The Steelers get their mid-season bye this week...well, they should have been on their mid-season bye. Instead the Steelers had to shift their schedule around and instead of a week of rest this week we get to play The Cleveland Browns in Disguise, Cleveland East, That Purple Team, The Ratbirds, The Edgar Allen Poe's...I think you all get the point. The only good thing to ever come out of Baltimore was Johnny Unitas, and they had to get him via Pittsburgh. The games with the Ravens each year have become a real rivalry, so you can expect to see a lot of hitting and bruises coming out of this game. I will hope (as I do every year) that there will be plenty of hard hits, but that both teams come away with no major injuries. Beak out the ice packs, the Ben-Gay, and the heating pads as this game will be it’s usual slobber-knocker.
A simple reminder, a knee jerk reaction is an immediate and unthinking, emotional reaction. It’s basically shooting first and apologizing later (forget that, I apologize for none of my emotion I may not actually be from Pittsburgh, but grew up close enough to be a Yinzer). I can safely say that’s a true definition of your’s truly and a good lot of Steelers’ Nation. Here’s my real-time (and possibly a little bit of my son Kyle’s) reactions during the Steelers’ effort to continue the unbeaten streak.
Quarter 1
- Steelers won the toss, but deferred to the second half. Chris Boswell to kick. Let's get this game rolling.
- First third down can the defense get off the field?
- Roberts Spillane picks it off and goes for a touchdown !!!!!!
- Stephon Tuitt making his presence done with the tackle for a loss.
- I am not liking the unnecessary roughness call on Minkah Fitzpatrick. they could have flagged Hayward but Fitzpatrick didn't do anything wrong.
- Ravens took advantage of a mismatch they got Spillane trying to guard a wide receiver. At least he stopped him short of the end zone.
- Ravens take advantage of Vince Williams in pass coverage. Score now tied 7-7.
- I like how the refs will call the Steelers for a block in the back, but not even mention the number. How are we to see if it actually happened or not?
- Not a very good looking pass from Ben Roethlisberger there. When you have a guy wide open you got to hit him in the numbers.
- That's a big pass interference call on 3rd and 11. The Steelers will take it, gets them out of the hole.
- Claypooll makes a nice catch then fumbles, Ravens recover. Not how we wanted to see the Steelers offense start.
- Ravens with a nice run on third down and three to set it up near the 10-yard line.
- Bud Dupree hits Jackson. Fumble!!!! Recovered by the Steelers.
- We are still in the first quarter, and there's already been three turnovers in this game. I knew the weather would be a factor but who would have thought this much.
- 3rd and 10 try to sneak in a run with James Conner. Didn't fool anybody. Steelers to punt.
- And there's the crappy Jordan Berry punt where all used to.
- Nice to see Brian Anthony Davis with one correct prediction. Stephon Tuitt with the sack of Lamar Jackson.
- Steelers need a big third down stop here to get the ball back. T.J. Watt with a big pressure, Jackson was lucky that wounded duck wasn't picked off.
- And with that this long first quarter finally comes to an end. Score tied at 7-7.
Quarter 2
- Steelers pick up one first down, now left with a third and three. Need to keep this drive alive.
- Ben throws too high, he had Washington open.
- Berry with a much better punt this time.
- Back them up decently with the punt, and then give up a huge round first down to Gus Edwards.
- The Steelers are getting run over like roadkill. Ravens already over 100 yards as a team.
- Ravens now with a first and goal...defense needs to hold.
- Lucky we kept Lamar Jackson out of the end zone. But the next play goes for a touchdown. Ravens take the lead.
- Conner with a nice run on 2nd and 10.
- Some flags after that run, all five referees are huddling. I'm sure they're figuring out how they can screw the Steelers.
- Matthew Judon is ejected for intentionally contacting an official. That's interesting.
- Ben with another pass batted down at the line.
- A false start, followed by Ben being hit fumbling but he did recover. Not a good end of that series.
- Oh great. Now they're showing Ben on the sideline having his elbow massaged.
- Steelers give up a run to Lamar Jackson on 3rd down. He fumbled, wish we could have at least had someone in the area to challenge the fall on it.
