Baltimore Ravens v. Pittsburgh Steelers: 5 Reasons the Ravens Lost

Sorry Ravens fans, I'm one of you, but the most recent loss was further proof that they have too many issues at critical spots to go far in the playoffs.

The only way I can ease your pain is to tell you this could be worse, your team could be the Chargers or the Colts.

Just when you think you have seen everything the best rivalry in football has to offer, Sunday night happens.

The numbers support the claim that the Ravens and Steelers are the best rivalry in the league.

The last four regular season games have been decided by only a field goal, each team winning two games.

The last six regular season games have been decided by five points or less, that's only happened two other times in the history of the NFL.

The Raiders and Broncos of the mid 80's and the Eagles and Redskins of the early 90's are the only other match-ups that can boast the same claim.

Without sounding like a bitter losing homer, the Ravens lost this game more than Pittsburgh won it. Much the same the way Pittsburgh lost their home game to Baltimore back in Week 5.

Here are the five reasons the Ravens lost this game.

Reason 5: Ben Roethlisberger

With a broken nose and sprained foot, Big Ben continues to own the Ravens

Ben Roethlisberger won his sixth straight game v. Baltimore, and the fact that he even played was a remarkable feat. No pun intended.

With a broken or strained right foot he was able to convert the Troy Polamalu sack fumble and Lamar Woodley return of the fumble into a touchdown with just 2:51 remaining.

On 3rd-and-goal, Roethlisberger threw a short pass to running back Isaac Redman, Redman broke a tackle and scored to give the Steelers the lead.

To explain Roethlisberger, his toughness and play making ability, I can use an intentional throw away of a pass in last night's game.

Running outside the pocket, with a broken foot and Terrell Suggs on his back like Superman's cape, Roethlisberger threw Suggs off of him, flipped the ball forward and out of bounds, saving a sack.

Only Phillip Rivers or Michael Vick could have made the same play. On a throw later in the game, Roethlsiberger would again avoid a sack by the Ravens, completing a 28-yard pass to Emanuel Sanders at the Ravens two yard line.

Could Tom Brady play behind the patchwork offensive line Roethlisberger is playing behind? The Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers are similarly beat up football teams. How's Peyton Manning making out?

Roethlisberger was kept in check during the first half but would become the Raven killer we have grown to hate in the second half, completing 13 passes for 161 yards and one touchdown.

Many of my Baltimore friends and even some family may disown me for saying this, Roethlisberger’s toughness and ability to win big games is reminiscent of a quarterback that was once cut by the Steelers many years ago. 

Many Baltimoreans have seen the picture and heard the story of Johnny Unitas walking off the field after his nose was broken by Bears defense end Doug Atkins

Unitas would also return to that game to throw a game winning touchdown pass to Lenny Moore with seconds remaining, sound familiar.

Reason 4: Joe Flacco

Joe Flacco wonders what happened

Joe Flacco is a good young quarterback. However, after yesterday you are beginning to see why Matt Ryan was the first quarterback taken in that draft.

Flacco couldn't make a short throw at home to keep a late game drive going and Ryan led the game winning drive in December on the road against a divisional foe.

Flacco still panics under pressure. He has a hard time putting four quarters of football together and is hard pressed to create plays when nothing is available.

Many would point to his game winner in Pittsburgh in Week 5 as proof he his making progress. While true, keep in mind the first three throws of the four play game winning drive were out patterns the Steelers were giving up.

The game winner was a great play by TJ Houshmandzadeh to get open, faking the sideline out route and running a post, Houshmanzadeh ran two steps clear of the defender into the end zone, it was an easy pass any NFL QB should make.

He played well in the first half last night completing nine of 14 passes for 179 yards, Flacco and the offense disappeared in the second half. Joe Cool would be a cold eight of 19 for just 87 yards in the second half.

He made plays in the first half, on the touchdown pass he would run out of the pocket, buying time, throwing back across the middle of the end zone, finding Anquan Boldin for the score.

The final incomplete pass is a play he has to make, especially with all that was on the line and playing at home.

He has poor mechanics at times and can be very frustrating to watch. Why can't Ravens QB coach Jim Zorn teach Flacco to stop turning completely around in the pocket? I have never seen a QB do a complete 360 degree turn, until Flacco.

His footwork is poor at times and even he admitted he didn't get his hips swung back around to get enough on the ball to complete the fourth and two pass to Dixon with 37 seconds remaining.

If the Ravens are going to go deep into the playoffs they must get four quarters from Flacco.

He must learn to get rid of the ball faster, looking for his second and third options quicker in his progressions. The problem may be, is Flacco even looking for them at all? 

Reason 3: The Loss Of Todd Heap

Todd Heap and Joe Flacco celebrate a touchdown versus Tampa Bay

Linus had his security blanket and Joe Flacco has Todd Heap.

Each week this season, Heap has bailed Flacco and the Ravens offense out of sticky situations. Heap is either converting a 3rd-and-long or scoring a touchdown across the middle and taking a hit in the process

Heap has always been a fragile but tough football player. He gets knocked around every week and is always seen on TV being helped off of the field, only to return a few plays later.

