2023 Steelers Season Recall: Defense contains Lamar Jackson, Ravens offense

The ball went into the endzone but wasn’t recovered inbounds by Rodney Williams. However, the play resulted in a safety and gave the Steelers new life.

“The thing I love about blocked punts is that it’s a team stat. We all get credit… It was a scheme that we’ve been practicing for three weeks. Danny Smith drew it up.” – Miles Killebrew

The Steelers offense would muster a 9-play, 49 yard drive which saw Jaylen Warren lose yardage from the Ravens five-yard line before Pickett threw two incompletions from the seven: one intended for WR George Pickens and the other for WR Allen Robinson. Boswell would boot a 25-yarder to inch the baseball score up to 10-8, still in favor of Baltimore.

On the very next series, Pittsburgh’s defense would stuff the Ravens and force a three-and-out. Though the momentum had shifted in Pittsburgh’s favor, it nearly went back to Baltimore in its entirety, as the Ravens forced punt returner Gunner Olszewski to fumble. The ball was recovered by the Ravens on the Steelers seven-yard line, setting up a series that led to Joey Porter Jr. bailing out Gunner and his mistake.

With the Ravens starting off on the Steelers seven-yard line, the defense once again had to contain Lamar Jackson and company. Porter, who entered the game late, was able to reach up and pick a pass (his first NFL interception) in the end zone, crushing a Ravens drive that could have given Baltimore the win.

“I already kind of had that in the back of my mind they were going to try me on that play,” – Joey Porter Jr.

Porter’s pick setup an unlikely Steelers comeback drive, as Pickett led the offense 80 yards down the field, finding Pickens on a 41-yard touchdown connection that saw the Steelers gain their first lead of the day. Up 14-10, the Ravens offense panicked, as Jackson would be sacked two plays into their next possession, fumbling the ball back to Pittsburgh, as Alex Highsmith punched the ball out and T.J. Watt made the recovery.

The Steelers offense was still shaky – and conservative – as they took a knee three straight times to wind the clock down in the closing minute for a Boswell field goal to go up by seven. The Ravens made one last push but fell apart at the end, as their offense line was called for holding and Lamar Jackson couldn’t find his receivers, last sacked on a 4th-and-7 by you guessed it: T.J. Watt.

In all, the Ravens would only rush for 25 yards in the second half of the game while Jackson threw for 83 yards. The Ravens offense would punt four times (one blocked for a safety) and turned the ball over in their last three drives via an interception, fumble, and on downs.

One week after laying an egg in Houston the Steelers improved to 2-0 in the AFC North with the most unlikely of wins. The Steelers improved to a 3-2 record with a 17-10 victory.