Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens: Instant Grades, Analysis for Pittsburgh

Final Steelers Win 23-20

The Pittsburgh Steelers come out after looking terrible on offense in the first half and win the game on a Shaun Suisham field goal. The defense harrassed Joe Flacco all game and forced an interception and a fumble late in the game to set up the game tying touchdown.

The win puts the Steelers at 7-5 and in the drivers seat for the final wildcard playoff spot and there is a great chance they'll get Ben Roethlisberger back next week.

Quarterback

Overall Grade: B+

Charlie Batch looked like he was going to have another rough day against the Ravens when the game started and his best play in my opinion was a block he made on the Jonathan Dwyer touchdown run.

Batch came back in a huge way though in the 2^nd half and looked like the quarterback we all thought he would be against the Cleveland Browns. Batch spread the ball around nicely and although his redzone interception could have lost the Steelers the game, he was bailed out by the defense. That being said, other than that throw Batch was solid in the 2^nd half and that allowed the offense to actually move the ball and score touchdowns.

Quarter 4: A

Charlie Batch has really come to life in the 2^nd half although the interception in the endzone to Ed Reed could have really killed the Steelers. He then came back after a strip sack by James Harrison to throw a touchdown pass to Heath Miller.

Batch continued his great second half by leading the Steelers offense on a 12 play game winning drive hitting Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown for two catches each and then benefiting from a roughing the passer penalty that put them at about the Ravens 20 yard line. Batch then handed the ball off three times to set up the game winning field goal.

Quarter 3: B

After looking inept in the first half Charlie Batch hangs in and makes a good throw to Heath Miller to get into the redzone. Batch then helps out on the touchdown run by Dwyer by at least getting in the way of the defender trying to make a play.

Batch turned what should have been a sack into an incomplete pass on their next drive and then hit Emmanuel Sanders a great pass that Sanders just fumbled to stop a good drive. The next drive Batch moves out of the pocket to hit Antonio Brown for a big gain and then Sanders dropped the third down pass to end the drive.

Quarter 2: D

Batch still hasn’t done anything to really hurt the Steelers however, he hasn’t done anything to move the ball as well. There was no reason for Batch to hold the ball as long as he did on a third down and he got sacked because of it. It still just looks like Batch has a problem throwing even short passes and the offense has come to a halt.

Batch continues to try and throw deep to at least keep the Ravens defense honest but it still just looks like a struggle for him to throw the ball. 

I don’t really have much to say about how badly Batch missed a completely wide open Mike Wallace in the endzone and it takes a touchdown away from the Steelers.

Quarter 1: B

Charlie Batch wasn’t spectacular but he did what he was supposed to do and kept the offense on schedule.

Although they had to settle for a field goal on their first possession, Batch completed a nice third down and didn’t turn the ball over.

Offense

Overall Grade: B+

Did anyone think the Steelers offense would be able to score 23 points in this game?

With as bad as the offense looked against the Ravens the first time, the Browns last week and in the first half, I thought it would take a lot for them to all of a sudden turn it around. The offensive line wasn’t perfect by any stretch in the game but they did enough and protected Charlie Batch enough for him to throw for a career high 276 passing yards as a Steeler.

Quarter 4:

It’s funny how when the starting quarterback doesn’t look like garbage for a while the offense starts to pick it up. That’s exactly what has happened in the 2^nd half and with Charlie Batch playing well the Steelers offense has been moving the ball. Heath Miller has become more involved in the offense and he stretched out to get the game tying touchdown.

The offense put the final stamp on the game with a 12 play 6 minute drive with a great mix of run and pass and won the game with the last second field goal.

Quarter 3: B

The offense actually moves the ball and ties the game up at 13 with a 16 yard touchdown run by Jonathan Dwyer. Dwyer looked to be stopped for a short gain and then bounced outside with Charlie Batch as a lead blocker all the way to the endzone.

Emmanuel Sanders looked like he had a chance to run for a touchdown after being completely unguarded and he just fumbled the ball without being touched. Stuff happens but it completely takes away the momentum from the Steelers offense. Sanders then follows up the fumble by dropping a key third down pass to stall another drive and give the ball back to the Ravens.

Quarter 2: C+

Ever since taking the first possession down for a field goal the offense hasn’t been able to do anything against the Ravens defense. Whether running or throwing the offensive line isn’t opening up too many holes and is getting pushed around.

Antonio Brown should have just thrown the ball away on the trick play and after the defense gets an interception the offense gives it right back.

On the next drive Mike Wallace seems to just stop trying to catch the ball because he thinks he is going to get a penalty called and then follows that up with an actual drop that would have been a first down.

It looks like it takes everything the Steelers have to get even a first down and they end up settling for another Shaun Suisham field goal.

