I wasted three-plus hours of my life Sunday night watching the Steelers-Ravens game, a contest that could be summed up with a variation on a familiar sporting cliché.
Frequently, we hear it was a shame one team had to lose a particular game. In this case, it was a shame either team had to win. They both played poorly, on both sides of the ball and on special teams, too.
Along that line, it was fitting the Steelers prevailed, 26-24, when Ravens kicker Tyler Loop misfired badly from 44 yards as the clock expired.
I spent the night trying to assure a Steelers fan I’d invited over to watch the game that his Steelers were going to win, despite their many hiccups. That continued right up to Loop’s miss, which I told him would happen. It was a sentiment based on what had transpired earlier in the game.
This guy had misfired badly on a previous kickoff, booting the ball out of bounds. He looked as nervous as the proverbial long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh apparently forgot his team no longer had Justin Tucker, having sent him into kicker oblivion over accusations of misbehavior with massage therapists.
Instead of an Old Reliable veteran, Harbaugh sent out a vapor-locking youngster to attempt a field goal that was anything but a chip shot, with the game and the season on the line.
Failure was all but guaranteed.
Harbaugh instead might have tried to gain some valuable yardage on the final play from scrimmage instead of having Lamar Jackson give up a few yards in order to center the ball for Loop.
That centering failed to help Loop as he missed badly to the right.
And so, the curtain fell on a game replete with miserable play.
Twice in the fourth quarter the Steelers lost Ravens wide receivers on pass routes, leading to long touchdown completions. That same Steelers defense allowed Ravens running back Derrick Henry to go over 100 yards – in the first half. Usually proficient Steelers placekicker Chris Boswell missed his first PAT in more than two seasons with just under a minute remaining.
The Ravens defense was equally porous, including having a defensive back look like Bambi on ice during one late Steelers touchdown reception. It seems the next time an initial Ravens defender on the scene is able to execute a tackle will be the first.
Jackson and Aaron Rodgers interspersed their few good throws with many off-target efforts. Rodgers came alive after injuries depleted the Ravens secondary and produced some extremely vanilla coverages.
Jackson had pathetic passing numbers beyond the couple of absolute Steelers coverage breakdowns, managed to throw an interception, and showed none of his touted explosiveness running the ball.
The bottom line is two mediocre teams slopped around with the AFC North title on the line. The 10-7 Steelers won and move on to the playoffs, but don’t bother ordering Super Bowl tickets.
Sam Ross Jr's site 