TEAM GRADE: OVERALL: A+
QUARTERBACK
After a slow start, Ben Roethlisberger finished with six touchdown passes to five receivers, giving him an NFL-record 12 TD passes in two games. He threw for 148 of his 340 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, capitalizing on a couple takeaways by the defense. He completed four of five passes on an 80-yard scoring drive that was capped with a perfect 47-yard TD pass to Markus Wheaton.
Grade: A+
RUNNING BACKS
Le’Veon Bell had only 6 yards rushing on five carries in the first half and finished with his lowest total of the season (20 yards). But he caught a 5-yard touchdown and had a big 12-yard catch on third-and-6 to keep alive the third scoring drive. LeGarrette Blount looked more suited to pounding at the Ravens defense, but he kept going backward in the second half and had only 23 yards on 10 carries.
Grade: C
WIDE RECEIVERS
Antonio Brown had 11 catches for 144 yards, including a 54-yard catch-and-run TD, giving him 30 catches for 367 yards in the past three games. Martavis Bryant continues to make big plays, catching two more TDs to give him five in three games. Markus Wheaton caught only one pass in the first half but it was a big one, running under a perfectly thrown deep ball for a 47-yard touchdown and a 22-10 lead, his second touchdown is as many games.
Grade: A+
OFFENSIVE LINE
After not allowing a sack against the Colts, the line gave up sacks on three consecutive plays to start the second quarter. Marcus Gilbert, Kelvin Beachum and Ramon Foster were the culprits. What’s more, the Steelers managed just 32 yards rushing and a 2.9-yard average in the first half. But the protection improved in the second half, even if the run game didn’t.
Grade: C-
DEFENSIVE LINE
After rushing for 157 yards in the first meeting, the Ravens were held to 63 yards rushing — the second game in a row the Steelers have held the opponent to 63 yards rushing. What’s more, the Ravens didn’t manage a run longer than 12 yards. DE Cam Heyward continues to put pressure on the quarterback. Rookie DE Stephon Tuitt had several QB pressures in the first half.
Grade: B+
LINEBACKERS
The unit was responsible for two momentum-changing plays and four sacks. Arthur Moats made the first when he forced a fumble that led to the first touchdown to tie the score. And James Harrison, who had his third sack in the past two games, had the pressure on Jason Worilds’ 30-yard interception return that set up the second touchdown for a 14-7 lead. Harrison had two sacks for the second game in a row and looked like his old self with a number of pressures.
Grade: A+
SECONDARY
After giving up an early deep touchdown, the secondary settled down and didn’t allow any more big pass plays. Brice McCain didn’t transition from the ball to the receiver when he got beat for a 35-yard touchdown, but he somewhat atoned with a 26-yard fumble return that set up the first touchdown. Ravens WR Steve Smith didn’t have a catch longer than 12 yards among his four receptions.
Grade: B+
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Steelers allowed a scoring return for the first time this season and it was a big one — a 108-yard kick return by Jacoby Jones, the third of 108 yards of his career. What’s more, the punt coverage gave up its longest return since the first Ravens game when Jones had a 25-yard return to set up a touchdown. For a change, a botched hold by Brad Wing worked in their favor when he threw a 2-point conversion pass to TE Matt Spaeth.
Grade: F
COACHING
The offense showed that last week wasn’t an aberration and scored 30 or more points for the fifth time in nine games. The defense got big plays, sacks and pressures from their linebackers, especially James Harrison, and took away the big plays by the Ravens after an early touchdown. Give Mike Tomlin credit for successfully challenging a play that resulted in a Harrison sack and forced a Ravens punt.
Grade: A
First Published: November 3, 2014, 5:53 a.m.
