Baltimore kicker Justin Tucker tied a Heinz Field NFL record with a 52-yard field goal as the Ravens beat the Steelers 23-20 in overtime on Thursday.
It won’t go down in the annals of Steelers history as one of team’s more impressive quarterbacking performances, but Mike Vick stepped up in the absence of Ben Roethlisberger and had the Steelers in position to beat the Ravens.
In overtime, the Steelers twice went for it on fourth down and were twice unable to convert as Vick was stopped on a sweep to the left and overthrew Antonio Brown in the flat on the right.
The Steelers nearly won the game in regulation, but kicker Josh Scobee missed a pair of fourth-quarter field goals that would have put Baltimore away.
With 2:32 remaining, the Steelers chose to thrown on 3rd-and-5 from the Baltimore 31-yard line. Ravens cornerback Will Davis broke up the pass attempt from Vick to Sammie Coates to force fourth down.
Mike Tomlin elected to send out Scobee, who was 2-for-2 on the evening to attempt a 49-yard field goal that sailed wide left.
The Steelers defense then stepped up to stop the Ravens on three straight plays, with James Harrison sacking Joe Flacco on 4th-and-long just before the 2-minute warning.
Three straight attempts by Le’Veon Bell were unable to gain a first down, and Scobee again trotted out to attempt a 41-yarder that also missed left.
The Ravens got the ball back with just over a minute remaining, and Flacco was able to drive the Ravens into field goal range. Justin Tucker made the 42-yarder to force overtime with second left in regulation.
After conceding a first-quarter touchdown on a Michael Campanaro touchdown run to go down 7-3, the Steelers built a lead on a solid running game, efficient, yet short passing from Vick and some timely defensive plays.
Nickel cornerback Russ Cockrell intercepted Flacco and returned it 27 yards to stop the driving Ravens, but the Steelers were unable to capitalize.
On the next Steelers possession, Bell cashed in on an 11-yard run early in the second quarter that saw him start out to the left, completely reverse field and pick up a block on the right from Vick.
The Steelers added a second field goal before the end of the half and went into the break up, 13-7.
Cockrell and defensive end Cam Heyward teamed up to make a splash on first play of the second half. Heyward flushed Flacco from the pocket, and as the Baltimore quarterback ran to his left, he appeared to have turned the corner. Heyward dove and knocked the ball out of Flacco’s hand as he neared the sideline. The ball bounced forward off Flacco’s knee and Cockrell leaned out of bounds to collect the ball with his toes barely in bounds.
The Steelers offense took advantage of the short field, with Vick finding wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey on a nine-yard score in the back of the endzone.
The Raverns quickly drove back, with running back Justin Forsett streaking through the defense on a 33-yard burst. Flacco capped off the drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass over Cockrell to Kamar Aiken.
A 4th-quarter 40-yard field goal by Scobee set up the endgame drama, with the Steelers offense twice unable to run out the clock or kick a field goal.
Photo credit: Getty Images
