Snoop Dogg & Internet React To Ravens' Shocking Upset Over Steelers
Most people didn't give the Ravens a chance in hell to beat the Steelers.
Baltimore was an 11.5-point underdog, and one analyst thought Pittsburgh's high-flying offense would put up as much as 50 points on Baltimore.
"We all said it, and most thought it even if they didn't say it," wrote CBSSports.com's Pete Prisco. "The Pittsburgh Steelers were the one team that most division winners didn't want to see as a wild-card team in the AFC. … Then they tinkled down their legs on Sunday in Baltimore.
"Still think they're a team that nobody wants to play in the playoffs? Now, it's likely nobody will."
With a 4-10 record and no chance to advance to the playoffs, this heated rivalry game was the Ravens' Super Bowl. You're giving Baltimore a chance to sweep the Steelers AND spoil their post-season dreams?
Yeah, this one was sweet no matter the record.
"Hey, if we can't get in there, then you can't get in, either," cornerback Lardarius Webb said after the game. "That's how we want it.
"I thought we had them all week where we wanted them. With our record, they came in and thought it was going to (be) bombs over Baghdad against us. That's when we had them."
It was a stunning loss for the Steelers, who controlled their post-season destiny Sunday morning. To advance, they needed to beat two losing division rivals in the Ravens and Browns in the final two weeks of the season.
Instead, Baltimore pulled off the stunning upset and the New York Jets beat the New England Patriots in overtime Sunday, delivering a gut-wrenching blow to Pittsburgh's playoff hopes. They'll need to beat the Browns next week and get A LOT of help from around the conference.
"Pittsburgh? Really?" wrote TheMMQB.com's Peter King.
"My Pittsburgh friends shrieked, 'Tomlin must go' after Sunday's totally embarrassing 20-17 loss at Baltimore made Pittsburgh's playoff chances sub-50 percent. … [T]he Steelers were my fifth-ranked team last week, and to see them dominated by first-time Raven starter Ryan Mallett was a stunner. The Steelers forgot this was a rivalry game, and Ben Roethlisberger was surprisingly mediocre, with his second touchdown-less game in the last three weeks."
Rapper Snoop Dogg, a well-known Steelers fan, had perhaps the best reaction of the night.
He posted a video and photo that, frankly, aren't safe for work. But my colleague Garrett Downing and our Ravens Productions crew will try to clean it up for Final Drive later today. Let's just say Snoop Dogg isn't happy that the Ravens always feel like they have something to prove and may have dashed his team's hopes.
"Just lose the game and lay down, [BLEEP] so we can win and get into the playoffs," Snoop Dogg said. "Always got something to prove, [BLEEP]."
I have to give our Ravens Twitter peeps props for the perfect response to Snoop.
Here are other priceless reactions from the internet:
When your team sucks but you still sweep the Steelers https://t.co/jj3dYMTzWt — John Harbaugh (@CockyHarbs) December 27, 2015
pic.twitter.com/SpFNy8voAc — lindsey ok (@lindseyyok) December 28, 2015
Aiken Says Hand Injury 'Will Be Fine'
The last standing receiver from the beginning of the season seems to have dodged a bullet.
For the third straight week, Kamar Aiken led the Ravens in receiving yards (66), and did it while battling a third-quarter hand injury. Aiken missed part of a series while being attended to by the medical staff, but he eventually returned to the game.
"I think it will be fine," Aiken told The Baltimore Sun's Jon Meoli. "They're not going to be able to keep me out unless I'm just unable physically to go out there. You never know when you're going to get another play. I'm going to take advantage of every last one I get."
Aiken's game-high eight catches tied a Ravens team record set in 2007 by Derrick Mason with eight straight games with five catches or more.
Ravens Found Their 2016 Backup
For the first time in several weeks, Head Coach John Harbaugh didn't hesitate in naming his starting quarterback after the game.
"Ryan Mallett," Harbaugh said with a giant grin.
If you ask King, Mallett is also the easy choice as the top backup of the future.
"I think the Ravens found their 2016 backup quarterback Sunday," King wrote.
"Ryan Mallett has a great arm, possibly more physical tools than Joe Flacco, and he's exceedingly grateful the Ravens took him off the NFL scrap heap. I think he'd sign for 2016, no questions asked, and the Ravens – who know he's not the smartest player and might not have the emotional equilibrium they'd prefer in a backup to Flacco – would like to have him. He's not afraid."
Actually, Mallett is already signed through the 2016 season, Peter.
Check that item off the list.
Mallett produced the first turnover-free performance by a Ravens starting quarterback since the Week 8 win over San Diego on Nov. 1.
NBC Regret Flexing Ravens-Steelers?
As is customary, Baltimore and Pittsburgh delivered another battle that was highly entertaining and engaging for television audiences, and went down to the wire.
Too bad it got flexed out of primetime in favor of the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings game. The Vikings destroyed the Giants, 49-17.
Meanwhile, the Ravens-Steelers game became the 12th contest of the last 16 decided by three points or fewer.
Ravens Figured Out Antonio Brown, Roethlisberger Dejected
Entering Sunday's matchup, the Steelers had scored at least 30 points in a franchise-record six-straight games.
Baltimore's defense snapped that streak.
The Ravens defense also held quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to 215 passing yards, his fewest in a full game this season, and forced two interceptions. They held the league's top receiver Antonio Brown to seven catches for 61 yards.
CSNMidatlantic.com 's Clifton Brown described Roethlisberger as "dejected" after the game.
"We shot ourselves in the foot today," said Roethlisberger. "It's our fault, it's my fault. "The only thing we can do now is play, win, watch, and hope."
Why Did Refs Reverse Penalty On Harrison?
This time the referees had the call right, but picked up the flag.
In the video below, you can Steelers linebacker James Harrison knock Mallett squarely in the knees and thigh. The low blow was a clear penalty, and the officials even threw a flag, but reversed their original call, saying that Harrison was blocked into Mallett's legs.
Sorry, but he wasn't blocked. He fought the block and dove low at Mallett.
"The low blow is a clear penalty and if completely intentional, is an incredibly dirty play," wrote Baltimore Beatdown's Matthew Stevens. "James Harrison is a solid linebacker and one that gets after quarterbacks well, but he's also one that tends to be on the receiving end of a bunch of flags for this exact type of thing.
"Despite the flag being picked up, Harrison will almost assuredly see a fine later this week for the play. To which, we'll hear about how the league has it out for him and he'll whine like an 8-year old that got put in timeout for hitting his little brother."
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