There was nothing surprising about the outcome of last night’s game. We’ve seen this same game play out time and time again over the years when the Ravens and Steelers square off. A close, grueling battle won by the more physical team. And THAT is why the Steelers remain alive in their quest for a postseason berth – that’s why Mike Tomlin’s streak of .500 or better football, remains uninterrupted. His staff earned that win. They made the adjustments needed to get the victory. They outclassed the sideline skippered by John Harbaugh.
[That was] not one of our better performances at all. Coaching staff; start with that, start with me. Start with the coaching staff, game plan, all of it – not good enough. [It was] very disappointing. We have to bounce back.” ~ John Harbaugh following the Ravens 16-13 loss to the Steelers.
Tomlin knew that the Steelers had to be more physical, even forcing his troops to conduct a fully-padded practice in preparation for the game – an uncommon approach this late in the season. The strategy paid off as the Steelers played pissed off, with a sense of urgency, with a sense of desperation and with a level of confidence that comes from a well-prepared team.
Tyler Huntley
Let’s face it, Huntley is a one-read quarterback who will pull the ball down and scramble if his primary target is covered. That was on full display during Sunday Night Football, particularly apparent when T.J. Watt exploded out of his stance, crashing down from the edge with reckless abandon. It doesn’t help that Huntley in relief, leads one of this most unimaginative offenses since the days of the leatherheads. It doesn’t help that he was asked to win a gun fight with a bow and arrow while his quiver holds a very limited supply of weaponry. He did miss an opportunity with Demarcus Robinson on the game’s last competitive play. It could have produced a chunk play to give Justin Tucker a chance to tie the game at 16. Why he opted to throw across his body and towards the middle of the field with under 20 seconds left and no timeouts was a big head-scratcher. But then again, so is Greg Roman’s offense.
Well, they had a chance… pic.twitter.com/e45i7cl5Qq
— Russell St. Report (@RussellStReport) January 2, 2023
Greg Roman
The Steelers were embarrassed by the Ravens when the teams last met in Pittsburgh on December 11, where Baltimore ran it for 215 yards despite the Steelers selling out to stop the run. Everyone knew that the Steelers would deploy all possible resources to prevent a reoccurrence. We heard about the fully-padded practice. We heard Steelers defenders openly admit that they were physically beaten by the Ravens during Week 14. Their manhood was challenged and the only way to answer was to turn the table on the Ravens and hit them in the mouth.
But Roman did nothing to use the Steelers aggressiveness against them. The Steelers crowded the line of scrimmage; they crashed gaps, they put an extra lineman on the defensive front; they replaced Devin Bush with LB Mark Robinson, a rookie, 7th round draft pick, with the sole purpose of defending the run. Yet Roman didn’t think to try any boots or waggles with chip blocks to make the Steelers pay the price for giving up the edge. He didn’t try to vary cadence to get a free play here and there. He did nothing in the form of screens, misdirection or play action to possibly open things up – to open anything up, downfield.
He didn’t open “the vault”.
Look, Roman’s “vault” is a barren wasteland. It’s like a bone dry desert with the skulls of cattle scattered throughout, only they aren’t cattle. They’re the careers of wide receivers. Andy Isabella, elevated from the practice squad for the second consecutive game, has obviously assumed the role of Devin Duvernay for Roman’s cherished go-to – the jet sweep. You knew it, I knew it, the entire nation knew it was coming when Isabella went in motion. And obviously, so too did the Steelers. Isabella’s only touch in the game off the jet sweep, netted 36 inches.
“They had a bunch of guys up there; they put an extra D-lineman in the game; [they were] crashing off the edges. We should have done a better job of attacking that for sure. We let [the Steelers] do what they want; it wasn’t good.” ~ John Harbaugh
Harbaugh isn’t without blame here. He enables the offensive futility by doing nothing about it; by not demanding more; by doing the same things, the same way and expecting different results. The old, “we’ve got to play smarter” and “we’ll go to work to get better for the next game” rhetoric is beyond old. This staff is in danger of becoming obsolete. Maybe they already are.
