NFL

NFL Wild Card Fans Respond To Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens Running Past Pittsburgh Steelers Early, Often

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Jeff Hawkins
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Jeff Hawkins Sports Editor

Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry, in both print and digital media. He ed the Sportscasting team in 2021 following a decade of freelancing. He spent his early career as a reporter for various newspapers in Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, with a particular emphasis as a beat reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University. Over the course of his career he earned several sports writing awards, including two national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for column writing and news reporting. One of the five prized columns included a commentary on Get to know Jeff Hawkins better

Sports Editor

Published11 Jan 2025

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Total dominance.  

That was Lamar Jackson. That was Derrick Henry.  

And that was the host Baltimore Ravens during the first half of Saturday night’s AFC Wild Card matchup, enabling Jackson to shed past Pittsburgh Steelers demons. 

Building a 21-0 halftime advantage, Jackson went 13-of-15 for 144 yards and two touchdown es. He also added 64 yards rushing on 11 attempts. Jackson led the Ravens to 308 first-half yards, culminating in 19 first downs and three prolonged TD drives. 

The Steelers, meanwhile, compiled just two first-half first downs. On defense, they failed to defend the Ravens’ read-option attack. Internally, they attempted a brief second-half rally, but couldn’t rebound from its month-long slide, falling 28-14 at M&T Bank Stadium. 

Jackson and Henry were so punishing, they helped the Ravens compile 227 yards after , with more than five minutes remaining, the most of any NFL defense this season. Henry finished with 186 yards rushing.

X (Twitter) s reacted Saturday night to Jackson beating the Steelers for just the third time in his last 11 meetings. Is he the MVP? … 

The Ravens made a defining statement on the opening drive, highlighted by Henry’s “infamous stiff-arm” …

 Jackson directed the Ravens to a 13-play, 95-yard TD drive on their opening possession, capped by a 15-yard scoring to Rashod Bateman on a third-and-13 play. The Ravens held the ball for 7:13 … 

Jackson being and doing Jackson-like things … 

Henry powered into the endzone to give the Ravens a 14-0 lead. The 8-yard TD run capped a  13-play, 85-yard drive at 4:09 of the second quarter. The Ravens had 156 total rushing yards at that point …  

The Ravens capped the dominating first half with a scrambling Jackson connecting with Justice Hill on a 5-yard from Jackson with two seconds left until halftime. Jackson directed a nine-play, 90-yard drive in just 1:51 … 

The Steelers’ playoff starts have trended poorly over the past decade. The 2024 score, by the way, should be edited to Ravens 21, Steelers 0 … 

Starting the second half on their 2-yard line, the Steelers started scratching back into the Wild Card. Quarterback Russell Wilson hit Van Jefferson 30-yard scoring .., 

 The visitor’s momentum was halted briefly on Henry’s 44-yard scoring ramble. Who re the Steel Curtain? This was more like the Steel Breezeway … 

 Capping a strong offensive third quarter, but eventually falling short, Russell went to a spinning George Pickens on their next series, scoring on a 36-yard and pulling to within 28-14. The Steelers ended the season with five consecutive defeats … 

Final score: Ravens 28, Steelers 14 …

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Jeff Hawkins
Sports Editor

Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry, in both print and digital media. He ed the Sportscasting team in 2021 following a decade of freelancing. He spent his early career as a reporter for various newspapers in Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, with a particular emphasis as a beat reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University. Over the course of his career he earned several sports writing awards, including two national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for column writing and news reporting. One of the five prized columns included a commentary on Get to know Jeff Hawkins better

Author photo
Jeff Hawkins Sports Editor

Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry, in both print and digital media. He ed the Sportscasting team in 2021 following a decade of freelancing. He spent his early career as a reporter for various newspapers in Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, with a particular emphasis as a beat reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University. Over the course of his career he earned several sports writing awards, including two national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for column writing and news reporting. One of the five prized columns included a commentary on All posts by Jeff Hawkins