What. A. Game.
It was the tale of two halves for the Pittsburgh Steelers, with enough back and forth to make you sick to your stomach. From Pittsburgh storming back to the Ravens hanging around to missed kicks left and right, it was a game that kept you on the edge of your seat.
Thankfully, the Steelers were on the right side of things this week and are playoff-bound. The road doesn’t get any easier, but for now, we can just celebrate this wild and tense victory that gets Pittsburgh a spot in the playoffs.
Pittsburgh Steelers winners and losers from Week 18 victory over the Baltimore Ravens
Steelers Winner: The Running Backs
It was a slow start for the offense, but once things got moving, it ran through both Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell. Both made at least the first man miss with the ball in their hands while carving out chunks of yards.
Both have been the heart and soul of this offense and are critical members of the team. They were on display once again this week, and the only question now is whether Gainwell can be retained in the offseason.
Steelers Loser: The Deep Passing Defense
The defense got its act together in the second half, but they also saw their passing defense get shredded by long passes. Zay Flowers killed them for two long passes, while Devontez Walker also won on a long pass. This killed the momentum and kept the Ravens alive despite otherwise struggling to move the football.
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Steelers Winner: Halftime Adjustments
It felt like, for the longest time, this team failed time and time again to adjust to the game. Against the Ravens, it was a different story. They came out in the third quarter firing on offense while the defense toughened up. It was refreshing to see the Steelers make the changes needed to remain in this game.
Steelers Loser: Chris Boswell
Chris Boswell is one of the best kickers in the NFL and arguably of all time in Steelers history. However, his extra point miss almost cost the Steelers. Thankfully, they got lucky to win late in this game.
Steelers Winner: Aaron Rodgers
While plagued with a slow start, Aaron Rodgers flipped a switch in the second half. His passes got sharper, and he helped guide the offense to a massive rally to win this game. It was almost all for not, but he is a huge reason that this team ended up winning this week.