While addressing the media following his team’s insanely disappointing loss to their bitter archrival Baltimore Ravens, Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin opened with these words:
“We’re capable of beating anyone, but we’re also capable of losing to anyone, particularly if we lose the turnover battle, which we lost today.”
That statement feeds the credo, “On any given Sunday”.
It casts a brilliant spotlight upon the NFL’s parity.
And it succinctly summarizes the Ravens 2015 season, one during which John Harbaugh & Co. have not only battled a lengthy and severe list of injuries, they’ve also fought themselves by failing to protect the football and making far too many mistakes.
To a certain extent that changed on Sunday against the Steelers and it helped produce a 20-17 upset victory against the league’s hottest team that entered the contest as heavy road favorites; it allowed the Ravens to sweep the season series against Pittsburgh and place their divisional rival’s postseason hopes in peril.
Therein lies a moral victory.
And if you don’t believe in moral victories consider these postgame sound bites from Lardarius Webb:
“With our record, 4-10, they came in and thought that it was going to [be] bombs over Baghdad against us.”
“Yes, it is, just this year. It was a big game, because [of] our record and to be able to sweep the Steelers, just makes you feel a little bit better. We still want to go to the playoffs. We’ve still got big goals for this team, for this organization, and for right now, for this moment it feels awesome to sweep the Steelers.”
“If we can’t get in there, then you can’t get in either. Exactly, that’s how we want it.”
It wasn’t all pretty, but for one day, a day that has escaped Ravens fans throughout the 2015 season, there was a bounce in their collective step. The Ravens swept the Steelers and possibly knocked them out of the playoffs. The Ravens played with passion, further evidence that Harbaugh and his staff have hardly lost their team. What other (4-10) teams plays with the intensity of the Baltimore Ravens?
#Steelers at home w/o Big Ben lose to #Ravens. Ravens at home w/o Flacco beat Steelers. Two defining 2015 games for both teams.
— Russell St. Report (@RussellStReport) December 27, 2015
THE GOOD
I like to think of him as Buck but apparently he prefers Javorius as evidenced by the TV crews’ repeated references to Mr. Allen, the Ravens versatile tailback. On Sunday he showed good vision, navigating his way through traffic on his way to a productive 18 carries for 79 yards and a score. He added another 35 yards by air…Anquan Boldin, Jr. (aka Kamar Aiken) had another productive game with 8 catches for 66 yards…Jeremy Butler’s route running has been precise and he regularly finds soft spots in opposing secondaries providing his QB with an inviting target. He’s earned consideration for 2016’s final 53-man roster…Chris Matthews made a solid catch for a score and played outstandingly on special
teams, dropping Antonio Brown on one punt return for no gain and then fielding a punt at the Steelers 9-yard line…Kelechi Osemele was regularly dominant, oftentimes manhandling Jarvis Jones and James Harrison. Overall the O-Line gave Ryan Mallett time to set in the pocket allowing him to develop some sort of rhythm. He was sacked only once…Third down efficiency in the game was a big factor and the Ravens converted 9 of 18 attempts (50%). Entering the game the Ravens were 28th in the league in that category (34%).
Defensively the Ravens entered the game as the 25th ranked team on 3rd down giving up 42.2% of third down conversion attempts. The Steelers offense ranked 15th in the league with a 40.1% success rate. On Sunday the Ravens held the Steelers to 2 of 8 (25%)…Daryl Smith continues to play well despite being the defense’s elder statesman. He had 8 tackles, contributed on a key 4th down stop during the Steelers opening possession and had an interception…Save his mental blunder of epic proportions (lining up offsides), Courtney Upshaw had a strong showing with 5 tackles, partnering with D. Smith on that first quarter 4th down stop, a couple of QB hurries and a big 4th quarter sack…Tim Jernigan was disruptive and quick off the ball while contributing a sack and a couple hurries…Limiting the very dangerous posse of Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant and Markus Wheaton to a combined 108 yards is no small feat…Credit to the front 7 for making adjustments after the first quarter when DeAngelo Williams ran for 80 yards. He finished with 100…Za’Darius Smith had arguably his best overall game of the season with 4 tackles, 2 for losses, a sack and a QB hurry. He has athleticism and if he can develop some pass rushing moves he could become what the team hopes — a Pernell McPhee clone.
