The Steelers' 23-16 victory in Baltimore demonstrated the team's hold on the AFC North, but it also demonstrated how they're outsmarting opposing defenses by design.
Let's dig deep ...
TWO-MINUTE DRILL
• Where scheme beat team: Randy Fichtner continues to put together offensive schemes that create headaches for opposing defenses, and that deserved to be highlighted in the Steelers' win over the Ravens. Everyone knows this offense is full of dangerous weapons who can make big plays, but Fichtner is compounding that by maximizing the space on the field — stretching defenses out to create spaces for easier catches.
There might be no better proof than the fact the Steelers have three of the top 20 NFL players at gaining yards after catch with James Conner (seventh, 340), Antonio Brown (17th, 273) and JuJu Smith-Schuster (19th, 254). The only other NFL team with three players in the top 20 in yards-after-catch are the Chiefs, who have the NFL's top offense.
Last Sunday, Fichtner forced the Ravens to run laterally to keep up with crossing patterns that searched for mismatches.
Conner's touchdown reception that opened up the game was a beautifully designed play. The Ravens are in man defense, and the Steelers run crossing patterns by Smith-Schuster and James Washington from the right side of the field. Both receivers draw the cornerbacks and safeties from that side, and Conner runs to the very space they cleared out:
Conner being behind the offensive line made him even harder to track for rookie linebacker Kenny Young, and the crossing routes served as a de facto screen to keep him from getting to Conner.
Plays like that made it easy for Ben Roethlisberger to conduct the offense with safer passes. It also tires a defense out by forcing it to run throughout the game.
Another example was Ryan Switzer's 5-yard reception to convert a third-and-2. Watch how his motion forces Tavon Young to chase him but creates a difficult pursuit angle behind Smith-Schuster's streak route. By the time Young can get around it, Switzer is open in the flat for an easy conversion:
The Steelers converted 2 of 12 third downs in the teams' previous matchup, but improved to 10 of 16 in this game. Much of that was from great spacing and scheming by Fichtner combined with great execution and timing.
Watch how they use a similar plan with Smith-Schuster, but this time, it gets Brown open on third down. Brown is lined up in the slot against Marlon Humphrey in an obvious man coverage look. Smith-Schuster lines up inside of Brown and is going to fire off the ball to get upfield. Brown runs a slant but waits just half a second to get behind Smith-Schuster and create natural space between himself and Humphrey:
By the time Humphrey gets around the traffic, Brown is open and Roethlisberger gets it to his favorite target for a drive-extending conversion. Roethlisberger doesn't have to make the daring, super-throws 30 yards downfield for the offense to succeed anymore. The offense is using smart designs to win battles and creating more good individual matchups to win.
That's when it's the most fun to examine the Xs and Os of America's favorite game.
• All about the tackling: Missed tackles were a main problem of the Steelers in 2017, as Pro Football Focus revealed with their number-crunching on that team:
Last season, the #Steelers missed a tackle on 16.1% of run plays (31st in NFL).
They added sure tackling veterans this offseason in S Morgan Burnett and LB Jon Bostic, who ranked 1st and 8th respectively at their positions in tackling efficiency. https://t.co/R2sUJejvPY
— PFF PIT Steelers (@PFF_Steelers) July 19, 2018
Because of that, our commitment this season is to keep a close eye on this facet.
Sean Davis leading the way with eight tackles is nothing to ignore. The Steelers used him as the deep safety and the underneath cover man in the middle of the defense, and he was effective at each level.
Make a note of how both Jon Bostic and Vince Williams are often in the mix for the top tacklers on the team each week. The two are the leading tacklers of the team, Bostic having 46 and Williams having 45.
Bostic only has two missed tackles in eight games, and Williams has six in seven games. That's indicative of how well this team has limited the big run plays of opposing offenses, because most runners aren't getting past the linebackers.
• Top matchups: Each week we pick three pivotal matchups for the Steelers' game and break down how they favored either side throughout the game:
• Alejandro Villanueva vs. Terrell Suggs: Suggs had two tackles for loss in the previous game at Heinz Field and still is the lead sack man for the Ravens. But Villanueva controlled him all game, both in pass protection and as a run blocker. Combine this with his domination over Myles Garrett last week, and he's on a great run. Advantage: Steelers.
• Joe Flacco's deep ball vs. Steelers' secondary: Flacco did connect on two passes over 20 yards and got three pass interference penalties, but the Ravens got only one touchdown from all of that. In his best games against the Steelers, Flacco usually connected for a big touchdown behind the Steelers' safeties that softened up the secondary. But that moment never came to fruition, and his 206 yards on 37 attempts wasn't enough. The Ravens only converted four of 12 third downs, and that's from the Steelers limiting those big plays. Advantage: Steelers.
