Pittsburgh Steelers Grab Impressive AFC North Lead After Defeating The Baltimore Ravens

The Pittsburgh Steelers earned a 1.5-game lead in the AFC North after an impressive two-point victory against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens’ NFL-best offense couldn’t outlast the top-ranked Pittsburgh defense. The rivalry again came down to the final moments, with the Steelers winning the eighth contest in the last nine meetings with Baltimore.

Steelers Rely On Boswell Early

It didn’t take long for Pittsburgh’s defense to make a difference. On the game’s second offensive play, Derrick Henry had the ball knocked loose by Nick Herbig for the running back’s first fumble in 538 carries. However, in what would turn out to be a game-long trend, the Steelers had to rely on Chris Boswell to finish drives successfully. Pittsburgh led 3-0, and then after the teams traded punts, the Ravens turned to Justin Tucker, who is surprisingly struggling in 2024, resulting in a 47-yard missed field goal.

Pittsburgh had a 3rd and 1 on the next drive near midfield, but stops on third and fourth down by Baltimore’s defense turned the ball over at the Steelers’ 46-yard line. 14 yards later, Tucker missed his second consecutive kick from 50 yards, keeping the Steelers in the lead 3-0. After another exchange of punts, Russell Wilson and the offense went on a 10-play drive that put Pittsburgh inside Baltimore’s 10-yard line. However, it was Boswell again who put points on the board, giving his team a 6-0 lead with less than eight minutes remaining in the first half.

Queen Is Impactful In Baltimore Return

Three-and-outs from both teams gave the Ravens the ball with just over five minutes until halftime. For the first time in the game, Baltimore’s NFL-leading offense found a rhythm. Six plays and 80 yards later, the lead changed, with Henry scoring a 1-yard rushing touchdown, putting Baltimore ahead 7-6. Pittsburgh’s offense continued to struggle, punting to the Baltimore nine-yard line after three unsuccessful plays. Elite defenses make impressive, impactful plays in big moments, and that is exactly what Patrick Queen did in his first game back in Baltimore since signing with the Steelers.

Queen ripped the ball from Ravens’ tight end Isaiah Likely and recovered the fumble as well, meaning the offense had less than 20 yards to go for a touchdown. Miscues and incomplete passes brought the field goal unit out again, and Boswell made his third kick of the game, giving Pittsburgh a 9-7 lead. One Lamar Jackson kneel later, and the first half ended with the Steelers scraping a two-point lead out of an offensively challenged opening two quarters.

All About The Kickers

Two turnovers and two missed field goals had the league’s most dangerous offense looking for answers, and Pittsburgh had the chance to bookend scores after receiving the second-half kickoff. It looked like the Steelers’ offense found some consistency, but another drive stalled on a failed third-down attempt. This would be Boswell’s fourth field goal attempt, but it would be from 57 yards this time. The distance didn’t shake the kicker, giving the Steelers a 12-7 lead despite an aversion to finding the endzone.

The Ravens went on an 11-play drive following Boswell’s fourth kick, but three consecutive Jackson incomplete passes resulted in Tucker finally making a kick. The 54-yard field goal cut the lead to two, but the Steelers were still ahead 12-10. Again, Wilson navigated the offense to a long, 10-play drive that disappointingly sputtered to a halt inside the Ravens’ 10-yard line. A Boswell chip shot from 27 yards away gave Pittsburgh a 15-10 lead with less than a minute in the third quarter. This rivalry was sticking to the classic format of solid defense and minimal points, but there was still one quarter left to play.

Turnovers On Either Side

TJ Watt sacked Jackson to force a three-and-out and a Baltimore punt to Pittsburgh’s 32-yard line. Like a broken record, the Steelers moved down the field and were on the doorstep of actually scoring a touchdown when Wilson threw an arcing interception from the five-yard line. With less than ten minutes remaining in the divisional contest, the pressure was on the NFL’s highest-paid defense to shut down the former NFL MVP and one of the league’s top running backs.

A deep pass down the sidelines on 1st and 15 to Justice Hill became a superhuman play by rookie linebacker Payton Wilson. The 2024 third-round pick picked off Jackson, which is only the third time in 2024 that he has thrown an interception. The Steelers turned Wilson’s interception into Boswell’s sixth field goal of the day after a nine-play drive stalled at Baltimore’s 32-yard line. An 18-10 lead was the largest of the game for either side and meant the Ravens needed a touchdown and then a two-point conversion in a game where points came at a premium.

Another Defining Conversion Try

As it turns out, Pittsburgh would need every single one of Boswell’s kicks. Jackson and his Ravens refused to go down without a fight, and after driving down to the Steelers’ 16-yard line, it looked like that persistence may pay off. Baltimore’s dual-threat quarterback found Zay Flowers for a touchdown, making the score 18-16, but the two-point conversion loomed large. This wasn’t the first time that the Steelers had to defend Jackson on a game-defining two-point attempt, and the result was the same when the dust settled.

Jackson rolled to the left on the conversion try, looking for someone to make a play, but Pittsburgh’s defense stayed focused and responsible, and a Joey Porter Jr. pressure forced an incomplete pass. The 18-16 lead remained in place for the Steelers, and with 1:06 left in the game, all the black and gold needed was one first down. Nothing came easy for either side on Sunday, and that stayed true through the game’s final drive.

Justin Fields Helps Finish The Game

The rumors of a special offensive package, including backup quarterback Justin Fields, finally became reality, and it only took nine-and-a-half games. On Pittsburgh’s opening drive of the third quarter, Fields took a direct snap for eight yards, and on the Steelers’ penultimate drive, he was needed again. A 2nd and 10 brought Fields back on the field, and a nine-yard rush by the shifty quarterback gave Pittsburgh a 3rd and 1 to close out the game. Najee Harris gained the one yard needed for a first down, and two Wilson kneels later the game ended. Pittsburgh had defeated the Ravens and made a league-wide statement.

Another game between the Steelers and Ravens came down to less than three points. Despite the physical nature of the matchup, Pittsburgh walked away as healthy as a team could ask for following that kind of intense, divisional game. A short week is next, with the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football, but for now, the Steelers can bask in a hard-earned victory.

Quote Of The Day

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was asked what he could say about Queen, considering that the linebacker had played his first four seasons with the Ravens. However, Baltimore didn’t offer Queen a new contract in the offseason, leading to him becoming a member of the black and gold.

“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. I’m glad he’s on our team.”

Final Thoughts

Not only did the Steelers get some breathing room atop the AFC North, but the Ravens were widely considered one of the best teams in the league coming into Week 11. Despite never finding the endzone and six Boswell field goals, not to mention two Tucker misses, Pittsburgh is 8-2. If the playoffs started today, the Steelers would be the third seed in the AFC. Sunday was the first divisional game of the 2024 schedule for Pittsburgh, so plenty of challenges are waiting in the final seven games. There is good reason for the team to feel confident, and the rest of the league might want to start taking notice.