The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsgurgh Steelers NFL Divisional Playoff game at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh is underway. This is the third meeting between these teams. They split their regular season series at a game apiece. This is becoming a legendary rivalry, and this game promises to be a memorable chapter.
The Steelers won the toss, and elected to kick off.
Ladarius Webb appeared to be tackled near the 35 yard line. But not hearing a whistle, he continued running to the 50 yard line. The challenge flag was immediately thrown by Pittsburgh, stopping play with only 11 seconds expired.
The runner was ruled down at the 35, the game clock was reset for 14:55, and Joe Flacco and the Ravens offense will come in.
Flacco gets his first, first down, with a smooth screen pass over the blitz, to Todd Heap, his go-to guy of last week. The Steelers defense stiffens and breaks up a couple pass attempts. and the Ravens punt into the end zone.
Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers will take over at the 20 yard line. Hines Ward and Ed Reed are scrapping after the play. Oddly, only Ward is flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, backing the Steelers up half the distance, to the 10. They get it back and more with two pass plays. Mike Wallace bringing it to the 38, and to the Ravens 25 yard line after a pass interference play on Ravens CB Cary Williams.
Roethlisberger scrambles close to a first down, and he doesn't slide. They get the first on the next play. Rashard Mendenhall takes over near the end zone. On first and goal Ed Reed stands him up, but he punches it through on second down, the tenth play of the drive.
7-0 Steelers
On the kickoff, Webb brings the ball out near the 32, and the Ravens will take over with 6:12 left in the quarter. On first down offensive pass interfence is called. Steeler CB Ike Taylor is hurt on the non-play and Pittsburgh is charged with an injury timeout.
The Ravens get a first down on a defensive holding call in the secondary, and the 'let them play' officiating philosophy of last week, is not in eveidence here so far today. These two teams are getting chippy after just about every play.
A screen pass to Willis McGahee gets a first down past midfield, but Flacco is sacked for a five yard loss on the next play. Flacco goes deep on third and fifteen, incomplete but a pass interference gives them the first on the 19 yard line. Ray Rice takes the handoff on the draw and runs it on the the tenth play of the drive. The two penalties on the possession broke the Steelers back, partcularly the 33 yard P.I. call
7-7 tie game
The Ravens kick with 1:20 left in the quarter.
There is a flag on the 20 yard runback, holding on the Steelers. They'll start from the 10. Roethlisberger is hit below the waist on an incomplete, and gets up limping. He stays in the game, he's hit by Suggs again, and the ball is ruled a fumble. It was eventually picked up by Ravens DT Cory Redding and run into the end zone. A touchdown is called but Pittsburgh challenges the ruling the ball was a fumble, rather than an incomplete.
The ruling stands, and the Steelers cannot challenge for the rest of the game.
14-7 Ravens
Antonio Brown returns the kickoff to the Steelers 29. They give to Mendenhall for 3 yards and let time expire in the first quarter.
14-7 Ravens