• James Conner vs. Ravens' defensive front: Conner was shut down in these teams' previous game but had been red hot since. In a matchup between the unstoppable force and the immovable object, Conner ran through the Ravens like he had his past three opponents for 107 rushing yards on 24 carries. The Ravens needed to force the Steelers to be one-dimensional to win this game, and they failed. Advantage: Steelers.
Had a big play or a decent game 
Very impressive, multiple big plays
Elite performance
Gave up a big play without redemption 
Total performance was a disappointment
Horrible, inexcusable
QUARTERBACK: A
Roethlisberger deserves a ton of credit for making the right decisions throughout the game and never committing a crucial turnover that could've given the Ravens a boost. Though he missed some big passes, his steadiness in the face of the Ravens' pass rush showed the toughness he has been known for in his career.
Ben Roethlisberger:
Who cares if he still hasn't had a 300-yard performance at M&T Bank Stadium, Roethlisberger was in control throughout the game with two passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown to top his 270 passing yards from 27 completions on 48 attempts. He's running the Fichtner offense at a high level and coming through when the team needs him.
Josh Dobbs:
No way I'm leaving Dobbs off this list. His only play of the game was one of the biggest moments in the team's victory. He didn't look for check-downs or easy options, he processed the Ravens zone defense and threw a dart right through its heart from his own end zone. I've been behind Dobbs getting a spot on this team since before he was drafted, and he showed the guts that made me like him at Tennessee.
RUNNING BACKS: A+
For the fourth week in a row, I have the highest praises for Conner and his contributions to the team. The biggest worry of his recent run of good games was whether he could put up a big performance against a good defense, and he put that to bed.
James Conner:
With 107 yards on 24 carries and 56 yards on seven receptions, Conner averaged 5.26 yards per touch against the NFL's top-ranked defense. Mike Tomlin always says, "the standard is the standard." But at this point, Conner is shattering all expectations and the standard that was set by Le'Veon Bell's All-Pro seasons.
Now that Conner has rushed for over 100 yards, it's his 4th straight game. The last time Bell rushed for over 100 yards for 4 straight games was back in late 2016. #Steelers #dkps
— Christopher Carter (@CarterCritiques) November 4, 2018
OFFENSIVE LINE: A+
The Ravens' defense controlled the trenches at Heinz Field in September, but that was not the case at M&T Bank Stadium. The Steelers' offensive line opened holes consistently for Conner and didn't allow Roethlisberger to be sacked until the end of the game, when he gave himself up to allow the clock to run.
Maurkice Pouncey:
My study of Pouncey over the years showed me he struggled most against the oversized defensive tackles of the NFL. Baltimore defensive tackle Brandon Williams was one of those that had given him fits, but that was not the case in this game. Pouncey routinely controlled the middle of the line and got out to lead block on pulls as usual. He continues his strong season.
Alejandro Villanueva:
I have a routine saying that Villanueva is the weakest link of the offensive line, but he's playing at a level to challenge that narrative. He completely shut down Suggs, who only had two tackles, neither for loss, and was arguably the team's best lineman in the game.
Watch how Suggs tries to get through Villanueva with multiple moves, but is completely stoned. This allowed Roethlisberger to improvise and hit Conner for 17 yards. Suggs tries to rush inside, but Villanueva gets to his spot and stops his momentum. Then Suggs tries to move outside, but Villanueva keeps his feet chopping and reacts in time to shove Suggs away:
That's elite protection against the Ravens' all-time leading sack man.
David DeCastro:
More dominating performances from a player that should get national recognition as potentially the NFL's best guard. He's winning all over the trenches and deserves to be an All-Pro at the rate he's playing.
Ramon Foster:
Foster played very well in the middle of the line in passing off pass rushers and winning at the point of attack. He wasn't the best of the group but deserves credit.
Matt Feiler:
Not to knock Marcus Gilbert, but Matt Feiler has made it so the team has not missed a beat in his absence. Not only did he control Tyus Bowser as an edge rusher, but he was a force in the ground game and contributed as a pulling lead blocker from the tackle position. He's currently the fifth-lowest hit on the Steelers' salary cap, but his play is making a case for him to get paid after his one-year contract expires.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS: B+
They didn't put up monstrous numbers, but this group continued to be the consistent threat to the Ravens' defense and came through on the big plays for Roethlisberger.
Antonio Brown:
Though he only had five catches on 11 targets, Brown was open consistently and making plays in space. He also attracted plenty of double teams from the Ravens to open up the rest of the field, all while registering his ninth touchdown on the season.
JuJu Smith-Schuster:
His drop in the second quarter was bad, but the rest of his game was great. He has become a very good slot option for Roethlisberger and kept beating the Ravens' secondary off the ball, getting open quickly to catch the ball on three third-down conversions and the Steelers' only fourth-down attempt. He also made a very good catch on the pass from Dobbs.
Ryan Switzer:
He redeemed himself from last week's huge mistake on special teams against the Browns by doing the little things to make big plays. Switzer's three catches for 21 yards don't seem like much, but two of them resulted in third-down conversions. He fits the offense as that slot receiver.
