. Jackson and the offense started with the ball on their own 40 yard line, and on 4th and 2 Jackson hit Snead for a huge gain down the middle of the field.
After Cam Heyward was injured and needed helped off the field, the Ravens faced a 1st and 10 from the 23 yard line with just 8 seconds remaining. The Jackson pass fell incomplete on first down, leaving 5 seconds left. The final play of the game fell incomplete and the Steelers were victorious at M&T Bank Stadium.
The Steelers’ win moves their record to 7-0, and they now have to prepare for a trip to Dallas to play the Cowboys in Week 9. Stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the black and gold as they roll through the regular season.