Remember the hit he took from New England’s Brandon Meriweather, it was one of the four helmet hits that lead the NFL to re-read the rule. Heap was the only player involved in the four hits to come back and play that day. He took a similar shot just two weeks ago.

Heap is a great pass catcher and his blocking is under rated. I hate to keep referencing the game winner in Pittsburgh but it was Heap's block on a blitzing Troy Polamalu that enabled Flacco to step up and make that easy throw.

I'm still not sure why you send your tight end on a go rout that early in the game with the cold weather conditions that existed, maybe a wide receiver but not your tight end. Hamstrings take a little longer to get warmed up for the guys coming off of the line.

Two plays come to mind last night when thinking about how bad the Ravens missed Heap.

The first was the sack and forced fumble by Polamalu that lead to the go ahead touchdown and the second was the incomplete pass on fourth and two that ended the game for the Ravens.

Heap blocked Polamalu on that play in week five .Even with Flacco's bad mechanics on the fourth down play, you have to think that Flacco and Heap's chemistry is such that Heap would have been there to catch that fourth down pass.

The Ravens will be without Todd Heap next Monday night and his absence can't help a Ravens offense that has struggled in the fourth quarter all season.

Reason 2: Penalties

There weren't a lot of penalties called against the Ravens; only nine for 53 yards, but the ones that were called were costly.

The Ravens continue to give teams first downs on bad third down penalties. Ravens safety Haruki Namamura was called for a critical defensive holding penalty on a third down play, keeping a drive alive.

The Ravens were the home team and the crowd noise was deafening at times, but it was the Ravens and not the Steelers that committed the bulk of the false start and off side’s penalties.

A fake punt attempt looked as though it was going to be successful until a false start penalty nullified the try.

The Ravens were guilty of five false start penalties compared to just one by the Steelers.

Pre-snap penalties have plagued this team all season.

With their head coach having cut his teeth in the league as a special team’s coordinator, how do the Ravens continue to hold on kick returns every week?

The Ravens will make the playoffs but they need to stop making costly pre-snap mistakes.

Reason Number 1: Coaching Arrogance

Ravens coach John Harbaugh

The play in which safety Troy Polamalu forced a fumble from Joe Flacco was a run blitz. That's exactly what the Ravens should have been doing, running the football. Every Pittsburgh Steeler interviewed about the play said they were expecting a run.

It was 2nd-and-5 and the Ravens were driving in Steelers territory. With just a little over three minutes remaining, why aren't the Ravens handing it off to Ray Rice and protecting a lead at home?

Vince Lombardi said throwing the ball is a bad percentage play. Only three things can happen and two of them are bad.

Well if throwing the ball has low percentages for success anytime, what about trying to protect a lead at home, with nothing but the Division title and a possible first round playoff bye at stake. How bad do those circumstances make that call?

ESPN analyst and former Ravens quarterback Trent Dilfer called the decision to pass in that situation "An egregious mistake by the Ravens coaching staff".

In my opinion the kind of mistake that has a certain offensive coordinator coaching for his job the rest of the season.

Cam Cameron is a bit of an enigma. His decisions seem arrogant. He runs when he should pass, passes when he should run, tries gadget plays when he shouldn't and doesn't run them when he should, what you see is what we get Ravens fans.

Cam Cameron is not changing and John Harbaugh may have to replace him, problem is, it won't be until next season.

The Ravens have arguably the best receiving line-up in the league. They also have the three headed monster of multi-purpose back Ray Rice, touchdown maker Willis McGahee and fullback LeRon McClain.

McClain made the Pro Bowl three years ago with 902 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns, he hasn't been used since.

I'm not going to turn up any dirt on John Harbaugh's decision not to kick a 47-yard field goal on 4th-and-2 at the end. Ironically enough Cameron called the right play, the receiver was open, Flacco didn't execute the throw.

The failure of any coach that refuse to change his ways can be career changing, ask the newly fired Josh McDaniels.

The fact that the Ravens have blown six fourth quarter leads with the talent they have falls squarely on the shoulders of the coaching staff.

The Ravens have had all three of the AFC top powerhouses on the ropes this season. While beating the Jets, they allowed the Patriots and last night the Steelers to come back and win games they shouldn't have.

Defensive coordinator Greg Mattison called his best game of the year last night but he has made his mistakes too. Let’s not forget giving up a ten point lead to Buffalo and New England in the fourth quarter.

Mattison’s defense also let Atlanta march 80 yards in 40 seconds to win the game a few weeks ago.

The Ravens have eight days until they play the Houston Texans on Monday night football. While the Texans are a disappointment this year they aren't going to lie down at home.

The Ravens will need to win out to have chance to win the division. The schedule includes another tough home game v. the Super Bowl Champion and peaking New Orleans Saints.

If this team has any killer instinct at all and the coaching staff doesn't handcuff the personnel then now would be a good time to show it, otherwise the Ravens will be traveling to play in January.

A sweep of the Steelers would have made the rest of December a whole lot easier, now the Ravens and their arrogant coaching staff need to make some changes.