BALTIMORE, MD – Week one. AFC North rivalry. Steelers in Baltimore. Close, defensive battle? Well the Ravens had something to say about that.
The Steelers turned the ball over seven times and the Baltimore offense racked up 385 total yards as the Ravens dominated the Steelers, 35-7 at M&T Bank Stadium.
“We got our tails whooped,” said Hines Ward. “It’s one of those games. We wanted to come here and try to win and we knew that it was going to be tough to play down here, but I am a little disappointed how we played. When you turn the ball over the way we did, we won’t win too many ball games.”
“We got handled in all three phases today,” said Head coach Mike Tomlin. “We accept responsibly for the plays that we made and didn’t make and we compliment them at the same time for the way that they performed in all areas.”
From the very start, the Ravens controlled the game as Ray Rice ran 36 yards to the Steelers 30 yard line on the first play from scrimmage and two plays later, Joe Flacco hit Anquan Boldin for a 27 yard touchdown beating cornerback Bryant McFadden to take a 7-0 lead.
Later in the first quarter, the Ravens continued to pour it on as Terrell Suggs sacked Ben Roethlisberger, causing a fumble that was recovered by DT Haloti Ngata, giving the Ravens the ball at the Steelers 37-yard line.
Four plays later, Rice ran it in from a yard out to give the Ravens a first quarter 14-0 lead.
“Today they came out and made some big plays on us,” said LaMarr Woodley. “They came out early with the big run and the big pass.”
The Steelers only score came on a 10 play, 68 yard drive resulting in an 11 yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Emmanuel Sanders.
“I need to play a lot better,” said Roethlisberger. “But the season’s not won or lost today. The division’s not won or lost. We just dug ourselves a little hole and we’ll learn and come back stronger than ever.”
The Steelers were outgained 265-113 in the first half and trailed 21-7 at halftime.
Ray Rice rushed for 107 yards as he is the only runner to rush for 100 yards against the Steelers defense in the last 51 games since he also did it in 2009.
Notes: In remembrance of 9/11, the National Anthem was played with a 100-yard American flag held on the field by members of the US military, all Ravens players and select Steelers including Ben Roethlisberger, James Harrison, Ryan Clark, Ike Taylor and James Farrior… LB Larry Foote played in place of LB James Farrior (no apparent injury) in multiple series throughout the game… After the game, James Harrison posted the following on his Facebook page: “That’s what you call getting beat like you stole something.”
Image Source – (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
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