Baltimore Ravens beat Pittsburgh Steelers: 10 takeaways

The Baltimore Ravens came through with a big AFC North division win vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers. Here’s what we can take away from the victory.

While the Ravens didn’t pull off the prettiest victory of the week against the rival Steelers, a win is a win. Here are a few thoughts on this week’s important win.

1) Marlon Humphrey is the real deal:

Marlon Humphrey is quickly becoming a household name around the NFL. He can now add an overtime forced fumble and recovery to his already impressive resume. Humphrey got his first game ball and made his own mark on this legendary rivalry. Look for more heroics from number 44 in the future.

2) Justin Tucker proved once again why he is one of the deadliest weapons in the NFL:

Calling Justin Tucker the best kicker in the league isn’t enough praise for how amazing this guy has been. Already the most accurate kicker in NFL history, Justin Tucker added another game-winner to his collection. This time in the tough kicking conditions of Heinz Field. The confidence the team and his fans have in him is well deserved. Just another reason why Baltimore is lucky Tucker is in their corner.

3) Tony Jefferson’s injury just another blow to the Ravens secondary:

One of the toughest outcomes from this hard-fought victory was the loss of safety Tony Jefferson for the season. Jefferson’s leadership will still be a factor for this struggling defense, however, his shoes are decently big to fill. Look for players like Chuck Clark and DeShon Elliot to gain some minutes as a result.

4) Marquise Brown’s short absence seemed to throw offense off:

After his touchdown in the second quarter, rookie wide receiver Marquise Brown seemed to walk off the field semi gingerly. He was out for the rest of the first half. In that time, Lamar seemed to be thrown off without his favorite target. Willie Snead and the tight ends stepped up in Brown’s absence. However, the change in pace seemed obvious.

5) Pass rush struggled once again:

Ravens defense has been arguably the biggest concern thus far this season. The pass rush and run defense has been getting exposed week after week. Pernell McPhee has been playing well, but you cannot rely on his production to continue at this rate. Someone needs to step up and be a playmaker in the front 7.

6) Offensive Line struggles are forcing Lamar to run:

To be fair, this is one of the most unique and unconventional offenses in the NFL. There has been a good deal of run-pass option plays where confusion on the offensive line has occurred. Bradley Bozeman and Matt Skura are both forced into roles they are not 100% comfortable in. I expect the line to get better as the season moves forward, but for now, Lamar needs more time in the pocket to set his feet and show off the arm he’s been working so hard to improve.

7) Tight Ends hurdle their way into becoming Lamar’s favorite targets:

It is no secret that the Ravens like to utilize the Tight End position. After drafting TEs Mark Andrews and Hayden Hurst both within the first three rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft. One person who has been taking advantage of these weapons is QB Lamar Jackson. They are proving to be viable safety dump-off options. They also have big-play and third-down potential. These guys seem to hurdle some poor defender every game. This week’s victim was Minkah Fitzpatrick!

8) Special Teams play was a huge factor in this win:

Head Coach John Harbaugh got his first experience in the NFL as the Special Teams Coordinator for Andy Reid’s Philadelphia Eagles. He since has never forgotten his roots. Baltimore takes advantage of great special teams play lead by none other than kicker Justin Tucker. Steelers HC Mike Tomlin credited Tucker’s very effective kickoff style to be the reason why they differed the kickoff to start overtime. Tucker would sail the ball for almost 5 seconds and force their returner to catch it at around the 10 and run for their life. The Steelers didn’t start beyond the 25-yard line unless there was a turnover. Tucker is such a weapon.

9) Maurice Canady was targeted heavily, but held his own:

Besides for a few medium gains and one holding penalty, Maurice Canady showed he can plug-in for injuries on defense and not get abused by opposing quarterbacks. His development is something to keep an eye on.

Next. 3 questions facing Baltimore Ravens after huge win over Steelers. dark

10) Ravens fans are all 49ers fans for the night:

The Ravens are now one Cleveland Brown loss away from reclaiming first place in the AFC North. The Browns are going into San Francisco where they will face the undefeated 49ers. This game is at 8:15 PM EST.

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