Simply said, the Steelers didn’t play the same style of football that we’re used to.
Joe Flacco looked more like the 2-time Super Bowl champion that Ben Roethlisberger did as he posted a 117.6 passer rating. Big Ben, on the other hand, finished with a 52.9.
Flacco spread the ball and attacked downfield. Mike Wallace for the Steelers had a big game, hauling in eight receptions for 107 yards, but the rest of the team didn’t do much.
Meanwhile, the Steelers just couldn’t stop the run if their lives depended on it. The Ravens absolutely lit the Steelers up, finishing with 170 yards on a 5.5 yard per carry average. In comparison, they only allowed 3.0 YPC last season, which ranked tops in the NFL.
The Steelers had just 66 yards, but my bigger problem was that they only rushed the ball 16 times and they’re not going to win that way.
To make matters even more embarrassing, they committed a whopping five turnovers. Ed Reed had two interceptions, validating why I picked him to be the Defensive Player of the Year. Moreover, Ray Lewis had an interception. To complete the roundabout of stalwarts on the unit, Haloti Ngata has two fumble recoveries.
On the flip side, the Steelers who registered a league-best 48 sacks last season had just one all of today.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Steelers play this poorly in my life. Could this be the start of a Super Bowl Hangover?
