The Good, The Bad & The Ugly - Week 14 - Ravens

THE GOOD:
The Steelers win one for Ryan Shazier
The Steelers win the AFCN
The Steelers are back as the #1 seed
Ben Roethlisberger was 44 of 66 for 506 yards 2 TDs 0 INT
Bell had 2 rushing TDs
AB, Bell, and the Outlaw combined for 30 receptions on 40 targets
Bos with another clutch GW FG (4/4 FG 3/3 XP)
The Steelers are still 2 games ahead of JAC (1st round bye)

THE BAD:
Collins had 120 rushing yards on 18 attempts and 1 TD
Allen with 2 rushing TDs
J Flacco was 20 of 35 for 269 yards 2 TDs 1 INT
M Wallace had a 24 yard receiving average
Steelers defense only had 1 QB sack
Steelers offense gave up 3 QB sacks

THE UGLY:
3rd Quarter
Ravens had 5 TDs
Steelers almost lost the game after starting the game 14-0
Electric Bill for Defibrilator

 

I missed the 1st quarter, so...
The Good:
AFC North Champs/#1 seed (currently)
Taking advantage of Ravens depleted secondary
Offensive line: ONLY 3 sacks allowed on 66 dropbacks
4 B's, especially Boz for the GWFG
Defense shutting the door at the end of the game

The Bad:
Giving up a 14 point lead
The defense (overall)
The 3rd quarter

The Ugly:
Penalties
The refs

 

I'll take this as long as we win. My defibrillator needs a serious charge.

 

I've criticized Ben A LOT this year (and rightfully so some weeks), but can't knock him a lot for tonight or the last few weeks. He's really stepped up his game, and he will have to CONTINUE to play very well for this team to contend for it all come playoff time. The D carried this team for a chunk of this season at times, but it CANNOT be counted on to do so. Losing Shazier hurts the entire 2nd/3rd levels, so the offense is going to have to come to play each week and live up to its potential. It will take 30+ just to have a chance to win some weeks.

 

The good: Tomlins decision to have Boz nail a 52 yarder

Harbaughs decision to not even try the same 52 yarder in the same direction early in game with arguably the best kicker in the history of the game, Tucker, on the sideline.

The offense and just about everything about it tonight including Rogers.

That catch by Nix in the end zone - arguably play of game.


The Bad: our defense is putrid but they did just enough when it mattered most


The ugly: officiating really bad tonight .... also, I wonder if they missed any holding calls on the Ravens with all those long runs but couldn’t tell.


Some of you guys still criticizing Ben in game thread in game in which:

He became the Only qb with three of these 500 plus yard games (drew brees is only other QBs with even 2 of them)....

BEN ROETHLISBERGER

506 yards, Dec. 10, 2017
Roethlisberger completed 44 of 66 passes for 506 yards and two touchdowns in a 39-38 Sunday Night Football victory over the AFC North-rival Baltimore Ravens, the third time that Roethlisberger had surpassed the 500-yard mark. 213 of those yards went to Antonio Brown, and the two scoring strikes went to running back Le'Veon Bell and fullback Roosevelt Nix.

 

Congrats, Steelers fans, on another division championship. That offense played with nothing but heart out there to do what they did in the 4th quarter. They took advantage of a clueless DC, but primarily made the plays they had to make to guarantee the win. Good teams find a way to win

And for the record, I was not a fan of that PI for Wallace late in the game. It was a horrible call on a series that featured, I think 3 flags on 3 consecutive plays. But again, good teams find a way to win, even in the face of a bad call late in the game

 

GOOD
2017 AFC North Champions!
First season sweep of the Ravens since 2008 when the Steelers won the trifecta. I wouldn't be surprised if these team met again in the playoffs.
Big Ben - 66 passes and no INTs (although there were a few close calls). Great job winning the game without a running game or defense.
I'm so glad Bell isn't injured. The Steelers have no chance against the Pats w/o him. His stiff arms on Mosley and Weddle on the same run were a highlight.
AB - he does it all even breaking up an INT on a bad throw
Great pass protection. For the most part, I thought the sacks were on Ben for holding the ball too long
Boz - Great kicking on a cold night
The Outlaw - great job moving the chains
Rosie Nix - Sweet TD catch/pancake. Poor decision to throw him the ball since it was 1st and goal, but an exciting TD for a guy who deserves it
TJ Watt - great hustle and strip sack

BAD
Tackling
Penalties
Tuitt and Heyward have been too quiet the past couple of games
ILB play - draft
LOLB play - draft
Safety play - draft
3rd quarter offense

UGLY
Bud Dupree is useless. Watt at LOLB and Deebo at ROLB please
Kickoff return game/field position
End of the Jags-Seachickens game

I thought the team that was able to run the football would beat the team that couldn't run the football, but I'm glad I was wrong.

 

I also hated the Steelers clock mismanagement at the end of the 1st half. I hate watching them waste a down by clocking it (they did it twice), but at least they saved a timeout for the locker room instead of taking 3 shots into the endzone from the ~25 yard line.

The end of the game wasn't much better. I had visions of the Cowgirls comeback last season when we left the Ravens with 42 seconds and a timeout.

 

Good - 1st quarter and 4th quarter
Bad - 2nd quarter and 3rd quarter
Ugly - the mental and physical play of Sean Davis and the nonexistence of Bud Dupree.

The defense has lost the pass rush and pressures on the QB that they were very good at in the 1st half of the season. If they can get that going again and get Haden back we might see better performances going forward. They will not win the SB unless the defense vastly improves.

