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Game Twelve: Steelers Take Control of the North with 13-10 Win Over Ravens


Ben Roethlisberger broke his nose. Heath Miller came out with a concussion. But through it all, the black and gold will take it.

Coach Mike Tomlin said the Steelers needed a “signature win,” and Sunday night in hostile territory, the team got it, gutting out a hard-nosed 13-10 win over the Ravens. The win puts the Steelers in sole possession in first in the AFC North with a mark of 9-3, while the Ravens drop to 8-4.

It means that the Steelers control the division, and if they win out, they are assured at worst the two-seed in the AFC, a bye, and at least one home game in the playoffs. But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves.

As was expected, points were not easy to come by Sunday night, but it was the Steelers offense that finally found some rhythm in the second half, scoring 13 points as they got them when it counted, holding the Ravens to 3 points in the final 30 minutes.

Troy Polamalu made the biggest play of the night, and maybe the season, as he forced a fumble with a sack of Joe Flacco with 3:13 left, and the loose ball was taken 19 yards by Lamarr Woodley to the Baltimore 9, setting up the Steelers game winning score.

Roethlisberger after two incomplete passes, threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Isaac Redman with 2:51 for the difference. The Ravens drove to the Steelers 31, but on fourth-and-two, Ravens coach John Harbaugh declined to try a 49-yard field goal for kicker Billy Cundiff, and instead went for a pass play to try and get closer, and the pass to the flat was incomplete, saving the Steelers win.

Say what you want about Roethlisberger, but he hung in against a fierce defense, throwing for 253 yards, most of them coming after his nose was broken by a blow in the first quarter on the teams first possession. He went went 22 for 38 and has won six straight starts against Baltimore and is 8-2 lifetime against the Ravens.

Flacco was 17 for 33 for 266 yards, but his fumble was the most decisive play of the game.

The Steelers lost a couple key players during the game along with the TKO of Roethlisberger. Miller was hit with a cheap shot that should have been a personal foul, and suffered a concussion in the third quarter after the hit from Ravens cornerback Chris Carr. Right tackle Flozell Adams also limped off the field in the third quarter. Punter Daniel Sepulveda hurt his right knee in the second quarter, and placekicker Shaun Suisham was called upon to punt for the remainder of the game.

The Ravens could have taken control in the first half, as they went up 7-0 late in the first quarter. Flacco went 6 for 6 during a 92-yard drive, completing a 61-yarder to Anquan Boldin on a third-and-15 before connecting with Boldin for a 14-yard touchdown.

In the second quarter, Flacco connected with Donte’ Stallworth for a 67-yard completion. The play took Baltimore to the Pittsburgh 27, but a third-down sack took the Ravens out of field goal range. The Steelers held the Ravens run game in check, as Baltimore had 11 yards rushing on 11 attempts in the first half.

The Steelers offense finally got going in the second half, as they got field goal drives to cut it to 10-6, and then Polamalu’s huge play late saved them, as the team finally got the play they needed to put them in a position to win the game.

Rashard Mendenhall had 19 rushes for 45 yards, and Mike Wallace had 5 grabs for 76 yards.

The Steelers start the first of three at home next Sunday, as they host the worst in the AFC North, the Bengals, who have lost 9 straight, including a Monday night loss to the Steelers four weeks ago 27-21.

Matt Loede has been in the sports media for over 16 years, with experience covering the MLB, NBA, and NFL. On Sunday’s during football season, you can hear Matt on national networks like Fox Sports Radio, Associated Press, and others. Born and raised in Cleveland Ohio, Matt studies and talks football inside and out, and is anxious to share his thoughts and comments with readers on a daily basis.

6 Comments

6 Comments

  1. Thomas Crowley

    December 6, 2010 at 1:07 am

    I’m not even gonna make any excuses the steelers deserved it i i’m so pissed ,you can make fun of me all you want.
    Just nothing i can say god this sucks.

  2. Thomas Crowley

    December 6, 2010 at 1:14 am

    I meant you’re probably gonna make fun of me anyway.

  3. Jeff

    December 6, 2010 at 8:23 am

    Love the win!!!! What determination displayed by this team ( as MT would say “in a hostile environment” ) and especially by guys like Redman, Johnson, Sanders etc. Then the big play by THE difference maker at safety in the league – #43 Polamalu!!!! Did what they had to do to stay in the game and steal one on the road.

    Now that being said, I’m furious with the continued screw job the Steelers get from the league and officials on the field. What a double standard!!! How could the ref’s miss both the wack to the face on BBR and the hit on a defenseless Heath Miller!! If Brady or Manning walked off the field after a sack with blood spraying down the front of their jersey you’d see the latest flag thrown ever in NFL history. The Steelers organization has to go to the league this week and ask a giant WTF!!!!!!!!

    Last thing…..what’s that sound of crickets I hear???? Oh yeah it’s those Ravens fans coming to post on those Steelers boards. Yinz Love Da Stillers!!!!!

  4. john

    December 6, 2010 at 9:50 am

    Face it Jeff, we are going to get the screws put to us the rest of the season from the refs all due to the fact they are out for James Harrison. I am like you, peeved to no end that they are doing this to us, but there’s nothing the team can do about it other than to just keep fighting.

    By the way thomas – how does a wild card birth taste? Suck it!

  5. Pingback: Look Back: Polamalu’s Big Hit Sends Steelers To Huge 13-10 Win Over Ravens » Steelers Gab

  6. Pingback: Flashback: 2010 Steelers Take Control of AFC North With 13-10 Win Over Ravens » Steelers Gab

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