After the Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl XL, the 2006 season proved a disappointment when they finished 8-8. Having won the big one, Coach Bill Cowher decided to go in a different direction. He swapped the football sideline for a commentator’s booth.
Mike Tomlin took over as the head coach in January 2007. Little was known about the Vikings defensive co-ordinator. Most pundits and the Steelers players thought they would promote from within. After Tomlin was announced as the new coach, some believe the Rooney Rule played a part in the hiring.
The draft was Coach Tomlin’s first challenge, and he used his first two picks on LB Lawrence Timmons and DE LaMaar Woodley. Both played a part in confirming Coach Tomlin’s defensive mind.
Coach Tomlin had a lot to prove to the fans who revered Cowher who had finally brought the fifth Lombardi to Pittsburgh. When the Steelers opened the new season with three wins, any doubts about the new coach were quickly dispersed.
While the Steelers struggled in 2006, the Ravens ruled the roost winning the division and sweeping the series with the Steelers. They outscored the Steelers 58-7 in two routs, but Hines Ward was certain the team had put those disasters behind them.
“What happened last year, happened last year,” Ward said. “It wasn’t a great year. Right now it’s another divisional game for us, a chance to separate ourselves from the rest of the division.”
Coach Tomlin’s view on the bitter rivalry. “The dislike is probably something that sizzles and sells.”
Not that any was needed, but for the Steelers, the added incentive was their celebration of the team’s 75th season the weekend of the game.
Baltimore’s star linebacker Ray Lewis wrote on the team’s locker room message board, “The division lead is on the line. Need any more motivation. The perfect team to claim our territory.”
The (5-2) Steelers vs (4-3) Ravens; November 5, 2007
Under the spotlight of Monday Night Football, Ben Roethlisberger sent the Ravens flying off into the gloom.
On Baltimore’s first series, James Harrison sacked Steve McNair causing a fumble that Harrison recovered. The Steelers took over on their opponent’s 20. Roethlisberger made light work of a short field finding Heath Miller with a 17-yard touchdown pass. Jeff Reed kicked the point after to give Pittsburgh a seven-point lead.
The Steelers defense held the Ravens second possession to a three and out. After Baltimore did the same to Pittsburgh, Harrison forced another fumble with a crushing hit on the Ravens punt returner that Lawrence Timmons recovered. Aided by penalties by the Ravens, Roethlisberger finished the 28-yard drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes.
As time was expiring in the first quarter, Troy Polamalu forced a fumble that was recovered by Anthony Smith. Presented with another short field of 36 yards, Roethlisberger finished the 3-play drive with a touchdown pass to Nate Washington of 30 yards.
The Steelers continued to pile on the pressure in the second quarter. Roethlisberger connected again to Holmes with a touchdown pass of 35 yards.
Harrison returned his interception 20 yards to present Roethlisberger with a long field of 44 yards. Five plays later, Roethlisberger found Washington with a 7-yard touchdown pass.
When Baltimore returned the kickoff 52 yards, it provided a spark of momentum they turned into a touchdown. Willis McGahee carried the ball 33 yards on first down to reduce their deficit.
The Steelers went into the locker room at the half with a 35-7 advantage.
After Roethlisberger suffered a hip problem when he was pushed to the turf by Terrell Suggs, he was replaced by Charlie Batch. Defenses dominated the rest of the game. Having run out of short fields, the Steelers could only add a 22-yard field goal in the third quarter to the final score.
The Pittsburgh Steelers 38 vs the Baltimore Ravens 7
With his five touchdown passes, Ben Roethlisberger tied Terry Bradshaw’s record which he would break in 2014 with six in back-to-back games. His exploits in this game earned him a passer rating of 158.3.
Charlie Batch said he could tell Roethlisberger was up for the game during the warm-ups. “He had a different look than I’ve seen. He’s always confident. But the look he had tonight, he knew he was ready to play. He knew we were ready to play.”
“That’s all we kept hearing about all week was 58-7, the total score of two games,” Hines Ward said. “They outplayed us. They were more physical. It’s really gratifying that we can change things around from last year.”
James Harrison, who was cut by the Ravens in 2004, was credited with 3.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and an interception.
“We dug ourselves a hole,” acknowledged Ray Lewis. “With a team like that, it’s hard to dig yourself out.”
Baltimore’s loss was their worst since a 37-0 defeat in Pittsburgh in 1997. “They’ll be disappointed, they’re going to be embarrassed,” Ravens coach said of his players. “We all are.”
The Steelers finished the season 10-6 winning their eighteenth division title. They lost 29-31 to Jacksonville in the wildcard game.
The Steelers lead the Ravens series 21-12 in Pittsburgh and have won six of the last ten games played at home.
Lamar Jackson has lost five of his seven starts against Pittsburgh.
John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin have faced off 39 times (including playoffs) which is the second-most meetings between two opposing head coaches in NFL history. Curly Lambeau (Green Bay) and George Halas (Chicago) are the only two to face each other more often with 49 meetings. Tomlin holds a 22-17 advantage over his rival.
