Ravens Report Card Vs. Steelers
PASSING OFFENSE: Quarterback Lamar Jackson had the worst regular-season game of his young career. He completed just 19 of 28 passes for 161 yards with three interceptions (54.9 rating). Jackson held the ball too long several times and was sacked five times. He was not helped by his receivers or offensive line. Jackson is solid when he runs the ball, but he still has some struggles making plays deep downfield against a Cover 2 defense. GRADE: C
RUSHING OFFENSE: Overall, the Ravens finished with 137 yards rushing, their lowest output of the season. Jackson led the way with 14 carries for 70 yards. Mark Ingram finished with with 44 yards on 19 carries with a touchdown. The Steelers stacked the box to force Jackson to beat them over the top, but the Ravens still managed tough yards on the ground. Gus Edwards, who had 17 yards on five carries, showed good burst and could help carry more of the workload, GRADE: C+
PASS DEFENSE: The Ravens still have problems in their secondary picking up receivers. They were facing two backup quarterbacks -- Mason Rudolph, who left with a concussion, and rookie third stringer Devlin Hodges -- and still had trouble getting off the field. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey saved the day by forcing a fumble in overtime that set up the game-winning score. Safety Tony Jefferson suffered a season-ending knee injury. Josh Bynes, who joined the team last week, had an interception. GRADE: C
RUSH DEFENSE: The Ravens had a couple of roughing the passer penalties, including one against safety Earl Thomas that knocked Rudolph out of the game. Pernell McPhee managed the Ravens only sack. GRADE: C
SPECIAL TEAMS: Justin Tucker hit a game-winning 46-yard field goal in overtime. He also converted kicks of 27, 26 and 48 yards. Rookie Justice Hill had a 46-yard kickoff return that the Ravens could not turn into points. Sam Koch had a 57-yard punt. GRADE: A
COACHING: The Ravens escaped a hostile environment with a win. The team also overcame several questionable calls. Coach John Harbaugh is not worried about style points. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman stayed with the run against the Steelers rugged front seven. Don Martindale had an aggressive game plan and it paid off in the end. GRADE: B-
