It was a clash between two AFC North titans, and as expected, it was a gritty and ugly affair.
In the end, the Pittsburgh Steelers pulled out a hard-fought 18-16 win over the Baltimore Ravens in front of a full-capacity crowd at Acrisure Stadium. The win improves their record to 8-2, giving them sole possession of first place in the conference.
In many ways, this was a game reminiscent of Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons. The Steelers' offense struggled to convert on every red zone attempt, due in part to a Ravens defense that relegated them to just 303 total yards while collecting four sacks and an interception in the process.
Luckily for the Steelers, they had the brilliance of kicker Chris Boswell, who continues to show why he is the league's premier kicker. Boswell accounted for all of the team's points, making four of his six field goals from 50 or more yards. The only true standout on offense was receiver George Pickens, who finished the game with 89 yards on eight receptions and gave headaches to Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens. Running back Najee Harris finished the day with 93 total yards (63 rushing, 30 receiving), while tight end Darnell Washington contributed 42 yards and two touchdowns but missed an opportunity for a touchdown reception late in the third quarter, which led to an interception.
The story of the day was the Steelers' defense, which played one of the best games of the season against the league's top offensive unit. A big reason for that was former Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen, who got his revenge on his former team with 10 total tackles, two of them for a loss. Another big-time player was cornerback Joey Porter Jr., who recorded two pass deflections and the stop late in the contest that prevented the Ravens' two-point conversion.
Rookie linebacker Payton Wilson registered his first career NFL interception in the fourth quarter along with two tackles, while All-Pro linebacker T.J. Watt recorded a sack and two tackles for loss. On the defensive line, veteran Dean Lowry stood out with big plays and finished with a sack and a pass deflection. Lastly, veteran Cameron Heyward contributed two pass deflections and four tackles in the win.
The Steelers have a short week as they are scheduled to play on Thursday night against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field.
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