The relevancy of the Jack Harbaugh-inspired Western Michigan Broncos 1982 coaching handbook long ago, wore out its usefulness.
Mike Macdonald
Another second half, 10-point lead, down the drain. Macdonald shows promise as a coordinator but like his conservative mentor, Macdonald’s bland tendencies trying to protect leads has the opposite effect. Kenny Pickett is a rookie quarterback who Macdonald allowed to look like a crafty veteran during the Steelers game winning drive. They didn’t vary looks. They didn’t send Roquan Smith or Patrick Queen after Pickett. They failed to contain Pickett in the pocket. Instead, during crucial moments, Macdonald & Co. allowed Pickett to pick THEIR pockets.
Making matters worse, Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada, who has been under siege in Pittsburgh in much the same way as Roman is in Baltimore, had a few wrinkles prepared to exploit the absence of Calais Campbell and put bodies on Smith and Queen keeping them away from the line of scrimmage. Most of the LB tandem’s combined 15 tackles were 5+ yards downfield. The Steelers ran for 198 yards on 41 carries (4.8 YPC). That’s a total ass-kicking!
The Steelers were 10 of 16 on third down, including a key conversion on 3rd-and-14 and a 3rd-and-8 for the game winning score.
Blown fourth quarter leads are a thing for Macdonald’s defense. And when this season comes to its merciful end, that’s how his 2022 debut as DC will be remembered.
Adjustments
Just before the third quarter started, NBC’s Melissa Stark asked Mike Tomlin about the team’s aggressiveness and obvious emotional energy being costly at the end of the first half (Cam Heyward’s personal foul). In so many words, Tomlin said that high emotion in a hostile environment is a good thing if channeled properly. Apparently that was the message delivered in the Steelers locker room at halftime.
Leading 10-3 to start the third, the Ravens took the second half’s opening drive 42 yards to go up 13-3. From that point forward the Ravens could muster only 69 yards of offense for the balance of the game (24:31). Years ago, after the Ravens held a halftime lead over the Ravens, Tomlin was allegedly overheard saying this in the Steelers locker room.
“The Ravens have the lead, but we know the Ravens don’t play a full four quarters.”
Some things never change.
Other Observations
• J.K. Dobbins and Mark Andrews played inspired football for an uninspired offense. Dobbins’ yards after contact were extremely impressive and Andrews’ ability to get open despite being the only reliable receiving target in the 410, makes you wonder what he might do if complemented by something better on the outside than discarded receivers who couldn’t stick on the rosters of non-playoff teams.
I can’t get over the fact the Baltimore Ravens followed this Justice Hill magic with a three and out and a punt.
This team, man. #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/Irv22DWfCl
— Nic Mason (@British_Raven19) January 2, 2023
• Leading 13-9, Justice Hill took a kickoff 56 yards to the Steelers 40 with 9:34 to play. A field goal would be huge and given Tucker’s length, advancing the ball 5 yards could have resulted in a 16-9 lead. Instead they retreated 2 yards and punted into the end zone.
• Game balls to Dobbins, Andrews, Tucker, Hill, Brent Urban, Broderick Washington, Chuck Clark and Brandon Stephens.
What in the pic.twitter.com/yJPDeyKS3C
— Ramey (@HoodieRamey) January 2, 2023
Moving Forward
Let’s be honest, the Ravens season probably only has two, possibly three weeks left. It has been a painful one to watch given the ineptitude of the passing game and the inability to protect leads. These aren’t new developments. They are the same problems the team has struggled with the entire season; the same problems that Harbaugh vows to go to work on and fix; the same problems that reappear, time and time again, year after year, with no end in sight. What is in sight is the season’s end, and it sits right in front of us in 4D hi-def!
With a Bengals loss tonight against the Bills, the Ravens will play for the AFC North title on Sunday. Maybe they win. Maybe they don’t.