The Ravens managed the game extremely well. Entering the game they were (-15) in turnovers but were (+2) against the Steelers. They won the battle of the clock (34:20 v. 25:40) and they successfully flipped the field in their favor starting on average at their own 33 while the Steelers began their drives on average from their own 19…Coverage units were rock solid as was Justin Tucker who was 5 for 5 on touchbacks while nailing both FGA’s, one from 52 yards…The game plans from coordinators Trestman and Pees were outstanding. Should the Steelers make their way into the postseason courtesy of Rex Ryan and The Bills, Pees may have given the rest of the league the blueprint to control the Steelers’ aerial arsenal.
THE BAD
The officiating! Shocker right? The side judge was right on top of the pass play to Chris Givens early in the second quarter. Defender William Gay dove to make a play on the ball and missed. After the initial 6-yard gain Givens got up and ran down the sideline adding over 35 yards of YAC with the side judge trailing in pursuit. After some debate the officials on the field ruled Givens down by contact. Didn’t the side judge in pursuit have the best vantage point? If he was down by contact why trail the play? Yet another incident when officials make a call on something they didn’t see…After receiving a big hit during a punt return in the first half, Kaelin Clay was clearly gun shy in the second half. He had plenty of room to run during a second half punt with blockers in front of him yet signaled for a fair catch.
THE UGLY
Javorius Allen’s pass protection leaves much to be desired. Watching Allen’s weak attempts to protect Ryan Mallett, the Steelers had to be referring to him as Hilarious Allen. It’s surprising that the Steelers didn’t dial up more corner or safety blitzes to challenge Allen. He was hardly an impediment…The penalties were ridiculous (especially Upshaw’s) and it’s a testament of just how well the Ravens played in all other areas. It’s rare that a team can overcome 121 yards in penalties against a team as capable as the Steelers. Every offensive lineman was flagged at least once except Rick Wagner. Ryan Jensen shows some promise but he needs some restraint. His flaming temper matches his hair…The Ravens Jekyll & Hyde is undoubtedly Jimmy Smith. Sometimes you think he’s Chris McAlister while other times you think he’s Chykie Brown. His PI penalties helped set up two Steelers’ scores…Kendrick Lewis is just awful in coverage and has absolutely zero ball skills. If the Ravens are to improve defensively in 2016, Lewis can’t be a starter in the secondary.
THE MEGAN FOX
Less than 2 weeks after he signed with the Ravens, quarterback Ryan Mallett was thrust into a starting role against the Steelers, the team that most major media outlets labeled, “the team no one wants to see in the playoffs.” Thanks in large part to Mallett’s performance, the rest of the NFL might not have to 
worry about the Steelers in the playoffs if the Jets can win on Sunday in Buffalo.
Perhaps it’s an overused term but it is an appropriate one in the case of Mallett against Pittsburgh – he was an efficient game manager. He didn’t force any passes, took what the Steelers’ defense allowed, checked out of plays that appeared DOA and helped work the clock in order to keep Ben Roethlisberger & Co. on the sidelines.
Although his command of the Ravens two-minute offense needs a lot of work, it would be hard to expect anything more than what Mallett delivered. He was 28 of 41 for a touchdown, 274 yards (a career high) and a passer rating of 95.0. On the heels of all the self-induced drama in Houston, a career going nowhere and cramming a new offensive system in less than two weeks, Mallett’s results were remarkable. Special credit goes to Marc Trestman for embracing such a challenge and installing a plan that worked for the outcast Texan, the offense and the Baltimore Ravens.
During a much-maligned season, clearly Sunday served as a ray of hope.
Ravens Nation is a happier place today in large part due to the efforts of one Ryan Mallett.
