Steelers kick their way to victory over Baltimore in the battle for AFC North supremacy

Look, when the Steelers play the Ravens, you know it’s going to be a close game. Sure, it’s a well-worn stereotype — like the fact that Pittsburghers put fries in their sandwiches, or Baltimoreans put Old Bay on everything — but stereotypes are rooted in truth.

In the latest installment of “AFC North Hulks Walloping Each Other,” the Steelers (8-2) used six field goals to beat Baltimore (7-4), 18-16, to clinch first place in the division. But that didn’t come until after a dirty, abrasive hit under — of course — gray skies in Pittsburgh.

The game’s early highlight — or, more accurately, lowlight — came in the first quarter, when the former most accurate kicker in NFL history, Justin Tucker, suddenly couldn’t kick straight. Tucker missed field goals of 47 and 50 yards, raising concerns about his viability going forward.

Almost as if despite Tucker, Pittsburgh kicker Chris Boswell accounted for all of Pittsburgh’s 18 points alone. Boswell hit from 32, 52, 32, 57, 27 and 50 yards, which is good news until you realize those totals mean more Steeler drives have gone into the red zone.

The Ravens, of course, rode Derrick Henry all afternoon long, including a 1-yard boom that was the only touchdown by either team in the first three quarters. Heading into the fourth, the score was Pittsburgh 15, Baltimore 10, and absolutely no one had any idea how the game would end.

The game devolved into a clinch-and-punch scrum … until Russell Wilson started to show signs of life. He led the Steelers on a methodical 10-play, 63-yard drive deep into Baltimore territory, looking for all the world like the old Russell Wilson — dodging the rush, finding the open man, seeing the field like a slow-motion checkerboard.

And then, just when it looked like Pittsburgh was about to put the game away, the evil Russell Wilson arrived to sabotage the Steelers. Facing third-and-goal from the 5, Wilson evaded a swarming Ravens rush, spun, lofted a pass into the end zone … right into the arms of Baltimore’s Marlon Humphrey.

And sojust when it looked like Baltimore was going to drive down the field and take control of the game, Payton Wilson ripped a Lamar Jackson pass right out of the hands of Justice Hill. Given another chance to go on a scoring drive, the Steelers would go on to, well, kick another field goal and take an 18-10 lead.

And so soBaltimore finally rose from his bruised stupor. On the Ravens’ final drive, with under two minutes left, Jackson, under swarming pressure, found Hill for what turned into a 22-yard gain down to the Pittsburgh 24. Two plays later, Jackson hit Zay Flowers in stride for a touchdown. But the ensuing two-point attempt went awry, leaving Baltimore trailing 18-16.

With all three timeouts remaining, Baltimore started and Pittsburgh opted to sub in Justin Fields at quarterback to run out the clock. Fields unfortunately slipped short of the line first down despite having room to move. But Najee Harris bailed him and the Steelers’ out on the next play, just getting over the line to allow Pittsburgh to run out.

Wilson finished the day 23-of-36 for 205 yards and an interception, while Jackson was 16-of-33 for 207 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Henry had 65 yards and Harris 63 to lead all rushers.