Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith feels he's turning a corner.
After a statistically down first half of the season, Smith had one of his better games in Pittsburgh Sunday night and feels he's taking a better mental approach to the game.
Smith hauled in a 35-yard touchdown from quarterback Joe Flacco early in the first quarter and finished with four catches for 63 yards. It was one of his best games of the year.
"Even though it didn't show because there are a couple players I left out there, I played better overall in my opinion," Smith said after the game. "I know me better than anyone."
Smith has admitted that the first half of the season was frustrating. After posting 65 catches for 1,128 yards a year ago, Smith had just 18 receptions for 308 yards and four touchdowns through the first eight games of 2014.
Smith has tried to shake off the slower start, and took a new attitude into Pittsburgh.
"It is a mental thing the way I approach the game, the way I was attentive on the field," he said. "I was definitely locked in on that. It is a brand new half of the season for me personally and I'm looking forward to making the plays that we need to get it done. And I have to do a lot more."
Smith has four touchdowns in his last four games. He's caught 11 passes for 195 yards during that span, which included being shut out in Cincinnati.
Smith showed off his vertical skills on his touchdown catch. Given just a tiny step behind Steelers cornerback Brice McCain, Smith was able to break free at the top of his route and make the catch.
If he can continue to do that, it should open up more of the middle of the field for the rest of the Ravens receivers.
Smith came close to making another long touchdown catch in the second quarter, but he didn't turn around and look for the ball soon enough and it bounced off his pads.
Had Smith made that catch, the Ravens could have tied the game at 14-14. Instead, Baltimore settled for a field goal. So there's still room to improve, and Smith knows it.
"Joe obviously throws the ball a little quicker," Smith said. "If I look back a little quicker that split second, I catch the ball instead of it coming right off my outside shoulder. It didn't even touch my hand. I basically ran past the ball because I looked back so late. That's a play I can make."
