Tomlin Admits Steelers Early Run-Focused Offense May Have Hurt Roethlisberger’s Rhythm

“Obviously, Sunday night was bummed, yesterday was pretty bummed, but after you get done watching the film and you have your meetings and you talk about the game, you have to move on”. The Steelers scored two plays later to cut a 10-point deficit to three at 20-17. The Steelers could have secured a playoff berth if they won against the Ravens and the New York Jets fell to the New England Patriots. “They made a good play”, Roethlisberger said.

The Seahawks (9-6) failed to lead for the first time with Russell Wilson under center since he became the starter in Week 1 of the 2012 season. We were all kind of disappointed in each other. Signed on December 15, he was the fourth quarterback to start for Baltimore (5-10) in six weeks.

“There’s a scenario that hasn’t transpired in order to get in the dance”, Tomlin said, via ESPN.com. On the field, it’s part of the uniform and it’s legal to tackle a guy like Smith tackled Williams – even if it looks like something you might get your a** kicked for anywhere else on the planet you attempted something like this.

With this being such a shocking and disappointing loss, Roethlisberger was asked if he or the team would be dwelling on the game or if they are singularly focused on their big matchup with the Browns in the season finale.

The Ravens have just 5 wins on the season but the fact that two of them come against the Steelers may just be the nugget that get the Ravens’ faithful through the long offseason. Counting last year’s playoff win Baltimore has bested Pittsburgh three straight times. “We just didn’t take care of business”. He finished with exactly 100 yards and 2 touchdowns.

“We’ve always said we can only beat ourselves”, Roethlisberger said.

Baltimore, which came in with a minus-15 turnover differential, had two takeaways and did not commit a turnover. The Ravens rushed for 121 yards on 31 carries and got some big runs late in the game when they had to keep possession and run time off the clock. But Baltimore’s Courtney Upshaw lined up offside on the play, negating the score, and DeAngelo Williams scored his second touchdown with 6:33 left.

The Ravens held on.

Pittsburgh, which had just 152 yards of total offense in the first half, thought it had answered with a touchdown when Antonio Brown was initially ruled to have caught Roethlisberger’s 16-yard pass in the corner of the end zone.

The Steelers didn’t get the ball back until there was 4 seconds left.

“We were thinking we were going to beat them, and we knew it”, Ravens defensive back Lardarius Webb said. Smith got called for two costly pass interference penalties. The Ravens defense is allowing 25.1 points and 340.1 yards per game with six interceptions, 34 sacks, and six fumble recoveries.

Later in the quarter, the Ravens put together a 13-play drive that concluded with a punt. “We controlled our destiny, but we gave the ball away and we can’t do that”.

Roethlisberger threw his second interception a few minutes later. Brown has 14 receptions for 112 yards on the season after expecting to be the No. 2 wide receiver.

PASSING OFFENSE: A. Quarterback Ryan Mallett turned a lot of heads in his first start for Baltimore.

Ravens kicker Justin Tucker responded with field goals from 37 and 50 yards to boost the margin to 13-3 at the half. They’ll be facing a team that they routinely play well, and will be down to mostly backups when the two teams meet. Baltimore responded with interceptions by linebacker Daryl Smith and cornerback Jimmy Smith.