Quarter 1: B

The first possession showed off some good running by Jonathan Dwyer and a nice third down conversion by Charlie Batch.

The second possession stalled however, and I have no idea why Batch decided to take a shot to Antonio Brown with how bad he has been on the deep ball so far.

Defense

Overall Grade: B+

In the first half the defense really shut down the Ravens offense and it took almost a perfect pass from Joe Flacco to get the touchdown to Anquan Bolden. In the third quarter the defense got a bit gashed by the Ravens both through the air and on the ground and gave up a couple touchdowns but then came back in the fourth quarter and James Harrison stripped Joe Flacco to set up the last Steelers’ touchdown. The Ravens had one more shot and did nothing with it as the Steelers pressured Flacco and forced them to punt on their final drive.

Quarter 4: A

After getting a little gashed in the third quarter the defense comes out flying around in the 4^th to stall the Ravens offense.

James Harrison finally shows up and strip sacks Joe Flacco to set up the game tying touchdown pass. On the next possession Larry Foote gets in the backfield again and disrupts the third down throw to force a punt.

Quarter 3: B-

After watching the offense go right down the field the defense did its job and forced the Ravens to punt the ball. They almost gave up the first down but pass interference was called on Anquan Bolden and the Ravens were unable to convert the 3^rd and 21.

Emmanuel Sanders fumbles away what could have been a touchdown and the defense comes out with their worst possession of the game. After Ziggy Hood sacks Joe Flacco the Ravens then convert the third down and then Ray Rice runs for a 34 yard touchdown.

The Steelers actually get some help from the refs on this drive as Larry Foote gets credited with a sack even though Flacco was able to get rid of the ball to a receiver. On the ensuing third and 15 Keenan Lewis makes a good play on the ball down field to force a punt.

Quarter 2: B

After allowing the Ravens to move the ball a bit Cortez Allen makes a nice play on third down and forces the Ravens to kick a field goal.

On the next Ravens drive Joe Flacco goes deep to try and take advantage of Cortez Allen and after making a really good play on the ball on the first play, Allen gets flagged for pass interference on the second. Even with the penalty the Steelers defense holds and forces the Ravens to kick a short field goal from within the five yard line.

Ryan Clark makes a nice interception after the defensive line pressures Joe Flacco and he just throws the ball up for grabs.

Cortez Allen is having an up and down night to this point and gets beat pretty badly by Anquan Bolden for a touchdown.

Quarter 1: B

The defense really started the game well, even with the departure of Ike Taylor, and forced the Ravens to punt twice.

Jason Worilds got some good pressure on a third down pass by Joe Flacco but poor tackling by Ryan Clark allowed the Ravens to convert and continue their drive.

Special Teams

Overall Grade: A-

Shaun Suisham’s game winning kick alone gets this grade some sort of A and the only reason it’s not higher is because there really was no other story to the special teams in the game. Suisham hit all three of his field goals and Chris Rainey had one decent return on a kickoff but other than that the special teams stayed out of the lime light.

Quarter 4: A+

There really were no special teams moments in this quarter other than the game winning field goal by Shaun Suisham. Suisham is having a great year to this point and I think in year’s passed he may have missed this one against the Ravens.

Quarter 3: B

Nothing really to report here as the special teams units weren’t really on the field at all during this quarter.

Quarter 2: B

Drew Butler almost has a punt blocked when he bobbles the ball for a second and gives the Ravens good field position.

Shaun Suisham is the only bright spot in another terrible offensive performance and he has accounted for all of the Steelers first half points.

Quarter 1: B+

Shaun Suisham continues to have a really good season and I would’ve given special teams an A if not for Antonio Brown trying to do too much on the punt returns.

Coaching

Quarter 3: B+

As with the opening drive of the game, the Steelers offense looked balanced going down the field for a touchdown. Haley has to keep that momentum and keep the offense moving to have a chance to win this game.

I give Todd Haley a lot of credit for calling plays to get the offense out of the rut they’ve been in and the team needs to do even more in the 4^th quarter.

Dick LeBeau’s defense gets some points put on it in this quarter but overall the defense has been playing pretty well considering the loss of Ike Taylor.

Quarter 2: C

I know were working with a patchwork offensive line and a third string quarterback but Todd Haley and Mike Tomlin need to find a way to score some points. The reverse, wide receiver pass was just a failure and if it worked we would have said it was a good call. It just looks like the Ravens know everything that Todd Haley is calling and he needs to become a little less predictable going forward.

Quarter 1: B+

The play calling by Todd Haley has been pretty good so far except having Charlie Batch in shotgun in a third and 3 and then going deep.

Dick LeBeau continues to have a good gameplan against the Ravens and the defense has pretty much shut down the opposing offense to this point.