There has been a common denominator to just about all of the Ravens’ losses to the Steelers in recent years. Self-inflicted wounds for the Ravens. In Baltimore’s eight losses to Pittsburgh over the past nine matchups, the Ravens have lost the turnover battle, 19-7. They’ve averaged 22 more penalty yards. They’ve also been outscored 78-35 in the fourth quarter.
As Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey said this week, the Steelers’ strategy in these matchups has seemingly been to keep the game close, prey on mistakes and then win it at the end. This year’s Steelers lead the league in forced turnovers. This year’s Ravens haven’t been particularly prone to turnovers, but they are the most penalized team in football. Is this the day that they actually play a relatively clean game against the Steelers?
