8:02 pm | September 30, 2018 | Go to Source | Author:
PITTSBURGH — The Baltimore Ravens‘ game at the Pittsburgh Steelers was supposed to be a shootout.
Tell that to the Ravens’ defense.
In today’s game in which offenses light up the scoreboard, Baltimore’s defense can still roll up its sleeves and play old-school football.
In the Ravens’ 26-14 win over the Steelers, the NFL’s top-ranked defense silenced quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the NFL’s No. 2 offense, holding them to one touchdown while forcing two turnovers.
None of this should come as a surprise. The Ravens are the only team not to allow a touchdown in the second half of games this season.
In six second-half series against the Steelers, the Ravens’ defense produced: punt (three-and-out), punt, punt (another three-and-out), punt, an interception and a turnover on downs. Baltimore limited Roethlisberger to 8-of-17 passing for 50 yards in the second half.
Baltimore actually has Pittsburgh to thank for this “finish” mentality. The past two years, the Ravens have failed to close out games in losses at Heinz Field.
In 2016, Antonio Brown scored a touchdown with nine seconds left in a 31-27 win for Pittsburgh. In 2017, Chris Boswell kicked a 46-yard field goal with 42 seconds remaining in a 39-28 victory for the Steelers.
When it came to the fourth quarter this time, defensive back Anthony Levine came up with the interception with 3 minutes, 15 seconds left in the game. In shutting out the Steelers in the second half, the Ravens have allowed a total of nine points in the second half this season.
How impressive was this? This is the fewest points allowed by Baltimore at Heinz Field since 2012, the Ravens’ Super Bowl season.
The Ravens’ offense made this game closer than it should have been. Joe Flacco missed a wide-open Michael Crabtree along the sideline, running back Alex Collins fumbled at the Steelers’ 1-yard line and left tackle Ronnie Stanley took Baltimore out of field-goal range with a false start penalty.
None of that mattered for a defense determined to buck the high-scoring trend in the NFL.
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