First Call: Ravens explain weird 2nd-quarter decision; looking at Steelers’ 1st opponent after the bye

Monday’s “First Call” has an explanation for a weird moment in Sunday’s Steelers-Ravens game. We review some of the odds for this weekend’s college football action. There’s a hockey trade involving a former Penguin.

We take a look at what may be lying ahead for the Steelers after their bye.

And it was a weekend of emotion for Robert Morris hockey as the Colonials returned to the rink after a two-year absence.

‘So what happened was …’

A lot of people were wondering why the Baltimore Ravens went for it on a fourth down late in the first half. With 13 seconds left, up 10-3, the Ravens strangely snapped the ball on offense instead of giving Justin Tucker a chance to kick a 40-yard field goal.

Lamar Jackson ended up throwing an incompletion, and the Ravens ended up losing 17-10. After the game, head coach John Harbaugh offered this explanation.

“We were planning on kicking the field goal there. The idea was to run the clock down and not leave them time to come the other way and then just call a timeout and kick the field goal. But we had just a miscommunication,” Harbaugh said. “(The Steelers) jumped the neutral zone, and guys thought they were in the neutral zone and went ahead and snapped it. So, that wasn’t what we were planning on doing. You see Lamar was surprised by the snap, so that was just one of those things operationally that we just have to get better at.”

Center Tyler Linderbaum corroborated that account.

#Ravens C Tyler Linderbaum on the miscommunication at the end of 1st half: “Really it’s on me just understanding the situation and making sure that he gets across the ball before I snap it. That’s my fault not being aware and putting our team in a bad situation.” pic.twitter.com/MNNTv9xWS2

— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) October 8, 2023

The Steelers have now won six of seven against the Ravens.

Looking ahead

When the Steelers return from their bye weekend, they will be in Los Angeles to face the Rams. L.A. dropped a 23-14 decision to the Philadelphia Eagles in a matchup of the two most recent NFC Champions on Sunday.

One positive for L.A. is that the team got wide receiver Cooper Kupp back from injury, and he appears to be in good form. Kupp had eight catches for 118 yards in the defeat.

Cooper Kupp already has 4 catches this drive @CooperKupp

: #PHIvsLAR on FOX
: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/LxW25sxPWA pic.twitter.com/RsW9ovfLNk

— NFL (@NFL) October 8, 2023

Kupp missed the first four games of the season due to a hamstring injury. He was shut down after a Week 10 loss last year thanks to a high ankle sprain.

In 2021, Kupp led the NFL in receiving yards (1,947), catches (145) and touchdowns (16).

The loss dropped the Rams to 2-3. The Eagles are now 5-0. Former Pitt star Aaron Donald had just one solo tackle in that game and no sacks. Los Angeles hosts Arizona next week while the Steelers are idle.

More sports

• Feats of Strength/Airing of Grievances: Steelers' splash plays outweigh offensive struggles to beat Ravens
• Joey Porter Jr. gets interception during 1st game playing in Steelers' base defense
• After shaky bend-but-don’t-break start, Steelers defense dominates in 2nd half vs. Ravens

How is it looking?

After beating Notre Dame on Saturday, Louisville is a healthy favorite this coming weekend against Pitt (1-4). The 14th-ranked Cardinals are visiting Acrisure Stadium with a 6-0 record and as eight-point favorites (according to Caesar’s Sportsbook).

Frankly, I’m surprised it’s not at least 10 points. Maybe it’s because the thinking is Louisville is coming off an emotional high by beating the Fighting Irish and Pitt is coming off a bye.

Penn State (5-0) is holding steady at No. 6 in the AP Poll after a bye week. The Nittany Lions are a 43-point favorites against UMass (1-6) this Saturday. West Virginia (4-1) is at Houston (2-3) to face former coach Dana Holgerson.

The Mountaineers are three-point favorites after getting 26 votes for the AP Top 25 poll.

On the move again

Former Penguins forward Sam Lafferty has a new home. It’s with the Vancouver Canucks. He is heading west in exchange for a fifth-round pick that’ll go back to Toronto.

Patrik Allvin is the general manager in Vancouver. He was the interim GM in Pittsburgh after Jim Rutherford left. So he is familiar with what Lafferty can bring to the table.

General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that the #Canucks have acquired F Sam Lafferty from the Maple Leafs in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. pic.twitter.com/2fMzgEoAI8

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) October 8, 2023

After posting 21 points in 94 games in Pittsburgh, the 6-foot-1, 195-pound forward had stops in Chicago and Toronto.

Last year he only played in 19 games with the Maple Leafs, and he tallied six points.

Well played to start

Overall, it was a good return weekend for Robert Morris hockey. Both the men’s and women’s teams made their home debuts after two-year absences in front of sold-out crowds on Neville Island.

The men’s team lost 3-0 at home to Bowling Green on Saturday night. But head coach Derek Schooley’s club returned the favor at Bowling Green the next night, with a 3-0 win of their own. Greensburg native Dominic Schmizzi scored the Colonials’ first goal of their relaunch, and Fox Chapel’s Chad Veltri pitched a shutout in net.

FIRST GOAL OF THE SEASON GOES TO @schmizzi

RMU 1 - 0 BGSU#BobbyMo | | #RMUnite #AHA20 pic.twitter.com/8LKXlwXJfy

— RMU Men’s Hockey (@RMUMHockey) October 8, 2023

As for the women, they swept St. Anselm 6-1 and 6-4. During Saturday’s win, freshman Kaitlyn Schooley, Derek’s daughter, scored one of the goals on her birthday.

CORRECTION: Goal was scored by #10 Kaitlyn Schooley (@kaitlynschools)

— RMU Women's Hockey (@RMUWHockey) October 7, 2023

The women’s team split with Union on the road the previous weekend. They visit Princeton next weekend for a pair. The men are at Mercyhurst for a standalone game Saturday.