In the season from Hell the Baltimore Ravens have given their fans one joyous thing to cling to. The 2015 Ravens are arguably the worst team in their twenty-year history, yet they swept the Pittsburgh Steelers and potentially ruined their playoff hopes.
The Ravens have just 5 wins on the season but the fact that two of them come against the Steelers may just be the nugget that get the Ravens’ faithful through the long offseason. The Ravens and the Steelers is possibly the nastiest rivalry the NFL has ever seen; their clearly is no love lost between these two teams. This win was pure euphoria for a fan base that needed it desperately.
The Ravens have only swept the Steelers a few times in their historic rivalry. The division foes split their season series more often than not. The purple and black have only swept the Steelers in two prior seasons (2006, 2011). Counting last year’s playoff win Baltimore has bested Pittsburgh three straight times.
This win was about as improbable as it gets, even in the realm of a great rivalry. I mean the Steelers have one of the league’s most explosive offenses and the Ravens secondary is one of the worst in football. The Ravens were starting Ryan Mallet, the third QB to play since Joe Flacco tore his ACL against the Rams. Convincing someone that the Ravens would win (even me) in this situation would have been like convincing someone that there is no gravity. That argument would surely plummet to the ground.
The Ravens obviously got up for the moment. I’m not suggesting that the team wasn’t trying before, but this was the most passionate performance they’ve had the entire season. The game plan was executed flawlessly. By prioritizing the passing game defensively with soft coverage the Steelers were baited into running the football. I value a more aggressive approach but you cannot argue with the idea of letting DeAngelo Williams and not Ben Roethlisberger beat you.
Dec 27, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith (22) intercepts Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) (not pictured) pass intended for wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) during the fourth quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore Ravens defeated Pittsburgh Steelers 20-17. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
The Steelers offense got into a rut that they never truly got out of. The yellow and black were able to move the football but getting into the end zone proved much more difficult. Mallet played the game of his life throwing for 274 yards and a touchdown.
The Ravens have struggled in the play-calling department all season on both sides of the football. This is an indisputable point if you’ve watched the games. That being said the Ravens not only outplayed the Steelers, they outcoached them. Marc Trestman called a perfectly balanced game. Pees knew what his defense couldn’t do and forced the Steelers to play to his players’ strengths.
From all fronts this was a truly inspired performance. The Ravens have put their fans through emotional torment all season long. This game was about self-respect. It was about pride and it gave Ravens Nation one thing to cling to as they prepare to watch other teams in the playoffs.
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