Even if Lamar Jackson does return, it’s highly unlikely that the Ravens can muster enough offense to compete with the Bengals, Bills, Chiefs, perhaps even the Jaguars. Sure, we can sit here and say that the Ravens defense, running game and special teams can keep them in games, but being so one-dimensional on offense flops in the postseason. We’ve seen it all before.
And while we’re being honest, the defense is a bit overrated. Even though the stats suggest that the Ravens are in the upper third of the league in most defensive categories, we all need to remember that those stats were in part the byproduct of playing a last place schedule. The most important aspect of a defense, particularly in the postseason, is the ability to finish games; to make clutch plays in crucial situations.
The Ravens defense is anything but clutch and clutch defines the postseason.
Clutch isn’t allowing a rookie quarterback leading the league’s 23rd-ranked offense down the field in 11 plays covering 80 yards in 3:20 for the game winning score.
Clutch?
More like a crutch. You know, that one the Ravens coaching staff leans on when they vow to go to work, stack practices, get a little better each day.
Blah, blah, blah.
Pull up a seat John. We’ve got an extra one here at the end of the bar.
23 Responses
God bless the loyal Ravens fans at the game last night. The same inept passing game and predictable offensive play calling week after week, the same flaws year after year. And still they turn out roaring their support. On tv M&T looked full. Honestly, I’m amazed. Where else would that happen except Baltimore? Maybe just a handful of NFL stadiums. Steve Bisciotti please!! They deserve better.
Fantastic column, couldn’t have said it better. 10 years after winning a Stupor Bowl, which what it was after the NFL turned off the lights to screw over Baltimore as much as possible… Billick made it only 7 years after his one and done performance, and Pederson now with Jax only made it 3 yrs with Philly, but, he will take Jax to at least 2 playoff games, likely beating us first…
Mediocrity and Timidness, make that into a fight song for M&T Stadium for another what, 3-4 yrs before our owner wakes up from his own stupor?…
Great article Tony. You sound as digusted as I am.
Tony my first Ravens -Stillers clash in Baltimore after the move. The one Ogdens rookie year when he catches the tackle eligable play in the cold November rain and the Cowher led Stillers fans go back to Yinzer land via Breezwood. There was a Winnabago parked by the bus lot at Memorial and after the game about 10 Stillers fans are on the roof drinking straight up booze smoking cigars cussing at every fan that walks to the bus lot. I realized this was not your average Baltimore Colts era NFL type fans. Things had changed.
As for the game its about what we expected. Its hard to watch but since Lamars coming out party circa 2018 after Flacco was benched this is what we get every Sunday. I see where Justin Fields only needs like 60 yards to break Lamars single season rushing record as a QB. I wish him luck. People pay big money to see Lamar play and do his thing rushing/throwing the ball. I thought he could have suited up last night and contributed more on the sideline to coach up T Huntley. But his shades looked awesome in the January night.
Fair and balanced as usual, Tony! Not suggesting that Huntley is better than Lamar or even as talented, but as a senior at Utah in the highly competitive PAC 12, he amassed some very impressive passing stats: 220 of 301 for 3,092 yds. and a 73.1 passer percentage, second only to Joe Burrow in the FBS; 19 TD passes with 4 INTs and a passer rating of 177.6%! That takes a heap of talent and, in my OPINION, in the right system tailored to his skill sets, he possesses the accuracy needed to succeed in the NFL! Judging him or any QB, including Lamar, in this obsolete offense is not fair, again, in my…..OPINION! BTW, this is Harbaugh’s offensive system and in Roman’s defense, the same one that got Cameron, Trestman and Mornhinwegh…….FIRED! The one exception was Kubiak’s system and assistants with no help from Harbaugh! As Casey Stengel might say, “ You could look it up”……
Again fire all the coaches you want. This is a talent issue. No C Campbell- run D falls apart. No M Peters and K Fuller- pass defense stinks. Any other contender losing R Bateman would be a speed bump. For us its a 20 car pile up. This offense was unstoppable with Bateman and washed up RBs. Now we have our 2 great RBs back but not our QB and only quality WR. Show me all the great OCs getting it done with garbage. They don’t exist
Wait….did this really happen? Something must be off on the yards? 56 yards from the GL would be to the Steelers 44. Np way we got to the 30, went back 2 yards and then punted. Thanks!