 

Good:
Sweep of the Ravens. It's a great rivalry.
Big Ben. He has found his groove. That's a tough D he faced and he carved them up. This is a very different team than the one that lost to Jax and that's because Ben is peaking. Gotta keep it up.
Brown. Same guy different game. What hasn't already been said?
Bell. Great runner and maybe even better in the passing game. Short throws that put him in the open field are a must for this O. He really beats a D with those.
Boz. Did the Steelers ever have a better kicker? Matt Bahr or Gary Anderson? I don't think so. He was a scrap heap find and what a find he was.
O line. They only play that I really was annoyed with was a missed block on the 2pt conversion. Two blockers took one guy and left another to make the tackle.
Both teams. There was a few PFs. Davis had one that really annoyed me late in the game. Gotta be smarter but, in the end, I loved how these teams played last night. I had such a dirty feeling about the Bengal's game. This one washed it off.

Bad:

Tackling was awful. Collins is so strong. He busts out of arm tackles. That has plagued this team this year and it needs to be a matter of focus.
Harrison. He's not bad but the way they use him is. He wants to play and he works so hard to be in shape. With 5-0 out and Dupree being invisible, they have to work him in.
Needed more pressure on Flacco,
Not too much else. Both teams needed a win and they went after it. Steelers got it!!

Ugly:

The Browns. Of course, I was rooting for the Packers but, wow, the Browns can't buy a win. Kizer looked a bit better with Gordon there but he tanked in overtime. Cousins or Smith would have that team at 5-8(maybe)
Carson Wentz injury. He's such a rising star in the NFL and a legit MVP choice. The Eagles have so much talent and I fear now that the year may be done for them. Foles is OK though. We'll see.

Summary.

Are the Steelers the worst 11-2 team in history. Every time they win we ask it and only the record changes. Time to accept this team for what it is. A bit flawed but with tremendous talent, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Their record is not a fluke. Do they win next week? I don't know, but whatever the outcome, their season isn't over. I believe they will get a bye and who knows what happens after. What if the Ravens or Jags end up going to NE? It's all about match ups. To me, the way Ben is playing right now, they are never out of a game. If they have the ball last and are within a score with some time on the clock, it never occurs to me that Ben, Brown, and Bell won't somehow find a way. We can tear down this team and that's the MO sometimes but you can't say enough about their never say die attitude.

Biggest game of the year next week but the world doesn't end if the Steelers lose. Still, I hope they win.

Steelers win.......again!!!!! 8 in a row.

 

Tuitt and Heyward were double-teamed or chip/helped most of the evening last night. The linebackers need to step up and fill those holes or get to the edge quicker. Not sure they can. They may need to sell out some and play Davis closer to the line of scrimmage on some plays.

Dupree.................MY GOD. The guy had one tackle..............ONE TACKLE.........with 34 seconds left on a 14 yard pass play to Wallace. That folks, leads me to believe Pitt will have SERIOUS reservation in picking up his option this Spring. He has REGRESSED through this year. I think Dupree and Harrison should SHARE snaps half the time, or send Watt to the weakside OLB and let Harrison man the strongside. At least a series now and then. The key to this defense will always be the front-7 more so than the back half, especially at the OLB position. A lot were looking for Dupree to stay healthy this year and take that "next step"......unfortunately that next step often means running himself right out of the play or getting himself out of position. He looks truly lost at times out there.

 

Ben was fantastic again. The chemistry he's with Bell and Brown is really special.
Boswell is clutch.
Jesse James and Vance McDonald stepped up big and won when they were matched up with LBs.
Eli Rodgers made a couple catches to keep drives alive.
The offense is peaking at the right time.

The defense is terrible and it goes beyond the loss of Shazier.
Many of us have said it all season. This pass defense is terrible and good to decent QB will have expose it for what it is. Crap coverage scheme.
Terrible tackling.
Mental errors.
Vince Williams is terrible in space. Sean Spence was cut by the Colts for sucking.
Dupree can't contain the edge. Ravens ran to his side over and over. Time for Harrison to play more.

 

You are 100% correct! For the Ravens last drive Harrison was on the strong side and Watt was on the weak side. I really hope they will do it more often.

 

I dont think he was out there the whole time that last series. I yhought they showed him on the sideline on the play right before the sack.

 

The great: pats loose we still need to win next week though

 

They look very beatable...Brady got hit a lot, and their defense is pretty bad. AB, Bell and Juju should have big games. Quick passes, not bombs away on offense and the Steelers should put up a lot of points. Can the defense hold up?

 

We will need another offensive effort like the one against the Ravens.

 

If the Steelers win, they have 2 game lead plus head-to-head tie-breaker over the Patriots
If the Steelers don't win, they will be tied with NE (who has the head-to-head tie-breaker).

Remaining Schedule - PIT
NE
@HOU
CLE

Remaining Schedule - NE
@PIT
BUF
NYJ

It the Steelers don't win, they could still get into the #1 seed should they win out and NE loses to BUF (possible) or the NYJ (not likely)

 

The Patriots were "Gronk-less" against the Dolphins. Rob will be back against the Steelers.

The Steelers will need to score points (TDs instead of FG), dominate time of possession, and pressure Brady up-the-middle to win.

 

Two of the best things to happen for me and the Steeler's feeling of VII possibility ... they're a team that doesn't blink in adversity ... (all this past month an a half), and NE blinked first. Yeah, we still need to win next Sunday, but the Pats blinked first against the Fins and there's no reason to think we can't get em' to blink and then shut their eyes for them twice yet in 2017.

They get Gronk we get J2S2 ... let's just see how this Steeler steady gaze all works out !