Ravens 'Game Ball Of The Week'

Last week in the Baltimore Ravens 30-27 last second victory over the Arizona Cardinals, we gave the Samsung 'Game Ball of the Week' to WR Anquan Boldin for having a solid game against his former team. This week, he had another monster game in the Ravens 23-20 almost-last-second victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Boldin finished with seven receptions for 88 yards and was targeted ten times.

In the Ravens 92-yard game winning drive, Boldin caught four huge passes from QB Joe Flacco. Three of them extended the drive, resulting in first downs, including the one fourth down play. Those numbers would be enough in most weeks to earn the 'Game Ball of the Week.' Not this week.

Flacco finished with an even 300 yards passing, almost a third of them on that final clutch drive, as his arm accounted for all 92 yards. Coming through at that point in that game in that stadium on national TV when everyone, yes everyone thought he would fail, should be enough to get the 'Game Ball of the Week.' Not this week.

Rookie WR Torrey Smith may have dropped a few crucial passes that could have won the game earlier than his TD catch with eight seconds left did. Five receptions plus that game-winner could definitely earn him the 'Game Ball of the Week.' Not this week.

This week, the Samsung 'Game Ball of the Week' is being given to a guy a bit more in the background of the victory than the aforementioned individuals. second year tight end Dennis Pitta only caught five passes from Flacco during the game, but all five of his receptions resulted in first down. That's a "clutch-rate" of 100%. Every single time he touched the ball Sunday night, he gave the Ravens four more downs to try to score.

In fact, on four of Pitta's five catches, the Ravens went on to score on that drive. Only on the one where they did not score, it happened when placekicker Billy Cundiff inexplicably missed a 40-yard FG attempt, his first miss inside of 50 yards this season. As good as the other named players above, without Dennis Pitta's five almost forgotten receptions, the Ravens probably do not win this game. Thus, we are proud to toss one more ball in the direction of Dennis Pitta, the Samsung 'Game Ball of the Week.'

(See more on Dennis Pitta's performance at BaltimoreRavens.com)