By most metrics, the Pittsburgh Steelers should not have beaten the Baltimore Ravens 27-22 on Sunday. Not only are the Ravens the better team, but they also finished with more first downs, fewer penalties, more total yards and more time of possession.
And yet, it was the Steelers who scored more points and won the game.
The biggest disparity was on the ground, where Baltimore racked up 217 rushing yards on 40 attempts. By comparison, Pittsburgh managed just 34 rushing yards on 17 attempts against the Ravens’ stout run defense.
That’s a difference of 183 yards — a massive advantage for Baltimore. In the end, however, it didn’t matter.
It wasn’t the first time the Steelers have won a game like that, either. They’ve won only three games since World War II where they were outrushed by at least 170 yards, but all three have come against the Ravens in the last six seasons.
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Baltimore has always had a strong rushing attack and run defense this decade with Lamar Jackson under center, so Pittsburgh appears to be playing accordingly. The Steelers are content to let the Ravens run the ball and limit their own rushing opportunities, looking to beat Baltimore through the air instead.
That trend also reflects Pittsburgh’s defensive strategy of bending without breaking, which has been the case this year. The unit ranks 28th in yards allowed per game but only 19th in points allowed per game.
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Sure enough, the Steelers had more success throwing the ball than the Ravens did on Sunday, outgaining them by 81 net passing yards. Baltimore has a weak secondary, which Aaron Rodgers exploited effectively.
Mike Tomlin has had the upper hand against John Harbaugh in their rivalry so far, but time will tell if that holds true when they meet again in Week 18.
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Featured image via Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images