The Pittsburgh Steelers remained the NFL's lone undefeated team by rebounding from a lackluster offensive first half on the road and outlasting the depleted Baltimore Ravens 28-24. Ben Roethlisberger found Chase Claypool on the right edge of the end zone from 8 yards out with 7:29 remaining for what proved to be the winning touchdown.
The bad news wasn't limited to the score for the Ravens, whose All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley was carted off the field in the first quarter with a broken left ankle, and right guard Tyre Phillips also left the game with an ankle injury. Moreover, linebacker Matthew Judon was ejected for intentional contact with an official during a skirmish in the second quarter.
The Steelers moved to 7-0 as Roethlisberger finished 21 of 32 for 182 yards -- 158 of them coming in the second half, after the Steelers were outgained in the first half 254-64 and trailed 17-7.
Pittsburgh took advantage of a turnover early in the third quarter, and Roethlisberger hit tight end Eric Ebron from 18 yards out to get the Steelers untracked. Later in the quarter, Pittsburgh offense found its rhythm on a 10-play, 77-yard drive that resulted in James Conner's 1-yard scoring run for a 21-17 advantage.
Baltimore (5-2) responded with Lamar Jackson moving the Ravens to retake the lead, hitting Marquise Brown for a 3-yard touchdown pass. Jackson completed 13 of 29 passes for 208 yards but had two costly interceptions, including one returned by Robert Spillane for a touchdown (Pittsburgh's only first-half points).
On the game's third snap, Spillane picked off a pass and returned it 33 yards to the end zone to open the scoring. It was Jackson's first career interception returned for a touchdown.
Willie Snead's 34-yard reception set up Jackson's 6-yard scoring pass to Miles Boykin that forged a 7-7 tie. The Ravens seized a 14-7 lead when Gus Edwards plowed in from the 1-yard-line to cap a nine-play, 75-yard drive.
Justin Tucker's 51-yard field goal as time expired in the first half pushed Baltimore's lead to 17-7.
Early in the third quarter, Jackson's second interception, by Alex Highsmith, set up the Steelers at Baltimore's 21, and Roethlisberger sprang into action. Before the interception, he was just 5-for-14 and the Steelers had managed just six first downs. After that, he completed 16 of 18 passes and the Steelers outscored Baltimore 21-7.
--Field Level Media