Steelers Escape Ravens Game Relatively Healthy
PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Steelers escaped Sunday’s 18-16 win over the Baltimore Ravens relatively healthy, as nose tackle Keeanu Benton (knee) was the only player to leave the game with an injury. Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. left the game twice due to a shin contusion but returned both times. Porter ended up making a key tackle on quarterback Lamar Jackson on the Ravens’ two-point attempt late in the fourth quarter.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said after the game that his unit had some bump and bruises from the game, but he only mentioned Benton and Porter’s injuries, which is an encouraging sign for Thursday night’s game against the Browns in Cleveland.
“We had some bumps and bruises associated with play. I think went most went back. Joey Porter went back, shin contusion. Keeanu Benton is a guy who probably needs further evaluation,” Tomlin said. “We have a short week this week. We got another AFC North battle waiting on us. We respect that, we won’t waste too much time patting ourselves on the back because that next challenge is right around the corner, man. This is what we signed up for. This is what we live for. This is the ultimate competitor’s league and we’re swimming in these waters. And it’s good. It’s good to get to know ourselves, it’s good to smile in the face of adversity that the game and life presents, and come through the other side of it.”
Benton slowly walked off the field and to the bench after a 15-yard fourth-quarter connection between Jackson and Derrick Henry was called back due to an ineligible man downfield penalty.
Keeanu Benton has three tackles in the contest, which stood 15-10 in Pittsburgh’s favor when he exited the game. Dean Lowry and Isaiahh Loudermilk are the other two defensive lineman dressed for the Steelers.
One play later, rookie linebacker Payton Wilson ripped the ball from Justice Hill’s grasp for an interception, stealing the momentum from Baltimore and setting kicker Chris Boswell up for his sixth field goal make of the afternoon.
Benton, a Wisconsin product, was taken in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Entering the day, he’d totaled 17 combined tackles, five quarterback hits, five passes defended, and a fumble recovery.
The Steelers were already missing Alex Highsmith, who was listed as an inactive prior the matchup. Second-year linebacker Nick Herbig filled in as starter for Highsmith, making a big play right away by forcing a Henry fumble.
Linebacker Patrick Queen, a former Raven, also starred on that side of the ball for Pittsburgh, jarring the ball loose from Isaiah Likely and recovering it himself.
Baltimore had an important defensive injuries of its own, as Kyle Hamilton was banged up earlier in the day and Roquan Smith was ruled out for the rest of the game with a hamstring issue.
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Alan Saunders and Brendan Howe provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
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