The best thing about the Steelers’ Week 12 game against the Ravens is it’s finally over

There was so much about the Steelers game on Wednesday afternoon that just felt so weird. In preparation to watch the game, although I was going through some of the same game day work for BTSC, it didn’t really ever feel like game day. When it finally kicked off, I had to keep reminding myself I wasn’t watching I previously taped game and this was actually taking place at 3:40 PM on a Wednesday.

It was a tumultuous road to get to kickoff on Wednesday. Three postponements, multiple players from both teams going on the Reserve/COVID-19 List, threatened strikes, and snowy weather had it where fans still weren’t sure the game would take place until Chris Boswell‘s foot struck the pigskin and got the final game of Week 12 underway.

As much as this week was strange and just plain “off” to fans, imagine what the players went through. How many “day before a game” walk-throughs did the Steelers actually have before finally facing off against the Baltimore Ravens? It was the week that just wouldn’t end.

Then there was the entire BTSC portion of the strangeness. Going from a compressed schedule for an expected Thursday night game, kickoff finally occurred six days after anticipated. Between podcasts and articles, the staff did a great job of continuing to bring content through so much uncertainty.

Once Boswell kicked off for the Steelers, everything was supposed to be different. It was Steelers versus Ravens. The AFC North rivalry was going to be the premier game thus far in 2020 on Thanksgiving night. Instead, both teams had multiple Pro Bowlers missing the game due to COVID-19. But it was still Steelers versus Ravens. It was supposed to live up to the hype.

I don’t know about all Steelers fans, but I don’t feel the same after this game as I have always felt after a victory over the Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers left a lot on the field. It wasn’t all bad, other than a couple key plays, the defense played fantastic. Unfortunately, the Steelers do not exit this game feeling confident in their performance.

Then comes the news of how one moment in the fourth quarter became the most memorable part of this game, unfortunately for the wrong reasons. The loss of outside linebacker Bud Dupree for the season with an ACL injury just adds more frustration to the entire Week 12 situation. Although there can be excitement to see what Alex Highsmith can bring to the Steelers defense, it’s disappointing that another key player on the defense saw their 2020 season come to a premature end.

It’s been a frustrating experience in Week 12 For both the Pittsburgh Steelers and their fan base. It’s one I hope never gets repeated. The only good news that I can think of right now is the fact that it is over and now it is time to move on to Week 13. There’s not much time to dwell on the events of Week 12 as the Steelers will host the Washington Football Team only four days after the conclusion of Week 12. But the quick turnaround might make it easier to forget about the unfortunate events of Week 12, both leading up to the game and throughout.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m more than ready to move on.