After shaky bend-but-don’t-break start, Steelers defense dominates in 2nd half vs. Ravens

Don’t let Sunday’s final score — a 17-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens — fool you. The Pittsburgh Steelers defense was far from perfect throughout Sunday’s AFC North showdown.

But it was absolutely dominant in the second half, particularly during the fourth quarter when its play was needed the most.

“We just wanted to get a little bit tighter on the back end,” veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson said. “Didn’t want to give them any more open holes in our zone defenses because (Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson) started to look a little bit too comfortable in the first half. So we made some minor halftime adjustments, buckled up a little bit tighter and were able to make the stops and not allow those guys to get into the end zone any more.”

Baltimore reached the end zone only once during the first half. But that doesn’t tell the story of the Steelers’ defensive effort before halftime. The Ravens had 244 yards of offense over the first two quarters. The Steelers forced no three-and-outs in the first half and were allowing Baltimore an average of 5.6 yards per carry rushing.

To the Steelers’ credit, they forced a fumble to end one drive and tightened up inside the 5 to force a field-goal attempt on another, albeit drops by Ravens receivers helped the cause.

Related:

• Steelers stage late rally to stun Ravens, move into tie for 1st place in AFC North
• Joey Porter Jr. gets interception during 1st game playing in Steelers' base defense
• 'Best in the world' at blocking punts, Miles Killebrew again makes big play for Steelers

In the second half, though, the Steelers allowed just 91 yards and four first downs over seven Ravens drives, getting an interception in the end zone and a strip-sack fumble for another turnover. During five fourth-quarter series, the Ravens achieved one first down and netted just 12 yards.

“We knew we just had to rally and communicate, be physical,” cornerback Joey Porter Jr. said. “That was the main thing going into the game, and we did everything that we were supposed to do (in the second half), and I feel like it was a great way for the defense to rally with each other.”

Porter’s interception ended the defense’s most crucial stop. It was also the one with the highest degree of difficulty in that the Ravens took over at the Steelers 7-yard line after a Gunner Olszewski fumble with 5 minutes, 33 seconds to play.

“We had all the confidence that they weren’t going to score,” Porter said. “Going out, we were like, ‘They are not getting into that end zone.’ Just because of how hot and how rolling we were in that second half, we had all the confidence in the world.”

With Baltimore leading by five points at that juncture, a touchdown would have put any chances of a Steelers victory in serious peril. But after a 3-yard run by Gus Edwards and a Jackson pass to Mark Andrews that netted a loss of 1 yard, Porter intercepted Jackson on a third-and-goal at the 5.

On the ensuing drive, the Steelers scored their only touchdown to take their first lead. The defense, again with the game on the line, came up with a sack of Jackson on the second play. Alex Highsmith forced a fumble that was recovered by T.J. Watt.

During Baltimore’s last gasp in the waning seconds, Watt ended the game with his second sack.

All four of the Steelers’ sacks and two of their three forced turnovers came after halftime. They allowed Baltimore just 25 rushing yards and stopped all seven of the Ravens’ third- and fourth-down tries in the third and fourth quarters.

“I think we just did a good job of putting a lot of pressure on (Jackson),” Highsmith said of the Steelers’ second-half adjustments. “Just sending more guys at him and stuff like that.

“I was just proud of this team and the way they fought. We’re just continuing to get after it.”

Hey, Steelers Nation, get the latest news about the Pittsburgh Steelers here