• Leading 13-9, Justice Hill took a kickoff 56 yards to the Steelers 30 with 9:34 to play. A field goal would be huge and given Tucker’s length, advancing the ball 5 yards could have resulted in a 16-9 lead. Instead they retreated 2 yards and punted into the end zone.
No, it was to the 40 yard line, otherwise we would have kicked a field goal from the 32.
Thanks. Figured that had to be a misprint.
Scot, thanks for bringing this to our attention. As shared by Annoyed Citizen, Hill’s return was spotted at the Steelers 40. I’ve fixed it above and provided a video of the return for additional perspective. The return was officially marked as starting from the Ravens 4 yard line.
Sorry for the typo. I’ve consulted with myself to determine if I should fire the editor on this piece (me). It is currently under review. Stay tuned.
Did anybody think we had a chance at winning this game? Really?
1) You have a coaching staff that has the IQ of the ravens points per game. T.L. you have a whole paragraph called adjustments and this is what this team is lacking. They adjust too little too late when they do, or not at all like yesterday.
I do not know what our first down rushing gain average was but save for one or two good runs, that number was probably zero point something or at best one point something. And yet, we kept running on first down, setting up second and 9, 10, or 12, on a day where Huntley was 10-12 and finished 14-21, and the steelers seemed to have too many men on the field, all in the box. They often had 3 DBs and some snaps showed only 2 DBs. They laughed at our passing game and we did not adjust. 2 or 3 weeks ago we criticized Roman for getting away from the run when we averaged 7 yards a pop. Yesterday was 5 yards a pop at best and almost never on first down.
2) The roster is deeply flawed. We have no cornerbacks and no receivers. Marlon Humphrey is a good slot corner, a great fighter, a fruit punch maker, but he is not a shut down corner, nor is Peters, nor is Stephens, Pepe, or Armour-Davis. This was our problem in the second half of last year and it remains an issue this year. Late collapses against the Bills, Dolphins, and yesterday (along with near collapses) are to be blamed on the secondary (and pass rush)
As for our receivers, EDC and the coaching staff had the brilliant idea to trade our best receiver (a WR 2 in most teams) and did not replace him. They thought Bateman was a WR 1 but he had missed significant time in 2021. Here come the front office and coaching staff again. It was a conscious decision, it was the wrong one and nobody will pay for it. The stubbornness of this coaching staff to “zag when they others zig” is proving extremely costly. 5 years of a cheap Lamar Jackson wasted and what do we have to show for it? One (1) playoff victory (against our cousins)
EVERYBODY knows how to beat the ravens. Put 9 men in the box and score 13 points. Because EDC refuses to draft/trade/sign competent receivers, Greg Roman refuses to draw 3 or 4 passing plays and to call them when necessary, and Harbs is allowing all of this by being so passive.
2020 was an aberration. Lamar is slower. All the teams have seen him play.
We are now entering a dark side of the Ravens history that will last 2-3 years
no good QB from college this year.
So
1) we keep Lamar for 45 millions on the tag, precluding giving him significant weapons (he needs 2-3 new receivers) then find out if he is the real deal or not (I cannot believe this dinosaur of an offense could not figure it out in 4 years)
2) we tag/trade Lamar and get 2 years of crappy football while awaiting for a decent QB out of college (Caleb from USC?)
3) We keep Lamar, dont give him the weapons and watch another wasted season.
After all Lamar is only getting “shorter of breath and one day closer to death” and keep doing the same is gonna get the same result. ? Most likely one and done in the playoffs.
