The tight end position has been a bit of a hodgepodge of players this season with limited and sporadic production.
But it looked to get a boost from Vance McDonald's return to the lineup Sunday against the Ravens.
McDonald -- back in the lineup for the first time in four games after suffering a sprained ankle Nov. 12 in a win at Indianapolis -- and Jesse James were featured prominently in the Steelers' passing attack in a 39-38 win over the Ravens that clinched the AFC North championship at Heinz Field.
James set career highs with 10 catches for 97 yards, while McDonald had four receptions for 52. The duo combined for 14 catches for 149 yards to help Ben Roethlisberger to a 506-yard passing game.
James had 29 receptions in the team's first 12 games, while McDonald had five, but there might be something growing:
"It’s just the way we started in a two-tight end set, went to the no-huddle and were very successful," Roethlisberger said of the tight end production. "We felt like it created matchup problems. They were going to keep linebackers on the field and we like our tight ends against linebackers. Even late, they started substituting and putting in a small guy, but the middle of the field was open. Our guys made plays."
At least while they were on the field. McDonald once again left the game early, this time with a shoulder injury. Xavier Grimble replaced McDonald in the second half and had two targets, though he did not catch a pass.
All told, the tight ends were targeted 20 times.
OTHER INJURIES
• Le'Veon Bell left the game in the second quarter with what Tomlin called a quad injury, but he returned after one James Conner series and ran without apparent difficulty. He told our site afterward that he was hit in the hip area and that he "was a little banged up" but expects to be fine.
• Alejandro Villanueva had a shoulder injury in the third quarter, but he, too, returned after one Jerald Hawkins series.
REPLACING SHAZIER
In the first game without Ryan Shazier, the inside linebackers had their hands full trying to find answers. Although the Steelers intercepted Flacco on the Ravens' first drive and forced a punt on their second, problems only seemed to mount as they gave up 38 points.
Keith Butler rotated between L.J. Fort, Arthur Moats and Sean Spence throughout the first half. They changed that pace after halftime, when Spence played pretty much the entire second half. But that was all part of the plan, as the Steelers wanted to keep a healthy, fresh rotation.
"We’re not really replacing Ryan with one guy," Vince Williams told our site regarding the plan. "That would be impossible. I think we did a good job. We could do a little more. We need some continuity. Moats hadn’t played middle linebacker in three years. Sean Spence barely played this year. We’ll see. I thought Fort did a good job."
RAVENS REELING? OR NOT?
The Ravens weren't exactly tickled over losing, never mind that it was to their archrivals. But, even though they fell to 7-6 and are now tied with the Bills, Chiefs and Chargers, they remain in the driver's seat to make the playoffs.
That's principally because their final three games are against the Browns, Bengals and Colts, currently a combined 8-41.
James said, "I think there's a chance we see that team a third time," and the Steelers weren't the only ones saying it.
"We just have to make sure we take care of our business," Baltimore linebacker CJ Mosley said. "If we do, ultimately, we can get back here."
Still several Ravens cited painful familiarity with the December loss here last year, also in the final minute, that knocked them out of the playoff picture.
“This one hurts,” Terrell Suggs said. “You lose to them the same way you did last year. This one sucks. But we have to get over it.”
BROWN ON THE VERGE
Antonio Brown entered the week leading the NFL in receiving yards and receptions and tied for the league lead in touchdowns. No player has led the NFL in all three statistics since Steve Smith in 2005.
Brown had 11 catches for 213 yards against the Ravens, but failed to score a touchdown. He now has 99 receptions for 1,509 yards. But he fell two touchdown catches behind the Texans' DeAndre Hopkins, who scored twice Sunday and now has 11 this season.
Brown is, however, just one catch short of becoming the first player in NFL history to record five 100-catch seasons. He has reached 100 receptions in each of the previous four seasons.
BELL RINGS UP THREE
Bell scored three touchdowns for the first time since last Dec. 11 in Buffalo, when he had a trio of rushing scores.
The NFL's rushing leader with 1,105 yards had 48 yards on 13 carries with two touchdowns on the ground in this game. But he also had nine receptions for 77 yards for his 40th career game with at least 100 yards from scrimmage.
Bell also passed Eric Dickerson with the most scrimmage yards in NFL history in his first 60 games with 7,734. Dickerson had 7,636 in his first 60 games.
HARRISON SUITS UP
After failing to play in the Steelers' past five games, James Harrison suited up and backed up rookie T.J. Watt.
Harrison, who had played just 29 snaps this season and told our site last week he wouldn't have re-signed with the team had he known he would play so little, saw a handful of snaps in this game. He failed to record a tackle.
But all eight healthy linebackers saw action in this game, including outside linebacker Arthur Moats splitting time at inside linebacker with Sean Spence, who was signed earlier in the week to help replace Ryan Shazier.
"There were so many moving parts. That’s what it’s going to take," said Watt. "It’s going to take a team effort, week in and week out."
NUMBERS, MILESTONES
• The division title is the Steelers' 23rd overall, eighth since 2002 and third in the past four years. All 23 division titles have come since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger, the most of any team in that time.
• Although this was barely mentioned by anyone in the locker room, the Steelers also clinched a playoff berth, their 30th since the merger and, again, the most of any team in that time.
• The eight-game winning streak is the fifth in franchise history, and the first since the 14-game winning streak in 2004.
• Thirteen of the past 20 meetings between the Steelers and Ravens, including this one, have been decided by three points or less.
• That's now nine consecutive wins for the Steelers in Sunday night games, going back to Dec. 15, 2013, against the Bengals.
• Roethlisberger's 66 attempts and 44 completions were both franchise records.
• He's now 40-14 in his career in prime-time games, including 21-3 at home.
• Just a reminder: The Ravens hadn't given up a 300-yard passing performance all season, never mind 500.
• Watt's six sacks are three shy of Kendrell Bell's team rookie record of nine, set in 2001.
• Chris Boswell's 52-yard field goal in the second quarter was his fifth of 50-plus in his career, all coming at Heinz Field.
Dejan Kovacevic contributed to this report.
MATT SUNDAY GALLERY
Steelers vs. Ravens, Heinz Field, Dec. 10, 2017 - MATT SUNDAY / DKPS
