The Pittsburgh Steelers just keep finding ways to win, even when things are going poorly. For the second time in 2024, Chris Boswell accounted for all 18 points as the Steelers defeated the Baltimore Ravens to take control of the AFC North. Despite not punching the ball into the end zone, Pittsburgh was able to capitalize on the many mistakes that the Ravens had. The rivalry has been one-sided for many years now, and the black and gold continue to prove that they are the class of the division.
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TJ Watt sacks Lamar Jackson in a home game against the Baltimore Ravens.
During his postgame press conference, Head Coach Mike Tomlin was asked about how great it is to have Boswell, and he talked about how his elite kicker covers up for a lot of other issues.
"I love [Chris Boswell]. I'm tired of him getting Player of the Week. He probably got Player of the Week again this week. He's deserving of it, but it reminds us of our warts. It reminds us of the work we need to do, but no doubt I'm thankful that he's on our team."
Boswell nailed all six of his field goal attempts, including three from 50+ yards. That was just enough to secure the win, as the Ravens only put up 16 points. Baltimore's offense sputtered throughout the majority of the game, as it gave up three turnovers. Pittsburgh got a field goal on all of those takeaways.
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Steelers kicker Chris Boswell looks on after making a 50 yard field goal against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16 of 2023.
To add insult to injury, Justin Tucker added on to the worst season of his career by going one-for-three on field goal attempts. He missed from 47 yards out, as well as 50 yards out, and both went wide left. If he made even one of those two kicks in the first half, the second half likely plays out much differently for both teams.
The game was still not easy for the Steelers. As Tomlin mentioned, there were a lot of issues that Boswell was able to cover up. First and foremost, they went back to their old way of not being able to properly finish a drive off. Four trips to the red zone ended in just nine points. Even in a win, that is unacceptable.
The Steelers' offense as a whole could not get going for a while. Two of their three field goals in the first half came on drive that started in Ravens' territory, and those drives stalled a little too quick. They had under 100 yards of offense in that half, as well as less than three yards per play. They were lucky to be winning at halftime.
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Steelers' Payton Wilson getting ready to make a play.
The Steelers' offense did wake up a bit in the second half, but they still couldn't find the end zone. Russell Wilson threw an interception in the fourth quarter while looking for that elusive touchdown. Luckily, Payton Wilson made an incredible interception to give the Steelers life again, and they scored the final field goal, which ended up being the game-winner.
The gauntlet has only just begun for the Steelers, and they can't expect to win any more games like that. The fact that they won with only field goals twice in the same season is incredible on its own, and it just shows how reliable Boswell is when he needs to be. If a future playoff game comes down to his right leg, you can bank on it being a victory.
Steelers May Have Themselves An All-Time Great At Kicker
Boswell entered Week 11 as the fifth-most accurate kicker ever, and going six-for-six will only help his case. That performance may be enough to boost him over Daniel Carlson for fourth on the list. Meanwhile, Tucker's numbers keep plummeting during his nightmare season. Who knows if/when Boswell leapfrogs the Ravens' legend?
It's even more impressive when you realize that Acrisure Stadium is a nightmare for kickers. Tucker's one successful field even tied the record for longest field goal by a visiting player in that building, and it was only 54 yards. Meanwhile, the past, present, and future Special Teams Player of the Week hits 57-yarders with ease. Nobody can kick like Boswell can.
What do you think about Tomlin talking about Boswell reminding the team of their shortcomings by being so elite? Let us know in the comments.
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