What’s Your Excuse Now, Pittsburgh?
First off, let me just say: hahahaha!!! Second off: Congratulations to the Baltimore Ravens, Joe Flacco, and every Ravens fan out there for finally getting the win against a full-strength, Roethlisberger-playing Pittsburgh Steelers team.
The Ravens utterly owned the Steelers in this season-opener, making them look like the Panthers or some other really bad team. Baltimore beat them in every single aspect of the game and I just want to give you what I took away from everything.
1. What Offensive Line Worries?
The O-line was easily the biggest question mark for this team as they hadn’t played one snap of a regular game together. Grubbs, Yanda, Oher, McKinnie, and Birk all came together to give one cohesive “screw you” to the fans and media and prove us all wrong. The O-line is the reason the Ravens racked up 170 rushing yards, including 107 from Ray Rice. Remember the last time the Steelers gave up a 100-yard rushing game to a back? 2009. To Ray Rice. It was also his 8th 100+ rushing game in his career. With Rice and Ricky Williams, they managed a 5.5 average yard per carry. You don’t do that against the “Steel Curtain.” Bryant McKinnie lasted the entire game and even though he looked a bit winded at times, he was a major factor in the success of this line. And even though he got a holding penalty for this, he just about killed James Harrison. That’s always fun to see. Oh AND Flacco was only sacked ONCE! And the O-line had no false starts and only 2 or 3 holding penalties.
See the rest of my takeaways after the jump…
2. The atmosphere
I gotta tell you, that’s probably the most electric I’ve ever felt M&T Bank. It started with the amazing 9/11 Remembrance that caused many, including me, to become teary eyed followed by chilling “USA, USA!” chants. Then, the Ravens new pump up song by the White Stripes started and after John Harbaugh was shown on the Jumbo Tron raising his hands in the air to get the crowd into it, Ravens fans were singing along “Ohhh, OhOhOhOh, Ohhhh” for 10 straight minutes and then for the rest of the game. It was insane how loud and exciting it was at the Bank.
3. Joe Flacco vs. The Nonexistent Steelers D
That really says it all. Flacco shined. He got over that Steelers hump and he got over it BIG. The Flacster went 17 for 29 with a 117.6 QB rating, 224 yards, 3 TDs, and NO interceptions. That last one is huge. He’s known to have pretty bad play-making decisions against the Steelers but not today. Troy Polamalu did absolutely nothing except was involved in a lot of the chippiness going on on the field and got a personal foul giving the Ravens 15 more yards.
4. Ben Roethlisberger to…Ed Reed?
Apparently Ben either forgot or wished Ed Reed was his own teammate. He threw 2 balls straight to him in the red zone for Reed to notch 2 picks already on the season. He got his 55th and 56th career interceptions. Reed also had 6 tackles and caused 1 or 2 dropped balls. As for other Ravens on the defensive side: Ray Lewis had an interception (more on that in point 5). Ladarius Webb really stepped up as the starting CB with 11 tackles and half a sack. Pernell McPhee recovered a fumble as well as Cory Redding.
5. Haloti Ngata and Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers
Ngata was the biggest athlete on the field today. He was everywhere forcing fumbles, recovering fumbles, making massive hits. Just being Ngata. He was out there working for that new contract! It started in the 2nd Pitt drive of the game. Terell Suggs sacked Roethlisberger, forcing a fumble, which was then recovered by Ngata. That turnover led to a Ravens TD. Then in the first drive of the half for Pitt, Ngata tipped a pass which then ended up in the hands of Ray Lewis for an interception. Then Pitt fumbled again, which was originally ruled down but after Harbaugh challenged it, it got overturned to a fumble. The next Pittsburgh drive, Roethlisberger was sacked by Suggs again, forcing yet another fumble. Finally, on their last drive of the game, on 4th and 10 with 4 seconds left, Suggs finished the game like it should be finished: with a Roethlisberger sack. So if you’ve been keeping track, the 2nd half for the Steelers looked like this: interception, interception, punt, interception, fumble, fumble, sack to end the game. Seriously. How can you not be impressed by this Ravens team. Their offense outplayed the Steelers. Their defense outplayed the Steelers. Their special teams outplayed the Steelers. Their coaches outcoached the Steelers.
Amazing, amazing game and although I found two criticisms (penalties, stopping the punt/kick off returns) there is absolutely no need to dwell on them. The Ravens just handed the Steelers their biggest loss to Baltimore and we will all rejoice for this week. Ravens fans: go out, celebrate, GET EXCITED!! The road to 16-0 and the Lombardi Trophy begins…now.