Could be worse. We could have an (alleged) rapist under center
Tony. Agree with everything you say, and for that matter, most columnists say about the Ravens. The problems are many and obvious to anyone with any football playing experience. We do not audible at the line of scrimmage. Third and three in the forth quarter and the Steelers put ten of the eleven defensive players up within three yards of the line of scrimmage and we still run the ball right up the middle??? Come on. Even I saw that. In fact, everyone around where I was sitting in the stadium saw it and commented. The few Steelers fans even laughed at it. To me that sums it up. The coaching is terrible and can talk all they want about being out played and still being in the playoffs, but here we are once again when we were in a position that we controlled our own destiny and now find ourselves hoping that this and that can happen to save us and allow us to win the division. All this game and the division means to me is that we would either play and lose a home playoff game or an away game. With or without Lamar Jackson this team in too easy to coach against. As for Lamar, don’t sign him to a long term contract until other things are proven. Here’s an idea……Franchise him next year. Fire Greg Roman any maybe even the Wonder child JH. Actually invest in at least one top name receiver. Then let’s see how Lamar fares before paying him a ton of money. Every year older he gets, he gets slower and the game evolves around his style of play. My thoughts as only a high school starting quarterback, but someone who knows, understands, and has played the game……..THX!
Many people warned the Ravens about not having talented WR’s. But they did not listen and look virtually incompetent right now. People tried to warn the Ravens about Gro and his poor passing schems and calls. But the Ravens did not listen. This team is a joke and Lamar should get out of here as quickly as possible. Go to the 49’ers or Tampa and see you in the Super Bowl!
Unless Lamar refines his passing skills he will never win a Super Bowl. One trick ponies, especially as they get older and slow down a bit, do not make it in the NFL.
They run a high school offense. Refine??? Start with the offense you have cut widereceivers starting for us. We run a lineman on routes. We run more 1 wr packages than anybody in the league. It’s weird joe was a worse completion percentage qb but won a superbowl. Make it make sense
I used to be disappointed by games like this, but I have found inner peace through my realization that we’re simply not a good football team. It’s not Lamar, Huntley, the WRs, Roman, Harbaugh, or DeCosta. It’s all of the above.
Bisciotti can’t throw out everything this offseason, but I think we’re going to see significant changes.
Completely agree – all the above.
Spot on Tony! We have been playing “not to win….but not to lose” over these past few weeks!
Sorry to say….but John’s time has come. Remember the Billick….”his message is getting stale” ending! Even thinking about Romans offense makes me shudder?????? Have seen more creativity in a 1st graders stick figure drawings!
Go get Sean Peyton!
Nothing changes if nothing changes. Raven’s mantra of “right man, right price” cost us dearly along with good wide receivers that become free agents don’t want to come to Balt. because they know we are a run team and our QB can not throw a long ball let alone an accurate one. When you watch teams like the Bengals, Bills and KC, you are watching “real teams” not ones like ours. It’s all very frustrating and hopefully our owner will do something about it.
Steve B. better make some major changes because the brand of boring football being played by the Ravens is causing a lot of fans to become apathetic towards the team. Most fans know the Ravens are going nowhere once the post season begins and really just want the season to end so we are no longer subjected to this type of torment. SB needs to clean house and that includes Harbaugh and maybe even Eric Decosta. The Ravens are running a 1960s offense in 2022. I keep waiting for Paul Horning and Jim Taylor to appear. Lamar is not the answer as a long term QB. He is too inaccurate to compete against the likes of Burrows and Mahomes. Maybe the Ravens need to go 3-14 one year so they can get the number 1 pick in the draft and bring in a QB who can compete with Josh Allen, Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence, etc.
He has a higher pass completion than Allen. How about this have the organization get real widereceivers 1st and not cut players starting
If I’m Bateman I’m going to DeCosta and demanding it’s me or Roman. Didn’t work for Hollywood but I think it might now.
Amen people
Chris
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