Ravens Put Exclamation Point on Historic Season
BALTIMORE — The revolution is here.
The players and coaches for the Baltimore Ravens proclaimed before the season they were going to change the landscape of the NFL.
Mission accomplished.
The Ravens put an exclamation point on the best regular season in franchise history with a 28-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Baltimore (14-2) extended its winning streak to 12 games and set the single-season NFL rushing record with 3,296 yards. The Ravens enter the postseason as the No. 1 seed in the AFC for the first time as they try to win their third Super Bowl.
"This puts an exclamation point on an excellent season," coach John Harbaugh said. "I'm very, very proud of these players and these coaches. We're about to move into the next part of the season, the most important part, obviously.
"But with this part behind us, it's worth to take a minute and look at it. It's the best team in the regular season this year. There's no doubt about it, That's done. That's an exclamation point. But that doesn't count for anything in the next season."
The Ravens rested several starters for the finale against Pittsburgh, most notably quarterback Lamar Jackson, right guard Marshal Yanda and left tackle Ronnie Stanley on offense.
Running back Mark Ingram (calf injury) and Mark Andrews (ankle) were held out of the game.
It didn't matter.
With Robert Griffin III making his first start at quarterback in nearly three years, the Ravens ran over the Steelers. Baltimore finished with 223 yards on the ground and held the ball for nearly 40 minutes.
Griffin completed 11 of 21 passes for 96 yards with an interception. He also ran for 50 yards on eight carries.
"They asked me [in the offseason] what can this offense do, and I said, 'the sky is the limit.' Guys are very multiple," Griffin said. "And a game like today showed you that. When guys were down, we said next man up. The guys just went out and executed at a high level."
Gus Edwards got the start for Ingram and rumbled for 130 yards on 21 carries.
"I was just thinking that I grew up watching the Ravens-Steelers games, and it always meant something," Edwards said. "It's always a blessing, the opportunity to play in a game like this. I'm happy with the result."
The Ravens have also set single-season franchise records for total touchdowns (64) and points (531).
Harbaugh also held out several key players on defense, including defensive tackle Brandon Williams and safety Earl Thomas. Still, the Steelers were held to just 168 yards of total offense.
Linebacker Matthew Judon had a strip-sack on Devlin Hodges that was picked up by Michael Pierce at the Steelers' 23. That set up an eight-yard touchdown run by Justice Hill that gave the Ravens a 16-7 lead at the half.
Baltimore also scored a touchdown on a fumble by Pittsburgh punter Jordan Berry and registered a safety.
Hodges was 9-of-25 for 95 yards (47.9 rating).
"We're just going to keep on getting better, keep on pushing each other," defensive tackle Domata Peko said. "We're just getting started."
The Ravens now have an extra week to prepare for the postseason with the first-round bye. Still, there was no celebration after closing out the season in such a dominant fashion.
Harbaugh even avoided a Gatorade shower.
He hopes that will come later when the stakes are even higher.
"We have to keep winning. I'm all for it if we win," Harbaugh said.
