The Baltimore Sun
http://www.baltimoresun.com/
December 6, 2010
(Baltimore Sun photo by Kenneth K. Lam / December 5, 2010)Steelers safety Troy Polamalu stips the ball from Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, setting up the Steelers for their 13-10 victory.
The Ravens and Joe Flacco got blindsided by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Flacco's fourth-quarter fumble -- which came when Steelers safety Troy Polamalu stripped him from behind -- let control of the AFC North slip from their hands in a 13-10 loss to Pittsburgh at a chilly and windy M&T Bank Stadium last night.
Three plays after Flacco's turnover, Pittsburgh running back Isaac Redman took a short third-down pass from Ben Roethlisberger, broke from Dawan Landry's grasp and scored a 9-yard touchdown as the Steelers took their first lead with 2:51 left in the game.
"It doesn't feel good," Flacco said. "I feel we gave this one away."
In a rivalry defined by bone-rattling hits, the Steelers' biggest blow came in the standings. The Ravens' first loss at home in nine games was as painful as it was costly because the Ravens (8-4) fell one game behind the Steelers (9-3) in the AFC North with four games remaining.
"We'll keep fighting like we always do," coach John Harbaugh said. "We'll find a way to get in the playoffs. We might still win the division."
Flacco, who beat Pittsburgh with a last-minute touchdown two months ago, couldn't do it Sunday night. He led the Ravens into Steelers territory but the Ravens' last gasp ended when Flacco short-hopped a pass to a wide-open Ed Dickson on fourth-and-2.
His first look was wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who was covered. Flacco quickly had to change for a desperation throw to the other side of the field.
"I never got my hips back over there to put enough umph on the ball to Ed," Flacco said.
An announced crowd of 71,418 who braved the 35-degree temperatures and 31-mile-per-hour gusts left with plenty of questions as the Ravens failed to complete their second sweep of the Steelers in team history.
(Baltimore Sun photo by Karl Merton Ferron / December 5, 2010)Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs, left, can't bring down Ben Roethlisberger before the Steelers quarterback shovels the ball away in the fourth quarter.
• Why did the Ravens go on fourth down instead of attempting a 48-yard field goal?
"It was a tough wind up there," Harbaugh said. "It was really outside our range that we designated going in. We felt like we had a better chance to get the first down than we had to kick that field goal at that time."
When a reporter pointed out that Cundiff had made three kicks from that distance or beyond, Harbaugh snapped back, "Were you down there on the field? Did you see the way those balls were tracking in the field goal pre-game? It was a tough kick. I'm pretty good at that. I've been doing it for a long time. I understand what those guys can do and what they can't do. It would have been a very low percentage kick."
• Why were the Ravens throwing the ball on second-and-5 when they had a four-point lead with 3:22 remaining? That was the play when Flacco fumbled. "I don't really sit in here and criticize my coaches' play-calling after the fact," Harbaugh said. "Never have, never will."
• And did the Ravens consider challenging the fumble? Flacco had his arm cocked back when Polamalu slapped the ball away.
"There was talk about it," Harbaugh said. "But when I saw it on tape, I didn't want to waste a timeout. It was a fumble."
Roethlisberger won his sixth straight game against the Ravens, but he wasn't the reason the Ravens failed to complete their second sweep of their division rival.
A 10-6 lead in the fourth quarter turned into a 13-10 deficit when the Ravens couldn't handle an all-out blitz by Pittsburgh. Flacco dropped back and saw Dickson wide open in the flat. What he didn't see was Polamalu barreling down from behind.
"I took three steps and raised my arm and just got it," said Flacco, who was 17-for-33 for 266 yards passing. "I was pretty shocked to see it myself."
The Ravens' defense, which dominated Roethlisberger and Pittsburgh for most of the game, couldn't take pride in its effort.
"It doesn't matter," said linebacker Terrell Suggs, who had three tackles for losses and five quarterback hits in one of the best games of his career. They're going to be happy as hell on that airplane back to Pittsburgh. It doesn't matter. They got the 'W'."
jamison.hensley@baltsun.com
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