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| BUF at NYJ | CLE at PHI | DEN at CAR | DET at IND | GB at JAX | MIN at ARI | NE at OAK | NO at CHI |
| NYG at DAL | PIT at BAL | SD at KC | SEA at STL | SF at MIA | TB at ATL | TEN at HOU | WAS at CIN |
Week 15 Game Recap: Pittsburgh Steelers 13, Baltimore Ravens 9
What you need to know
| Pittsburgh Steelers |
Hines Ward proved he can do it against tough competition like the Ravens. He was able to catch the ball and get yards no matter how many people covered him or how hard he took a hit.
Ben Roethlisberger faced the second best defense and did not throw an interception. It wasn't a big day statistically but it was very good considering he faced the Ravens.
The Steelers went ahead for good on a very controversial touchdown to Santonio Holmes late in the fourth quarter. On third and goal, Roethlisberger scrambled and found Holmes at the goal line. The play was originally ruled not a touchdown and Holmes down short of the goal. The call was challenged and reversed and ruled a TD.
| Baltimore Ravens |
RB LeRon McClain was the feature back and he earned all his yards the hard way. He didn't break any big runs but he still was able get the job done.
QB Joe Flacco was inconsistent. At times he looked like Troy Aikman with his precision only to follow it up with a bad pass. He looked like a rookie against the intense Steelers pass rush.
What you ought to know
| QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pass: 22 - 40 - 246 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 4 - 21 - 0 |
Ben Roethlisberger passed against the second best pass defense. He was still able to get over 200 yards and threw the game winning score. It wasn't a great day but it was all you could expect from a quarterback playing Baltimore. Roethlisberger relied on Hines Ward heavily down the stretch as he was the only receiver not dropping passes. He used his legs sparingly and took slides or the sideline to avoid hits. It was a smart run game by Roethlisberger and he exceeded expectations.
| RB Willie Parker, Rush: 14 - 47 - 0, Rec: 2 - 9 - 0 (4 targets) |
It was a tough day for Willie Parker. Through the third quarter Parker's average per rush was under two yards. He was able to only get 47 yards on fourteen rushes. He didn't do much with his pass targets earning nine yards on two receptions. The Ravens defense did not give Parker much room and closed lanes fast. Parker seemed to go down fast and didn't move the pile. His normal "Fast Willie" moves didn't fool anyone. He was caught at the line of scrimmage or in the backfield almost every time he had the ball.
| RB Mewelde Moore, Rush: 7 - 16 - 0 |
Mewelde Moore had half the touches that Willie Parker did and was not targeted once all day.
| WR Hines Ward, Rec: 8 - 107 - 0 (10 targets) |
Hines Ward played very well. He was catching balls in triple coverage. Hard hits did not knock the ball loose. He also didn't drop one ball all day. Ward was the only Steeler who was able to get yards after the catch.
| WR Nate Washington, Rush: 1 - 6 - 0, Rec: 5 - 76 - 0 (8 targets) |
Nate Washington was the second most targeted receiver. Washington was fighting for the ball and coming back to Roethlisberger on busted plays. He was able to end up with 76 yards and it was mostly hard fought. There was a very nice spin move that created another ten plus yards on his longest play of the day.
| WR Santonio Holmes, Rec: 3 - 21 - 1 (7 targets) |
Although he caught the winning TD, Santonio Holmes did not have a very good day up to that point. He had two crucial drops that cost the Steelers a very important conversion and touchdown. Holmes showed a lack of concentration by not picking up the hot route on a blitz. It would have been an easy touchdown if he had turned at the right time. The drops were from a lack of fighting for the ball and effort more than anything. Holmes also did not secure the ball and fumbled inside the Baltimore red zone. He was lucky that fumble resulted in a field goal. Ben Roethlisberger was not deterred from those actions as Holmes was the recipient of the game winning touchdown. Without that reception it would have been a dismal day. Holmes did make a very nice block on Hines Ward's 30 yard reception. The touchdown catch was very controversial as it was initially ruled not a TD but was challenged and reversed.