Jesse James:
Though he juggled the 51-yard bomb from Roethlisberger, he still made the catch and pulled off a double-move that completely fooled veteran cornerback Brandon Carr. That big play combined with solid blocking earns a star.
James Washington:
He should've drawn a defensive hold on one of his comeback routes, but he still didn't make the big play he was drafted to add. The potential is there, but he's still working on the detail of his game. It also looked like he gave up on his blocking for Brown on his touchdown, but he was fortunate Brown negated it by making two defenders miss.
DEFENSIVE LINE: B+
Once again, this group took on the role of being the cannon fodder to open up lanes for the players behind them. They weren't major sack producers, but they were every bit of why the Steelers held the Ravens to 3.8 yards per carry.
Stephon Tuitt:
His clutch sack that practically ended the game was huge, but Tuitt also was a huge part in working against the run. He was consistently changing the line of scrimmage, and that helped the linebackers behind him.
Cam Heyward:
Had a swatted pass and was a team player in how he crashed the entire left side of the Ravens' line to open up the space for Tuitt's late sack. He didn't necessarily take over the game, but he's instrumental to how this defense keeps opponents' ground games in check.
LINEBACKERS: B+
Not a spectacular game, but another solid performance to add to a string of consistent play from this group.
Bud Dupree:
Despite only registering one tackle and half a sack, Dupree showed good edge work against Jermaine Eluemenor. He only drew one holding call, but he was taken down with what should have drawn calls at least three additional times. He's also doing well on the edge against the run.
T.J. Watt:
His five tackles were solid and indicative of his ability to find the ball. He also should have drawn more holding penalties but had a solid game overall. Still looking for more consistent hand-usage, but he's being used in various roles and finding ways to be effective in each.
Vince Williams:
Four tackles and the other half of the sack with Dupree. Was a solid contributor against the run and was consistently in position throughout the game. He's less of a liability against the pass, and it's showing.
Jon Bostic:
Continues to be the steadying presence in the middle of this defense with five tackles and is providing decent coverage, even in tough matchups. This team needs Bostic available.
L.J. Fort:
Fort didn't have a particularly bad game, but he had 27 snaps and the only time he registered was on a missed tackle. It's still a good season, but this was his least inspiring performance of the year.
SECONDARY: A-
When you limit an opponent's receivers to just 100 total receiving yards, that's a good day. Once again, this secondary looks like the most improved group on the team from 2017.
Joe Haden:
Only targeted five times and gave up two catches for 35 yards. He continues to be a pillar of the defense and took away John Brown on several plays where Joe Flacco was looking for a deep ball to open up the offense.
Sean Davis:
Like Dale Lolley wrote last week, Sean Davis has become the quieting presence behind the cornerbacks that discourages quarterbacks from trying deep passes. He also comes up and helps underneath with solid tackling on shorter passes. That lives up to the prospect he showed to be at Maryland, and his eight tackle performance was vital to the Steelers' limiting of the Ravens' offense.
Mike Hilton:
He missed the previous Ravens game due to injury and proved to be the consistent difference maker he has been all season. Mike Hilton recorded four tackles, two for loss, and a pass defended.
Watch how he gets in position with his swat to save a touchdown. He's in man coverage against tight end Mark Andrews and gives a five-yard cushion, but he gets right in the hip pocket of Andrews on his corner route and goes up for the ball to swat it away. Andrews, at 6-foot-5, has an eight-inch height advantage over Hilton, but he completely negates it with fundamental coverage:
Terrell Edmunds:
Though he got tagged for pass interference, he also had an impressive pass-defended that saved a touchdown. He also registered four tackles and is a big part of this faster defense that's limiting NFL offenses from big plays on underneath passes.
Morgan Burnett:
Burnett had the pass interference that set up the Ravens' only touchdown and didn't have the redeeming moment that Edmunds did. But he had five tackles and looked to be in position all game. He's still getting back to speed and is providing a better challenge in coverage over the middle than what the Steelers' can expect from their current inside linebackers.
Coty Sensabaugh:
His one pass breakup was nice, but he had no tackles, a missed tackle and an unnecessary pass interference penalty that kept the Ravens in the game.
THE ROAD AHEAD
The Steelers take their four-game win streak into a Thursday night home game against the Carolina Panthers, who are on their own three-game win streak. The Steelers' defense stepped up to keep the Ravens in check by only allowing a single touchdown, continuing their string of strong performances.
But the Panthers' offense has scored over 30 points in four of their last six games and provide a different test with the faster Christian McCaffrey at running back and Cam Newton directing the hot offense. If they can limit this offense to 20 points, it will put another dent in the argument against what Keith Butler is putting together.
MATT SUNDAY GALLERY
Steelers at Ravens, Baltimore, Nov. 4, 2018 - MATT SUNDAY / DKPS
