Pittsburgh Review

BALTIMORE - The Baltimore Ravens secured a 28-14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in their AFC Super Wild Card game at M&T Bank Stadium. The game commenced with the Steelers gaining an initial first down, but they were soon forced to punt after six plays.

The Ravens faced a challenging start, beginning their opening drive from their own 5-yard line due to a penalty. Despite this, they managed a 99-yard drive capped by a 15-yard touchdown pass from Lamar Jackson to Rashod Bateman. This drive featured predominantly running plays, including five consecutive runs by Jackson.

"We had the game plan, we just didn't execute it," said Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen regarding Jackson's active role in the running game. "We didn't start fast."

The Ravens' ground attack proved formidable, with Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson both contributing significantly. By halftime, Henry had rushed for 100 yards on 13 carries, while Jackson added another 64 yards on 11 carries. The Steelers trailed 21-0 at the break.

Steelers outside linebacker Alex Highsmith acknowledged their shortcomings: "We didn't work off enough blocks. We didn't make enough tackles."

By game's end, Baltimore had amassed 299 rushing yards on 50 attempts. Defensive tackle Cam Heyward commented on the lack of execution: "Execution, angles... we weren't on top of our execution."

Despite missing receiver Zay Flowers, Baltimore's strategy focused heavily on its rushing offense. Steelers safety DeShon Elliott remarked on the challenge posed by both Henry and Jackson: "If you try to take one of them out, the other one is going to eat."

Pittsburgh's offensive struggles compounded their difficulties. Quarterback Wilson threw for two touchdowns and accumulated 270 passing yards but faced challenges against Baltimore's defense.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh praised his team's efforts: "That play at the end of the half – that's what we call a 'trigger.'"

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin noted the impact of key plays: "I thought that big run by (Henry) kind of quelled some of that."

In conclusion, Baltimore's superior ground game and strategic execution led them to victory over Pittsburgh in this playoff encounter.