Baltimore Ravens' Marlon Humphrey Endures Rude Welcome Back vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Making his seventh season debut for the Baltimore Ravens, Marlon Humphrey made the highlight reel for all the wrong reasons against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Baltimore Ravens fans likely longed to see Marlon Humphrey back among their Sunday highlights. That wish was fulfilled in the most macabre fashion during Week 5's tilt against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers.

Humphrey, fresh off August foot surgery, made his 2023 season debut in the Ravens' annual trip to Acrisure Stadium. He was part of a sterling defensive effort that kept the Steelers out of the end zone for 58 minutes and 43 seconds ... but could only watch as Pittsburgh broke that trend in the most dramatic fashion, one that allowed them to escape with a vital 17-10 victory and break the Ravens' perfect mark against divisional competition. 

Placed in single coverage against George Pickens as the Ravens nursed a slim, and seemingly lasting, 10-8 lead, Humphrey was beaten by the sophomore Steeler. Pickens united with Kenny Pickett for a 41-yard tally that put Pittsburgh ahead for a brief yet permanent lead, giving the black-and-yellow its sixth victory over the past seven meetings against their purple foes from Charm City.  

Marlon Humphrey (44) was lined up against George Pickens in single-coverage during the latter's game-winning touchdown on Sunday / USA TODAY SPORTS

Working the rusty Humphrey in single coverage against the Steelers' top receiver over the final moments was an attempt by offensively-challenged Baltimore (3-2) to flex its defensive might one last time. The Ravens went after Pickett with an all-out blitz on a nine-yard second down in the penultimate minute, a plan Humphrey acknowledged in assuming responsibility.

“You kind of get beat sometimes when you blitz the house, and that was one of those times,” Humphrey said of the final defensive effort, per Brian Wacker of the Baltimore Sun. “You obviously don’t want to be on the end of the game-winner, but it happens at the corner position, so you just try to limit those to where you can contest those catches and hopefully break it up.”

Baltimore had gotten to Pickett three times on Sunday, costing Pittsburgh 22 yards. They were also credited with four further quarterback hits in defeat. 

Pickens' heroics marked his first scoring chapter in the Ravens-Steelers series after coming to the Steelers as a second-round pick in 2022. As Pickett's undisputed top option on Sunday (hauling in 130 of the second-year thrower's 224 yards), Pickens was surprised that Baltimore left only one defender on him in the penultimate minute.

“I’m always a little bit surprised when it’s a one-on-one matchup with no safety over the top,” a surprised Pickens said, per Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “With the long speed I have and the back-shoulder game, ... if they’re not doubling me, I’m a little surprised, for sure.”

Humphrey and the Ravens' first shots at redemption will come overseas when they face the Tennessee Titans in London next Sunday (9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network).