Ravens vs. Steelers final: MVP, winners & losers

An ugly, stupid, no-fun game with unending yellow flags and trash calls ends with the Baltimore Ravens on top, 26-23.

Co-MVP: K Justin Tucker

The unequivocal greatest kicker in NFL history crushed a 46-yard game-wnning field goal, along with three other field goals and two extra points. He’s a walking legend and while the NFL struggles with kickers, the Baltimore Ravens dominate in a way no player EVER has in the history of the game.

Co-MVP: CB Marlon Humphrey

This absolute legend goes right back to the fruit punch against JuJu Smith-Schuster and knocks out the pigskin. But when he’s made the play, he didn’t stop. He kept running and reeled in the forced fumble, completing the takeaway with a wonderful bounce. The ultimate response to the god-awful game in Pittsburgh.

Winners

P Sam Koch — The punts to salvage ugly field position, including a punt from his own one-yard line. The holds for Tucker to lead the Ravens to victory. Koch is king.

LS Morgan Cox — It’s a team effort and these specialists are the best in the NFL. Before you hear, “Koch to hold,” and, “the kick is up,” the first phrase is always, “The snap!” Cheers to you, Cox.

RB Gus Edwards — Someway, somehow, this Adonis crossed the back of the endzone marker, to save the team from a game-changing safety. If Edwards doesn’t get out of the endzone, the Ravens are done for.

RB Mark Ingram — A sixth rushing touchdown on the season lands Ingram on this list. Otherwise, he struggled today. A tough 19 carries for only 44 yards (2.3 YPC) is ugly.

WR Willie Snead IV — He made some great catches down the stretch which helped lead Tucker into field goal range. He’s finally getting some targets and making the most of them.

TE Hayden Hurst — Four catches on four targets for 32 yards, including a couple chain-moving catches. With Andrews banged up, he’ll be looked toward these next few weeks. If not for Andrews, he’d be the guy Lamar is looking for.

WR Marquise Brown — Hollywood hauled in his third touchdown of his rookie season, sacrificing his body to make the tough catch in the endzone. He fought all day to get on the field and help this team win.

LB Josh Bynes — Signs with the team on Wednesday, starts against the Steelers on the road on Sunday and intercepts a pass two drives in, which leads to a touchdown. Fantastic veteran play by Bynes.

LB L.J. Fort — Started off hot with a special teams tackle at the 15 yard line on the first kickoff. Set the tone of the first quarter early.

CB Maurice Canady — Yeah, I have Canady on this list. He had a great pass break-up which was somehow ruled a catch. He was also just shy of an interception, which was taken from him by a smart offensive pass interference penalty. Two great plays robbed by Canady makes him appear worse than what we saw. He was targeted a lot but what do you expect when Humphrey is on the opposite side. He’s playing up to the level we expected and even better in some cases.

Losers*

*These players had a bad game. This shouldn’t be taken too literally. This is a critique article of the game today.

LB Matt Judon — He had a sack nullified by a penalty marker, but otherwise, he struggled. This was a tough game and the Steelers offensive line showed up. The Devlin Hodges run was rough.

WR Seth Roberts — The pass was overthrown and wide, I’m not blaming him for it. However, I’m not seeing much from him. Two targets, zero receptions.

LB Jaylon Ferguson — He was set to receive extra snaps today and his stat line ends with one solo tackle. It’s a tall task to ask for him to be a playmaker in his first big game on the road but that’s where you need to make the impact. The coaching staff put you in there to make the plays.

DE Chris Wormley — Didn’t see enough from the defender. There was no pressure or push.

Don ‘Wink’ Martindale — The blitzing isn’t getting to them. I appreciate aggressive coaching but six-man attacks had not worked all game. Give it a rest and adjust.

QB Lamar Jackson — A tough game and it ends with a pitiful stat-line. Three interceptions and five sacks; less than 200 yards passing. Let’s be objective, it was a bad game.

Offensive line — If not for Jackson dancing and spin-cycling his way out of pressure, he’d have been downed another five or more times. The Steelers front is the real deal and this was a bad game.

NFL Officiating — Horrible, horrible game. Absolutely atrocious officiating and I’m genuinely pissed off this game ended this way. Your job is to look for penalties and to bring fairness to this game, not seek out penalties and leave your fingerprints on this sport.