- Well it looked like Hayden was going to have an interception but I don't think it will stand. That sucks.
- The Steelers can't stop them from running the ball. If that doesn't change for the second half it's going to be a long afternoon. Maybe during halftime we could get some of those guys from Kennywood get down there and install some of them Noah's Ark shaky boards to slow them down.
- The Ravens have already reached their season rushing average in the first half. To say the Steelers can't stop their run is NOT an understatement.
- The defense gets them in a third and ten gives up a first down. The Ravens are going to get some sort of points out of this drive.
- Tucker kicks a field goal to end the half. Raven's 17, Steelers 7.
- Here is a list of all my positives for the Steelers from the first half... None. Don't look at the halftime stats...they are awful.
Quarter 3
- After a long pass play to start to JuJu, Steelers stall and get nothing. Diontae needs to try to go catch that third down pass instead of trying to draw a flag.
- Alex Highsmith picks off Jackson on the first Ravens play. Offense needs to come through with a TD.
- Ebron!!!!! Wide open for the TD! Back in it baby!
- Jackson incomplete on 3rd down. Three and out. Now to get the offense moving.
- A couple of first downs. Need to keep it moving.
- You'd think after 17 years Ben would know you can't hold it forever back there.
- Still manage to pick up the first down after the sack. A TD would get the lead back.
- JuJu tough catch and run to the one yard line.
- Conner for the TD!!!! How did the Steelers get the lead back?
- Gave up the big pass play, caused the fumble, but couldn’t recover. That could have been a game-changer.
- Watt gets Jackson for a loss on 3rd down. Steelers get the ball back.
- Three and out, no yards gained. Ugh! Ravens in good field position.
- Sack!!! Did someone else put on a #96 jersey at halftime? He looks like a completely different player.
- That brings the third quarter to an end. Steelers 21, Ravens 17.
Quarter 4
- 3rd and long and the Steelers leave a guy wide open deep down the middle of the field. How do they let that happen?
- Jackson goes in for the touchdown. But if they don't call a hold on the guy blocking Mondeaux it's a crime. Thank God they called it.
- 2nd and 22 again and the defense leaves a guy wide open over the middle and picks up the first down.
- How much you want to bet they overturn this call and give the Ravens a touchdown? Wow, can't believe that.
- Ended up not mattering. Ravens go back in front.
- Refs threw a flag for a late hit on the quarterback, converse and pick it up. The second guy should have gotten the flag.
- Convert the third down pass to Ray-Ray McCloud, and tack on 15 for a face mask.
- Moving down the field nicely. TD is need, but gotta have points either way.
- Claypool!!!! With the TD grab. That drive was all passing plays.
- Well, this is what I needed. Another heart attack game. I feel my life expectancy shortening every week the Steelers play.
- Ravens are back to running it all over the Steelers.
- Somebody have one of those great big boomboxes? We could take it down to Baltimore and play a little Renegade right now.
- Steelers are getting absolutely gashed in the running game.
- Oh great. Cam Hayward is down. Can't afford that loss.
- Wow, 4th down, they will go for it, but first the 2 minute warning. Do I feel good about this? Not really.
- I can't watch!!!
- We stopped him!!!!!! Yes, I believe all the Steelers’ fans shouting at their TV caused that fumble!
- The Steelers need two yards. Could you just please give us fans two yards so we can breathe easy for once?
- We should have run a jet sweep there, or at least faked a jet streak there.
- Jordan Berry blasted that punt. No return.
- 4th and 2 and guess what the Steelers give up a big play down the middle.
- Cam Hayward down again. I sure hope he's okay.
- This game is going to come down to one throw by Lamar Jackson into the end zone.
- Broke it up! Broke it up! Broke it up!
- Three, two, one...Hey Tom, guess who is 7-0!
Once again, I just fired off what was going through my head at the time. All reactions were in real time. Basically, it is the equivalent of watching the game with me (and Kyle), you just don’t have to go to another room because I am screaming at the television (sometimes Kyle does). Now time to process it, some quick analyzing for the Scho Bro Show, and then put it behind me as we move toward Week 9 and that Cowboys (who like to call themselves America’s Team, but we all know that’s really the Steelers). Make sure you get your voice heard in the comments below.