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Feats of Strength: Rodgers-Metcalf connection, late defensive plays save Steelers in Baltimore | TribLIVE.com
Steelers/NFL

Feats of Strength: Rodgers-Metcalf connection, late defensive plays save Steelers in Baltimore

Tim Benz
Tim Benz

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Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith drops Ravens running back Derick Henry for a loss in the fourth quarter Sunday. (Chaz Palla | TribLive)

It wasn’t quite Charlie Batch leading a stunning upset with a limping Pittsburgh Steelers team in Baltimore in 2012.

No. That year, the Ravens were actually good. They were 9-2 at the time and ended up winning the Super Bowl.

This year’s Baltimore Ravens team (6-7) is every bit as flawed as the Steelers (7-6).

But on Sunday, in the face of so much going wrong for the Steelers of late, boos of “Renegade,” and “Fire Tomlin” chants, the Steelers gutted out a 27-22 victory to reclaim an outright hold on first place in the AFC North from their divisional foes.

It wasn’t without controversy, some severe missteps and more second-half problems. But the Steelers got it done and have moved on top of the division, which — by rule — is mandated to advance a representative into the postseason.

Whether that’s deserved or not.

“Maybe you guys will shut the hell up for a week,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said after the game.

Don’t count on it, Aaron. You were brought here to win a playoff game for this franchise for the first time in eight years. Do that, and we’ll shut up.

Heck, do that, and we’ll sing your praises.

But for now, as Festivus nears, let’s highlight our “Feats of Strength” and acknowledge our “Airing of Grievances” for the first time in December after an uplifting Steelers win in Baltimore.

Fine first: The Steelers’ first possession was filled with some important firsts of its own.

Aaron Rodgers hit DK Metcalf for 52 yards on the first snap from scrimmage. That was the first time the Steelers hit a pass of more than 20 air yards since Oct. 26.

“I just think we were in an aggressive posture all day. I just think that’s how we got out of bed this morning,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “That’s what’s required when you play these guys in their venue.”

Rodgers capped off the drive with his first rushing touchdown of the season.

In all, the drive covered 65 yards in eight plays and ate up 3 minutes, 45 seconds to give the Steelers a 7-3 lead after the Ravens scored on their first possession.

Much needed: It’s been a while. But for the first time since Dublin, Rodgers and Metcalf hooked up the way we expected during the offseason.

The 42-year-old QB found Metcalf seven times for 148 yards on 12 targets. Perhaps the additions of Adam Thielen and Marquez Valdes-Scantling pulled some coverage away from Metcalf.

More likely, though, applaud Metcalf for getting some separation and Rodgers for putting the ball in accurate, catchable spots.

“We had a great practice all week. We were on all the details throughout the whole week. I think it came to fruition,” Metcalf said.

Rodgers also looked quite nimble in the pocket. He moved around well beyond just the TD run, keeping many plays alive and allowing Metcalf and other receivers extra time to get open.

Rodgers finished the day 23 of 34 for 284 yards and a 103.1 passer rating. This was Metcalf’s first 100-yard effort since that aforementioned win in Ireland (126 yards) against the Vikings.

Turnaround time: After a disastrous third quarter versus the Buffalo Bills last week, the Steelers were better in the third quarter.

On offense anyway.

The Steelers scored on both of their third-quarter possessions. They opened the second half with a field goal drive that covered eight plays and 50 yards in more than four minutes.

After allowing a touchdown on Baltimore’s opening third-quarter possession, the Steelers responded with a TD drive of their own, totaling 80 yards in six plays and 4:05.

Jaylen Warren scored on a 38-yard catch and run.

The Steelers actually averaged more yards per play (6.2) than Baltimore did (5.5).

Shaky but not shaken: The offensive line didn’t run block well. The Steelers gained a piddly 34 rushing yards, and Rodgers did a lot to keep plays alive in the offensive backfield with his feet.

But he wasn’t sacked and was hit just once. So credit the offensive line for that, at least. Not to mention, they survived with Adrus Peat starting at left tackle and Dylan Cook finishing the game after Peat left for concussion evaluation.

On defense, the Steelers cracked, but they didn’t crumble in the end — all the way up to Joey Porter Jr. harassing a ball loose from Isaiah Likely on a play that initially appeared to be a Baltimore go-ahead-touchdown (more on that to come).

The Steelers brought a lot of heat and attacked the line of scrimmage on numerous occasions on the last two drives, forcing Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson into some off-balanced throws and incompletions.

Give a thumbs up to Patrick Queen for coming back from injury and providing sticky coverage on Mark Andrews on a fourth-down throw after the Likely overturned TD. He also disrupted a play late with a blitz, and Alex Highsmith ended the game with a sack of Jackson.

On the day, Jackson was sacked just twice. He attempted 35 passes.

Excellent Echols: For all the focus on how the Steelers reconfigured their secondary this offseason, Jalen Ramsey has been up and down. Darius Slay and Juan Thornhill were let go during the season.

A perceived extra addition during the offseason, Brandin Echols may have been the best value of the bunch. He has been steady and has been an upgrade as the third corner.

The free agent signee from the New York Jets had a strong game Sunday. Echols broke up a pass in the end zone during Baltimore’s first drive. He ended the Ravens’ second drive with a sack of Jackson on third down. 

He also provided tight coverage on a third-down drop by Zay Flowers on the third drive. That resulted in a punt.

Airing of Grievances

Got by with a little help from their friends: The Steelers don’t win that game without assistance from the on-field officials, replay officials and the Ravens themselves.

A fourth-quarter go-ahead touchdown catch by Likely was overturned by what was, basically, a version of the hated Jesse James rule because he didn’t complete the action of the catch before Porter knocked it away.

Dating to that fateful 2017 loss to the New England Patriots involving James at the goal line, all of Pittsburgh knows that’s an awful rule. Even if that wasn’t the right interpretation of it (and, honestly, it may have been), there is an expectation now that if you don’t carry the ball out of the end zone and take it home with you, it’s incomplete.

Personally, I thought Baltimore got hosed worse on an alleged penalty for hitting long snapper Christian Kuntz during a short field goal by Chris Boswell in the first half. Those three points came off the board. The Steelers ended up scoring a touchdown.

That’s at least a 10-point swing on those two calls alone.

That wasn’t the only Ravens special teams miscue. Loop missed that extra point. He also had a kickoff out of bounds, and the Ravens committed a crucial holding penalty on the punt return prior to their final possession.

Finish strong: After playing a really solid first half, the Steelers let Baltimore get back into the game on the Ravens’ final drive of the first half.

Baltimore trudged 60 yards over 13 plays in just under six minutes. That possession resulted in a Jackson touchdown.

Baltimore didn’t have a play longer than 9 yards on the drive. Twice, Steelers penalties — one from Highsmith and one from Porter — resulted in third-down conversions for the Ravens.

Fortunately, Loop missed the extra point, keeping the score 17-9.

More of the same: Those issues bled over into the second half.

Baltimore scored a touchdown and two consecutive field goals on their first three possessions of the second half.

Meanwhile, attempting to nurse the lead, the Steelers went three-and-out on their last three possessions, including three straight third-down passes that were either completed or thrown short of the sticks.

Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via X. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.

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