The Baltimore Ravens they were built to run, and that’s exactly what they did to win their first playoff game of the year.
Baltimore combined for 299 yards on the ground (they were at 300 before the last kneel), with Derrick Henry gaining most of it, in their 28-14 win over Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday.
The Steelers offense was shut down the entire first half, punting on every one of their four drives. The Ravens were a different story; on their first possession, they drove 95 yards down the field, and Lamar Jackson found Rashod Bateman for a 15-yard touchdown. In the second quarter, it was another 13-play effort (all runs), and this time it was Henry.
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Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) celebrates with wide receiver Nelson Agholor (15) and running back Lamar Jackson (8) after scoring a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third quarter in the AFC wild card game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images)
Then, with two seconds left as both teams went to the locker room, Jackson escaped pressure and found Justice Hill to make it 21-0 and give the Ravens more than 300 yards of offense. The difference in the first half was 19-2 in favor of Baltimore.
But the Steelers weren’t dead yet. Despite being pinned at his own 2-yard line, Russell Wilson dropped three dimes on third down to keep the drive going, the last being a 30-yard touchdown to Van Jefferson to get Pittsburgh on the board in the third. Baltimore responded immediately, however, as Henry scampered for a 44-yard score.
Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) runs for a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third quarter in the AFC wild card game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Pictures)
Wilson, however, threw another touchdown in the bucket, this one to George Pickens, to make it a two-goal game again with 3:24 left in the third.
Although the Ravens’ offense slowed in the second half, Pittsburgh couldn’t do much in the fourth quarter, turning the ball over on downs midway through the quarter in an attempt to make it a one-score game, and Pickens’ touchdown ended up being the final score of the game.
The total was 186 yards on the ground for Henry on 26 carries, two of which found the end zone. Jackson added 81 rushing yards (while also going 16-for-21 for 175 yards through the air).
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (7) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first quarter of the AFC wild card game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images)
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Baltimore now awaits an opponent in the divisional round, but by all accounts it will be the Buffalo Bills. However, with Buffalo’s surprising loss to the Denver Broncos, they would face the Houston Texans.
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