It was one thing to ask the Steelers to overcome the loss of their MVP. It was too much to ask them to also do it without a better game from their franchise quarterback.
The Steelers actually outgained Baltimore running and passing, but Ben Roethlisberger delivered them into the end zone just one time. He threw two interceptions and was sacked five times as the Ravens kept the Steelers winless in the playoffs for another year with a 30-17 victory Saturday night at Heinz Field.
“Disheartening,” is how Antonio Brown put it after the Steelers appeared in the playoffs for the first time in three years only to have their postseason losing streak reach three games.
Despite playing without injured All-Pro halfback Le’Veon Bell, who led the AFC in rushing, the Steelers were slight favorites against the Ravens, who had lost all three previous postseason matchups against the Steelers.
But Joe Flacco threw touchdown passes of 11 yards to Torrey Smith and 21 yards to Crockett Gillmore — the second one virtually putting the game away in the fourth quarter after a Roethlisberger interception — as Baltimore finally tagged the Steelers in the postseason and on the road, to boot.
“This is a tough one to swallow,” guard David DeCastro said.
Although the Steelers had the No. 2 offense in the NFL and No. 1 passing offense, they managed just three Shaun Suisham field goals in the first half after which they trailed, 10-9, and did not score a touchdown until the fourth quarter. That came on Roethlisberger’s 6-yard pass to rookie Martavis Bryant after rookie Stephon Tuitt recovered a Justin Forsett fumble at the Baltimore 45.
It would be the Ravens’ only turnover while the Steelers committed three.
“They got the necessary turnovers that we didn’t get,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “It defined the outcome of the game like it always does when these two teams come together.”
Flacco was an efficient 18 of 29 for 259 yards. He was sacked once, by Sean Spence. Roethlisberger completed 31 of 45 for 334 yards, but came up empty too often on third down and inside the Baltimore 20, where the Steelers managed one touchdown in three visits.
Without Bell, the Steelers managed 68 yards rushing. Though the Ravens were held to 49, they got most of those on a first-quarter drive that led to a 5-yard touchdown run by Bernard Pierce that put them ahead for good, 7-3.
“To me, it just [stinks] to go out this way,” defensive end Cam Heyward said.
The Steelers won the AFC North Division by going 11-5 this season after consecutive 8-8 records. But they have not won a postseason game since they beat the New York Jets in the AFC championship of the 2010 season.
The Ravens, the sixth and final playoff seed, advance to play Saturday at top-seeded New England.
Courtney Upshaw knocked Roethlisberger from the game briefly with the Ravens’ fifth sack. He missed three plays and on his first play back, he was intercepted by safety Darian Stewart in the end zone with 2:57 left, his second interception of the game.
Shamarko Thomas also blocked a Baltimore punt out of the end zone with 1:56 to go for a safety.
The Steelers, who trailed by 11 at the time, bounced back into the game after Tuitt recovered Forsett’s fumble at the Ravens 45.
Roethlisberger followed with a deep pass to Antonio Brown, who caught it at the 2 and rolled into the end zone for what was ruled a touchdown. On review, he was ruled down at the 1. After a 5-yard penalty, Roethlisberger threw the touchdown pass to Bryant. The 2-point conversion pass failed and the Ravens held a 20-15 lead with 11:01 to go.
Baltimore got better field position at its 37 after the kickoff when Thomas nailed returner Jacoby Jones out of bounds for a 15-yard penalty. On third-and-13 at their 34, the Ravens converted when Owen Daniels beat safety Mike Mitchell over the middle for a 23-yard catch.
The drive concluded with Tucker kicking his third field goal, from 52 yards, to put Baltimore in front, 23-15, with 8:47 left.
The Steelers needed a touchdown and a 2-point conversion to tie it. But on third down at their 26, the Ravens sent a safety blitz. Roethlisberger spun away and threw a short pass to new teammate Ben Tate. The ball went through Tate’s hands and right to linebacker Terrell Suggs for an interception at the Steelers 21.
Flacco threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Gillmore on the next play and Baltimore had virtually put the game away, 30-15, with 7:56 left.
“We have to convert in the red zone,” left tackle Kelvin Beachum said “We know what we have to do. We didn’t do it. We just needed to convert in the red zone.”
“It’s a disappointment,” Tomlin said, “because our intentions were to be world champions and that’s something that we’re not going to be this year, based on the result of this game.”
The previous time the Steelers lost a playoff game at home was to Jacksonville after the 2007 season, Tomlin’s first as their coach.
Ed Bouchette: ebouchette@post-gazette.com and Twitter @EdBouchette.
First Published: January 4, 2015, 1:50 a.m.
Updated: January 4, 2015, 6:53 a.m.
