Ravens Vs. Steelers: Rashard Mendenhall Finds End Zone, Pittsburgh Strikes First To Lead 7-0

We have seen the vaunted defenses of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens on Saturday. After one possession by each team, a reversed call on the opening kickoff, and no small amount of pushing and shoving, score round one for the Steelers.

Pittsburgh’s first possession was benefited greatly when Ben Roethlisberger threw a deep pass to Mike Wallace. Wallace was unable to come up with the ball, but earned a pass interference flag. Running back Rashard Mendenhall assumed the rest of the duties from there, and after being slammed back by an impressive stop from the Ravens’ Ed Reed, he finally punched his way into the end zone.

The Ravens received the opening kickoff, and in what may be a first, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin threw a challenge flag on the first play of the game. Returner Lardarius Webb wasn’t whistled down until taking the ball to midfield, but a replay showed that his arm hit the ground 15 yards prior.

Quarterback Joe Flacco picked up where he left off on Saturday by zeroing in on tight end Todd Heap. Heap made good by taking a reception for 18 yards, but Flacco may have suffered from tunnel vision when he attempted to squeeze the ball to him again on third down. The ball fell incomplete, and the Ravens were forced to punt.

The Steelers lead at home in the first quarter, 7-0.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream for updates. And for more on these teams, check in with SB Nation’s Steelers blog, Behind The Steel Curtain, and our Ravens blog, Baltimore Beatdown.