Steelers vs Ravens final score: Owen Daniels, turnovers fuel Baltimore’s 26-6 win over Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Steelers traveled to M&T Bank Stadium on Thursday night to kick off Week 2 of the NFL regular season against the division rival Baltimore Ravens.

While the entrance was great, there was still a game to play and the Steelers and Ravens delivered the same type of hard-hitting action that we have grown to expect from meetings between the two teams.

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When the final whistle blew, Baltimore proved to be too much for Pittsburgh and they secured a 26-6 win for the home fans.

Following a slow start to the game from both teams, Baltimore was able to put together an impressive scoring drive that ended with a two-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco to tight end Owen Daniels.

The Ravens hung on to their one score lead, until midway through the second when Justin Tucker booted the ball 30 yards through the uprights to put Baltimore up over Pittsburgh, 20-0.

At the end of the half, the Steelers were in desperate need of a score and starting running back Le’Veon Bell provided a spark for the team with a brilliant 21-yard run that included an impressive spin move out of danger and Ben Roethlisberger getting in the way of the defense to spring Bell to the outside.

Pittsburgh was able to only score a field goal as we went into the half with a 10-3 lead for the Ravens.

The Steelers were able to stop the Ravens on Baltimore’s opening drive of the third quarter, before Shaun Suisham capped off a scoring drive with a 43-yard field goal to pull the Steelers within seven.

Baltimore wasn’t ready for the Steelers to close the gap just yet.

The Ravens answered with a 12-play, 80-yard drive that was capped off by another touchdown reception by Daniels.

At the end of the drive, the Steelers were called for two personal fouls after hits to a defenseless receiver. Both hits were very questionable, but the Ravens were able to take advantage of the opportunity to go up 17-6.

Pittsburgh was unable to answer as we entered the fourth quarter.

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Baltimore started the final 15 minutes with an impressive drive that was gashing the Pittsburgh defense, but the Steelers held strong inside of ten to force a third down.  Tucker converted a 23-yard field goal to extend the Ravens’ lead, 20-6. The pressure was on the Steelers and they were not up to the occasion. Roethlisberger hit tight end Heath Miller for what would have been a first down, but the ball was jarred loose by former first-round pick C.J. Mosley and Baltimore recovered. The Ravens turned that turnover into three points, after another field goal from Justin Tucker despite Troy Polamalu’s best efforts to leap over the line and block the kick.

Baltimore went up, 23-6, with ten of the points being off of turnovers.

The Steelers offense continued to struggle, and they failed to convert another third-down with time running out and their backs against the ropes. Instead of going for it on fourth down trailing by 17 points with less than ten minutes remaining, Mike Tomlin inexplicably decided to punt.

But Baltimore wasn’t done just yet.

Justin Forsett scampered 41-yards for the Ravens to put the ball inside of the five-yard line.

To make matters worse for the Steelers, linebacker Lawrence Timmons was banged up on the following play and went down in a heap of pain. The good news is that Timmons returned to the field just one play later to absolutely crush Joe Flacco on a quarterback sneak attempt.

Tucker eventually lined up and booted another field goal through for the Ravens to extend their lead to 26-6.

That all but sealed the win for the Ravens, but Ben Roethlisberger wanted to be sure and completed the game with an interception to bring an end to his 30-game streak throwing a touchdown.