The Ravens barely pull out a win in overtime against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Justin Tucker nails a 52-yard field goal to win the game.
Tyler Lombardi
The Ravens come in to Pittsburgh, and look flat on the first drive. The offense really picks it up on the next drive. Just like the entire season thus far, they looked completely up and down the rest of the way. Joe Flacco didn’t look so good for much of the game, but he made enough plays toward the end of the game to win. This team badly needs Eugene Monroe back, and even more so they need Steve Smith to return quickly.
Still, this could be a kick-start for the rest of the season. They didn’t give up. It’s a good thing we have the best kicker in the NFL.
Mike Fast
What an awesome, stressful, frustrating, joyful game that was.
Life is good.
Ryan Jones
The first four weeks of this season have taken about five years off of my life. This is a game that the Ravens had no business winning. John Harbaugh’s decision making was awful and they lost the turnover battle. But honestly who cares because the Ravens season has life and we can enjoy the next ten days before week five. Oh and Ozzie when it comes to Justin Tucker, pay that man his money.
Tony Lombardi
This game was like Apollo Creed v. Rocky. The Steelers had more speed, more athleticism, they were in control of the game at home yet the Ravens kept grinding and grinding and thanks to Mike Tomlin playing not to lose he did exactly that.
We did it Adrian!
It’s a start towards reclaiming the season. On to Cleveland!
Brian Bower
Wasn’t easy and it wasn’t pretty but the Ravens got their first victory of the season despite a questionable fake FG attempt that backfired and two turnovers by Joe Flacco. Great effort by the run game to overcome some shoddy blocking by everyone except named Yanda.
On defense, credit where credit is due to Dean Pees and and company for playing lights out in the 4th quarter and OT albeit against Michael Vick.
With ten days to prepare for their home match-up against the Browns, the Ravens certainly have plenty of question marks at the wide receiver position.
Nadeem Kureishy
Probably the happiest 1-3 team around. On Flacco’s interception, the Steelers had a beautiful trap play set-up to intercept Flacco. The defense appears to blitz witch causes the QB to throw the ball quickly. The corner lets the receiver go (covered by safety up top) and makes a ‘trap’ by playing the number 2 receiver.
The injures to the Wide Receivers are very concerning. Aiken had a good game. It was great to see the run game going again. The zone stretch runs really gashed the Steelers defense.
The defense played much better tonight. In the second half, the Ravens appeared to play more press-man coverage. Will Davis had a great debut for the Ravens.
Drew Forrester
Hard to digest this so quickly after the game, but this was thievery, basically. Tomlin must have forgot that if Scobee makes the OT kick, the game’s over. What else could it be? Sure, he had missed two earlier, but it was 50-50 he makes it.
Once the Steelers inexplicably went for it and failed, you knew it was over and the Ravens were winning.
And they pretty much did it without Steve Smith, which seems almost impossible.
BTW, Pittsburgh isn’t going to win any games with Vick at the helm. He stinks.
Flacco has to play better than he has in the first four games, but he doesn’t have much to work with, that’s for sure.
I don’t think this is more than an 8-8, 9-7 team but they showed some fight tonight.
Joe Polek
Ravens D did their part… but offense did not. O-line opened some big holes for run game. But Ozzie Newsome has given Joe Flacco absolutely no one to throw to. Then when Steve Smith Sr and Michael Campanero go out with injuries, Flacco literally has no one to count on in crunch time. These team needs a lot of help. But as bad as this game was, it was a step forward.
Now they have 10 days to prepare for Cleveland and then the 49ers. 3-3 is in sight.
Brian McFarland
Thank goodness for Mike Tomlin and Josh Scobee!
Tomlin and Harbaugh spent much of the game playing Hot Potato with bad decision after bad decision, but in the end, the lack of confidence in Scobee – and the inexplicable refusal to give the ball to Leveon Bell – turned the tide.
With injuries mounting, Flacco was down to Kamar Aiken as his “go to” WR and they were able to make a couple of huge plays to step up the tying and winning FGs.
Hopefully, the injuries aren’t too bad and luckily, they now have 10 days to recover and work on their many weakness.
They aren’t dead yet – and Harbaugh teams have always proved to be resilient – but at 1-3 they’ve left themselves with little margin for error.
Still, a 1-3 never felt so good (especially when the win comes against the Steelers)!
Adam Bonaccorsi
Many will say the Steelers gave this game away with Tomlin’s questionable play calling but remember- Flacco threw a pick well within Tucker’s FG range, and the Ravens failed on a fake FG in the second half as well. Those 6 points would’ve tied this game and with the D pitching a 2nd half shutout it was the Ravens game to lose before those OT fails by Tomlin.
And despite Joe’s ill advised pick (I fear Schaub’s ’14 issues rubbed off on Joe) & bad ball security that led to a strip/fumble with an unlucky bounce? I still give this offense some serious props. Smitty goes down? Camp stepped up. Camp went down? Aiken stepped up. Darren Waller had his 1st career reception, Boyle and Maxx Williams contributed and overall, the offense continued to grind away for a 3 point OT win on the leg of Tucker.
With the 0-fee monkey off their backs, the Ravens need to rest up, heal up and take the long break to prep for the Browns, while looking to start a winning streak.
