Typically, the rivalry between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens comes all the way down to whoever makes the final massive play of the sport, and this one was no completely different, with a two-point margin of victory for the Steelers. That’s why it was so devastating when Russell Wilson threw an interception ultimately zone with below 10 minutes to go within the fourth quarter.
Within the moments after the interception, Ben Roethlisberger thought the sport was over.
“I’ll be trustworthy, I believed, ‘It’s over,’” Roethlisberger stated by way of his Footbahlin’ podcast on YouTube. “I used to be nervous.”
I feel everyone had that very same feeling. Regardless of dominating the time-of-possession battle all recreation and having a number of scoring possibilities, the Steelers let the Ravens hold round by not scoring a single landing. The ultimate failure within the purple zone felt like a nail within the coffin.
Thankfully, Payton Wilson saved the day with a loopy interception just some performs later, getting the Steelers again on monitor.
Roethlisberger had blended emotions about Russell Wilson’s finish zone interception. He initially stated he couldn’t flip the ball over in that state of affairs earlier than altering his thoughts.
“The problem is that Russ in all probability shouldn’t have thrown it, to be trustworthy,” Roethlisberger stated. “That being stated, I must take that again as a result of he’s giving his man an opportunity to make a play.”
It was classic Wilson, as he escaped strain together with his signature spin out of the pocket to increase the play. I can’t inform you what number of instances I watched that transfer end in touchdowns or massive performs for the Seattle Seahawks all through his profession. He noticed Darnell Washington, a 6-7 tight finish, ultimately zone and put the ball excessive within the air to present him an opportunity to make the play.
The one situation is Washington didn’t make an effort on the ball.
“He didn’t leap,” Roethlisberger stated. “He didn’t leap in any respect.”
I’m unsure if Washington thought Wilson was simply throwing the ball away or if he was mid-stride and never in a collected place to leap into the air. No matter it was, it resulted in a straightforward interception for Marlon Humphrey.
“Whether or not he can leap or not, if he places one arm up, he’s 13 ft within the air,” Roethlisberger joked. “It’d be one factor if Russ threw that leap ball to Calvin Austin. He noticed a giant man. He threw it up. Did Mount Washington suppose it was outta play? Did he suppose there was a man behind him? Like, what was the thought? I don’t know, I wasn’t there. You simply don’t wish to flip it over within the purple zone…I can’t put all of the blame on Russ as a result of I didn’t see Mount Washington make a play.”
Under is the top zone view of the interception.
It regarded like Wilson may have doubtlessly positioned it a bit additional inside to be secure, however I’ve a tough time believing that Washington didn’t have an opportunity on the ball. He was basically in the very same place as Humphrey and had the identical imaginative and prescient of the play. On the very worst, you field him out and both power an incompletion or take an offensive go interference penalty.
A discipline purpose would have made it an 8-point recreation with a really secure one-possession lead. The turnover was unhealthy throughout.
Wilson instructed the media that he was merely attempting to make a play as a result of the Steelers struggled to punch it in all through the sport. Mike Tomlin instructed the media he wished Wilson hadn’t thrown it in that state of affairs.
I feel I lean in the direction of Roethlisberger’s perspective. He took a calculated danger to the tallest eligible receiver on the roster, however Washington didn’t attempt to make the play for no matter cause. I might love to listen to Washington’s ideas on the play as the ultimate puzzle piece. Thankfully, the Steelers gained, so that is regarded again on with rather less urgency.