| TE Heath Miller, Rec: 3 - 26 - 0 (4 targets) |
Heath Miller didn't have an impressive day. He was not used in check downs from the Ravens pass rush or blitzes. The hot routes were to wide outs.
| TE Sean McHugh, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (2 targets) |
Sean McHugh had a couple targets and one reception but nothing of note.
| PK Jeff Reed 2 - 2 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 7 points |
Jeff Reed had two short field goals and did not miss any.
| PIT Rush Defense |
LeRon McClain chewed up his yards a little at a time. The Steelers did not allow any big running plays. However, the Ravens rushing game was not dismal either. It was a bend but don't break day and there was a lot of bending.
| PIT Pass Defense |
Both interceptions were not on defensive play. The first was a drop by a rookie WR and the second was on a Hail Mary. However, the Steelers made Joe Flacco look like a rookie. They had constant pressure and it seemed to throw off his rhythm. There were only two sacks as Flacco was alert enough and nimble to get rid of the ball. The Ravens also couldn't seem to get conversion when they needed to. Pittsburgh didn't allow much through the air at all.
| QB Joe Flacco, Pass: 11 - 28 - 115 - 0 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 1 - 5 - 0 |
Joe Flacco looked very impressive one moment and not so the next. He had a few amazing passes that were with pinpoint accuracy. On one pass Flacco threaded three defenders and hit Todd Heap in stride. He also had a great play on the run and hit Mark Clayton downfield. But, he also had some passes that were not close to the mark. Both interceptions were no fault of his. The first was a drop that should have been caught. The tip went right into the hands Ryan Clark. The second was a desperation Hail Mary at the end of the game. Flacco seemed to struggle with the intense pressure of this game. They did run one option in the first quarter that didn't fool Pittsburgh.
| RB LeRon McClain, Rush: 23 - 87 - 0 (1 targets) |
LeRon McClain was the feature back. He pounded out all of his yards. There were no big rushing plays of the day but McClain still averaged almost four yards per carry. He didn't have any receptions but was targeted one time. He dropped that pass that hit him right in the hands. It was impressive watching him grind out yards against this tough Steelers defense.
| RB Willis McGahee, Rush: 6 - 18 - 0, Rec: 2 - 15 - 0 (5 targets) |
Willis McGahee seemed to be a change of pace back. He was in mostly in third down or other obvious passing situations. He did come in a few times to give LeRon McClain some rest but did not stay in the game. McGahee also dropped easy passes that hit him in the hands.
| WR Derrick Mason, Rec: 3 - 23 - 0 (8 targets) |
Derrick Mason only had three receptions on eight targets. This describes the day very well. Some of the passes were very good but defended better. Mason did not show a lot of effort to get the ball.
| WR Mark Clayton, Rec: 3 - 38 - 0 (5 targets) |
Mark Clayton did what he could with his targets. It wasn't an impressive performance. This was due to Joe Flacco not having the time to throw the ball.
| TE Todd Heap, Rec: 1 - 24 - 0 (4 targets) |
Todd Heap was covered very well by Baltimore. He had one very good reception but had a couple drops also.
| PK Matt Stover 3 - 3 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 9 points |
All three of Matt Stover's field goals were from inside the red zone. It was an easy day for Stover.
| BAL Rush Defense |
It was impressive to watch the Steelers get stuffed. There was nowhere to run. Lanes closed down very quickly and most of the time there was no lane. The Ravens made you think twice about who has the best run defense in the league.
| BAL Pass Defense |
It was a very good day for the Ravens until the fourth quarter. Ben Roethlisberger was able to run two scoring drives for the comeback win. Up to that point they had someone in Roethlisberger's face on every play. There were three sacks and one forced fumble that kept the game in Baltimore's hands. But, then they allowed the fourth quarter comeback. There were no interceptions.
