Steelers’ Hopes Dashed by Costly Turnovers in Baltimore
In the heart of Baltimore, the Pittsburgh Steelers faced a challenging night against their fierce rivals, the Baltimore Ravens. The game, which ended in a 34-17 loss for the Steelers, was marked by critical errors that turned the tide in favor of the Ravens. At the center of this narrative was Russell Wilson, whose candid post-game reflections shed light on the pivotal moments that led to the Steelers’ downfall.
Wilson didn’t mince words when discussing the play that began the unraveling for the Steelers. “It’s unacceptable,” he said, referring to his second-quarter fumble. “It can’t happen.” This fumble, occurring at the end of a promising 19-yard run, was a turning point. Just four yards shy of the end zone, Wilson collided with Ravens safety Ar’Darius Washington, resulting in one of two critical turnovers that night. These errors prevented the Steelers from clinching the AFC North title on their rival’s turf.
Reflecting on the game, Wilson noted, “It’s just really two negative plays.” Despite completing 22 of 33 attempts for 217 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, those two plays loomed large. “I felt like I was seeing it well. I thought the guys made some really good plays. … We knew it was going to be a tough fight throughout the end, and they made two plays on us that were significant plays and unfortunately I can’t let that happen.”
At the time of Wilson’s fumble, the Steelers (10-5) were tied 7-7 with the Ravens. They had a prime opportunity to take the lead, thanks to a 14-yard shanked punt by Ravens punter Jordan Stout. The Steelers were gaining momentum, moving the ball effectively with plays over 10 yards by Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris. On 2nd-and-6, Wilson saw an opening and decided to run.
“I just thought we had a chance to go to the end zone and tried to cut back and just got hit,” Wilson explained. “I think right before I hit the ground, the ball came out. I was kind of cutting off the block and just, I didn’t want to slide there, didn’t want to slide there. I felt like we could’ve got in the end zone — trying to get a touchdown and go for it. They made a good play.”
Washington’s tackle and Kyle Van Noy‘s fumble recovery halted Wilson and the Steelers’ momentum. The Ravens (10-5) capitalized with a 96-yard touchdown drive. Despite this setback, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin remained optimistic. “There’s ebb and flow of momentum in every game, and so it didn’t feel like it was a lost cause at that point by any stretch,” he said.
The Steelers managed to keep the game close until the fourth quarter. After Minkah Fitzpatrick‘s first interception in nearly two years, Wilson’s second costly turnover occurred with 13:06 remaining. This time, Wilson was intercepted by Marlon Humphrey, who returned the ball 37 yards for a pick-6, extending the Ravens’ lead to 31-17.
“I think that definitely changed the game when they got that interception,” Wilson admitted. “I thought the defense did a good job of getting the ball back, and I was trying to throw it to [MyCole Pruitt] in his front number. I felt like the ball just stayed inside unfortunately and they made a play.”
For the Ravens, Humphrey’s pick-6 was a game-changer, securing their sixth playoff berth in seven years and ending a four-game losing streak to Pittsburgh. The Ravens are now tied with the Steelers atop the AFC North with two weeks remaining. “I really feel like I bleed purple and black and to put a big play like that in the archives and it clinches the playoffs, it was huge,” Humphrey said.
The Steelers entered Baltimore with hopes of erasing the previous week’s loss to Philadelphia with a division-clinching win. Although that didn’t happen, the Steelers still control their destiny in the division, thanks to their Week 11 win against the Ravens. The simplest path to winning the AFC North and clinching a home playoff game is by winning their final two games against the Chiefs and the Bengals.
- Next game: Steelers vs. Chiefs on Christmas Day
- Steelers’ record: 10-5
- Ravens’ record: 10-5
The Steelers face a quick turnaround, hosting the AFC-leading Chiefs on Christmas Day, capping off a stretch of three games in 11 days. Wilson emphasized the need to stay focused. “We play on Wednesday,” he said. “I don’t think there’s enough time to really sulk or worry or fear. … The one thing I’m not going to do is keep my head down though. I know for us we got so much great confidence in who we are and what we can do and how we’re going to respond.
“We can’t let a tough game like this take us into a negative state of mind because there’s a lot more to play for and a lot more we’re searching for, and we can still win the [AFC] North. There’s still a lot of opportunity there, too, as well. And so we just got to buckle down and get back to work.”
ESPN’s Jamison Hensley contributed to this report.
Originally Written by: Brooke Pryor
