BALTIMORE (93.7 The Fan) – There was just something different this week. So often seemingly playing passive or afraid of making a mistake, the Steelers offense went for it Sunday and it ended in a 27-22 win Sunday in Baltimore.
And it started early.
“I think we were in an aggressive posture all day,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “I just think that’s how we got out of bed this morning. That’s what’s required when you’re playing these guys in their venue.”
The first play of the game, a 52-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers to DK Metcalf and on the first play of the second half, a 41-yarder to Metcalf. The slogging Steelers offense was getting big plays, finally.
“I hate to sound like a broken record, but it’s all about practice,” Rodgers said. “When you're out there and executing in practice like we did this week. It gives you confidence to make some of those plays, and I thought it was our most crisp week of prep on the field. I think off the field we’ve already been good.”
Rodgers said it wasn’t a coincidence that the passing game improved with Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Adam Thielen playing in their first Steelers games. He said their professionalism, not just in the game, but the week leading up to the game, was huge. He said there was an extra level of focus.
“(Offensive coordinator) Art [Smith] wanted to be aggressive on the first play as you guys [media] were talking about; we hadn't completed a pass in over 20 yards in a while,” Rodgers said. “We took a shot, and DK [Metcalf] got it, he was on one in practice on Thursday. He was on one in practice on Friday as well.”
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“I think we just knew what was at stake, first place in the division,” Metcalf said. “We knew we were coming in facing a good team that had just come off a loss as well. We knew we were going [to get] their best shot. We had great practices all week. We were locked in on all the details, and throughout the weekend, everything came to fruition.”
“In a big game like this, setting the tone early,” said receiver Calvin Austin. “Not letting the crowd get into it. Not letting them get that momentum early. The games last year, the crowd got into it early and stayed into it. Hitting a big shot that early definitely catches the defense off guard. It’s a whole different called game when you hit a big shot on the first play of the game.”
“I just felt it,” Metcalf said. “Everybody was talking about the rivalry between the Steelers and the Ravens, and that’s all that needed to be said. We were shown old clips from the previous years, how the games came down to the last second, plays made by our team, but I think we just knew what was at stake, and that’s why it happened.”
It even impacted the defense.
“Yeah, that first play, I was not expecting that at all, so that definitely got us fired up,” said linebacker Patrick Queen. “We really trust our offense. I was talking about it earlier in the year, we let them down a couple of times and stuff. We know we’ve got an offense; we’ve just got to get them the ball, get it to them in good field position. We trust every single guy on that offense to go out there and do their job and do it at a high level. So it comes back to us on defense to be able to do our job at a high level and get the ball back to them.”
Aaron Rodgers threw for his most yards as a Steeler, going 23-34 for 284 yards with a touchdown passing and even a rushing touchdown. Rodgers was able to play as he recovers from a broken wrist, but you bring in a 42-year-old future Hall-of-Famer for days like Sunday, moving into first place in the AFC North.
“That’s why you go do business with a guy like Aaron,” Tomlin said. “Thick days, like today, he’s a been there, done that guy. Beyond the experience component of it, he relishes it. You can just tell. That’s the benefit of having a guy like him.”
With all of it this season, the Steelers (7-6) are in first place with four games left.