|
 Roethlisberger threw six touchdown passes for a second
consecutive game, leading the Steelers to a 43-23 victory over the
Baltimore Ravens in a key AFC North game.
The 32-year-old Pittsburgh quarterback set a team record the
previous Sunday when he passed for six scores in a victory over the
Indianapolis Colts. The 12 touchdowns in a two-game span are an NFL
record.
"It means guys are catching touchdowns and it's fun, especially to
get so many different guys involved in the offense," Roethlisberger
said.
Roethlisberger completed 25 of 37 passes for 340 yards Sunday night.
It was the fourth time in the 11-year veteran's career that he threw
for at least five touchdowns in a game.
"You could have never sold me that during the week," said Suggs, a
standout Baltimore linebacker. "He did it last week. He had a hell
of a day today. That's a reflection on us all. You have to go out
there and stop him."
While Roethlisberger's touchdown feats are becoming the talk of the
league, they haven't caught Steelers coach Mike Tomlin off guard.
 "He is doing the things that we need him to do, obviously, but I
don't think any of us are surprised by anything that he does,"
Tomlin said. "We have been looking at it for some time."
The Steelers (6-3) earned their third consecutive win and took over
sole possession of second place in the division behind the
Cincinnati Bengals (5-2-1). The Ravens (5-4) absorbed their second
loss in a row and fell into the AFC North basement behind the
Cleveland Browns (5-3).
Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown caught 11 passes for 144 yards
and a touchdown, becoming the second player in NFL history to start
a season with nine straight games of at least five receptions and 80
yards. Hall of Famer Michael Irvin had a similar streak in 1995 with
the Dallas Cowboys.
Brown caught a 54-yard touchdown pass in the opening minute of the
fourth quarter to give the Steelers a 29-10 lead.
Roethlisberger's last touchdown pass came with 1:51 left, a
33-yarder to tight end Matt Spaeth that closed the scoring.
Two of Roethlisberger's scoring passes went to rookie wide receiver
Martavis Bryant, including an 18-yarder with 9:31 remaining that put
the Steelers ahead 36-17. Bryant has five touchdowns receptions
through the first three games of his career after being a healthy
inactive for the season's first six games.
"Everybody has to wait for their opportunity," Bryant said. "It's
just when the opportunity presents itself whether you take advantage
of it or not."
Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco finished 30 of 45 for 303 yards with
two touchdowns and one interception.
Wide receiver Jacoby Jones scored on a 108-yard kickoff return with
13:47 left to draw the Ravens within 29-17. Flacco threw a 1-yard
touchdown pass to tight end Crockett Gillmore with 2:58 to go, but
Spaeth's TD put the game away.
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The Steelers turned Baltimore turnovers on back-to-back
possessions in the second quarter into a pair of Roethlisberger
touchdown passes with a span of 1:54 to take a 14-7 lead.
"The defense came up with the splash that created the tide that
turned our way for the rest of the game," Tomlin said.
The turnaround started when linebacker Arthur Moats forced a fumble
by Ravens running back Lorenzo Taliaferro and Steelers cornerback
Brice McCain returned it 27 yards to the Baltimore 26.
Five plays later, Roethlisberger threw a 5-yard scoring pass to
running back Le'Veon Bell to tie the score 7-7 with 7:18 remaining.
Linebacker Jason Worilds then intercepted Flacco and had a 30-yard
return to the Ravens 30. Bryant hauled in a 19-yard touchdown pass
three plays later to put the Steelers ahead 14-7 with 5:24 left.
The Ravens cut their deficit to 14-10 on kicker Justin Tucker's
46-yard field goal with 1:44 remaining in the half.
The Steelers answered 51 seconds later when Roethlisberger hit wide
receiver Markus Wheaton with a 47-yard touchdown pass to make it
22-10 going into halftime.
Baltimore wide receiver Torrey Smith caught a 35-yard touchdown pass
from Flacco just over five minutes into the game to open the
scoring.
"They played a very good football game," Ravens coach John Harbaugh
said of the Steelers. "They hung in there and got stronger as the
game went on."
NOTES: Steelers SS Troy Polamalu (sprained knee) and Ryan Shazier
(sprained right ankle) were both injured in the second quarter and
did not return. .... Ravens TE Owen Daniels returned to the lineup
after missing the previous game, a loss at Cincinnati, while
recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. ... Baltimore CB Jimmy
Smith (foot) and WR Michael Campanaro (thigh) were inactive, as were
Pittsburgh CB Ike Taylor (foreman) and S Ross Ventrone (hamstring)
were inactive. ... The Steelers retired Hall of Fame defensive
tackle Joe Greene's No. 75 during a halftime ceremony. ... The
Ravens host the Tennessee Titans next Sunday while the Steelers
visit the New York Jets.
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